NEHA Government Affairs Director Wins Calver Award
November 15, 2023
Denver, CO – This week, Doug Farquhar, JD, the government affairs director at the ֲý (NEHA) was awarded with the Homer N. Calver Award. The Calver Award, given by the American Public Health Association Environmental Section, recognizes an environmental health expert who has contributed significantly to the field.
Farquhar has provided policy direction for environmental health for more than 25 years. His experience includes state legislative policy with a focus on the nexus between state and federal policymaking.
“Receiving the Homer Calver Award is an unexpected honor,” said Farquhar. “It made me think about my career, about environmental health.”
Farquhar has a long career of identifying and analyzing state legislation and state policy and has testified more than 60 times before 32 state legislatures.
“We have a story to tell. A positive story. One that every elected official, every appointed board member, every public health leader in this country must hear,” said Farquhar. “Environmental health does the impossible daily. We make sure that businesses can operate without causing health hazards. That body art studios can perform piercings safely, that novel food operations, such as food trucks, do not lead to outbreaks, that drinking water from any source can be free from waterborne pathogens.”
In 2024, Farquhar will be focused on expanding the connection of state, territorial, local, and tribal environmental public health programs to federal representatives to increase awareness of environmental health issues in their communities.
To learn more about current NEHA government affairs efforts, visit www.neha.org/advocacy.
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The ֲý (NEHA) represents more than 7,000 governmental, private, academic, and uniformed services sector environmental health professionals in the U.S., its territories, and internationally. NEHA is the profession’s strongest advocate for excellence in the practice of environmental health as it delivers on its mission to build, sustain, and empower an effective environmental health workforce.