Bruce Anderson

Safety Center Inc.

3909 Bradshaw Road
Sacramento, CA. 95827
 

Phone: (800) 825-7262 

Fax: (916) 366-1762

Website: www.safetycenter.org

Bruce Anderson is a former law enforcement officer, field trainer, and undercover narcotics officer with the California Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement. Bruce has also worked extensively in sexual assault, rape, and missing child investigations.

In June 1999, the Chief Deputy Council for the Governor of Colorado invited Bruce to Denver, to provide follow up assessments and recommendations for school security enhancements after the Columbine High School tragedy.

He utilizes his martial arts and law enforcement expertise in the development of personal security and self-defense training programs. Bruce provides workplace, personal, and field staff safety and security training classes to senior executives, management, and employees of a vast array of private businesses and corporations, state/county/city governments and professional organizations and associations. He also trains teachers, parents and children in school districts nationwide in personal protection and safe school development.

Bruce directed and produced two crime prevention series-the “ Smart & Safe “ crime prevention series for KOVR-13 News in Sacramento, California and a series for the Charlotte, North Carolina CBS affiliate, WBTV.

Bruce will present on “Personal Safety for Field Personnel“.  He specializes in a comprehensive and common sense approach to assessing and addressing the security, emergency planning, and personal safety needs of personnel. He provides real, practical solutions to specific needs and takes pride in avoiding textbook answers to client issues.

David C. Bellinger, Ph.D.

Professor of Neurology - Harvard Medical School

Department of Environmental Health at Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH)

Children's Hospital
Farley Basement Box 127
300 Longwood Ave
Boston, MA 02115

Phone: (617)355-6565

E-mail: david.bellinger@childrens.harvard.edu

Website: http://hms.harvard.edu/hms/home.asp

David C. Bellinger is Professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School and Professor in the Department of Environmental Health at Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH). He is also Senior Research Associate in Neurology and Senior Associate in Psychiatry at the Children’s Hospital Boston.  He received a B.A. in Psychology from Williams College, a Ph.D. in Psychology from Cornell University, and a M.Sc. in Epidemiology from the HSPH.   

He has spent three decades conducting research on the neurotoxicity of metabolic and chemical insults in children. He directs an interdisciplinary postdoctoral training program in Neurodevelopmental Toxicology at HSPH and recently edited a textbook entitled Human Developmental Neurotoxicology. 

He has served as a member of several committees of the National Research Council, the Institute of Medicine, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Centers for Disease Control, and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. He was an original member of the Federal Advisory Committee of the National Children’s Study and the EPA’s Human Studies Review Board.  He is currently a member of the World Health Organization’s Foodborne Disease Burden Epidemiology Reference Group.

Viet Dao

Environmentalist

Clara County Department of Environmental Health

Administrative Offices:

1555 Berger Drive, Suite 300

San Jose, CA 95112-2716

Phone: (408) 918-3400

Website: http://www.sccgov.org/portal/site/deh

BIO (In the format of “5 Things to know about…”)

1. Escaped from Vietnam by boat in 1980 and came to US as a refugee in 1981.

2. A fortunate survivor from eating many PHFs at room temperature and pork rolls with Borax as ingredients.

3. Hired by the Santa Clara County Department of Environmental Health on Halloween Day in 1988 as its first Vietnamese-speaking health inspector.

4. Labeled by Vietnamese food operators as “Traitor”, “Worse than VC (Vietnamese Communist)”, and “The Demon of Downtown San Jose” when trying to apply California Health and Safety Code on Vietnamese foods.

5. Still working hard on convincing his wife of 19 years not to thaw food at the kitchen sink overnight at room temperature.

Richard Elloyan, R.E.H.S

Environmental Health Specialist

Nevada State Health Division - BHPS

4150 Technology Way, Ste 300
Carson City, NV 89706

Phone: (775) 687-7548 

Fax: (775) 687-7552

E-mail: relloyan@health.nv.gov 

Website: http://health.nv.gov/

Richard Elloyan is a Registered Environmental Health Specialist with the State of Nevada, Division of Health, Bureau of Health Protection Services. Richard has worked for the Health Division since 1992 and is currently assigned to the Carson City office.

His inspection areas currently includes all the state facilities in Carson County and Washoe County, including the University of Nevada-Reno and the Correction Facilities in the state prison system. Richard's area also includes all of Storey County and he oversees all the food establishments currently under construction in what is billed as the world's largest industrial Park.

