NEHA to Announce 2025 Awards Honoring Excellence in Environmental Health

DENVER, May 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) is proud to announce the recipients of its 2025 awards, recognizing individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to advancing the environmental health profession. Presented at the NEHA Annual Education Conference & Exhibition, the awards will highlight accomplishments of leaders who exemplify innovation, service and excellence in protecting public health.

"In a world where environmental health professionals are often unsung heroes, our awards program offers an opportunity to celebrate the individuals and communities making a difference," said Dr. David T. Dyjack, executive director of NEHA. "Each recipient represents the very best of our profession."

Walter S. Mangold Award
NEHA's highest honor, the Walter S. Mangold Award, will be presented to Charles S. Otto, III, REHS, DAAS, USPHS (Ret.). The award recognizes individuals for outstanding contributions to the environmental health profession. Otto's distinguished service, commitment to education and leadership in advancing professional standards exemplify the selfless spirit in environmental health professionals nationwide.

Dr. Bailus Walker, Jr. Diversity and Inclusion Awareness Award
Maurica Bynum, DrPH, MPH, will be named the 2025 recipient of this award, which honors those who work to foster a more diverse, inclusive and culturally competent profession. Through her leadership and advocacy, Bynum is helping to create a more meaningful change and equity in the future of environmental health.

Joe Beck Educational Contribution Award
Joe Sarcone will receive this award for his exceptional contributions to the education and professional development of environmental health professionals. His development of innovative and accessible training tools has had a lasting impact on the field across the country.

Samuel J. Crumbine Award for Excellence in Food Protection
Pima County, Arizona, will be the 2025 recipient of the Samuel J. Crumbine Award, which recognizes local jurisdictions that demonstrate excellence in reducing foodborne illnesses through innovative practices. Named for public health pioneer Samuel Crumbine, this prestigious award spotlights communities that set a national standard for food safety services.

Student Research Competition Winners
NEHA also celebrates emerging leaders through its Student Research Competition. This year's winners are:

• Lauren Garcia, a bachelor's student in environmental health at East Carolina University, for her project, "Evaluating Treatment Efficacy of a Novel Nano-Antibiotic Against Drug-Resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa Planktonic and Biofilm Forms in a COPD Model."
• Kira Kalpeshkumar, GOR, a Master of Public Health student in environmental from University of Illinois Springfield, was awarded for her research, "Advancing Sustainable Plastic Waste Management: Scalability and Techno-Economic Analysis of FAST-PETase for PET Degradation."

Selected from nearly 30 submissions reviewed by a panel of expert judges, both students will receive travel support, a stipend and the opportunity to present their researched work at NEHA's 2025 Annual Education Conference & Exhibition.

Scholarship Recipients
NEHA and the American Academy of Sanitarians (AAS) will also award five academic scholarships in 2025, recognizing promising students pursuing careers in the field of environmental health:

• Caydence Freitas, University of Washington: Dr. Carolyn Hester Harvey Scholarship
• Savanna Crooks, Eastern Kentucky University: Dr. Sheila Davidson Pressley Scholarship
• Katrina Cruz, Western Carolina University: NEHA/AAS Undergraduate Scholarship
• Julia Weakley, Texas A&M University: NEHA/AAS Graduate Scholarship
• Damilola Sherifat Shaba, University of Illinois: NEHA/AAS Graduate Scholarship

Learn more about NEHA awards and scholarships here.

About NEHA
The National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) represents 7,000 governmental, private, academic and uniformed services sector environmental health professionals in the U.S., its territories and internationally. NEHA is the profession's strongest advocate for excellence in the practice of environmental health as it delivers on its mission to build, sustain and empower an effective environmental health workforce.

Contact:
Megan Paquin
407-432-7066
[email protected]

SOURCE National Environmental Health Association