Summer 2025 – Issue 1 Vol 4
Welcome to the CSOEMA Connection, a quarterly e-newsletter for members, associates, and friends of the Central States Occupational and Environmental Medicine Association.
Table of Contents
President’s Insights
By Isabel Pereira, DO, MPH, MSA, FACOEM
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Dear CSOEMA Colleagues,
I am truly honored and excited to introduce myself as this year’s CSOEMA President. As I take on this role, I want to take a moment to thank each and every one of you for your ongoing commitment and support to the organization.
It was a pleasure meeting many of you at the Spring Seminar. I want to thank Dr. Francine Katz, Dr. Claudia Corwin, Dr. Christopher Iverson, Dr. Kodjo Bosou, and Dr. Lauren Benning for all their hard work organizing the conference. I have been an active CSOEMA member since my residency at the HealthPartners program in Minnesota.
I was thrilled to see my occupational medicine mentors receive awards this year. My previous residency director, Dr. Ralph Bovard, received the Dedicated Service award. Dr. Zeke McKinney, who recruited me to the Executive Committee board, received the National Leadership award. Dr. Laura Breeher, whom I worked with on the Executive Committee, won the Exemplary Service award for her work with the MN RETAIN program. A mentor to us all, Dr. Beth Baker, was awarded the first Dr. Alice Hamilton Award.
The camaraderie continued at the American Occupational Health Conference. I was delighted to see so many CSOEMA members at this year’s conference in Austin, TX. I truly enjoyed connecting with so many of you during AOHC.
We celebrated several CSOEMA members for the ACOEM Fellowship: Dr. Romero Santiago, Dr. Christopher Iverson, Dr. Ngozi Obi, and me! The strength of representation showed our component’s enthusiasm and dedication to our profession, and I am excited to continue working alongside all of you in the year ahead.
As your new president, my goals for the upcoming year are focused on strengthening our association through increased member engagement and involvement. I am looking forward to introducing a new social event that will allow us to connect in more informal and fun ways. We are hoping to create an annual CSOEMA Summer Social event: a fundraiser for the CSOEMA Foundation following the annual executive committee meeting. The Executive Committee would like to get feedback on interest in this future social event. Please take our survey.
In addition, I hope to improve member engagement with our new member states: Kansas, Nebraska, and South Dakota. I am committed to enhancing the engagement of our Board of Governors by clarifying roles and responsibilities, ensuring that every member’s contributions are recognized and impactful. I will also be working closely with our executive committee and foundation members to increase their involvement, providing them with added responsibilities to further our association’s mission and goals.
This year, I have heard from many of you with concerns about how our specialty and medicine in general are being affected by changes at the national level. At AOHC, I was happy to hear of the initiatives that ACOEM’s Council on Government Affairs (COGA) was undertaking.
Read about the recent ACOEM policy initiatives in this edition of the CSOEMA Connection.
However, with great sadness, I report that my former residency program, HealthPartners Occupational Medicine Residency, is closing due to federal funding issues. Individually, contacting your state and national representatives is one step. But I felt like there was something more that we could do as an organization. As part of the educational programming this year, I wanted to incorporate health policies, laws, and health advocacy initiatives.
I am looking forward to seeing you virtually at the Annual CSOEMA Fall Virtual Seminar on September 12, 2025, where the focus of the conference is Maternity in the Workplace. Pregnant and postpartum workers have unique issues and vulnerabilities that are important to familiarize yourself with. This will be a multidisciplinary conference with input from occupational medicine, obstetrics, and employment law. Topics include reproductive toxicology, Pregnancy Discriminatory Act and Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, ergonomics of pregnancy, perinatal mental health, and much more! Register for the Fall Seminar by clicking here.
I hope to connect in person at the 102nd Annual CSOEMA Spring Seminar on March 12-14, 2026.
The Spring Seminar theme, Prevention Works: Advocating for Policy to Protect Workers, will highlight health policy, public health, and preventive medicine topics.
Thank you once again for your continued support. I look forward to working with all of you to make this year a great success. Please feel free to reach out to me with any suggestions, ideas, or concerns. Let’s work together to make CSOEMA an even stronger and more dynamic community!
Warm Regards,
Isabel
President, CSOEMA
2025-2026
Around the States
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National
- KFF (Jul 17, 2025): Impacts of Federal Actions on Extreme Heat and Health
- Union of Concerned Scientists (August 5, 2025): As States Continue to Fail Workers, We Need Federal Heat Protections
- Grist (August 8, 2025): As California burns, new research shows smoke is wildfire’s silent killer
- CNN (August 8, 2025): Scientists launch coordinated response to Trump’s attempt to wipe credible climate research off the record
- Medpage Today (August 7, 2025): Climate Checkup: Mass Transit and Active Transport Are a Boon to Health — and Climate
- NHPR (August 8, 2025): Most of this year’s air quality alerts in NH were because of wildfires. That’s likely the new normal.
