“The Hidden Profession”: NEHA President Larry Ramden on Making Environmental Health More Visible
Environmental Health is prevention—and prevention is hard to see. It's why they local news doesn't lead with "Another plane took off safely - details at 11" In this episode of Beyond Data Management, host Cameron Garrison sits down with Larry Ramden, current President of NEHA (National Environmental Health Association) and longtime Massachusetts EH leader. Larry shares his journey from mosquito control technician in the Caribbean to state and local EH leadership in the U.S., why uniform adoption of the FDA Food Code matters, how to tell prevention’s story to the public, and a simple pizza-sauce fix that saved a restaurant money and improved food quality.If you care about food safety, vector control, public communication, and the next generation of EH pros—this one’s packed.What You’ll Learn:How hands-on training (yes, even slaughterhouse work) builds better inspectorsVector control in the Caribbean vs. the U.S.—and what still works todayWhy Massachusetts’ structure (351 local boards) is unique—and what that means for consistencyThe case for uniform Food Code adoption across jurisdictionsTactics to fight burnout and the “hidden profession” problem by marketing EH to the publicMentorship: creating value beyond the checklist and building the next generationA real-world allergen/labeling miss that triggered a multi-state recall—what to watch forPool chemistry 101 order of operations (alkalinity → pH → chlorine) you can share with operatorsDiversity, tech modernization, and why Larry’s optimistic about EH’s futureChapters00:00 Intro & guest welcome02:15 Larry’s path: Caribbean training, biology, and early vector work08:54 Meat inspection lessons & why process knowledge matters13:40 Vector control at home visits, water storage, and tree holes18:48 Moving to the U.S., education hurdles, and breaking into public health25:30 Massachusetts model: local boards, home rule, and statewide consistency31:10 Food safety focus: from state wholesale to local retail38:05 “The hidden profession”: telling prevention’s story to the public44:10 Marketing EH: open houses, NEHA storytelling, and community education49:22 Case study: allergen mislabeling and a multi-state recall55:40 Pool chemistry order that actually works (and how to teach it)1:00:35 Uniform Food Code adoption—why it matters for operators & chains1:06:10 Mentorship, imposter syndrome, and accelerating new inspectors1:13:00 Diversity, technology, and recruiting the next generation1:18:20 A pizza-sauce process fix that cut waste & improved quality1:23:10 Closing thoughts: realism, optimism, and the future of EHAbout Larry:Larry Ramden is the President of NEHA and a veteran EH practitioner with decades across state and local roles, quality control in food manufacturing, and national training. His focus areas include food safety, mentorship, and elevating public understanding of EH’s impact.Join EH Nation 👇Subscribe for weekly episodes on Environmental Health, data, and modernizing municipal services.Comment your biggest EH communication win or challenge—we might feature it in a future episode.Share this with a colleague who mentors new inspectors.Send us a textPlease remember to like and subscribe - and reach out to us with your stories and show ideas
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