FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The International Society for Agricultural Safety and Health (ISASH) honored six individuals for their contributions to ISASH and to the field of agricultural safety and health at its 2022 annual conference in Fort Collins, Colo.
“These awards were established to acknowledge leaders who have made significant contributions to protecting people who work in agriculture,” said Amy Rademaker, incoming ISASH president and Carle Rural Health & Farm Safety program coordinator, Urbana, Ill. “These individuals have made positive impacts on the culture of safety in agriculture through safety training, research, promotion, and education.”
The conference was held June 12-16 on the campus of Colorado State University and hosted by the High Plains Intermountain Center for Agricultural Health and Safety, one of 11 such centers funded by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).
ISASH, incorporated in 1962 as the National Institute for Farm Safety, is dedicated to the professional development of agricultural safety and health professionals. ISASH provides opportunities for sharing information about research and intervention programs, improving professional skills and knowledge, networking and other supportive activities.
The 2022 awardees:
Maynard Coe Professional Achievement Award:
Bernard Geschke, Papillion, Nebraska. The Coe award, the most prestigious given by ISASH, goes to an individual who demonstrates achievements and impact over a period of years. Geschke has spent the majority of his career educating children and adults on farm safety. He served as Nebraska’s state farm safety specialist, where he established a health and safety tent at Husker Harvest Days and coordinated safety events for children, which prompted an invitation from Progressive Farmer magazine to co-develop what is now known as the Progressive Agriculture Safety Day® program. Geschke served in the role as volunteer, advocate, and employee since the program’s inception in 1995. Geschke played an instrumental role in reaching more than 1.9 million individuals (and counting) at the Progressive Agriculture Foundation before retiring in March 2022. In addition, Geschke has shared his expertise by serving on multiple committees and organizations, including the External Advisory Board for the Central States Center for Agricultural Safety and Health and the board of directors for ISASH (past president).
Research Achievement Award:
Lorann Stallones, MPH, Ph.D, Professor, Department of Psychology, Colorado State University; and Deputy Director, High Plains Intermountain Center for Agricultural Safety and Health. Dr. Stallones has published 192 refereed articles, many in top journals in her field. Her research is widely cited, with nearly 9,000 citations, including more than 20 papers with 100-plus citations. She has published 13 book chapters and 12 other publications (e.g., conference proceedings, technical reports) and presented or co-authored more than 132 conference presentations between 1979 – 2022. Dr. Stallones has received multiple honors and awards, including: the Faculty Award for Contributions to International Education at Colorado State University in 2009-2010, 2010-2011, 2012-2013, and 2013-2014; Professor Laureate, College of Natural Sciences, Colorado State University, 2011-2013; Faculty Excellence in Research, Colorado School of Public Health, 2011; and Excellence in Global Health Research, Center for Global Health, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus.
Practitioner Award:
Carolyn Sheridan, R.N., Founder and Executive Director, Ag Health and Safety Alliance. Sheridan finds creative, fun and exciting ways to engage audiences on the vitally important topics of agricultural health and safety. Sheridan has served on numerous advisory committees for NIOSH-funded agricultural health and safety centers, including active involvement in the Regional Advisory Committee for the Great Plains Center for Agricultural Health. She is also dedicated to advancing the rural health professional workforce by educating healthcare providers in occupational agriculture care. She has developed many useful tools so that rural clinicians can integrate agricultural health care into their daily primary care practice. Sheridan, a current member of the ISASH Board of Directors, has more than 28 years of experience serving the agricultural population and performing outreach on multiple agricultural health and safety topics.
President’s Award (2):
Morgan Valley, MPH, Ph.D, Whitney Pennington, MPH, and the Colorado State University Host Committee;
Aaron Yoder, Ph.D., Central State Center for Agricultural Safety and Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center.
This award, given at the discretion of outgoing ISASH President Michael Pate, Ph.D., Utah State University, recognized the hosts, who, despite continuing flare-ups of the COVID-19 pandemic, successfully put together the first in-person ISASH conference since 2019. Pate also recognized Dr. Yoder, who stepped up to chair the ISASH By-Laws Committee, helping lead an update of the organization’s by-laws.
“We congratulate all award recipients and extend a special thank you to the ISASH Endowment Committee for sponsoring these awards,” Rademaker said.
Learn more about the International Society for Agricultural Safety and Health at https://www.isash.org. Also, become a member to join the online networking platform https://www.isashmembers.org/.
Bernard Geschke
Maynard Coe Professional Achievement Award
Bernard Geschke, retired program specialist with the Progressive Agriculture Foundation, was named the 2022 recipient of the ISASH organization’s most prestigious award, the Maynard Coe Professional Achievement Award.
Carolyn Sheridan
ISASH Practitioner Award
Carolyn Sheridan, Founder and Executive Director, Ag Health and Safety Alliance was awarded the ISASH Practitioner Award.
Dr. Aaron Yoder
ISASH President’s Award
Dr. Aaron Yoder, Associate Professor at UNMC and UNL representing the Central States Center for Ag Safety and Health, was awarded the ISASH President’s Award.
Dr. Lorann Stallones
Research Achievement Award
Dr. Lorann Stallones, professor for the Department of Epidemiology in the Colorado School of Public Health, was honored with the Research Achievement Award.
Morgan Valley and Whitney Pennington
President’s Award
Dr. Michael Pate, ISASH president awarded one of the President’s Award to Morgan Valley and Whitney Pennington for their efforts as Colorado State University Host Committee.