- KUNC (August 7, 2025): Colorado is the first state to require cigarette-style health warnings on gas stoves. It’s already facing a lawsuit
- KGNU (August 5, 2025): Heat emergency in Colorado
- American Educator (June 20, 2025): Lessons from Occupational Medicine
- Occupational Safety & Health (July 16, 2025): How Tariffs Are Reshaping Occupational Health and Safety for the Global Workforce. Tariffs on steel, aluminum, and other imported goods are driving up costs and altering global supply chains— pressuring industries to cut back on safety investments and exposing workers to new occupational hazards.
- CBS News (March 31, 2025): RFK Jr.’s layoffs expected to gut worker safety agency NIOSH, officials say
- STAT News – Opinion (April 16, 2025): The CDC’s critical occupational safety institute has been virtually wiped out. NIOSH is critical to protecting workers from H5N1 avian flu and so much more
- Harvard TH Chan SPH (May 20, 2025): What’s lost with NIOSH cuts: Q&A with David Christiani
- AFL-CIO (April 23, 2025): Death on the Job: The Toll of Neglect, 2025
- CNN (April 6, 2025): ‘A huge impact on worker safety’: Protection for miners, firefighters in jeopardy after CDC cuts
- Economic Policy Institute Blog (April 29, 2025): Too many workers die on the job every year. Trump’s attacks on OSHA will kill more.
- Economic Policy Institute (June 4, 2025): Holding the line: State solutions to the U.S. worker rights crisis. Federal worker protections are under attack.
- NPR (May 2, 2025): Trump cuts demolish agency focused on toxic chemicals and workplace hazards
- NPR (May 14, 2025): Under pressure, HHS reinstates hundreds of occupational health workers
- NPR (July 14, 2025): Why the health care lobby failed to stop cuts to Medicaid funding
- NPR (July 20, 2025): Trump administration shuts down EPA’s scientific research arm
- Center for American Progress (July 31, 2025): Despite ‘No Tax on Tips,’ Trump’s Big ‘Beautiful’ Bill Is Bad for Tipped Workers. “No tax on tips” is a symbolic tax break that is very limited and poorly targets the workers who need tax relief the most. Many among the small number of workers who will benefit will also face the bill’s cuts to basic needs programs.
- People’s Dispatch (July 23, 2025): Department of Labor proposes rollback of 63 workplace safety and wage protection regulations. Among the DOL’s proposals is a rollback that could cause an estimated 3.7 million home health care workers to be paid less than the federal minimum wage and be ineligible for overtime pay.
- The Century Foundation (July 22, 2025): Trump’s Department of Labor Continues Its Onslaught against Workers
- NPR (July 25, 2025): Fearing coverage could change, some parents rush to vaccinate their kids
- EHS Today (July 28, 2025): The Deregulation of EHS 2025: Common Sense or Nonsense? Are the government’s efforts to administer occupational health and safety wasteful or helpful? The debate continues.
- NPR (July 28, 2025): Medical groups are concerned that RFK Jr. may dismiss a panel of primary care experts
- NPR (July 29, 2025): The EPA proposes gutting its greenhouse gas rules. Here’s what it means for cars and pollution
- NPR (August 8, 2025): Far more environmental data is being deleted in Trump’s second term than before
- Business and Human Rights Resource Centre (July 29, 2025): USA: Nearly half of US healthcare workers face burnout over safety concerns, report finds
- Texas Tribune (July 29, 2025): Feds move to eliminate petrochemical watchdog, putting Texans and others at risk. Amid increasingly intense weather, the Chemical Safety Board is the lone independent agency watching over the Gulf Coast’s petrochemical corridor.
- NPR (August 6, 2025): Public health experts dismayed by RFK Jr.’s defunding of mRNA vaccine research
- Ogletree Deakins Blog (August 8, 2025): The Rumors of OSHA’s Demise Might Be Exaggerated
- Scientific American (July 15, 2025): Where Did Bird Flu Go? Bird flu was nearly everywhere in the U.S.—in chickens, cows, pet cats, and even humans. Cases have gone down, but experts warn that it hasn’t disappeared.
