Another Amazing AEC!

Papilio
Oct 10
3 min read

A tremendous thank you to the OEHA AEC Conference Planning Committee and to everyone who was able to attend the 2025 OEHA Annual Education Conference!

This year we had not two but THREE tracks: General Environmental Health, Onsite Septic, and the Conference of Local Environmental Health Supervisors (CLEHS). Attendees enjoyed networking with colleagues from across the state, an exciting Munch & Mingle with a raffle fundraiser, discussions of the upcoming 2026 NEHA Hill Day in Washington, DC, and a wide variety of inspiring speakers on topics as varied as Foodborne Illness Litigation, the uses of Artificial Intelligence, Legionella tabletop exercises, soil contaminant threats following wildfires, and more.

We left the 2026 AEC enriched, fulfilled, grateful, reconnected, recommitted and refreshed. We remembered, as our final speaker George Escalante said, that we are The Guardians of Public Health, and that it is important to invest in ourselves.

As you settle back into your regular duties in the weeks and months ahead, please stay connected with OEHA! There are several ways this can happen, and we hope you'll take advantage of these opportunities to grow in your profession.

First, you're invited to join in by supporting the work of OEHA. There are ways to serve without being on the executive board, for as little as an hour per year! You're invited to serve on a committee, contact sponsors or exhibitors for the 2026 OEHA AEC, or write an article for the OEHA Newsletter. Contact | OEHA to get plugged in.

Secondly, look for an email from your OEHA Regional Representative about an in-person meet-up in 2026. At this year's annual meeting, the Board allocated funds for a social gathering in each of our state's four regions. Take advantage of free fun with cool people and get together with other EH Professionals in your area for a river float or some pizza.

Finally, you’re invited to read a book or two that was recommended by our inspiring speakers! Many of you scribbled down the book titles as the speakers recommended them, so go ahead and grab a copy (or download an audiobook!) and join us for a 30-minute lunch discussion sometime over the next few months! We meet on the second Tuesday of each month at noon. Take a break from your inspections and connect with us over lunch to discuss these great books that will change your life and the way you do your work! More free fun with cool people! Please Contact | OEHA to get the Teams link for our virtual gathering.

Note: there are Amazon links listed below so that you can read a book review, but many of these titles are available for free on public library apps like Libby or Hoopla! Thriftbooks.com is another great resource for cheap reads.

What’s coming up: