NEHA March 2024 Journal of Environmental Health

YOUR ASSOCIATION

NEHA REGIONAL VICE-PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE PROFILES

The National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) is governed by a corporate Board of Directors who oversee the aairs of our association. The board is made up of two groups: national ocers and regional vice-presidents (RVPs). We have nine dierent regions. See page 46 for a listing of the regions and the states and groups each region represents. RVPs are elected by our active and life members in their respective regions. RVPs serve 3-year terms. Election policy specifies that candidate profiles for RVPs be limited to 400 words in total length. If a candidate’s profile exceeds that limit, the policy requires that the profile be terminated at the last sentence before the 400-word limit is exceeded. In addition, the submitted profiles have not been grammatically edited but presented as submitted and within the 400-word limitation. Three regions are up for election this year—Region 2, Region 3, and Region 8. The candidates are listed alphabetically by region.

Region 2

I will use all of my abilities and experiences to eect positive changes for NEHA and our profession and to ensure I communicate to NEHA and our partners to the best of my abilities. Thank you for your support and vote. Region 3

Dr. Matthew Weinburke, DrPH, MPH, REHS, MCHES ® I would bring to this position over 22 years of experience as a REHS. I am currently serving as the Executive Treasurer for the California Environmental Health Association (CEHA) and have been with CEHA since 2001 in a variety of roles including the current CEHA Executive Treasurer and the former Chapter

Kira Flagstead, REHS/RS / B.S. Environmental Science, Minor in Writing

Kira Flagstead, REHS/RS is a nationally certi- fied environmental health specialist practicing in Yellowstone County in Billings, Montana. Kira graduated from Rocky Mountain College (Go Battlin’ Bears!) with a Bach- elor’s Degree in Environmental Science and

Treasurer from 2012 to 2022 and 2022 CEHA Annual Educational Symposium Fiscal Chair in Clovis, California. Although, I have only been a member of NEHA since 2020, my goals are to increase my presence and roles in NEHA by providing continued support for all Environmental Health Specialists in my region and nationally, help- ing to increase NEHA membership, and promoting and educating other on the importance of Environmental Health. I received my REHS while working as an Environmental Health/ senior Environmental Health Specialist in Solano County, Califor- nia in 2001. I worked in a variety of roles including vectorborne disease, food safety, recreational waters, wastewater, drinking water, and solid waste programs. I have a strong history of lead- ership serving in the Navy, Army and US Public Health Service (USPHS). Initially, I served as a Hospital Corpsman/Medical Lab Tech in the Navy, then as an Environmental Science Ocer in the Army, and I finished my uniformed service career with the US Pub- lic Health Service serving from 2009 to 2020. From 2011-2017, I served as the Public and Environmental Health Program Manager for Yosemite National Park. I retired from the uniform services/USPHS in 2020. My last posi- tion was the USPHS Training Director in Rockville, Maryland. I moved back to California in 2020. Since retiring from the USPHS I have been working as an independent environmental and public health consultant; working for Fresno State University conducting COVID response activities (2021–2023) and teaching several uni- versities including Arizona State University. I serve on several organization committees including the co- chair for the American Public Health Association, Climate for Health committee and the co-chair for the Environmental Health Community of Practice committee for the Society of Public Health Education. I am an avid outdoor enthusiast who enjoys backpack- ing, mountaineering, hiking, and bicycling with my family, friends, and hiking groups.

a minor in Writing. After commencement, she gathered environ- mental health experience in a variety of positions and locations including wildlife sanctuaries, conservation voting groups, build- ing material distribution, and the oil and gas field. In July of 2020, Kira became a registered environmental health specialist at RiverStone Health. She currently manages inspections in air quality, body art, retail food, wholesale food, and public accommodations within the county. In addition to these programs, she also works with the Interven- tion for Nicotine Dependence: Education, Prevention, Tobacco, and Health (INDEPTH) program, showing local teens the hazards of smoking and vaping with the display and explanation of cadaver lungs. She also recently took on the design, coordination, and launch of the first Registered Sanitarian Mentorship Program (RSMP) in Montana, partnering with the Confluence Public Health Alliance. She served on the Montana Environmental Health Association (MEHA) board starting in 2022. She participated in the Environ- mental Health Leadership Academy (EHLA) through the National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) in 2022 through 2023, completing a project advocating for consumer awareness consider- ing body art procedures, and graduated from the program at the Annual Educational Conference in New Orleans. Kira is passionate about environmental health and advocates strongly for the industry and inspector relationship. She truly believes in education before regulation. She has been on the fore- front of innovation, new projects, and programs. She always aims to be more impactful and is always searching for the next challenge within environmental health.

Volume 86 • Number 7