Richard is also the State Shellfish Sanitation Officer with inspections throughout the entire state. Richard has assisted at each of the field offices around the state and participated in the permitting and inspection of the Burning Man Mass Gathering Event for each of the past nine years.

Bret Empey, Sergeant

Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department

Support Services Bureau

Resident Section North, District III

Las Vegas, NV

Phone (702) 397-2669

Fax (702) 397-8186

E-Mail: b4402e@lvmpd.com

Website: http://www.lvmpd.com/

Sgt. Empey has been with the police department for 16 years, receiving the Valedictorian and Leadership awards upon graduating from the police academy in 1992.   He served a short time in Patrol before becoming a Narcotics Detective.  He worked for several years in an undercover capacity specializing in Clandestine Lab Manufacturing investigations.  Upon promoting, Sgt. Empey returned to Patrol and served as a Community Oriented Policing supervisor.  He also served as a supervisor with the Internal Affairs Bureau before transferring to the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Unit where he worked for three years.  Following his assignment with SWAT, he spent a year in the Homeland Security Bureau, Emergency Management Section and has recently been assigned to his current position as a supervisor in the Moapa Valley area of northern Clark County. Sergeant Empey is currently assigned to the Resident Program, responsible for policing the northern areas of rural Clark County.

Sgt. Empey has served as an instructor and presenter in both the law enforcement and civilian arenas on policing and related topics.  He is currently working with Civil Protection Services of California and TEHCS of Southern Nevada as a consultant and developer on issues of police tactics and technology as well as implementation/application of ICS/NIMS in police and civilian events.

Bret is the son of Lon and Judy Empey and grew up in Las Vegas.  He attended ElDorado High School, CSN and UNLV. 

Rich Fletcher, Sergeant

Rangemaster

Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department

Las Vegas, NV

Phone: (702) 828-5757

E-Mail: r4511f@lvmpd.com

Website: http://www.lvmpd.com/

Sergeant Rich Fletcher has been employed with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department for over 15 years.  He is currently assigned as the Range Master and oversees all firearms training and qualifications.

His past assignments in law enforcement include: Patrol Officer, Field Training Officer, Academy Training Staff, Motorcycle Officer, and Patrol Sergeant.  He is an Intermediate Defensive Tactics Instructor and is POST certified as an Intermediate Instructor (State Certification-Police Officer Standards and Training).  He teaches an eight hour Conflict Resolution class for LVMPD civilian and commissioned employees and regularly teaches this topic to other agencies.

He obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice in 1989 from the University of Great Falls.

Lorraine Foreston, R.E.H.S.

Senior Environmental Health Specialist

Southern Nevada Health District

625 Shadow Lane

PO Box 3902

Las Vegas, NV 89127-3902

Phone: (702) 759–0571

Email: foreston@snhdmail.org

Website: http://www.southernnevadahealthdistrict.org/

Lorraine came to work at CCHD now SNHD on February 16, 1988 where she worked on “special projects” until being assigned to Plan Review in October of 1988.  She became the lead Sr. EHS in June 2001.  She has worked on the majority of high end strip projects since her assignment in Pool Plan review began.  Her first project was the Mirage.  She has been a CPO Instructor with the NSPF (National Swimming Pool Foundation) since 1992 and has reviewed many certification course at the request of the authors such as the AFO Course (Aquatic Facilities Operator Course) and NSPI Professional Pool Operators course.  She reviewed the drafts of the APSP/ANSI STD. 7 on suction entrapment and has certified over 100 SNHD staff members as CPO’S. (Certified Pool Operators) Pools have become her life’s work and it work she truly loves.

Prior to joining the health district she was a Bio-environmental engineering tech in USAF for 6 years where her main focus was industrial Hygiene and was Medical Red Flag Instructor specializing in NBC.  She taught and fit tested people in respiratory protection and was the Med Chem. defense trainer for her squadron. She was the only USAF member to be trained in the School of Aero Space Medicine Environmental health/ Bioenvironmental Engineering and the Navy Workplace monitoring techniques modular training course.  She conducted all aspects of industrial hygiene surveys from air sampling to radiation; she worked with the Civil Air Patrol in CA.  She trained them on the use of alpha, and gamma radiation monitoring and beta emitter equipment.  She began inspecting pools in 1980 and briefed life guards on their duties and responsibilities.     

