BS Environmental Health alumna, Niketa Patterson, serves as the vice president of the North Central Environmental Health District (NCEHD) of the North Carolina Public Health Association. The NCEHD is primarily comprised of registered environmental health specialists (REHSs) employed by counties to perform state-mandated health inspections. These inspectors may work in on-site wastewater, permitting and inspecting new septic systems for homes and businesses, and/or they may permit, inspect, and grade restaurants, hotels, daycares, nursing homes, hospitals, swimming pools, tattoo artists, and other businesses. A smaller percentage of the NCEHD membership includes workers associated with industry and retired REHSs.

Niketa is a registered environmental health specialist (REHS) and is currently a program specialist at the Durham County Department of Public Health in Durham, NC, where she also serves on the REHS Week Committee in her division and on the Perfect Service Committee with the Department.