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WHO WE ARE
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Letter from the President
VEHA held elections in Fall, 2010 and Preston Smith was elected as our new President. Here’s his first inaugural message to the Bulletin!
Dear VEHA Members,
As your President I would like to offer you a glimpse of my life and some insight as to how I became involved with VEHA. Prior to my employment with the Health Department I worked in the private sector as a licensed water and wastewater treatment plant operator and environmental specialist. I began my employment with the Virginia Department of Health with the Division of Shellfish Sanitation as a shoreline surveyor. I worked in that position for approximately 5 years. I was then hired as the Marina Technical Consultant for the Office of Environmental Health Services. In 2003 I was selected to become the Marina Program Manager and have continued in that position. VEHA was introduced to me during my initial employment with VDH and I have been participating in VEHA and attending the workshops since 1998.
My education includes a B.A. in Environmental Studies, Masters ofPlanning with a concentration in Environmental Planning and a Masters of Public Administration. Sheri and I have been married since 1994 and we have two girls Haley and Sheridan. My only hobby is doing what my wife tells me to do and chauffeuring my girls. Since becoming your President I have witnessed the broad range of responsibilities that come with the job, including the promotion of the association and the associated benefits of membership along with participating with other board members to comment on laws and regulations that affect the environmental health of the Commonwealth. I am particularly proud of the workshop planned for April 22 at the Ted Constant Center on the Campus of Old Dominion University. Ed Dunn, Environmental Health Manager, Piedmont Health District and Chris Gordon, Environmental Health Food and Dairy Consultant have been hard at work developing a program that is not only engaging but offers attendees continuing educational credits. As a supporter of continued training and realizing the need for a strong environmental health association, I encourage all environmental health specialists, technical consultants, environmental health managers and our private sector colleagues to attend. In looking forward, one of VEHA’s goals concerns professional development of environmental health professionals. In pursuit of this goal, Chris Gordon, on behalf of VEHA, has partnered with the National Environmental Health Association to allow us the opportunity to offer the Registered Environmental Health Specialist (REHS) exam to our membership during the April 22, 2011 workshop. For those of you who are interested in taking the exam at a latter day please contact a VEHA Board Member for assistance with obtaining the study materials. VEHA is here as a resource for you. I encourage all to take advantage of such an organization which strives to better our field and support the membership.
Hope to see you all at the April 22, 2011 workshop!
Respectfully,
Preston Smith
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History
Founded in 1966 as the Virginia Sanitarians Association. The name was later changed to Virginia Environmental Health Association (VEHA) to more appropriately encompass the expanding field.
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General Information
The Virginia Environmental Health Association, Inc. is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting professional environmental health practices in the Commonwealth of Virginia. VEHA is comprised of all volunteers who make up its general membership, the Board of Directors, and committees for:
• Membership
• Election
• Professional Advancement
• Technical Advisory
• Educational Training
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| VEHA provides a platform from which Environmental Health professionals can express their opinions and concerns about traditional and current environmental issues. In addition to discussing current challenges among fellow professionals, much effort is put forth to create and develop resolutions. When appropriate, some resolutions are offered to legislative and executive bodies for consideration during the promulgation of code and regulation. |
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