She has been married for 23 years to William Forston the Environmental Health & Safety Specialist at TTR (Tonopah test range) and has one daughter Aubrey 22 years old who works as a bank teller. 

Shawn Gerstenberger, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Chair

Department of Environmental and Occupational Health
University of Nevada Las Vegas
4505 Maryland Parkway Box 453064
Las Vegas NV, 89154-3064
 

Phone: (702) 895-1565 - Office
Fax: (702) 895-5573

E-mail: shawn.gerstenberger@unlv.edu

Website: http://publichealth.unlv.edu/gerstenberger.html

Dr. Shawn Gerstenberger is the Chair of the Environmental and Occupational Health Department at the University of Nevada Las Vegas. He is actively involved with the Clark County Lead Poisoning Program and conducts research on lead poisoning related to pre-1978 housing, atypical sources of lead exposure, the consumption of imported candies from Latin America and the use of home remedies.

He is a certified Lead Risk Assessor and coordinates many of the databases related to lead poisoning in Nevada.

Det. Brian Grammas

Narcotics Detective

Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department

Narcotics Section

Phone: (702) 828-5757

E-mail: b5085g@lvmpd.com

Website: http://www.lvmpd.com/

Detective Brian Grammas has been employed with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department for over 12 years.  He is currently assigned to the Narcotics Section and conducts training to both law enforcement and Clark County School District students and teachers.

His past assignments in law enforcement include: Patrol Officer, Field Training Officer and Academy Training Staff.  He worked the last 6 years as a case agent in  charge of narcotics investigations, as well as investigating numerous Clandestine Methamphetamine Labs and Marijuana Grow operations.

He is an Advanced Defensive Tactics Instructor and is POST certified as an Intermediate Instructor (State Certification-Police Officer Standards and Training).  He teaches numerous Narcotics classes to LVMPD civilian and commissioned employees as well as Identification and Recognition of Narcotics to Clark County School District students and teachers and other outside agencies.

Nancy-Ann Hall, REHS, CMI/CMR

Senior Environmental Health Specialist (EHS)

Environmental Health (EH) Division

Southern Nevada Health District (SNHD)

Street address:  625 Shadow Lane

Mailing address: PO Box 3902

Las Vegas, NV 89127

Phone: (702) 759-0654

FAX: (702) 383-1445

E-mail: hall@SNHDmail.org

Website: http://www.southernnevadahealthdistrict.org/

Nancy-Ann Hall is a Senior EHS at the SNHD.  Since 2003, she primarily conducts research for and writes environmental health regulations, policies, procedures, and grants.  Some of the recent regulations she has worked on are:

SNHD Regulations Governing the Sanitation and Safety of

o      Public Accommodation Facilities

o      Adjunct SCRV Dry Camping Facilities

o      Used Mattresses, Bedding, and Upholstered Furniture

o      Massage Establishments

o      Tattoo and Body Piercing Establishments

As part of that enterprise, she works extensively with the public and other governmental and industry representatives and shepherds the documents through the entire process from concept to approval by the Board of Health.

Mrs. Hall joined the SNHD in February 1997 as an Environmental Health Generalist inspecting a variety of establishments, such as food, public accommodations, mobile home parks, and handling public health nuisance complaints.  She became a Senior EHS in 2001.

Prior to joining the SNHD, she worked for REECo, which became Bechtel Nevada at the Nevada Test Site as a Scientist and Environmental Compliance Officer.  She was given the Department of Energy’s Subject Matter Expert designation in the areas of Fire Protection & Prevention, Occupational Safety & Health, Radiation Protection, Environmental Protection, Quality Assurance, and Environmental Monitoring.

She was the Technical Editor for The ISO 14000 EMS Audit Handbook, St. Lucie Press and is an Environmental Quality Lead Auditor.

She is a Past President for NvEHA (2005-2007) and was recognized for her volunteer work for the State of Nevada Board of Registered Environmental Health Specialists in 2005.

She graduated with High Honors from Western High School, LV and studied at UNLV from 1985 to 1989 in the university’s first class series for Honors in Pre-Med Biology and also earned her degree as a Bachelor of Science in Applied Science and Technology, Environmental Science in 1996 from Thomas Edison State College.

