Kathryn Pink (MSEH 2014) is a Registered Environmental Health Specialist employed with the Phoenix Area Indian Health Service (IHS).  She works in the Western Arizona District and her duty station is the Fort Yuma Service Unit in Yuma, AZ.  She serves 2 native American tribes, Cocopah (Arizona) and Quechan (California), and also provide environmental health services to Sherman Indian High School, a boarding school in Riverside, CA.  Her job encompasses several duties, which include: conducting inspections (surveys) food establishments, lodging, childcare facilities and schools, casinos, pools, RV parks, community buildings, dormitories and senior centers; investigating complaints and foodborne illness; following up on required verifications for critical violations; assisting with applying for variances and creating HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) plans; and translating for Spanish-speaking individuals when needed.  She will aso be surveying community water/ wastewater systems in the near future.  She previously worked with Durham County Department of Public Health.

The two major tracks, aside for conducting surveys, that come with her position are: 1) vector control (i.e., mosquito trapping & speciation, rabies clinics, spay/neuter clinics); 2) injury prevention (i.e., seatbelt and carseat use surveillance, carseat distribution classes/events, carseat check-up events, elder fall prevention, safe home surveys, playground safety).  Having these responsibilities has added to the variety of work she does and her knowledge base.

Some of her accomplishments as an EH professional includes:

• Gaining authorization to inspect food, lodging and institutions within 4 months of employment and authorization to inspect childcare facilities and schools within 7 months of employment with Durham County
• Passing the state Registered Environmental Health Specialist (REHS) exam within 9 months of employment with Durham County
• Being elected as the Secretary/Treasurer for the North Central Environmental Health District (represents 12 counties) while employed with Durham County
• Obtaining approval as a NEHA Internship Site while employed with Durham County
• Becoming a Servsafe Instructor in the first two months of employment with Indian Health Service and co-instructing three Certified Food Protection Manager courses in the District
• Being recommended for appointment to the U.S. Public Health Service as a Commissioned Officer since starting employment with Indian Health Service
• Coordinated the first Spay/Neuter/Vaccine clinic in the Ft. Yuma Service Unit with one of the local tribes and Midwestern University

Here are words from Kathryn:

“When I started working with Durham County, I was already familiar with some items like HACCP, food safety and regulations from courses in the MSEH program, so I had a good base to work off of. I think choosing a topic for my professional paper that required me to speak with and interview strangers about health and safety was helpful in improving my communication skills. I did research for my topic in Peru with volunteer organizations, so I was exposed to underserved populations and complete poverty. I think being able to be understanding and have compassion for public health issues in populations like that helped prepare me for my work with Indian Health Service. My advisors and instructors at ECU were very helpful in providing information on the different routes I could go with my degree and very supportive when I was finishing up. I am grateful to have felt like I was getting enough guidance even though the program I went through is distance education.”

Photos courtesy of Kathryn Pink