ASSP Names Five Industry Leaders as 2025 Society Fellows
A global safety consultant, a decorated U.S. Marine, pioneering academics, and a DEI trailblazer join the profession’s most distinguished ranks.
- By Stasia DeMarco
- Jun 02, 2025
The American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) has named five trailblazing experts as Society Fellows, its most prestigious honor. The distinction is reserved for members who have made outstanding lifetime contributions to the occupational safety and health profession.
This year’s honorees — Felix Nakpodia, Tim Page-Bottorff, Lawrence Schulze, Leslie Stockel, and Christine Sullivan — join an elite group of only 152 Fellows recognized since the organization’s founding in 1911.
“Our Fellows are an elite group of influential safety leaders who are the architects of safer tomorrows,” said ASSP President Pam Walaski, CSP, FASSP. “They are highly respected experts who have broadly improved work environments to save lives while fundamentally advancing the safety and health profession.”
Honoring a Legacy of Leadership
Each of the newly named Fellows brings a unique legacy of innovation and service:
- Felix Nakpodia, a revered safety consultant from Nigeria, is known as “the walking encyclopedia of safety.” With more than 50 years of cross-sector experience, he has led landmark reforms, including Nigeria’s Institute of Safety Professionals Act, and pioneered road safety strategies adopted globally.
- Tim Page-Bottorff, M.S., CSP, CIT, a senior director at JLL and partner with SafeStart, is celebrated for his contributions to psychological safety and real-world injury prevention. A former U.S. Marine and award-winning speaker, he conducts over 100 professional training sessions annually.
- Lawrence Schulze, Ph.D., P.E., CPE, of the University of Houston, is a leading academic voice in human factors engineering. His 35-year career spans aerospace, petrochemical, and medical sectors, while mentoring more than 400 student safety projects that address real-world industrial challenges.
- Leslie Stockel, Ph.D., CSP, SMP, of Oklahoma State University, has dedicated her career to mentoring future safety professionals. Her four decades in safety span pulp and chemical manufacturing, higher education, and research in critical areas such as nuclear power and aerospace materials.
- Christine Sullivan, CSP, ARM, executive vice president at Sompo, is a recognized leader in loss control, DEI advocacy, and total worker health. She has developed global risk control frameworks and continues to shape the profession through writing, mentorship, and speaking engagements.
Safety 2025 Recognition
The Fellows will be formally honored during Safety 2025, ASSP’s Professional Development Conference and Exposition, taking place July 22–24 in Orlando, Fla. The distinction is awarded to members with a minimum of 15 years of significant contributions to the safety profession and a demonstrated commitment to protecting workers.
For a complete list of ASSP Society Fellows, visit assp.org.
About the Author
Stasia DeMarco is the Content Editor for OH&S.