Environmental and Occupational Health

Behavior change requires much more than the perfect slogan. I like to figure out what motivates people to move and keeps them awake at night, then create messages and materials that inspire them to improve their safety, health, or the environment. That said, a little alliteration or a catchy rhyme never hurts!

When I tell people I’ve worked at the same company for almost three decades, they are often astonished: Who would want to do the same thing for so long? What they don’t realize is that it’s never the same. I consider myself fortunate that, throughout my career at ERG, the work I do has always been interesting, challenging, and changing with the times.

I am passionate about doing all we can to protect people’s health and well-being and the environment in which we live. I have devoted my career to addressing health risks encountered in our communities and workplaces. I strive to solve problems using common sense and sound science.

My work is all about continual improvement. Whether it’s tackling emerging challenges in our environment, setting and working toward incremental sustainability goals, or designing information products that reach new audiences in innovative ways, I enjoy opportunities to raise awareness, raise the discourse, and help our clients improve human well-being and the health of our planet.

I was thrilled when I started working for ERG and found that I could apply my passion for environmental and occupational health by working for government agencies that promote and protect the health of individuals, workers, and the environment. This nexus has allowed me to pursue incredibly interesting work across myriad health-related topics and to help my clients plan, develop, and implement successful programs and initiatives.

I'm a ‘black sheep,’ a scientist in a family full of artists. That creative background gives me a different perspective on the kinds of technical problems that don't have ready solutions available. At ERG, I'm free to let my creative side help my technical side find solutions to our clients' large, complex problems.

We’ve come a long way from the days of mad hatter disease and painting radium watch dials but, with workplace fatalities in the United States hovering just above 4,500 per year since 2009, we still have work to do. I’m proud to be part of that work at ERG. I’m pretty sure that number won’t reach zero in my lifetime, but I know that helping our clients develop better regulations and guidance to protect the nation’s workforce gets us one step closer every day.

Clean air, safe workplaces, a stable climate for generations to follow—these are just some of the ideals that motivate my daily work. I strive to bring the best available science to our nation’s current and emerging environmental health and occupational safety issues. Solutions are important to me. Whether proposing air pollution controls to reduce community air toxics exposures or identifying engineering controls to address occupational hazards, I seek common sense and actionable solutions that benefit the health and safety of our population and workforce.