NEHA's EZ: it won't be easy.

en.tre.pre.neur: noun: one who organizes, manages, and assumes the risks of a business or enterprise. French, from Old French, from entreprendre to undertake.--Definition taken from Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary

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When I was first approached about overseeing a new department of the National Environmental Health Association (NEHA), I was ecstatic. I have always felt passionately about the state of our world's environmental health, and an opportunity to work with the professionals who were actually doing something to improve that state sounded like a dream come true. Then I was told that my department would be known as the Entrepreneurial Zone. And I hesitated.

Did I consider myself an entrepreneur? Sure. I had run my own marketing consulting company, a successful endeavor in which I handled all aspects of marketing, public relations, promotion, and community relations for 10 businesses. As a director of marketing and communications, I was always looking for new and different ways to "get the word out" and piloted several new programs that increased community awareness as well as involvement in my organizations. Still, I had never done anything like the assignment that was being placed before me.

NEHA's Entrepreneurial Zone (EZ) is a place to experiment--to develop innovative ideas, create new programs, and breathe new life into existing programs that need a lift. With a degree in chemistry and biology, I was not new to the idea of working in a laboratory. Coming up with a hypothesis, testing it, compiling results, writing reports, and making recommendations based on my findings were second nature to me. But combining the experiences of my career with the knowledge from my college days seemed like a mixing of two very different competencies. I couldn't wait.

The largest portion of the EZ is NEHA's Food Safety Training program. Formerly a collaboration between NEHA and the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) in the U.K., the program is now wholly NEHA's, with the objective of strengthening the foundation of food safety training in the United States and providing effective learning materials to trainers, managers, and employees in the food service industry. We have been able to update our materials and increase the scope of products we offer to better present food safety information. In following our mission of providing a healthful environment and protecting public health, we listen to feedback from our trainers in the field so we can offer the resources they need to deliver the most effective and low-cost training on the market.

With that, I am happy to announce a fresh and exiting complement to NEHA's core products of manager and food handler texts--our brand new online food safety training program. Developed through a partnership with MindLeaders, a performance-improvement company with nearly 25 years of experience in the self-paced training field, this is easily the most advanced electronic food safety program on the market. NEHA brings together regulatory information firsthand from our partners in health departments throughout the U.S., and MindLeaders provides personalized learning, at your convenience, with or without computer access! Together, we've created a product that will change the way food safety training is delivered around the world.

In mentioning online education, I want to share another of the EZ's projects: e-Learning. NEHA began a partnership with the Center for Environmental Research and Technology, Inc. (CERTI) in 2006 to bring a variety of environmental health education online. Since that time, CERTI has taped, edited, and posted online over 120 conference sessions, workshops, and trainings, which are now available free of charge through NEHA's Web site. Anyone with internet access can learn from experts from leading organizations addressing today's most pressing environmental health topics.

In addition to streaming video and CD-ROMs, CERTI has developed Radio NEHA. Featuring timely, up-to-date interviews with subject-matter experts across the country, Radio NEHA broadcasts the information you want on current topics free for members and at your convenience--listen online or download the program to an MP3 for later.

All of NEHA's e-Learning programs offer continuing education credits, and NEHA members receive the credits for free. Non-members have to pay a small fee for the credits but are still able to access all programs at no charge. Plus, continuing education courses completed through NEHA e-Learning will be automatically added to your credential account, with no additional paperwork or submission forms to fill out.

I need to mention here that NEHA would not be able to offer this vast array of information and free courses if it weren't for NEHA's Partners in Education. Our business partners not only allow us to tape, edit, and host education courses, but as additional sponsors join us in pursuit

of more readily available online education, NEHA is researching new products and programs to further increase e-Learning options.

Also within NEHA's EZ are preparatory alternatives for NEHAs credential examinations. In addition to our current credential-specific study guides, the EZ is in the process of creating online courses to instruct on each topic expected of a Registered Environmental Health Specialist (REHS) as well as online review courses and sample questions for the REHS and Certified Professional of Food Safety (CP-FS) exams.

And last, but certainly not least, the EZ is coordinating reviews of local food protection programs. NEHA recently completed a project in which we contracted with the San Diego County Department of Environmental Health to review the county's risk-based food safety program. The success of the project and the lessons learned by all parties have led to NEHAs review of other local food protection programs.

The future of NEHAs Entrepreneurial Zone is exciting and open to infinite possibilities. I am looking forward to continuing down this path of exploration and discovery for ways in which NEHA can further its mission to advance the environmental health and protection professional for the purpose of providing a healthful environment for all.