NEHA second vice presidential candidate profiles.

The National Environmental Health Association elects its leaders through a mail ballot that goes to all active and life members 90 days before the annual conference. Among other things, the ballot features the election for the position of NEHA second vice president. The person elected begins a five-year commitment to NEHA that involves advancing each year to a different national office, eventually to become NEHA's president. This year, NEHA presents two candidates for the second vice president office. Since NEHA is, above all, an association for and of its members, we hope that you will read the candidates' profiles and promptly return your ballot, thereby letting your voice be heard. (NEHA Second Vice Presidential Candidate Profiles are not edited by NEHA staff.)

Brian Collins, R.E.H.S., M.S., D.A.A.S.

Brian Collins is a candidate for the office of NEHA Second Vice President in 2006. He is asking for your support and vote in the NEHA election this spring.

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Brian is currently employed as Environmental Health Director for the City of Plano, Texas (population 247,000). He has served NEHA membership on the Association's Board of Directors as Region V Vice President since 2002. In that capacity he represents the states of Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas. He has worked directly with NEHA Board presidents, all national NEHA officers and on various committees on behalf of the membership. Formerly, Brian served the profession as President of the Texas Environmental Health Association, President of the Texas Association of Municipal Health Officials and as Chair of the Environmental Health Section of the Texas Public Health Association.

Brian holds an M.S. degree in Human Relations and Business and a B.S. in Biology with study emphasis in Microbiology, Chemistry and Psychology. He is a Registered Environmental Health Specialist with NEHA, Registered Sanitarian and Code Enforcement Officer in the State of Texas and a Diplomat of the American Academy of Sanitarians. He has published, lectured and participated in environmental health activities at the international, national, state and local level for more than seventeen years.

As a candidate for NEHA Second Vice President, Brian offers:

* Continuity in Service -- With NEHA, Brian has been on the Board of Directors as the Region V Vice President (Kansas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Missouri and Texas) since 2002. As a Regional VP he has interacted closely with NEHA staff, NEHA's Executive Director Nelson Fabian, NEHA Past-Presidents and the current Board of Directors. He has a good sense for how things work in the organization.

* Experience and Proven Leadership -- As previously mentioned. Brian has served more than three years on the NEHA Board of Directors. He has been president of both the Texas Environmental Health Association and the Texas Association of Municipal Health Officials. He is a local environmental-public health practitioner of more than seventeen years. He has authored and directed budgets; food inspections; BT exercises; noise, air, light, pollution and smoking complaints; and been bitten and scratched by dogs and cats. In other words he has been in the trenches and on top of the hill at the local, state and national level.

* Technical and Business Savvy -- In his experience Brian has learned the science of environmental-public health. He is proud of his REHS credential as an indicator of competence in the field. But he has also excelled in business through a master's degree and in his job. He has learned not only the technical aspects of environmental-public health, but also aspects related to the business of environmental public health--especially as it relates to running an organization. By the way, in his job he manages a $3 million dollar budget--coincidentally--that is also NEHA's current annual budget. He knows budgets, financials, personnel matters and has dealt with politicians and the media comfortably.

Brian is familiar with the science of environmental-public health. He is familiar with the business components of running an association and he maintains high emphasis on the human component of leadership.

* Strategic Direction -- NEHA's membership and Board of Directors has established and affirmed direction of the organization. Brian's vision in addition to maintaining a solvent association, is that we focus on marketing our profession. He advocates use of a professional marketing firm to provide guidance on how we might improve the profile and prestige of environmental-public health. In other words he'd like to zero in on how we can market and leverage our "value." He would also like to access different approaches for environmental-public health education--e.g., in addition to the AEC, NEHA could set up videoconferencing for CEU's. He also sees a need to collaborate more with partners in government and non-government organizations--e.g., CDC, APHA, FDA, NOWRA, Council on Linkages, Academe.

NEHA is about professionals who are educated and motivated in contributing to society. In running for this office, he is challenging his level of contribution. Through continuity in service, use of business and technical expertise and through strategic, thought and action, he feels he can lead NEHA to and through continued success and growth.

If these objectives and attributes are consistent with what you expect of a NEHA officer and leader, please vote for Brian Collins in the 2006 NEHA 2nd Vice President election next spring.

Brian's contact information: Brian Collins, Environmental Health Director, City of Plano, 1520 K Avenue, Suite 210, Plano, Texas 75074. Phone: [phone]; fax: [phone]; e-mail: [e-mail].

