At a glance
The following subject matter experts (SMEs) developed and recorded the Public Health Assessment (PHA) Webinars. They brought a great level of expertise to this project. Specifically, throughout the PHA Webinars, they explained the fundamentals of the PHA process and discussed their experiences while conducting their PHAs at contaminated sites.
Sylvia Allen-Lewis, MA BA
Health Education Specialist, ATSDR/OCHHA/ADPPE
Presenter for Introduction to ATSDR and the Public Health Assessment Process
Sylvia Allen-Lewis is a Senior Health Education Specialist. She works in the Office of Community Health and Hazard Assessment (OCHHA) of ATSDR. Ms. Allen-Lewis has more than twenty years of public health experience. She has been with ATSDR since 1999, where she served as a Lead Health Education Specialist. In this position, she oversaw health education and community involvement activities at sites affected by exposure to hazardous substances. Currently, she continues offering health education expertise in environmental health promotion activities.
Greg Zarus, MS MS BS BS
ATSDR Director Office of Innovation and Analytics, ATSDR/OCHHA/OIA
Presenter for Introduction to ATSDR and the Public Health Assessment Process
Gregory (Greg) M. Zarus is the Director of ATSDR’s Office of Innovation and Analytics (OIA). He oversees OIA's sections in toxicology, registries & surveillance, simulation science, and others. He has over 30 years of experience in assessing exposures. As an SME he provides important tools to help health assessors. His prior work included conducting and overseeing PHAs and exposure investigations in communities around waste sites.
Sue Casteel, MS
Environmental Health Scientist, ATSDR/OCHHA/Region 4
Presenter for Engaging the Community
Sue Casteel is an SME in the field evaluating and solving environmental health issues. She has over 39 years of extensive experience identifying and analyzing exposure pathways. As a result, she makes important recommendations to limit peoples’ exposure to hazardous materials. Sue Casteel also has years of experience as an ATSDR Regional Representative. As such, she educates communities on how to prevent or mitigate exposures to hazardous substances.
Jamie Rayman, MPH
Environmental Health Scientist, ATSDR/OCCHA/CS/ATSDR Region 9
Presenter for Engaging the Community
Jamie Rayman is a Regional Representative, health educator, and community involvement specialist. She works in ATSDR’s Region 9 office in San Francisco. Ms. Rayman is an SME in the development of health education and community involvement programs for community members affected by hazardous waste.
Jill Dyken, PhD PE
ATSDR Associate Director for Science, ATSDR/OD/OAD
Presenter for Exposure Pathway Evaluation
Jill Dyken has been a health assessor at ATSDR for 20 years. She has completed over 50 PHAs and health consultations on dozens of sites across the United States. Jill Dyken is also Associate Director for Science in ATSDR and provides expertise on scientific quality and integrity.
James T. Durant, MSPH BS CIH
Environmental Health Scientist, ATSDR/OCHHA/EIS
Presenter for Selection of Sampling Data & Exposure Units and Estimating Exposure Point Concentrations
James Durant is an environmental health scientist at ATSDR. He works in the Exposure Investigations and Data Analysis Branch (EIDAB). His job includes conducting exposure investigations and environmental modeling. He also works in emergency response. In EIDAB, James routinely serves as a consultant in the analysis of environmental data from air sites.
David Mellard, PhD
Toxicologist, Associate Director of Science, ATSDR/OCDAPS/ADS
Presenter for Selection of Sampling Data & Exposure Units and Estimating Exposure Point Concentrations
Dr. David Mellard is an Associate Director for Science with over 35 years of experience in ATSDR. He is an SME in environmental toxicology. He specializes in health and risk assessments and the state of science of soil-pica behavior.
Dr. Mellard has been instrumental in the development of important ATSDR health assessment tools. These include the Shower and Household Water-use Exposure Model and the Public Health Assessment Site Tool.
Danielle Langmann, MS BS
Environmental Health Scientist, ATSDR/OCHHA/CS
Presenter for Data Screening Analysis
Danielle Langmann has served as an environmental health scientist for over 27 years in ATSDR. She is an SME in the evaluation of multiple high profile environmental sites. These include large refinery sites impacted by hazardous contaminants.
Rebecca DeVries, ScD
Senior Environmental Health Scientist, Eastern Research Group, Inc.
Presenter for Exposure Units and Estimating Exposure Point Concentrations
Dr. Rebecca DeVries from Eastern Research Group Inc. (ERG) is a senior environmental health scientist and epidemiologist. She holds a doctorate in epidemiology. Dr DeVries has served as an adjunct professor at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell. In this capacity, she has taught numerous master's-level courses in the Department of Public Health. Prior to joining ERG, Dr. DeVries worked as a human health risk assessor. As such, she routinely evaluated hazards associated with exposures to chemical contaminants under various federal and state guidelines.