NSF Intl. and the National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) recently announced that Capt. Craig A. Shepherd, RS, MPH, DAAS, is the recipient of the 2008 Walter F. Snyder Award. Shepherd was presented the award at NEHA’s 72nd Annual Educational Conference in Tucson, Ariz., last month.
The award, given in honor of NSF's co-founder and first executive director, is presented annually to an individual who has made outstanding contributions to the advancement of environment health. Shepherd was recognized for the lasting impact he has made on environmental health over the course of his 30-year career as a U.S. Public Health Service Officer.
"Captain Craig Shepherd is an outstanding leader who has served with distinction throughout his 30-year career in the United States Public Health Service,” said Rear Admiral Steven K. Galson, MD, MPH, acting surgeon general. “I was very pleased to hear Craig received the Walter F. Snyder Award. He defines our core values of leadership, service, excellence and integrity and has earned my utmost trust and confidence as the chief environmental health officer of the United States Public Health Service. His advice and counsel, leadership and direction, have advanced environmental health in this nation. My thanks to the committee who chose him in recognition of his leadership on environmental health issues and my most hearty congratulations to CAPT Craig Shepherd—well done.”
Early in his career, Shepherd worked with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a milk/food specialist assigned to the Baltimore District Office. While assigned, he supervised and monitored food preparation numerous times at the request of the U.S. Secret Service for President Reagan, Vice President Bush and other national leaders.
He also served as director of environmental health services for the Nashville Area Indian Health Service. As director, Shepherd was responsible for managing a comprehensive environmental health services program for 24 Indian tribes scattered from Maine to South Florida to Eastern Texas.
"Not only has Captain Craig Shepherd demonstrated outstanding leadership, but he has also advanced the profession through extensive contributions made in the development of the CDC/HUD Healthy Housing Reference Manual and regularly contributing environmental health updates to the CDC website," said Nelson Fabian, executive director of the National Environmental Health Association. "Captain Shepherd is a strong advocate for the use of the ten essential environmental health services and has been at the forefront of advancing the environmental health profession, a core value of NEHA.”
Shepherd has been recognized on multiple emergency response and humanitarian missions. During the hurricane season of 2004 and 2005, Shepherd served as a team leader for more than 40 environmental health and engineering officers that provided assistance to state and local health departments. Shepherd was also recently selected by Surgeon General Richard H. Carmona as the chief environmental health officer of the United States Public Health Service where he provides advice to the surgeon general on environmental health issues impacting the country, and oversees 360 environmental health officers stationed in numerous federal agencies nationwide. He was awarded the surgeon general's Exemplary Service Medal for his accomplishments and leadership aboard the USNS Comfort in 2007.
"Capt. Craig Shepherd's career achievements echo the principles of Walter F. Snyder and the mission of NSF Intl.,” said Kevan P. Lawlor, president and chief executive officer of NSF Intl. “His humanitarian efforts in Haiti in 1982 and his emergency response to the drought in Chuuk illustrate his commitment to environmental health at home and abroad. His extended service to U.S. hurricane victims in 2004 and 2005 demonstrates the highest level of professionalism in environmental health. These are only some of the characteristics that make him an ideal recipient of this year's Walter F. Snyder Award."
Source: NSF International
