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Note of Thanks to Departing Board Members The National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) is fortu- nate to have members who are willing to volunteer their time and energy to our organization through positions within our Board of Directors and on committees and work groups. Our board members also serve as subject matter experts, trainers, and peer reviewers for the organization. We would be remiss if we did not acknowledge the dedication and hard work of two board members on the occasion of their departure from the board: Immediate Past-President Dr. D. Gary Brown and Region 3 Vice-President Rachelle Blackham. Immediate Past-President D. Gary Brown, DrPH, CIH, RS, DAAS, leaves the board after 5 years of dedicated ser- vice and leadership. In 2019, he was elected as second vice-president and served as a national ocer from 2019– 2024 and as president from 2022–2023. While his time on the board is at an end, Dr. Brown will continue to serve the association as a committee member, technical advisor, or any other needed role (including NEHA fash- ion coordinator). While on the board, Dr. Brown served on numerous standing committees including finance, policy and bylaws, membership, his- tory, student engagement, Annual Educational Conference (AEC) planning, and nominations. He has received numerous NEHA presidential citations. He served as president of the Association of Environmental Health Academic Programs from 2006–2007 and 2013–2014. Before serving on our board, Dr. Brown spent 7 years on the board of the Kentucky Environmental Health Association, serving as president from 2015–2016. Currently, he is a council member of the National Environmental Health Science and Protec- tion Accreditation Council. “There are not enough words to thank my wife Deby—the love of my life—who has been a stalwart supporter of my career, dreams, and aspirations. She also supported our move to Kentucky, which has become our home,” reflected Dr. Brown. He added his sincere thanks to his colleagues within the Environmental Health Science Department at Eastern Kentucky University, especially Dr. Jason Marion, for their support during his time on our board and during his year as president when he was on sabbatical. Dr. Brown attributes his success to the numerous leaders in our profession, including Tom Butts, Brian Collins, Alicia Collins, Bob Custard, Dr. Amer El-Ahraf, Sandra Long, Mel Knight, Roy Kroeger, Wen- dell Moore, Dr. Pricilla Oliver, Dr. Robert Powitz, Vince Radke, Dr. Welford Roberts, Webb Young, and numerous others. Dr. Brown studied environmental sciences at the University of Bu¥alo. His first job after graduation was in a laboratory, which he did not enjoy. “No one informed me that the professions in the environmental field making money were engineers or environmen-
tal and occupational health scientists, a lesson I learned the hard way,” Dr. Brown stated. He went on to major in environmental and occupational health sciences at Hunter College in New York City. He loved his classes taught by wonderful professors who practiced in the field for years before coming into academia. The professors at Hunter College were his inspiration through their love of teach- ing, along with a genuine concern for the success of their students. After graduating from Hunter College, Dr. Brown worked for con- sulting firms and in the chemical industry. As he stated, “The work was fulfilling, but my passion was and still is teaching.” The road to becoming a teacher took Dr. Brown to the University of Alabama at Birmingham to earn his doctoral degree in public health. “I hit the lottery when I became a faculty member at Eastern Ken- tucky University and to have been mentored by Dr. Peter aka “Yoda the Industrial Hygiene Master” Creighton, Dr. Carolyn Harvey, Pro- fessor Worley Johnson, Professor Joe Beck, and the other faculty.” While he found a home in Kentucky, Dr. Brown also found a home in Jamaica, teaching with Dr. Norbert Campbell and Dr. Henroy Scarlett, in the Occupational and Environmental Safety and Health Department at the University of West Indies at Mona, Jamaica. He has been a member of the Jamacia Association of Pub- lic Health Inspectors for the past 18 years. When not teaching, Dr. Brown consults for government and private entities. In reflecting on his time on the board, Dr. Brown shared, “Words cannot express how grateful I am to be a part of the wild, wonder- ful environmental health field assisting NEHA to move the pro- fession to ‘Infinity and Beyond’ due to the hard work of our pro- fessionals, partners, students, sta¥, regional vice-presidents, and board members. Environmental health science is a hidden treasure providing a world of opportunity to improve all aspects of life. No matter where we hail from, we all speak the same environmental health science language. The foundational principles of our profession apply anywhere in the galaxy, although there may be nuances in regulations. Unlike many other professions, another wonderful aspect of our profession is the willingness and happiness to share information regarding similar challenges. I am thankful to be a part of a dynamic field that is always evolving. Environmental health professionals are the Swiss Army knives of the scientific community with knowledge of numerous scien- tific disciplines, along with evaluation, management, problem- solving, collaboration, communication, and conflict-resolution skills practiced from the laboratory to the community. In knowl- edge-based communities, we are the ‘Thinks’ from Oh, the Thinks You Can Think! by Dr. Seuss. I am extremely proud of NEHA’s new mission and vision state- ments, logo, website, online Community platform, and rebranded Journal that now is an open-access publication. Just as modes of transportation have evolved from horseback to air travel—and in the future, space travel—NEHA has also evolved, embracing our history while leading us into the future.”
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Volume 87 • Number 2
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