SECRETARY-ELECT
Steve Gutmann, MS, CIH, CPE, FAIHA
President
S. H. Gutmann Consulting, LLC
White Bear Lake, MN
Providing guidance to protect workers from COVID-19 based on sound scientific information has been a formidable challenge for AIHA and others. Foremost among them has been the polarized political environment, the fast pace of developing science, and a workplace that, for many, will never be the same.
While AIHA’s contributions to date have been significant, it’s important for AIHA to consider how the workplace will change in the future and what is needed to meet these new challenges. Fortunately, AIHA’s recently updated strategic plan offers a valuable framework to guide us. Key aspects include:
• community: nurture and empower a diverse and inclusive professional community and engage with allied professional organizations to achieve common goals
• awareness: increase the awareness of the value of OEHS and growing the organization and profession
• advancement and dissemination of knowledge: develop and disseminate cutting-edge educational, technical, and career-enrichment resources
• integrity of professional practice: promote best-in-class OEHS practice, advance competency in specialty areas, and develop leading metrics and best practices
• advocacy: influence the actions of the public, government, and organizations to advance worker and community health and safety
If elected, I will work hard to help AIHA implement this framework to better anticipate trends and leverage the talents of our membership. Ultimately, it will help AIHA to achieve our goal of healthier workplaces and a healthier world.
While AIHA’s contributions to date have been significant, it’s important for AIHA to consider how the workplace will change in the future and what is needed to meet these new challenges. Fortunately, AIHA’s recently updated strategic plan offers a valuable framework to guide us. Key aspects include:
• community: nurture and empower a diverse and inclusive professional community and engage with allied professional organizations to achieve common goals
• awareness: increase the awareness of the value of OEHS and growing the organization and profession
• advancement and dissemination of knowledge: develop and disseminate cutting-edge educational, technical, and career-enrichment resources
• integrity of professional practice: promote best-in-class OEHS practice, advance competency in specialty areas, and develop leading metrics and best practices
• advocacy: influence the actions of the public, government, and organizations to advance worker and community health and safety
If elected, I will work hard to help AIHA implement this framework to better anticipate trends and leverage the talents of our membership. Ultimately, it will help AIHA to achieve our goal of healthier workplaces and a healthier world.
SECRETARY-ELECT
Pamela A. Kostle, MS, CIH, FAIHA
Retired Occupational Environmental Health Manager
Middleton, WI
OEHS professionals, including many AIHA volunteers, and staff have provided significant guidance during the pandemic to protect the occupational health and safety of workers and communities. These contributions range from development of the substantial guidance resources by AIHA volunteers to communicating personally to small business sectors. Opportunities to continue the visibility of OEHS engagement in protecting the worker might include follow-up to the reopening guidance and communications to associations sector-specific professional organizations. Engage and disseminate lessons learned from front-line work to those whose work environment changed drastically and strategically provide updated guidance over the next several years. Continue to develop and share connections with Total Worker Health for the changing workplace as workers either return to work sites or adapt to a changing physical workspace. Enhance relationships that were strengthened during the pandemic by continuing to deliver virtual programs such as the Healthy Schools Townhall webinar.
Connect with the STEM audience to attract future OEHS professionals. As part of the IH Heroes program, AIHA encouraged members to share their COVID-19 stories. The AIHA award-winning IH Heroes campaign’s next comic series could incorporate some of these stories. Provide a personal connection for children and young adults to the OEHS profession utilizing experiences that they can identify in their own families and community.
Connect with the STEM audience to attract future OEHS professionals. As part of the IH Heroes program, AIHA encouraged members to share their COVID-19 stories. The AIHA award-winning IH Heroes campaign’s next comic series could incorporate some of these stories. Provide a personal connection for children and young adults to the OEHS profession utilizing experiences that they can identify in their own families and community.