NEHA November 2023 Journal of Environmental Health

New Orleans, Louisiana

Featured Speakers

Keynote Address—Communities and Climate Through the Lens of Environmental Health Practice Maureen Lichtveld, MPH, MD, dean of the School of Public Health at the University of Pittsburgh, delivered the opening keynote address on Monday, July 31. Her presenta- tion focused on communities, especially those facing intransigent inequities that rely on solutions from environmental health practitioners. She addressed the triple threats many communities face—pollution, disasters, and climate change—and proposed a roadmap for action. Dr. Lichtveld stated, “If you look broader, you see that we need a systems approach to combat climate change. It is not just individual health but health systems.” She contin- Ʒğė΁Ďǖ΁ėňƣĐƷƣƣňŪĺ΁Ưłğ΁ňŨƘŵƛƯñŪĐğ΁ŵĹ΁ƛñňƣňŪĺ΁ñǐñƛğŪğƣƣ΁ñƣ΁ǐğşş΁ñƣ΁Ȍ΁ĺłƯňŪĺ΁ėňƣňŪĹŵƛŨñƯňŵŪ͒ ΁ While addressing the environmental health profession on all levels, from local to federal, she said, “These four things are what keep me up at night: infectious disease, extreme heat, food and water security, and poor air quality. I challenge anybody to tell me environmental łğñşƯł΁ėŵğƣ΁ŪŵƯ΁Ȍ΁Ư΁ňŪ΁łğƛğ͒ ͳ Grand Educational Session Kickoff—A Rodent Symposium: Effective Communications, Control Practices, and Utilizing Resources »łğ΁Ȍ΁ƛƣƯ΁ŵĹ΁Ưǐŵ΁IƛñŪė΁0ėƷĐñƯňŵŪñş΁®ğƣƣňŵŪ΁gňĐśŵĹĹƣ΁Ưŵŵś΁ƘşñĐğ΁ŵŪ΁»Ʒğƣėñǖ͓ ΁ƷĺƷƣƯ΁̑͒ ΁»łğ΁ Ȍ΁ƛƣƯ΁ňŪĐşƷėğė΁ñŪ΁ğǕƘğƛƯ΁ƘñŪğş΁ƯłñƯ΁ėňƣĐƷƣƣğė΁Ưłƛğğ΁ƣƘğĐňȌ΁Đ΁ñƛğñƣ΁ŵĹ΁ĎƛğñśňŪĺ΁ėŵǐŪ΁ƣňşŵƣ΁ for effective communications, rodent control practices and knowledge among residents and local government workers, and using resources to further educate employees and clients. Panelists included Claudia Riegel, PhD, director of the City of New Orleans Mos- quito, Termite, and Rodent Control Board; Imelda Moise, MPH, PhD, associate professor at the University of Miami; and Janet Hurley, MPA, senior extension program specialist at the AgriLife Extension Services within Texas A&M. Dr. Riegel began the session with a discussion on why breaking down silos is impor- tant. She stated, “It encourages collaboration, supports better decision-making processes, boosts productivity, and fosters innovation.” Dr. Moise continued the discussion with what she described as, “Our shared goal: To build partnership and data sharing to improve pub- lic and environmental health.” Hurley explored how we educate our profession and the people we serve. Further, she presented the Seven Areas of Responsibility: assess needs; plan; implement; evaluate; administer and manage; serve as a resource; and communicate, promote, and advocate for the profession. Sound Check—An Honest Discussion on the Environmental Health Workforce and Leadership During Times of Change New to the 2023 AEC were two lunchtime Sound Check sessions where invited guests were encouraged to tell their stories and discuss important emerging environmental łğñşƯł΁ňƣƣƷğƣ͒ ΁»łğ΁Ȍ΁ƛƣƯ΁ƣğƣƣňŵŪ΁łğşė΁ŵŪ΁»Ʒğƣėñǖ͓ ΁ƷĺƷƣƯ΁͓̑ ΁ĹğñƯƷƛğė΁ÂŨñňƛ΁͒ ΁®łñł͓ ΁s£P͓ ΁ MD, secretary of health for the Washington State Board of Health. Joining him as modera- tor was David Dyjack, DrPH, CIH, our executive director. Dr. Shah spoke on the challenges facing the environmental health workforce and the responsibilities of leadership. He said, “I think this is a tough time right now, you have different generations and perspectives. I think you need to build on top of what you already have and you have to have stability. You also have to push the envelope and have a leader who says what is important and articulates a vision.” Keynote Address—Leadership: Getting the Difficult Job Done Our keynote address speaker on Tuesday, August 1, Lt. General Russel L. Honoré, U.S. Army (Ret.), a native of Louisiana, delivered his famously no-nonsense decisive approach to lead- ership, vision, and resiliency during a crisis. Lt. General. Honoré served as commander of Joint

Keynote speaker Dr. Maureen Lichtveld explored the importance of raising awareness about the environmental health profession.

The Grand Educational Session Kickoff panelists addressed the need for effective communication about rodent control to raise com- munity awareness.

The first of our new Sound Check sessions kicked off with Dr. David Dyjack (left) and Dr. Umair Shah (right) engaging in an honest discussion on the challenges facing the environ- mental health profession.

Lt. General Russel L. Honoré, our second keynote speaker, delivered a candid and colorful presentation on leadership during a crisis.

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