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| Meet the New Chief Professional Officer for the Environmental Health Category | |
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CAPT Michael Welch was selected as the Chief Professional Officer for the Environmental Health Officer category effective 1 November 2009. As Chief Environmental Health Officer, he is responsible for providing leadership and coordination of the Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service (Corps) Environmental Health Officers for the Office of the Surgeon General and the Department of Health and Human Services. CAPT Welch will provide guidance and advice to the Surgeon General and the Environmental Health Officer Professional Advisory Committee (EHO-PAC) on matters such as recruitment, retention, and career development of Corps Environmental Health Officers.
CAPT Welch received his Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Tennessee Technological University in 1983. He began his career in Environmental Health with the State of Tennessee Public Health Department in 1984, and completed his Master of Science degree in Environmental Health from East Tennessee State University in 1988. Upon being commissioned in the Corps in 1990, he was detailed to the Bristol Bay Area Health Corporation in Dillingham, Alaska, as a Field Environmental Health Officer. He served as the Director of Environmental Health at Bristol Bay Health Corporation before transferring to Phoenix Area Indian Health Service (IHS) in 1994 as a District Environmental Health Officer. CAPT Welch was selected as the Director for Environmental Health Services in Phoenix Area in 2001. In 2007, he was appointed by the Area Director as the Acting Associate Director for the Office of Environmental Health and Engineering. The Phoenix Area Office of Environmental Health and Engineering provides Environmental Health, Sanitation Facilities Construction and Health Care Facilities Construction services to 43 Tribes. CAPT Welch is a graduate of the Indian Health Service Executive Leadership Development Program, is a Standardized Food and Drug Administration Inspection Officer, and Certified Healthcare Environmental Manager. He is a member of the American Academy of Sanitarians and has been a Regular Corps officer since 1997. He has received numerous awards including the Society of American Military Engineers Cumming Award, Health and Human Services Director’s Award, Phoenix Area Environmental Health Officer of the Year, and the IHS Environmental Health Officer of the Year Award. |
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