Welford C. Roberts, Ph.D.

I seek your support and vote for the office of NEHA Second Vice President (2d VP). I endeavor to bring NEHA a fresh perspective to enhance our strategic direction.

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NEHA has been a major influence on my career for 24 years and continues to help me improve as a leader, practitioner, and mentor. I relish the opportunity to influence NEHA's positive development and growth by serving in its leadership. I am committed to our organization in many capacities, e.g., Technical Chair, Hazardous Materials and Toxic Substances and Institutions and Schools Environmental Health; Technical Editorial Advisory Board member and peer reviewer. Journal of Environmental Health; past Technical Chair, Emerging Pathogens and Zoonotic Diseases; and past Chair, NEHA/Underwriter's Indoor Air Quality Committee. I support the NEHA/AAS Scholarship fund and the Endowment Foundation annually. I am a member of local affiliates--Environmental Health Associations of the Uniformed Services, Virginia, and the National Capital Area. I received the distinguished Davis Calvin Wagner Award from the American Academy of Sanitarians and served two terms on the Board of Directors. I represented NEHA and the Academy on the Samuel J. Crumbine Consumer Protection Award Jury from 1999 to 2005.

The qualifications that I bring to the 2d VP position are based upon my long career as an environmental health (EH) professional and leader. My military and post-military experiences provide me leadership skills in program development and management, personnel management, and budgeting. I've led several staffs and committees of military officers, enlisted and civilian technicians, and civilian scientists. I've managed federal and private sectors budgets and contracts.

I hold a doctorate in EH Sciences from the Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, and biology degrees, M.S. and B.A., from Hampton University, VA. My initial EH experience was as a U.S. Army Environmental Science Officer. I managed EH programs for an installation (similar to a small health department) and for the Second Infantry Division, Korea. As an army medical research laboratory staff scientist, I conducted health effects research on weapons, developed a sampling vest to measure soldier exposure to weapon products, and assessed drinking water contaminants. As the Health Hazard Assessment Officer, U.S. Army Materiel Command, I evaluated health hazards associated with equipment and weapons. I was awarded the Army Surgeon General's highest skill qualification level. After 23 years of service I retired as a Lieutenant Colonel. Currently, I am an Environmental Health Scientist with ICF Consulting, Fairfax, VA.

I am an EH educator and author. I am currently a Professor of Health Sciences, Touro University International. Previously, I was as an Assistant Professor of Preventive Medicine and Biometrics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences and was a Director of the EH Postgraduate Training Program. I was detailed to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and developed "Drinking Water Health Advisories" for military contaminants and published two books on the subject. I've authored more than 70 other professional EH publications to include peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, federal technical documents, and abstracts. Notably, I authored chapters in the Environmental Health textbook (Dr. Monroe Morgan, editor), the Textbook of Military Medicine, and in the Handbook of Human Systems Integration.

My platform is to enhance NEHA's strategic direction by supporting its current initiatives, and to introduce new directions to increase member services, increase membership, and improve our profession's national and international recognition. My vision is for our organization and profession to be seamless participants in national and international public health while continuing to benefit and serve our members, the profession, and national/global community. For example, we can:

* Increase Services to Members: e.g., establishing outreach programs to local health departments to increase participation and membership in NEHA and annual conference (AEC) attendance; recognizing members (NEHA pin and/or certificate, journal listing) at 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 year membership anniversaries.

* Increase Membership: e.g., working with organizations to increase the number of college/university EH majors and student/faculty diversity; establishing outreach programs to link NEHA Board members with EH schools to help mentor students, increase their attendance at AECs, and encourage NEHA membership; increasing the number of student-oriented offerings at the AEC and providing seminars that students can take for academic credit.

* Improve the National and International Recognition of the Profession: e.g., piloting a National Environmental Health week; leading the national/international community in redefining EH's dynamic scope and definition on a recurrent basis (every 5-10 years); establish a Standard Industrial Classification code(s) for EH professionals; empowering the NEHA Washington Representative by engaging support from national capital area affiliates to visit key federal agencies and relevant congressional offices to monitor and influence EH-relevant policy; publish a "legislative update" column in the journal.

My credentials alone do not qualify me for NEHA Second Vice President. I love our profession, want to see it flourish, and work tirelessly for it.

Welford's contact information: Welford C. Roberts, Technical Specialist/Env. Health Scientist, ICF Consulting, 9300 Lee Hwy., Fairfax, VA 22031. Phone: [phone]; e-mail: [e-mail].