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of Environmental Health from 2008–2013 as vice-president, presi- dent, and representative to the Colorado Association of Local Public Health Ocials. The goal of this work was to represent both urban and rural perspectives in local, state, and national forums. Before his retirement in 2017, Butts served as deputy direc- tor for nearly 5 years and oversaw and guided the directors of the Oce of Human Resources, Division of Administration & Finance, Division of Environmental Health, and Oce of Emer- gency Preparedness and Response. He enthusiastically supported the development of an agency strategic plan and managed that process. Since retirement in 2017, Butts has worked as an interim public health director or interim environmental health director for three local health agencies in Colorado. He currently works on environmental health programs as a consultant to a local health department. Butts was appointed to the Colorado State Board of Health in March 2019 and is serving his second term and is currently the board president. Butts was recognized with the Milton M. Miller Award, the high- est award from the Colorado Environmental Health Association (CEHA), in recognition of contributions and distinguished ser- vice in advancing the environmental health profession. Through CEHA, he has worked with the accredited environmental health program at Colorado State University and always enjoys judging the environmental health-oriented state science fair winners each year. Butts commented, “These activities and the interaction with students are always inspiring.” In looking back on his time on the NEHA board and the impor- tance of our profession, Butts stated, “In these extraordinary times, we must all support each other, our reliance on the scien- tific method, and our dedication to evidence-based practice. And remember, public health is an important part of environmental public health!” In closing, he shared, “Thank you all for making this journey enjoyable and providing your insight, perspective, and dedication to the profession we all love! Each of you has been a pleasure to serve with and work for.”
webinar, and I had the privilege of interviewing Erik Mettler at the 2025 AEC for a session about the future of food safety at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).” Over her 7 years on the board, Carlton served on a variety of committees, including the Aliate Engagement, Credentialing, Marketing, Governance and Nominations, and the Annual Edu- cational Conference (AEC) Committees. As chair of the Aliate Engagement Committee for several years, she worked closely with NEHA sta¤ to shape the current approach to building meaningful connections with aliate states. Some of her proudest moments came representing NEHA in Washington, DC, during the numerous Hill Day events. “Partner- ing with Niki Lemin from Region 6, we self-identified as ‘Team Midwest,’ making the rounds to legislators from our states to advo- cate for environmental health priorities,” Carlton fondly recalled. Further, during her years on the board, she was honored to receive several Presidential Citations from NEHA presidents for her con- tributions and commitment. Serving during the COVID-19 pandemic brought unprece- dented challenges as the board grappled with how best to support members during an evolving public health crisis. Carlton stated, “Through it all, it has been remarkable to witness NEHA’s trans- formation into the dynamic, forward-looking organization it is today—and to have played a role in guiding that growth has been deeply rewarding.” Carlton currently serves as manager of the Retail Food Program at the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. Her work involves overseeing a team of dedicated supervisors and sta¤ and coordinat- ing with local boards of health to maintain consistent, high-quality inspections statewide. “I’m deeply engaged in advancing program consistency through FDA standards, policy development, and stra- tegic planning,” shared Carlton. Her career began at the local level, first as a code compliance o- cer for the City of Minneapolis and later as an environmental health specialist for the City of Saint Paul. Carlton eventually moved to the Minnesota Department of Health, where she spent more than a decade leading training, standardization, and outbreak response e¤orts in addition to program evaluation and delegation manage- ment. In 2025, Carlton received the Merit Award from the Minne- sota Environmental Health Association (MEHA) for contributions to environmental health at both the state and national levels. She is a past president of MEHA and served 9 years on its board. With more than 25 years of experience in public service, Carl- ton has built her career around strengthening regulatory systems, fostering cross-sector partnerships, and supporting workforce development. “Throughout, I’ve been a consistent voice for clear communication, data-driven decision-making, and collaboration between agencies. In the year ahead, I’m excited to continue my NEHA involvement as a mentor for the fifth cohort of the Environ- mental Health Leadership Academy,” commented Carlton.
Region 4 Vice-President Kim Carl- ton, MPH, REHS/RS, leaves the board after 7 years of dedicated ser- vice and leadership from 2018– 2025. She was initially appointed to complete the final year of Sharon Kline’s term in 2018 when Kline moved out of Region 4, and then went on to serve two additional terms. In looking back at her time on the board, Carlton stated,
“While I had no ‘ocial’ positions or duties, I was tapped a few times as a subject matter expert for various projects and events. Most recently, I was a panelist for NEHA’s World Food Safety Day
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September 2025 • Journal of Environmental Health
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