She was born on Nellis Air Force Base and continues to live in Las Vegas with her high-school sweetheart and husband of 19 years, Temple, and has a 9-year-old son, Jake, and a 15-year-old daughter, Kyra.

Richard M. Jacobs, Ph.D.

Pacific Region Toxic Element Specialist

U.S. Food and Drug Administration

1431 Harbor Bay Parkway

Alameda, CA  94502

Phone: (510) 337-6814

Fax: (510) 337-6704

E-mail: richard.jacobs@fda.hhs.gov

Website: http://www.fda.gov/default.htm

EDUCATION: Chemistry (BS), Chemistry (MS), Biochemistry (Ph.D.)

INSTITUTION: Washington College (MD), American University (DC), University of Wisconsin (Madison)

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:

1962-65: NIH, Bethesda MD: Research Chemist: Nutritional biochemistry; essentiality of selenium and the effects of protein deprivation on hepatic mitochondrial cytochromes.

1965-78: FDA, Wash., DC: Research Chemist: Nutritional biochemistry; Function and nutrition of zinc in animals and humans.  The use of hair analysis as a tool to gauge human nutritional status in regard to trace elements.  The toxicity and metabolism of cadmium in experimental species and man.  Nutrient interactions in cadmium metabolism.

1978-85: FDA, Wash. DC: Supervisory Research Chemist: Directed research program in the area of nutrient toxicity.  Experimental animal studies on the adverse effect of vitamins and essential trace elements.  Human selenium toxicity due to supplement use.  The effects of selenium on humans living near the Kesterson reservoir in California.

1985-94:  Supervisory Chemist, FDA, San Francisco District Office: Regulatory surveillance of imported and domestic foods for pesticides and "heavy metals".  Analytical focus: pesticides in fresh produce; lead, cadmium, and other metals in ceramicware, lead in foods arising from the use of lead soldered seam cans;  lead and other elements in foods, dietary supplements; lead in candy from wrappers, etc.

1994-present: FDA, San Francisco District Office: Regional Toxic Element Specialist: Directs the scientific aspects of the Pacific Region Metals Program centralized at the San Francisco District Laboratory.  Coordinates the analytical effort to meet the regulatory needs of the region in regard to metals.  Current  research efforts includes the introduction of X-Ray Fluorescence technology to the field investigations activities.  This technique allow for the identification of lead and other elements used in ceramicware.

Steven C. Linder, P.E.

UST Regional Program Manager

EPA Region 9 (WST-8)

75 Hawthorne Street

San Francisco, CA  94105

Phone: (415) 972-3369

E-mail: linder.steven@epa.gov

Website: http://www.epa.gov/swerust1/index.htm

Steven Linder manages the Underground Storage Tanks Program Office for US EPA Region 9.  Region 9's program provides funding and assistance to Nevada, California, Arizona, Hawaii, and US Pacific territories. Region 9 also has direct implementation responsibility on tribal lands.

Steve is a registered professional engineer in California.

John Marcello

Pacific Region Retail Food Specialist

U.S. Food and Drug Administration

51 W. 3^RD Street, Suite E-265

Tempe, AZ 85281

Phone: (480) 829-7396 ext. 35

Fax: (480) 829-7677

E-mail: john.marcello@fda.hhs.gov

Website: http://www.fda.gov/default.htm

John Marcello is one of six FDA Regional Food Specialists assigned to the 9 state Pacific Region.  Regional Food Specialists provide technical assistance to regulatory and industry food safety professionals; train and standardize regulatory personnel, and provide consultation on nationally recognize standards for state/local/tribal retail food protection programs.

John’s background incorporates both a regulatory and industry perspective on food safety issues.

Prior to the FDA, he served as Manager of Technical Education for the Educational Foundation of the National Restaurant Association working with food safety professionals on the development and implementation of risk-based management systems.

He served on the management team for the Industry Council on Food Safety, a coalition of all segments of the foodservice industry that promotes food safety education throughout the industry and with the general public.  Prior to this position, John spent 15 years with DuPage County Health Department as a field sanitarian and training officer.

John has worked on several Federal and State-level food safety education initiatives, and has developed workshops for joint training of regulatory and industry food safety professionals.  These workshops are designed to blend HACCP principles with practical operational applications.  In 1996, Food and Drug Administration and the National Restaurant Association received the “Hammer Award” for these HACCP Workshops from Vice President Gore’s National Performance Review Committee.  From 1998 – 2003, he served on FDA’s National Retail Food Team Steering Committee responsible for coordinating the implementation of the agency’s retail food initiatives and operation plan.

