Officer Candidates

Lili Tenney, DrPH, MPH

Co-Director of Center for Health, Work & Environment, Center for Excellence for TWH (University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus) and Faculty, Colorado School of Public Health (University of Colorado Denver)

I co-direct one of the 10 NIOSH-funded Centers of Excellence for Total Worker Health®. In this role, I have led strategy, outreach, practice, research, and education programs. My 12+ years of experience in founding and leading an academic center has focused on applying my training in business school and public health to practice implementation science in planning and designing practical interventions to enhance worker health, safety, and well-being. I have extensive experience in partnering with industry, government, labor, and community groups. In 2012, I co-founded and direct Health Links®, an initiative that has helped over 800 employers across a range of industries and geographical locations to identify solutions for worker health and safety by providing them with assessment, consulting, and certification.

Over the past three years, I have helped lead the ideation and development of the Society and am proud to be a part of the start-up phase - including the role I've served over the last year as founding interim President-Elect. I’m ready to take it to the next level in partnership with my fellow board members! I look forward to leading the Society as President to expand on the shared vision we have to advance the field and profession of TWH. My passion and focus in the role is to provide a value to our members, to establish and strengthen partnerships, and to listen and represent the voice of members and the workers and workplaces we serve. I believe we are at the forefront of how businesses, large and small, can create equitable, safe and healthy environments for all people to thrive. The Society is a real opportunity to come together to think collectively on how to solve critical problems and to train the future leaders we need to do this work. 

Christina Banks, PhD

Director of Outreach, California Labor Laboratory (CALL; University of California, San Francisco); Director of the Interdisciplinary Center for Healthy Workplaces (ICHW) and Senior Lecturer, Haas School of Business (University of California, Berkeley)

I have had a 40+ career as an academic at two major universities, Director roles in research centers and academic programs, and business leader/practitioner roles in for-profit and non-profit organizations. My experience as a leader in many roles is unique and most relevant to fulfill this role as President-Elect.

Also, I have gathered broad and rich experience in a variety of TWH-relevant fields including HR management, business administration, occupational health, psychology, environmental design, technology, and leadership during my professional career as a consultant, strategist, corporate board member, and entrepreneur. As Outreach Director for CALL and in my work at ICHW, I have specifically investigated how to bring multiple health-related disciplines together under the TWH umbrella to broaden its reach and impact. I have developed ideas for how to further develop the TWH profession and elevate it to serve many societal needs including at the C-suite level where TWH leadership is critically important.  I am also experienced in translating research into practice, a skill that is essential for TWH professionals as change agents. I am also a skilled leader of organizations as evidenced by my CV, and I have the experience to lead society members through these early stages of profession development and creation of labor market demand for TWH professionals.

I would like to help lead the S4TW to prominence as the leading health-related professional organization that builds cadres of TWH professionals who, through their education, skill development and leadership, change how organizations and society in general support worker health, safety, and wellbeing. My vision is to help create a highly respected and high impact profession through the efforts and guidance of the S4TWH.

Susan Cathey, MS

Director, Energy Transition Programs, Policy and AlignmentDirector, Energy Transition Programs, Policy and Alignment, Air Liquide

I am deeply committed to creating safe workplaces and environmentally sustainable business practices, while providing a pathway for business growth and profitability. For the last 10 years at Air Liquide I have developed and implemented best in class environmental social governance improvements to health and safety programs. My understanding of international business culture is broad; I lived in Germany for a year and have worked with businesses across Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and South America and the U.S. .My ability to influence change in a 70K person company: improving the experience modifier reducing insurance rates; designing environmental permitting strategies to provide the most flexible operation permits; creating and implementation a project management system that has reduced overruns from 13% to 3% on $3B annually portfolio; creating the roadmap and leading actions for all new investments to be carbon neutral by 2024; refining and and implementing improvements in the Americas ESG programs linking sustainability goals to actions and strong financial performance and creating a worldwide safety leadership program for project managers. Recently I was nominated to lead a chapter of a study for the Dept of Energy and am a contributing member to the safety, social and community impacts chapter. I am also currently a PhD candidate at UT Health in the Total Worker Health Track.

I have 25 years of industry experience and have seen many changes in the HSE world. I am a PhD candidate at UTHealth in Total Worker Health program. I am hoping to help this newly formed society gain a better foothold with the broad range of industrial worker health professionals in Human Resources, HSE, Security, Organizational Design, Industrial Hygiene, Process Safety and Management. At this time in my career I have access to many opportunities to speak at many different types of conferences and this would give me an opportunity to promote how supporting membership and workshops by Society of Total Worker Health makes good business sense.

I am the go to people and environmental subject matter expert in a 70000 person global chemical company. Around the globe I have had the opportunity to help change behaviors and work practices that saved workers lives. The most recent example was on a project in Taiwan I noticed that the project teams were leaving each day and not checking that all the workers were together until they were at the gate. While they did not leave the project site until all personnel were accounted for I changed the practice so that at each work area, all workers left the area at the same time; soon after the practice was adopted a welder was not at the meeting place and was quickly looked for; he was found twisted in his welding hoses and in need of assistance. I am on the Compressed Gasses Association Health and Safety Standards Committee; the Louisiana Chemical Safety and Environmental Committees; the Texas Chemical Association Environmental Committee, and the American Chemistry Association Environmental Justice and Sustainability Committees. Most recently I am leading the expansion of promoting DEIA inside projects and creating a new roadmap, that justifies a new department to address conflicts that arise between HR and HSE. Currently to better bridge the gaps that I saw in EHS and Chemical Manufacturing I have gone back to school for a PhD in Total Worker Health at UTHeath, with anticipated graduation in 2026.

