20 Safety Professionals Receive $13,500 in Professional Development Grants
The American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) Foundation recently announced the 20 recipients of the Professional Development Grant Program given to occupational safety and health practitioners to help them advance in their career. The grants are supported by contributions from corporations, members, and individuals who recognize the value occupational safety and health professionals bring to the workplace, ASSE says. In all, the foundation is awarding $13,500 in professional development grants this year. The grant program is designed to provide assistance to safety professionals as they advance their occupational safety, health, and environmental careers through certification study courses, professional development seminars or symposiums, educational conferences, and college coursework.
The ASSE Foundation established a new grant program this year, the Terrance M. Hennessy Professional Development Grant, and the first-ever recipients of it are Shaman Ahuja of Auburn, Ala; Michael Coleman of Springdale, Ark.; and Elizabeth C. Gabbett of Atlanta. Ahuja, a research assistant at Auburn University, was awarded $500 for Certified Safety Professional (CSP) study guides. Coleman, the safety manager at Rockline Industries, received $650 to help cover the registration fee for the ASSE annual Professional Development Conference held in San Antonio this June. And Gabbett, safety director at Hogan Construction Group, was awarded $850 for the CSP exam preparation workshop and CSP exam fee.
Established in honor and memory of ASSE Past-President Thomas Reilly and his wife Dorothy, the recipients of the Thomas & Dorothy Reilly Professional Development Grant are Brenda McCracken of Joliet, Ill., and Edward S. Sowers, Jr. of Apopka, Fla. McCracken, adjunct faculty at Joliet Junior College, was awarded $500 for the Associated Safety Professional (ASP) exam preparation workshop. Sowers, an independent loss control consultant, received $500 for the CSP exam and application fees.
The Medina Professional Development Grant, established by ASSE member Rixio Medina, CSP, and his wife Alejandra of Houston, has four recipients this year: Byron Curtis of White, S.D., and Cynthia King, ASP, CET, of Henderson, Colo., each were awarded $750 for the Construction Health and Safety Technician (CHST) exam preparation workshop and application fee; Peti Janine Singletary of Spring, Texas, was awarded $850 for the CHST workshop and application fee; and Nick Nichols, Ph.D., of Durant, Okla., was awarded $650 for registration to ASSE's PDC. Curtis currently serves as a jobsite safety specialist for Daktronics Inc. King serves as safety & training specialist for the City of Aurora–Aurora Water, and Singletary is a safety manager at GSE Lining Technology Inc. Nichols is an associate professor at Southeastern Oklahoma State University.
The Texas Safety Foundation Professional Development Grant will be received by: Shaundree Davis of Bordentown, N.J.; Jason Kawa of Philadelphia; Vindi Minne of Elizabeth, Colo.; and Crystal D. Turner of White Plaines, N.Y. Davis, a health & safety specialist at Rutgers University, was awarded $1,000 for the ASP and CSP exam preparation workshops. Kawa, safety director at P. Agnes Inc., was awarded $500 for the CSP exam preparation course; Minne, safety coordinator at Highlands Ranch Metro District, was awarded $500 for the ASP exam preparation course. And Turner, in construction management EHS at Bidwell Environmental LLC, was awarded $500 for the CHSET certification fee and study guides.
The seven recipients of the Delmar E. Tally Professional Development Grant, established by ASSE members Del and Betty Tally of Austin, Texas, include: Vincent Bernd, ASP of Tamarac, Fla., awarded $1,000 for the CSP preparation workshop and examination fee; Brian Cook, CSP of Lakeland, Fla., awarded $650 for the ASSE PDC registration fee; Jason Dean, CSP, of St. Louis, awarded $700 for college tuition; Kristopher D. Johnson of Woodbury, Minn., awarded $1,000 for the ASP preparation workshop and math review course; Danny C. K. Lee of Holliston, Mass., awarded $500 for the ASP application fee and study guide; Brian Maynard of Surfside Beach, S.C., awarded $500 for ASP preparation workshop; and Simone A. Vu of Los Angeles, awarded $650 for ASSE PDC registration. Bernd serves as a safety specialist for the City of Tamarac; Cook is a safety & health technical manager at Walt Disney Co.; Dean is a field safety specialist at Westaff; Johnson serves as health, environmental, and safety professional at Marathon Petroleum Co.; Lee serves as regional loss control manager at AIM Mutual Insurance; Maynard is a hazmat safety manager at DynCorp International; and Vu serves as health & safety manager at AMVAC Chemical.