He has served as Chair and Co-Chair on several Conference for Food Protection (CFP) Committees focused on the training and credentialing of retail food safety professionals.  These Committees have established, in cooperation with the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), a nationally recognized accreditation process for Food Protection Manager Certification Programs.  In addition, the 2006 Conference for Food Protection unanimously approved a structured comprehensive training process for regulatory retail food safety inspection officers that was developed through this committee process.

Some of the recognitions John has been honored to receive include:

2007 – National Environmental Health Association, Journal of Food Protection (January 2007 Issue), Recognition as one of the nation’s 15 leaders within the Environmental Health Profession

2006 – FDA’s Outstanding Achievement – Group Award for assistance provided to the State of Louisiana in response to Hurricane Katrina

2005 – FDA’s Outstanding Achievement Award for his work coordinating the data collection and analysis for FDA’s Report on the Occurrence of Foodborne Illness Risk Factor in Selected Institutional Food Service, Restaurant, and Retail Food Store Facility Types.

2004 – FDA’s Leveraging and Collaboration Award for his work with State and local regulatory jurisdictions enrolled in the Voluntary National Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards

2002 – Conference for Food Protection’s Leadership and Service Award

1998 – FDA’s Outstanding Achievement Award for his contributions toward the development of FDA Managing Food Safety:  HACCP Principles Guide for Operators of Food Service, Retail Food Stores and Other Establishments at the Retail Level

1996 – Industry Sanitarian Award from the National Environmental Health Association

1996 – Hammer Award – National Performance Review Committee for the coordination of FDA/National Restaurant collaborative food safety workshops designed to enhance the effectiveness of the nation’s retail food program

1994 – Illinois Environmental Health Association as their Sanitarian of the Year

PRESENTATION TITLES AND ABSTRACTS FOR JOHN MARCELLO 

Significant Changes to the 2005 Food Code and Emerging Food Safety Issues

Many State, local, and tribal regulatory retail food protection programs use the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Food Code as the foundation for their food safety regulations.  The new version of the FDA Food Code is published every 4 years.  Supplements to the current version of the Food Code are issued every two years and are designed to keep the published set of Food Code provisions up-to-date with the latest science.  This presentation will review the updates contained in the 2007 supplement to the 2005 FDA Food Code and explore their impact on regulatory and industry food safety professionals.  In addition, a summary of emerging food safety issues, as deliberated at the 2008 Conference for Food Protection, will be provided.

Taking the Quantum Leap from a Food Inspection System to a Food Management System

This presentation will discuss practical applications of Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) principles during inspections of foodservice and retail food facilities.  With increasing number of inspections and competing program priorities, serious time and resource constraints must be addressed by regulatory retail food protection programs.  More and more regulatory agencies are implementing risk based inspection methodologies.  This presentation will explore methods for rapidly assessing whether or not a foodservice or retail food operation has a system in place to obtain active managerial control of contributing factors to foodborne illness.

William F. McCoy, PhD     

Chief Technology Officer

Phigenics, LLC

1701 Quincy Ave Ste 32

Naperville, IL 60540
 

Phone: (630) 621-6921

Toll free: (877) 744-4364

E-mail: wmccoy@phigenics.com

Website: www.phigenics.com

William F. McCoy is Co-Founder of Phigenics LLC, a life-sciences company near Chicago, IL.

Phigenics provides risk management services and new products to solve problems in building water systems. Phigenics is Bill’s first start-up; the company has now moved successfully into early phase growth.

He is the recipient of the:

·       International Water Association Medal for Outstanding Contribution to Management and Science (Berlin  2001)

·       Inventor of the Year Award from the Intellectual Property Law Association (USA 2001)

·       Grand Prize Technical Innovation Trophy from the SUEZ Group (Brussels 2000),

·       Governor’s Pollution Prevention Award from the State of Illinois (USA 1999),

·       R&D 100 Award from Research and Development Magazine (USA 1998).

In 2005, the International Water Association published his full-length book entitled Preventing Legionellosis. He has published 27 patents, 8 book chapters and over 100 peer-reviewed scientific articles.

