Elise Allen
Environment, Health & Safety Program Manager
Jergens Inc.
This Q&A is from Elise Allen's tenure as Radiation Safety Officer / Senior Environmental Technician at Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District
What are currently working on?
I am working on developing training on a variety of topics from Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) to radiation safety awareness. I am also working on documenting all of the investigations we have conducted at our wastewater plants regarding radiation contamination to reduce the level of scan and release we have to complete inside the plants. I have also been working on updating our waste management program.
What do you like about your job?
I enjoy training and working with the facility staffs. Across the years I have been at the District, I am gratified to observe the changed behaviors (to the positive) and watching employees taking ownership of their plant's waste management oversight.
What is your biggest challenge in your current role?
Carving the time for each of our facilities to ensure I am supporting them as much as they need. We have made great strides forward in identifying areas we need to work on and assessing resources needed to get to the next stage.
What career accomplishment are you most proud of?
Being a part of a base remediation/closure team that successfully remediated the base for redeveloped. The BRAC was a great learning opportunity.
What advice would you have for someone entering the field today?
Keep an open mind. The field is so vast now and has so many opportunities. You can move to a different lane in the field with learning and being open to change.
What are the three words your spouse/colleagues/best friends would use to describe you?
Educator, team builder, accountable.
What aspect to the natural world/environment impresses you the most? Why?
The earth is pretty impressive and fascinating. I live along Lake Erie and get to see the lake every day while driving to work. The water and sky are so different every day and it is such a pleasure to start my day looking at the lake.
What are currently working on?
I am working on developing training on a variety of topics from Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) to radiation safety awareness. I am also working on documenting all of the investigations we have conducted at our wastewater plants regarding radiation contamination to reduce the level of scan and release we have to complete inside the plants. I have also been working on updating our waste management program.
What do you like about your job?
I enjoy training and working with the facility staffs. Across the years I have been at the District, I am gratified to observe the changed behaviors (to the positive) and watching employees taking ownership of their plant's waste management oversight.
What is your biggest challenge in your current role?
Carving the time for each of our facilities to ensure I am supporting them as much as they need. We have made great strides forward in identifying areas we need to work on and assessing resources needed to get to the next stage.
What career accomplishment are you most proud of?
Being a part of a base remediation/closure team that successfully remediated the base for redeveloped. The BRAC was a great learning opportunity.
What advice would you have for someone entering the field today?
Keep an open mind. The field is so vast now and has so many opportunities. You can move to a different lane in the field with learning and being open to change.
What are the three words your spouse/colleagues/best friends would use to describe you?
Educator, team builder, accountable.
What aspect to the natural world/environment impresses you the most? Why?
The earth is pretty impressive and fascinating. I live along Lake Erie and get to see the lake every day while driving to work. The water and sky are so different every day and it is such a pleasure to start my day looking at the lake.