EH&S Professional Education
EH&S PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION SPEAKERS
Allison Liljedahl received a Master’s in Animal and Dairy Science at the University of Georgia and went on to pursue an MPH in Infectious Diseases Epidemiology at the University of Georgia. While working on her MPH, Allison was employed as a lab animal technician in a high containment setting working with diseases such as SARS, High Path Avian Influenza, Burkholderia and Tuberculosis. This work in ABSL3/BSL3Ag instilled a strong love for the field of Biosafety and the problem solving skills that it requires. Since graduating with her MPH, she was hired on as the Assistant Biosafety Officer at the University of California Berkeley, and subsequently has moved on to become the Biosafety Officer at the University of California Berkeley. She continues to enjoy the challenges that biological research present and tackling the risks that new and evolving technologies pose.
Biosafety Officer
UC Berkeley
aliljedahl@berkeley.edu
(510) 643-9366
Allison Liljedahl
Brandon Stark is the director the University of California's Center of Excellence on Unmanned Aircraft System Safety, where he provides system-wide expertise, support and training for regulatory compliance, risk management and the safe operation of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), commonly known as drones, across the University of California system. The rapid growth of unmanned aircrafts has manifested across a multitude of domains, from engineering programs and education to facility management, campus promotion and student clubs. As a result, the UC has adopted a UAS Safety Management System to ensure safety to all while still enabling UAS activity and innovative research. By incorporating unmanned aircraft into the UC’s Enterprise Risk Management strategy, the use of unmanned aircrafts transcends the adoption of policy and instead addresses risk in a systematic and holistic approach.
Director of COE on Unmanned Aircraft System Safety
UC Merced
UASSafety@ucmerced.edu
(209) 201-2051
Brandon Stark
Brent Cooley is the Deputy Director of Environment, Health & Safety for the University of California Office of the President. Over the past 17 years, he has been an EH&S professional holding various positions within the University of California including Industrial Hygiene Program Manager and Interim EH&S Director at UC Santa Cruz. In his current role, Mr. Cooley is responsible for overseeing research safety operations for the ten UC campuses and manages a variety of programs and Centers of Excellence focused on emerging risks. Mr. Cooley is a Certified Industrial Hygienist and Certified Safety Professional and has presented at numerous conferences including the American Industrial Hygiene Conference (AIHce), Campus Safety Health and Environmental Managers Association (CSHEMA) and the University Risk Management and Insurance Association (URMIA).
Deputy Director
Environmental Health & Safety
brent.cooley@ucop.edu
(831) 212-2553
Brent Cooley
Bruce Carter has managed university and community household hazardous waste programs. He has 22 years of experience working for the University of California and is a graduate of UC Santa Barbara with a degree in Geophysics.
Bruce Carter, class of ’93, is a former Gaucho distance runner with a Bachelor’s of Science in Geophysics. In his 22 years of service, he has shaped and managed the Community Household Hazardous Waste Program and the Campus Hazardous Waste Program.
Hazardous Waste Program Manager
UC Santa Barbara
bruce.carter@ucsb.edu
(805) 893-3293
Bruce Carter
Radiation Safety Officer, UC Berkeley- Manage a comprehensive radiation safety program for ~800 radiation users and ~150 radiation use authorizations, radioactive waste management program and radiation safety training.
Nuclear Engineer- Principal Investigator, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) - Supported the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty Organization in Vienna with training for their inspectors. Served as a contractor to DOE/NNSA Global Threat Reduction Initiative based out of WA DC and Livermore leading efforts to work with developing countries in Africa to secure potentially dangerous radioactive sources.
International Radiation Source Specialist, International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, Austria - Managed radioactive orphan source recovery program for the IAEA leading missions to >35 UN member countries to establish national strategies for the control of sealed radioactive sources.
Radiation Safety Officer
UC Berkeley
cjmackenzie@berkeley.edu
(510) 643-7976
CAROLYN MAC KENZIE
Cindy Burt, OTR/L, CPE has 25+ years of experience in the field of ergonomics. She started the UCLA Ergonomics Program in the late 1980’s when computer overuse injuries were first recognized as a major issue for employees. Since that time, the program has grown to include laboratory, service industry, construction and industrial settings. In her role as UCLA Injury Prevention Manager, Cindy integrated ergonomics with safety, wellness, job accommodation, and return-to-work programs to reduce musculoskeletal injuries. She retired from the university in 2016, but continues to contribute to the UCLA Ergonomics program and the UC System-wide Ergonomics Workgroup.