Matt Law, DrPH, CSP, REHS/RS

Manager, Customer Safety Strategy, W.W. Grainger, Inc.

I am a leader in public health, environmental health, occupational safety, security, business continuity, and sustainability with extensive experience in organizational strategy, brand ambassadorship, evidence-based practice, and content generation. I currently serve as Manager of Customer Growth Strategy in Safety for W.W. Grainger, Inc., developing comprehensive environmental health, safety, and business solutions with internal and external partners to mitigate risk to people, property, and the environment. I am a Certified Safety Professional, a Registered Environmental Health Specialist, and I hold a Doctor of Public Health degree from Walden University. I also serve as a United States Navy Reserve Environmental Health Officer and currently serve as Vice Chair of the Alliance for Central Florida Safety. I am an experienced volunteer leader, having served as a past-president of the American Society of Safety Professionals National Capital Chapter. I have also contributed works to the Professional Safety Journal on communication and mentorship, salespersonship for safety professionals, and emergency risk communication.

As a leader within the Society for Total Worker Health, my aim would be to direct efforts to merge the systemic thinking of both occupational safety and health and public health approaches, ensuring the inclusion of ideas, models, and data that progress our respective professions to better practice in improving the lives of our workers.

To me, the advancement of the Society for Total Worker Health is twofold. First, I believe this society has the responsibility to continually bring evidence-based best practices to the forefront for both public health leaders and occupational safety and health professionals to improve total worker health at all affectual levels. As an example of my passion to marry the concepts of population health and workplace safety, I used my doctoral study to measure occupational risk perceptions among foreign-born construction workers in Central Florida, demonstrating that the quantification of addressable risk factors among disparate worker populations to better direct intervention efforts, such as tailored training and systemic support, is not only possible but also an important step forward to advance total worker health. Second, I believe there is an opportunity to leverage existing professional networks to advance the ideas of total worker health within respective professional communities. I have had the unique opportunity to develop strong connections within both public health and occupational safety and health communities, including the American Public Health Association and the American Society of Safety Professionals. The Society for Total Worker Health is well positioned to be a catalyst for the strengths of both communities to improve total worker health through sound research and effective application of evidence-based practice.

As a military leader and as a past volunteer leader within the American Society of Safety Professionals, I have always striven to include the diverse skills and thoughts of the professionals on my team. I approach each situation with cultural humility, acknowledging that I alone cannot possess total competence of the beliefs and values of any individual or population. The inclusion of diverse thoughts and aspirations has amplified my teams' abilities to progressively address organizational goals and make meaningful contributions to the profession. Given the opportunity, I plan to bring this inclusivity, along with my demonstrated ability to lead volunteer organizations through program execution, policy development, financial management, and network expansion, to perpetuate the advancement of the Society for Total Worker Health.

David Shapiro, BA, MPH(c)

Senior Manager, Programs and Partnerships, Center for Health, Work & Environment, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado

I am an extrovert who is intrigued by different backgrounds and cultures. This led me to study cultural anthropology at Tufts University. After college, I saw the uniqueness of the culture around me in my daily life and work. I started in Outdoor Retail, an industry tied to environmental stewardship. Then, I launched Summit County (Colorado) Government’s Fatherhood Initiative. My work with fathers and kids drove me to support evidence-based early childhood initiatives. This led me to work in the not-for-profit sector at Executives Partnering to Invest in Children (EPIC) where I engaged business leaders in Colorado’s investment in early childhood. In 2014, I began researching family-friendly workplace policies as a multi-generational occupational healthy strategy. This sparked my passion for Total Worker Health®. Now, I manage Health Links® at the Center for Health, Work, and Environment. Every day, I advise employers on a TWH approach. I completed my Certificate in Total Worker Health from the Colorado School of Public Health in Fall, 2022 and I am currently enrolled in the School’s MPH in Leadership and Public Health Practice.

I’m the interim treasurer for the Society for Total Worker Health™. I’m dedicated to ensuring our organization’s financial strength. Our aim is to shift the Society’s finances from the Regents of the University of Colorado to a private bank. If elected, I plan to stay on as Treasurer during the 2-year transition of Society funds. I’m excited about this role and establishing lasting success for the Society. One key goal within the next year is to submit the Form 1023 to the IRS, establishing us as a nonprofit organization. I’ve led the Society’s interim Board of Directors in our response to the Form 1023. We’re finalizing details and our plan is to submit the application in the next 12 months. In terms of inclusive excellence, I bring the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusiveness and Community Engagement (CU ODEICE) perspective. I’m a trained facilitator in CU ODEICE’s Health Equity Action Lab curriculum (4-part series, 6 classroom hours). I focus on addressing micro-aggressions, upstanding, allyship, and health equity.

For over 20 years, my career has been consistently focused on helping others. Starting in the ski and outdoor retail industry in 2000, I aimed to assist individuals both personally and professionally – customers, colleagues, friends, and family. After a successful retail career, I began aiding new fathers in understanding how to spend quality time with their kids. Upon moving to Denver in 2010, I supported a small non-profit in growing its membership for early childhood development. Presently, I assist employers of all sizes and industries to prioritize worker health, safety, and well-being. My exceptional contribution to TWH comes from hands-on interaction with the business community. Since joining the Center for Health, Work, and Environment in June 2018, I’ve held over 1,200 advising sessions with employers. This unique perspective helps bridge public health science and the business world. As a TWH leader, I’m committed to advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice.