| Colorado Environmental Health Association |
CEHA BOARD
The CEHA Board is volunteer lead and set forth in the CEHA Bylaws. The Board of Directors can maintain up to 14 members. Nominations for open positions typically take place at the Business Meeting of the Annual Education Conference.
President Term 2023-2026 Kara Small El Paso County Public Health Hi! My name is Kara. I am from all over the world and have lived on 3 continents (non military). I have a Bachelor’s degree in Wildlife Ecology and Management from Texas A&M University, class of 2008 (whoop!). After working as a wildlife biologist for a few years, I stumbled into Environmental Health working for a small suburb of Dallas, TX. In 2019, I wanted to live somewhere I could live my best outdoors life and found a job with El Paso County, Colorado. I am currently a Lead Environmental Health Specialist for El Paso County’s Retail Food Program and I absolutely love my job. I’ve served on the CEHA planning committee since 2019 and am really excited to serve as the Chair for the 2023 AEC. I enjoy backpacking, hiking, camping, snow shoeing, scuba diving (not in Colorado), baking, and spending my time with my animals and my family and friends.
| President Elect Term 2024-2027 Danielle Salinsky Eagle County Public and Environmental Health Hi! My name is Danielle Salinsky. I was born and raised in Seabrook, TX. I attended Texas Tech University where I received a bachelor's and master's degree in Kinesiology. I then attended the University of Texas School of Public Health and received my master's in Public Health and a graduate certificate in Global Health. I moved to Vail, CO in 2018 to coach gymnastics while finishing my master's degree. I was hired by Eagle County Public Health & Environment in 2020 as an Environmental Health Specialist. I had no idea what the job entailed when I was hired, but fell in love with the field and spreading education to others. I currently coordinate our Retail Food, Onsite Wastewater Treatment and Child Care program. | Past President Term 2022-2025 Aaron Chavez Huerfano Counties District Health Department I received a Bachelor of Science from Colorado State University - Ft. Collins, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biological Science in Environmental Health. Upon graduation, I moved to Minnesota where I briefly worked for the City of Minneapolis as a health inspector as well as Deli Express and Pillsbury as part of their food safety teams. The bulk of my career (17 years) was spent at Ramsey County (EHS II) as part of the Solid and Hazardous Waste unit where I conducted inspections of factories, hospitals, schools, pre-demolition inspections, and various other industries. I also served as an educator and participated in various outreach activities. My current employment with LA-H involves the inspection of food, childcare, OWTS and marijuana, as well as other duties related to mosquitos, radon, tires and public health nuisances. |
Treasurer Term 2024-2027 Sally Born Mesa County Public Health My name is Sally Born, and I am the Environmental Health Manager at Mesa
County Public Health. While working on my Bachelor's Degree at Ohio
Wesleyan University, I took an unpaid volunteer position in the summer
of 2007 with a local public health department, and it was there that I
fell in love with Environmental Health. I worked hard to build up my
resume by taking on part time work in OWU's Environmental Health &
Sustainability office and then committing to a year of service in
Americorps. Finally, a local health department in Colorado hired me! And
then I spent ~8 years working in local and state public health in
Denver before moving to Grand Junction in 2021 to take this role,
overseeing the Environmental Health Department and leading the team of
specialists that work in these programs every day. I love to be involved
in the community which means I like to stay busy outside of work! I
love hiking, camping, or snowshoeing with my dogs, playing volleyball,
and volunteering with a local animal rescue organization. | Secretary Term 2023-2025 Kimberly Demers El Paso County Public Health My name is Kimberly Demers and I am a proud Colorado native from Colorado Springs. I have a Bachelor’s in Political Science from Benedictine College in the small town of Atchison, Kansas. Always planning on working for the government in some capacity, I found Environmental Health in 2019 and am so glad I did! Attending my first CEHA conference that year gave me a glimpse into the numerous areas of EH and reignited my love of learning. I have now been the Environmental Health Supervisor for El Paso County Public Health for four and a half years. In this role I oversee the administrative processes including licensing and permitting for all EH programs. Outside of work I enjoy swimming, concerts, cooking (plus eating), and snuggling my dog. | Annual Education Conference Chair Term 2024-2025 Kayla Sherrell Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment My name is Kayla Sherrell, and I am an Environmental Protection Specialist II at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. I was raised in Grand Junction, Colorado and received my Bachelors of Science in 2017 from Colorado Mesa University. Shortly after graduating, I accepted a position as director of laboratories and regulatory compliance with a local manufacturer. This was where I first discovered my passion for safeguarding public health. I later developed my own regulatory consulting firm, where I conducted third party audits and assisted numerous companies in achieving compliance. In August of 2020, I dissolved my consulting firm and began working at Mesa County Public Health as an Outreach Educator for COVID-19. Shortly after, I joined the Environmental Health Team where I worked in various areas of EH including restaurant and school inspections and received my CP-FS credential in 2021. I transition to CDPHE in the fall of 2023 and I continue to work with schools and now childcare facilities. Outside of work I enjoy spending time outdoors with my three dogs, traveling, reading and drinking excessive amounts of coffee. |