Ergonomics Program
UCLA
burt@ehs.ucla.edu
(310) 794-5329
CINDY BURT
Dale Saunders has served as Campus Fire Marshal for UC Irvine for the past 11 years. Receiving his BS in Architecture from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Dale worked for 5 years for the California Division of State Architecture and 2 years for the State Fire Marshal office before transitioning to the UC. During his tenure, he has overseen plan review and construction inspection for billions of new construction of over 250 buildings on campus. Currently, Dale manages the compliance efforts for Title 19, the maintenance of fire safety systems, and Title 24, plan review for new construction. In his spare time, Dales enjoys sailing and is serving as Treasurer for the UCI Sailing Club.
Campus Fire Marshal
UC Irvine
dale.saunders@uci.edu
(949) 824-4077
DALE SAUNDERS
Debbie joined UC Davis in the Office of Environmental Health and Safety in 1998 as the campus Chemical Hygiene Officer. In 2013, she joined the Chemistry Department as the Department Safety Manager. In her first 24 months in the position, Debbie facilitated Department implementation of the UC Settlement Agreement, disposed over 26,000 pounds of hazardous materials out of the Department, and developed the Injury and Illness Prevention Plan and Emergency Action Plans.
Debbie also serves as the scribe for the UC systemwide Laboratory Safety Work Group, a group she helped found over ten years ago. She’s a past Chair of the American Chemical Society, Division of Chemical Health and Safety, and was recently elected Councilor from the Division. In 2014, she was named a Fellow of the Society.
Debbie holds a Bachelor of Science degree from UC Davis, a certificate in Hazardous Materials Management and is a Certified Chemical Hygiene Officer.
Safety Manager
UC Davis
dmdecker@ucdavis.edu
(530) 754-7964
DEBBIE DECKER
EDDIE CIPRAZO
Eddie Ciprazo has been the campus laser safety officer since 2003 and a Certified Laser Safety Officer (CLSO). Prior to moving into the laser safety field, he spent 15 years as an EH&S Radiation Specialist. He is a past member of the Board of Laser Safety, a member of the ANSI Z136.10 committee (Safe Use of Lasers in Entertainment, Displays and Exhibitions) and was the Co-Chair of the 2007 and 2017 Technical Practical Application Seminar at the International Laser Safety Conference.
Laser Safety Officer
UC Berkeley
510-643-9243
racerx@berkeley.edu
Greg Haet joined UC Berkeley in 1999 to work with construction projects on EH&S issues. He currently manages campus environmental protection and hazardous materials programs. Prior to coming to Berkeley, Greg worked in environmental consulting and in the petrochemical industry. Greg has a BS in Chemical Engineering and a MS in Environmental Engineering, both from UC Berkeley, and a MA in Education from Cal State East Bay. He is also a licensed Professional Engineer.
Associate Director, Environmental Protection
UC Berkeley
gjhaet@berkeley.edu
(510) 642-4848
GREG HAET
Jesse joined UCSB Environmental Health and Safety as a junior Industrial Hygiene Specialist in 2006. He was later promoted to Industrial Hygiene Program Manager, and is now responsible for developing, implementing, and managing a variety of comprehensive Industrial Hygiene, and Occupational Health and Safety programs. He has served as the chair of the UC Industrial Hygiene, and Indoor Air Quality Workgroups, and was also selected to be a subject-matter expert for the systemwide Hazard Communication, Heat Illness, and Fundamentals of Industrial Hygiene trainings. Jesse earned a BS in Biology from UC Santa Barbara in 2005, and is a Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) and Certified Safety Professional (CSP).
Industrial Hygiene Program Manager
UC Santa Barbara
jesse.bickley@ucsb.edu
(805) 893-8787
JESSE BICKLEY
James has been the Emergency Manager at the University of California, Santa Barbara since 2009. He completed the Santa Barbara City College Marine Technology program in 1982 and worked for five years as a commercial oilfield diver worldwide. He served in the marine oil spill response field with Santa Barbara based "Clean Seas" for over twenty years in numerous positions, lastly as the Planning and Safety Manager. He completed the Emergency Management Specialist program by the California Office of Emergency Services in 2014 and is a state certified instructor for Hazardous Materials, Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) and the Safety Assessment Program (Post earthquake damage assessment). He is the Chair of Aware and Prepare Initiative executive committee, a public-private partnership dedicated to strengthening community disaster resiliency within the Santa Barbara County.
Campus Emergency Manager
UC Santa Barbara
james.caesar@ucsb.edu
(805) 450-1437
JAMES CAESAR
Jim Gilson has worked at University of California as the Senior Safety Engineer since June of 2007. Prior to UC, he’s done Development and Safety Engineering in the BioTech, Medical Plastics, Utilities, and Metal Working sectors of private industry, and supported commercial-government collaborations at the Brookhaven National Lab, the Sanford Underground Research Facility, and the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. He has extensive experience in research process and product development, construction, ergonomic design, and human factors engineering. He has lead 4-hour and 8-hour Technical Professional Development Seminars on Safety in Collaborative Robotics Research, Electrical Safety in Research, Managing Shop Safety in Higher Education, Grounding and Bonding Flammable Liquid and Gas Transfers, and Implementing Energy Isolation – Lockout Tagout using Mobile Technology, at various national professional development conferences for both the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) and the Campus Safety Health and Environmental Manager’s Association (CSHEMA).
Jim is a graduate of the University of Maine with a BS degree in Agricultural Engineering and PE license in Mechanical Engineering. In addition, Jim is certified as a Professional Life and Corporate Coach (CPCC) by the Coaches Training Institute; is also a PADI-Certified Open-water SCUBA Instructor (OWSI); and, sits on the University of California’s Scientific Diving Safety Board. In his spare time, Jim enjoys motorcycle riding, country western dancing, adventure travel and Afro-Caribbean drumming circles.
Biographical Introduction for James N. "Jim" gilson, PE, CPCC, OWSI
UC Berkeley
j_gilson@berkeley.edu
(510) 643-9575
JIM GILSON
KAREN SMITH
Karen holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry/Biochemistry, and a Master of Science degree in Occupational Safety and Health and Environmental Management. She is a Certified Chemical Hygiene Officer, Certified Scientific Materials Manager, and holds an Associate Risk Manager certificate. Karen is currently studying to become a Certified Industrial Hygienist. She’s managed laboratories for 15 years, and instructed college level chemistry and physics classes. She has worked at UC Merced since 2011 as the Chemical Hygiene Officer, Radiation Safety Officer, Laser Safety Officer, and Controlled Substances Manager, and serves on numerous UC system wide workgroups.
EH&S Specialist - Environmental Health and Safety
UC Merced
ksmith23@ucmerced.edu
(209) 228-7864
Ken Smith is the Executive Director for Environmental Health and Safety for the University of California. In this position with the UC Office of the President, Ken provides systemwide direction, guidance and expertise to all 10 UC campuses, 5 UC Health Medical Centers that encompass 11 hospitals, as well as Agricultural and Natural Resources and 3 UC managed National Laboratories on matters of Environmental Health and Safety.
Ken has served the UC system for 23 years in the areas of Radiation Safety and Research Safety. An alumnus of UC Santa Cruz, Ken received his degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Ken holds board certifications in both Industrial Hygiene and Health Physics.
Ken is a nationally recognized expert in Health and Safety in complex research environments. He has been an invited speaker for organizations such as the American Chemical Society, American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exhibition, The California State University System, the California Industrial Hygiene Council, and the Campus Safety Environmental Health and Management Association. Ken also serves on the boards of the Laboratory Safety Institute and the UC Center for Laboratory Safety.
Executive Director
Environmental Health and Safety
ken.smith@ucop.edu
(510) 882-3499
KEN SMITH
Lisa currently serves as the Laboratory Safety Program Manager at UCSC, supporting safety initiatives throughout the research community. She also holds a Lecturer position with the UCSC Department of Microbiology and Environmental Toxicology. She joined the UCSC Environmental Health and Safety Department in 2008, and has developed and enhanced a variety of laboratory safety functions. Prior to UCSC, Lisa worked for a Silicon Valley EH&S consulting firm and a private research organization. Lisa has an AB in Biology with a concentration in Biochemistry from Cornell University and a MS in Industrial Health from the University of Michigan School of Public Health. She is a Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) with the American Board of Industrial Hygiene.
