December 2025 President’s Message

Dear NJAIHA Members,

As we wrap up fall and prepare for winter, I recap our dynamic start to the 2025-2026 program year with our September 18 and October 16 dinner meetings held at the Somerville Elks Lodge 1068 in Bridgewater, NJ. Both meetings featured enthusiastic attendance, delectable buffets (shoutout to the Elks’ legendary roast pork loin!), and technical talks that fueled exciting OEHS dialogues (See photos later in this issue).

At the September meeting, Robert Sussman, Ph.D., DABT, of Safebridge Consultants, Inc., presented the pre-dinner talk, “The Impact of Physical and Chemical Parameters on the Exposure of Hazardous Drugs in the Workplace,” spotlighting advanced sampling techniques. President-Elect Jill Asch, MPH, CIH, CSP, of Hillmann Consulting, LLC, delivered a talk entitled “Disaster Training: What is it and why do we need it,” outlining key hazards for disaster-site workers. Grateful thanks to Bob and Jill—your insights launched us strong!

Our October dinner meeting featured Adele L. Abrams, Esq., ASP, CMSP, Senior Counsel at Littler Mendelson P.C., who unpacked “Trump 2.0: Impact on EHS,” analyzing OSHA/MSHA rule challenges, enforcement shifts, and Supreme Court effects. After dinner, Miriam Koesterich Sinha, MS, CIH, CSP, EHS Manager at the L’Oréal USA Clark facility, engaged us with “Effective Communication and Impactful Storytelling,” addressing data overload via research-driven tips for inclusive messaging. Deep appreciation to Adele and Miriam—your wisdom sharpens our toolkit.

Looking ahead, on Thursday, December 4, join our in-person Professional Development Courses (PDCs) at the PSE&G Hadley Road facility in South Plainfield, NJ—a perfect NEIHCE warm-up. Attendees will receive mix-and-match sessions with a catered lunch (12:00–1:00pm) included. Registration is still available if you act quickly!

The morning sessions will feature Nancy Orr, CIH, CSP, FAIHA, who will present “Why Ethics Matters: Understanding the Impact on OEHS”, and Marc S. Gaffrey, Esq. who will give a talk that asks the important question “Are You Prepared to be an Expert Witness?”.

Ater lunch, John R. Mulhausen, PhD, CIH, CSP, FAIHA will present “Principles of Good Practice: Occupational Exposure Assessment”, while Bernard L. Fontaine, Jr., M.Sc., CIH, CSP, FAIHA, and John J. Svagr, CIH, MPH, RSO, will reveal historical gems in their presentation titled “Tales from the Archived Industrial Hygiene Files”.

Then, cap the year at the 79th Annual Northeast Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exposition (NEIHCE) on Friday, December 5, at The Pines Manor (2085 Lincoln Hwy, Edison, NJ). Hosted this year by NJAIHA, expect transformative sessions and networking.

Late registration for the conference is now $275 online here, with a walk-in fee of $300 on conference day. It is not too late – register now for actionable gains! See the announcements later in this issue or go to NJAIHA.org for links.

These events embody NJAIHA’s ongoing dedication to promoting professional growth and connection. Many thanks to speakers, vendors, NJAIHA Executive Board, Conference Planning Committee and our members for an inspiring season. Let’s sustain the spark!

In service to our Section,
Barbara J. Woodhull
NJAIHA President