Prior to Phigenics, Bill worked 20 years in commercial development, management of technology, intellectual property development and R&D for large multi-national corporations (Rohm and Haas, Great Lakes Chemical Company and Nalco Chemical Company).

His Ph.D. in Microbiology is from the University of Calgary and the M.Sc. is from the University of Hawaii. He has two undergraduate degrees in Chemistry and Microbiology. Bill was born in San Diego and grew up in Orange County, CA.

PRESENTATION TITLES AND ABSTRACTS FOR WILLIAM MCCOY

Rebecca L. Morley, M.S. PP
Executive Director

The National Center for Healthy Housing
10320 Little Patuxent Parkway, Suite 500
Columbia, MD 21044

Phone: (410) 992-0712

Toll free: 1 (877) 312-3046

E-mail: rmorley@centerforhealthyhousing.org

Website: http://www.centerforhealthyhousing.org/

Rebecca Morley is the executive director of the National Center for Healthy Housing (NCHH) where she leads NCHH’s multi-disciplinary staff in creating healthy and safe housing for children through practical and proven steps. She led the development of the National Healthy Homes Training Center and spearheaded NCHH’s work in the gulf coast following Hurricane’s Katrina and Rita.

She has authored numerous articles and publications on the topic of housing-related health hazards. Before joining NCHH in 2002, Ms. Morley was a senior associate with ICF Consulting in Washington, DC, where she advised clients, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and HUD on the development of lead poisoning prevention and healthy homes programs. Before joining ICF, Ms. Morley worked with HUD in a variety of posts, including the Office of the Secretary, the Office of Public Affairs, and the Office of Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control.

During her tenure at HUD, she was responsible for developing lead paint regulations and developing and overseeing children’s environmental health projects. She served on the President’s Task Force for Children’s Environmental Health Safety and contributed to HUD’s preliminary health homes initiative plan and strategic plan to eliminate childhood lead poisoning by 2010. She designed and implemented a national multi-million dollar healthy homes education campaign focused on injury prevention.

Ms. Morley also served as a legislative fellow to U.S. Senator Jack Reed where she authored key components of the Kennedy Health Bill related to childhood lead poisoning and helped to establish a national childhood lead poisoning prevention week through a Senate resolution. She serves on the Board of the National Disease Clusters Alliance and on the Howard County Environmental and Sustainability Commission.

John R. Nelson

Supervisory SITC Officer

U.S. Department of Agriculture-APHIS

SITC NorCal Work Unit

2001 Junipero Serra Blvd, Suite 520

Daly City, CA 94014

Phone: (650) 758-1001

E-mail: john.r.nelson@aphis.usda.gov

Website: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/

John has been a Field Supervisor for the Smuggling Interdiction and Trade Compliance program since 2001. As a field supervisor, he coordinates the activities of 10 Officers in a 3 state area.  Daily operations involve numerous other agencies such as: Customs and Border Protection; Immigration and Customs Enforcement; US Fish and Wildlife; Nevada, California, and Utah state departments of agriculture; county environmental health; county departments of agriculture (CA); USDA Food Safety Inspection Service; local law enforcement (sheriff and police).

Program activities include routine market inspections, warehouse sweeps, cargo inspection and mail inspection.  Additionally, they are directly involved in federal emergency projects in California including: Sudden Oak Death; Light Brown Apple Moth; and Mediterranean Fruit Fly. 

John started with the USDA at LAX in 1984 during the Los Angeles Olympics.  He gained experience with passenger clearance, air cargo and maritime cargo inspection.  He spent 2 years as a Compliance Officer which entailed treatment facility calibrations and certification; international garbage and catering compliance; and documentation of garbage and cargo violations.

John served a 2 year detail to the Los Angeles Med Fly Emergency Project where he served as Safety Officer and Logistics Support Officer.  He then transferred to San Francisco International Airport in 1994 and served as Supervisor for passenger baggage clearance and cargo operations.

John has participated in numerous temporary details (TDY) at northern and southern border locations, and foreign site treatment/pre-clearance.

Mary G. Oakes, Ph.D.

Environmental Health Specialist

Southern Nevada Health District

625 Shadow Lane

PO Box 3902

Las Vegas, NV 89127-3902

Phone: (702) 759-0588 (General Number)

Email: oakes@snhdmail.com

Website: http://www.southernnevadahealthdistrict.org/

EDUCATION: 

            University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona

            Doctorate of Philosophy in Pharmacology and Toxicology

            Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry 

RELEVANT EXPERIENCE:                                                                                        

2007 to present - Environmental Health Specialist I for the Southern Nevada Health District.

Conducting inspections of food establishments, pools and public accommodations for compliance with Health District regulations.  Providing consultative activities to assist operators with their compliance activities.

1999 to 2004 - Vice President of an Environmental Firm in Las Vegas, NV.           

Responsible for the evaluation and monitoring of projects ranging from indoor air quality to comprehensive industrial hygiene evaluations in facilities ranging from residential to large corporations.  Audits were completed to evaluate exposures in facilities and for compliance with OSHA, EPA and various orders and directives.  Conducted over 2,500 microbial inspections as an expert witness.  Examples of reports produced included  comprehensive IH reports, chemical risk assessment documents, Health and Safety Programs, and Remediation Reports.  

1995 to 1998 - Industrial Hygienist III for the State of Nevada OSHA Enforcement Section in Las Vegas, NV.

Conducted occupational safety and health inspections focused on OSHA, EPA, NFPA and NEC compliance.  Reviewed all company safety and health programs and informed the employer of deficiencies in the written programs.  Documented and proposed citations concerning safety and health hazards observed during the evaluation.  Testified at OSHA review board hearings as an expert witness. 

1986 – 1989 - Research Assistant at the University of Arizona Health Sciences Center in Tucson, AZ.

Performed basic research on laboratory animals involving the degradation of radioactive materials in the gastrointestinal tract.  Conducted data analysis on the obtained results and published research findings in scientific journals.   Performed activities that included iodinations, electroimmunoassays,  electrophoresis, antibody column separations, autoradiography and high performance liquid chromatography.

1980 – Secretary for the Environmental Division in Akwesasne, New York.

Responsibilities included answering phones and typing letters.  Additional activities included the management of an environmental study dealing with the collection of soil and produce (vegetables) samples on the reservation for toxic substances analysis.

Ann Peden, REHS
Senior Land Use Specialist

Santa Clara County Department of Environmental Health

1555 Berger Drive, Suite 300

San Jose, CA 95112-2716

Phone:(408) 918-3400
E-mail:  annpeden@hotmail.com

Website: http://www.sccgov.org/portal/site/deh/

Ann Peden retired in 2004 after 25 years in the United States Navy Reserve as an Environmental Health Officer.  As a Captain in the Medical Service Corps, she was mobilized to Kuwait and Iraq in 2003 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, where she served as the Senior Preventive Medicine Officer for the U.S. Marine Corps 3rd Civil Affair Group, Camp Pendleton, California.

Ann is a Registered Environmental Health Specialist in the state of California.  She currently works for Santa Clara County Department of Environmental Health, San Jose, CA, as a Senior Land Use Specialist.

PRESENTATION TITLES AND ABSTRACTS FOR ANN PEDEN

The presentation will be a first-hand account of the role of an environmental health officer in a combat setting.  The presenter is a Naval Reserve Environmental Health Officer who recently retired with the rank of Captain after 25 years of service.  Her last tour of duty was with the Marine Corp’s 3^rd Civil Affairs Unit based out of Camp Pendleton, California.  The unit was deployed in January 2003 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.  The unit followed the 1^st Marine Expeditionary Force’s combat operations, from the beginning of active combat along the Kuwaiti-Iraq border, to the end of Saddam Hussein’s dictatorial rule. 

During the stabilization phase of the war, the unit was responsible for providing humanitarian assistance to the 1^st Marine Expeditionary Force’s Area of Responsibility, the southern Iraq governants. Civil Affairs personnel are the principle staff for all matters concerning the civilian impact on military operations and the impact of military operations on the civilian populace.  Establishing and maintaining a civil-military operations center, the unit maintained liaison and coordinated operations with other US government agencies, Iraq civil and military authorities, NGOs and IOs. 

As the senior Environmental Health Officer for these civil-military humanitarian operations, this personal account will focus on the facts, actions, successes and challenges in providing vital public health and medical services to the people of Iraq.  Beginning with small-scale, quick humanitarian missions, the mission eventually led to long term nation building. 