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Northeast Representative Term: 2023-2025 Karah Merrell Northeast Colorado Health Department Hello! I am Karah and growing up I split my time between Seward, Alaska and The Lake of The Ozarks in Missouri. I received a dual Bachelor's degree in Pre-Med/Biochemistry from the University of Missouri in 2007. I was accepted to the UMKC School of Medicine in 2008 and moved to Kansas City but in 2010 I shifted my path to delivering babies as a Certified Professional Midwife. In 2015 I was accepted to Oregon State University and received my M.S. in Environmental Sciences with a focus in Environmental Sustainability. After working and volunteering with different environmental and healthcare organizations remotely through the pandemic I decided to pursue my dream of owning a small farm in Colorado. However, I really wanted to get in and join my community so in January of 2023 I accepted a position as an Environmental Health Specialist with the Northeast Colorado Health Department. I love my job, working with people, and have an obsession for most of the natural world (including the icky stuff). I love to travel and spend time with my family and legion of pets on my little homestead. | Southeast Representative Term: 2023-2025 Amy Jamison Fremont County Department of Public Health and Environment Amy Jamison is the Environmental Health Specialist at the Fremont County Department of Public Health and Environment, where she works as an environmental health department of one. Primarily responsibilities include retail food, childcare and school inspections. She was raised in Colorado and received her Bachelors of Science in 2015 from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. In addition, she received the REHS credential in 2021. Outside of work she enjoys hiking and spending time with her family. | West Slope Representative Term: 2024-2025 (Requires member vote to continue to 2026 term Rebecca Rogers Garfield County Public Health Rebecca Rogers is the Program Lead for the Consumer Protection Team at Garfield County Public Health. Rebecca holds a BS in Social Work from Metropolitan State University of Denver and holds the certification of Certified Professional of Food Safety from the National Environmental Health Association. She is also the President of the Western Colorado Association of Environmental Health Officers. Prior to joining GCPH, Rebecca enjoyed a nearly 30-year career in the restaurant/hospitality industry; she has held every position in a restaurant from dishwasher to General Manager to Area Training Manager. In her current role, Rebecca oversees program management for the Retail Food and Schools & Institutions Programs, providing guidance and support to ensure the highest standards of environmental health are met. Her passion for the environment and public health continues to drive her efforts to create healthier, safer communities, and be both an advocate and educator within the Retail Food community. Outside of her professional life, Rebecca is an animal lover and enjoys spending time outdoors, be it hiking, golfing, or hanging out with her pups. |
Metro Representative Term 2024-2026 Michael Roy Arapahoe County Public Health Hello! I'm Michael Roy, an Environmental Health Specialist III at Arapahoe County Public Health. After earning my degree from Stratford University in Washington, DC, and spending over 20 years in the retail food industry as a Chef and General Manager, I transitioned to environmental health—finding a true calling in promoting safety and well-being. I began my environmental health career at the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment in 2014, where I spent 9 years in roles including retail food inspections, plan reviews, mobile food inspections, Special Event inspections, COVID-19 response, and cannabis team involvement. In 2023, I joined Arapahoe County Public Health, where I am thrilled to serve as part of the Consumer Protection team. My current responsibilities include leading mobile plan reviews, overseeing food truck inspections, conducting retail food investigations, and managing vector surveillance. I'm proud to work alongside a talented team dedicated to improving public health. As an active speaker, I presented at the CEHA 2024 AEC and will be presenting at NEHA 2025. A proud Colorado native, I cherish everything this great state has to offer—especially our sports teams, festivals, and outdoor activities. When I'm not working, you'll find me enjoying time with my family, traveling, catching live music, or seeking out new adventures. If you see me at a Broncos game or the Renaissance Festival, don't hesitate to say hello! | Industry Representative Term 2023-2025 Shannon Hayhurst VP of Front Range Precast Concrete Shannon is the Executive Vice President of Front Range Precast Concrete and has been with the | EH Director Dan Joseph Weld County Health Department Dan Joseph Weld County Health Department I am originally from Illinois and ended up moving to Colorado to attend UNC. I earned a degree in environmental earth science with a minor in environmental studies. My studies required an internship and I found one with the Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment. Six months after graduating a position opened with Weld and I was hired. That was 22 years ago!
My entire career has been with Weld, but it has allowed me to hold many
different positions at many different levels giving me a lot of
knowledge and relationships to draw upon. I love my new position, but retail food will always be close to my heart. When I am not working, I love playing sports (racquetball and hockey) and spending time with family and friends. I have been a member of CEHA for a long time and am happy to be part of the team. |
Student Representative, Term 2024-2026 Ryan Sawyer Colorado State University- Fort Collins | Student Representative, Term 2023-2025 Trevor Hale Colorado State University- Fort Collins I am a third-year undergrad at CSU in the amazing Environmental Public Health program! I am from Kansas and decided to come to CSU as a pre-vet student. I quickly became interested in the field of environmental health, and, although I’m no longer aiming for vet school, I’m still interested in learning about the interaction of animal, environmental, and human health within the One Health framework. I was motivated to become more engaged in the field after learning from so many talented and passionate professionals doing amazing work all over Colorado! When I’m not in class or working, I love to be outdoors hiking, biking, or camping (never been skiing, but it’s high on my list to try!) I also enjoy getting my hands dirty in a garden occasionally (if only I had one) and taking care of my oversized collection of houseplants. |