Laboratory Safety Program Manager
UC Santa Cruz
lwisser@ucsc.edu
(831) 459-5772
LISA WISSER
Patrick Kaulback, REHS, has worked at UC Berkeley EH&S since 2006. Prior to that he spent 10 years with the City of Berkeley Environmental Health Division, and started his career as a Registered Environmental Health Specialist with Los Angeles County EH in 1993. At UCB, Patrick's main responsibilities include regulatory inspections at campus food facilities and swimming pools, plus domestic water quality investigations. He also serves as the Indoor Air Quality Program manager and occasional respiratory fit test guy, among "other duties as assigned."
Patrick moonlights as a singer-songwriter in between the moments of his wife-and-two-kids life in Pleasant Hill, CA.
Registered Environmental Health Specialist
UC Berkeley
pkaulback@berkeley.edu
510-812-0035.
PATRICK KAULBACK
Philip has a Bachelor’s degree in Physiology from UC Davis, and a Master’s degree in Biology from California State University, Sacramento. He has worked in neuroscience research, Institutional Animal Care and Use, and is now a Biosafety Officer at UC Davis. He has worked in Biosafety for the past eight years.
Biosafety Officer
UC Davis
prbarruel@ucdavis.edu
(530) 752 1777
PHILLIP BARRUELL
Dr. Robert Emery is Vice President for Safety, Health, Environment and Risk Management for The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) and Professor of Occupational Health at The University of Texas School of Public Health, part of UTHealth. Dr. Emery specializes in safety issues associated with disaster preparedness, radiation safety hazards, industrial safety, occupational health risks and disaster response.
Vice President of Safety, Health, Environment & Risk Management
University of Texas
Robert.J.Emery@uth.tmc.edu
(713) 500-8100
ROBERT EMERY
Sandra Huang Conrrad has more than 19 years of experience in the environmental, health and safety field with experiences in a variety of industries, including higher education, manufacturing, and semiconductors. Over the last 13 years, she has led the Safety Division in the EH&S Department at the University of California, Irvine. She received a Bachelor's degree from the University of California, Berkeley and a Master's degree in Public Health from University of Illinois, Chicago. She is a Certified Safety Professional.
EH&S Coordinator of The Arts
UC Irvine
sconrrad@uci.edu
(949) 824-6982
SANDRA CONRRAD
Sara has worked at UC Berkeley EH&S for over 10 years as an industrial hygienist supporting research safety. She has a broad workplace safety and public health skill set and has served on IACUC and biosafety committees, supported infectious disease outbreak preparedness and education, and is a Safety Officer in Berkeley's EOC. In 2016 Sara launched a unique Field Research Safety Program to promote best practices in field research within the University of California system and act as an EH&S advisor to the UC Natural Reserve System. Prior to joining UC she studied environmental sciences, conducted field work in Guatemala as part of her graduate program in public health, studied abroad at the University of Cape Town, and worked for an environmental engineering firm. Sara is also a trained Wilderness First Responder through NOLS.
Research Safety Specialist
UC Berkeley
sarasouza@berkeley.edu
(510) 725-2517
SARA SOUZA
Tara Brown joined UCLA in 2009 as the Business Continuity Planner. She is responsible for coordinating business continuity plans for over 250 campus departments so that the University may continue to provide its most essential services after a disruption. She also serves on the leadership team responsible for the design of and enhancements to the UC Ready tool. Prior to coming to UCLA, Tara worked for the Office of Emergency Management for the City of Beverly Hills. Tara has a BS in Criminal Justice, Masters of Public Administration, and is a Certified Business Continuity Professional from DRII (Disaster Recovery Institute International). She also is a graduate of UCLA’s Professional Development Program (PDP), a competitive one-year leadership development program.
Business Continuity Planner
UCLA
tbrown@irm.ucla.edu
(310) 794-9423
TARA BROWN