Over time, the presenter became the public health liaison to the government of Kuwait, assisting over 150 non-governmental organizations and USAID contractors in providing medical and infrastructure services (electricity, potable water, fuel) to the people of Iraq.  Also covered will be an update on the current situation in Iraq and how the early phases of the Iraq war may have led to the state of Iraq today. 

Robert W. Powitz, Ph.D., M.P.H.

Principal Forensic Sanitarian and

Adjunct Associate Professor – Wayne State University, Detroit, MI

R. W. Powitz & Associates, p.c.  

PO Box 502
Old Saybrook, CT 06475-0502
 

Phone: (860) 388-0893
Fax: (860)388-9566

E-mail: sanitarian@juno.com

Website: www.sanitarian.com

After receiving his B.S.A. in Agriculture from the University of Georgia, Robert Powitz completed his M.P.H. and his doctorate in Environmental Health and Epidemiology at the University of Minnesota.

Robert has served as the Director of Environmental Health and Safety, Biosafety Officer, and Adjunct Associate Professor at Wayne State University and earlier as the Chief Epidemiologist at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital in Detroit.

He is certified as a Food Safety Professional (NEHA), Healthcare Safety Professional, Executive Level (CHSP), Homeland Security Level III (ACFEI), and Water Quality Specialist, (CWS-V-WQA).  His many awards include Diplomate Laureate #001 and Diplomate #336, American Academy of Sanitarians, the Snyder Award, NEHA, and the President’s Award, ADHMM. Robert graduated Phi Theta Kappa.

PRESENTATION TITLES AND ABSTRACTS FOR WILLIAM MCCOY

Tuesday - 1:30 pm - 2:30 pm "A Quick Guide to Field Sampling"             

Wednesday - 1:00 - 2:00 pm – "How Clean is Clean?"

Paymon H. Raouf

Keynote Speaker

Owner

Paymon’s Mediterranean Café & Lounge

4147 S Maryland Parkway

Las Vegas, NV  89119-7518

and

8380 W. Sahara Ave
Las Vegas, NV 89119-1834
 

Phone:  (702) 731-6030

Website: www.paymons.com

Paymon Raouf is the owner of Paymon’s Mediterranean Café & Lounge, 4147 S Maryland Parkway, which he established in 1988. He opened his second Café & Lounge in February of 2004 at 8380 W. Sahara Avenue.  Both restaurants have received the highly coveted “Excellent” rating from Zagat.  The Mediterranean Café & Lounge is a full service operation and does brisk take-out business as well as its Banquet and Catering division.  Since 1998 the Café has accumulated 19 awards from the readers and staff polls of the Las Vegas Review Journal’s annual “Best of Las Vegas” competition.  Just a few of the other notable awards and accolades include the Nevada Restaurant Association’s “Restaurateur of the Year” award, City Life Magazine’s “Best Independently Owned Restaurant” award, AOL City Guide’s “City’s Best Mediterranean”, and Best of City search guide “Best Lunch Spot.

The Moroccan themed Hookah Lounge opened in 2000 as the first of its kind in the United States and has spawned hundreds of similar Hookah establishments throughout the country.  The Lounge has been recognized by the most prestigious publications in Las Vegas for such awards as "Best Lounge," "Most Romantic Spot," "Best Spot to Take a Date" and "Best Drinks in the City." 

Mr. Raouf has previously served in several volunteer positions with the Nevada Restaurant Association including Chairman of the Board.  He is affiliated with the International Food Service Executive Association and has received the Congressional Award for “Exemplary Service” in Southern Nevada and the USA.  He has also been included in the Nevada’s “Who’s Who of Executives and Professionals,” twice.  He has also enjoyed his time lecturing various classes at UNLV.  Paymon donates his time and valuable resources to many good causes including the Salvation Army, Catholic Charities of Nevada, AFAN and numerous schools within the Clark County School district.

Previously, Mr. Raouf was with the Imperial Palace Hotel and Tropicana Hotel.

Mr. Raouf attended the Design Institute of Graphic Designers in Iran in 1979-81, participated in the Iranian Front Line Rescue Team in 1983-1984 and served as a Sergeant in the Iranian Army in 1983-85.  He was born September 17^th,  1962 in Tehran, Iran.  Mr. Raouf takes great pride in his lovely wife, Fariba and his daughter Jasmine.  Mr. Raouf has been a Southern Nevada resident since 1987.