- Scientific American (July 15, 2025): The Invisible Toll of Bird Flu on Wildlife. Bird flu fears have focused on the poultry and dairy industries and human health. But wild animals are threatened, too—at scales no one fully understands
- Scientific American (August 5, 2025): Bird Flu on Dairy Farms May Be Airborne After All. Infectious bird flu virus was found in milk, on equipment, within wastewater, and aerosolized in the air on California dairy farms.
- CIDRAP (August 6, 2025): US measles cases and outbreaks continue a steady rise
- CIDRAP (August 6, 2025): HHS scraps further work on life-saving mRNA vaccine platform
- CIDRAP Update (August 7, 2025): Episode 189: Are We at Risk of Losing Our Vaccines?
- CIDRAP (August 11, 2025): Public health officials face grim new reality after CDC shooting
- CIDRAP (August 12, 2025): Virologist network reaffirms support for mRNA vaccine platform
- CIDRAP (August 12, 2025): Financial impact of long COVID can linger for years, study finds
Illinois
- WAND News (Jul 24, 2025): Illinois could strengthen workplace safety standards if federal laws are weakened
- Safety and Health Magazine (March 31, 2025): Illinois bill aimed at protecting workers from extreme temps
- The Center Square (April 28, 2025): Illinois officials advocate for workplace safety during workers’ memorial
- Occupational Health and Safety (Mar 18, 2025): IDOL, IL OSHA Release Educational Report Following Investigation of Public Works Worker Death. The report highlights safety failures, issues citations, and recommends improvements to confined space protocols and emergency preparedness.
- Univ of Illinois Champaign-Urbana (July 25, 2024): Does the new workplace safety rule protect workers against the dangers of extreme heat?
- Illinois Public Media (July 31, 2025): Unhealthy air alert issued for many Illinois counties due to smoke from Canadian wildfires
- Capitol News Illinois (May 22, 2025): Bill establishes commission to increase communication on public health issues. The commission will include Illinois doctors, veterinarians, and public officials.
- ABC 7 News (March 13, 2025): EPA could roll back decades of regulations as state, environmental groups fear loss of funding.
- Journal Courier (April 30, 2025): After years of negotiations, Illinois lawmakers consider measures to phase out plastic bags, foam food containers
- Word in Black (August 11, 2025): The Federal Retreat From Fighting Environmental Racism Has Begun. HUD’s withdrawal from enforcing a Chicago settlement signals its pullback from protecting communities from pollution.
Indiana
- Indiana University (Apr 18, 2025): Research Impact: Environmental health researcher engages communities to reduce lead exposure.
- WFYI (June 25, 2025): State agency asks for help finding ‘burdensome’ environmental rules as part of governor’s order
- Chicago Tribune (April 20, 2025): NWI group, Sierra Club react to Indiana environmental, public health action.
- Indianapolis Star (May 12, 2025): ‘Devastating’ cuts to EPA could hurt Hoosier health and Indiana’s environment, advocates say
Iowa
- The Gazette (Jul. 31, 2025): Environmental experts, lawyers say health risks in Iowa’s water leading to ‘preventable suffering’. The water quality forum — hosted by the national nonprofit Food & Water Watch — comes on the heels of a spike in nitrate levels in Iowa’s waterways.
- Environmental Health News (July 7, 2025): Iowa’s polluted rivers reveal a deep health crisis caused by Big Ag
- Sentient News (March 14, 2025): What’s Driving Iowa’s Outlier Cancer Rate? It’s Complicated. The state cancer registry makes no mention of the millions of gallons of factory farm manure pumped into Iowa waterways.
- EHN (March 15, 2025): Fertilizer spill in the Iowa River prompts environmental concern
Kansas
- KOAM (July 30, 2025 ): Medicalodges residents relocated due to environmental concerns
- Kansas Reflector (July 29, 2025):Kansas AG, protecting American fossil fuels, asks for investigation of Chinese organization
Minnesota
- Frontiers in Public Health (April 1, 2025): Promoting the health of migrant seasonal agricultural workers in rural Minnesota using a whole-person health approach: a pilot project
- Minnesota Reformer (March 21, 2025): Trump administration moves to increase line speed limits for meat processors — and other labor news
- Ilhan Omar House.gov (May 15, 2025): Ranking Member Omar Opening Remarks at Subcommittee Hearing on OSHA’s Mission to Keep Workers Safe
- Safety & Health Magazine (April 16, 2025): Spurred by worker deaths, scuba safety bill on Minnesota governor’s desk
- American Progress (May 20, 2025): States Must Lead the Way To Protect Workers From Extreme Heat. In the absence of federal action to protect workers from the rising dangers of exposure to extreme heat on the job, states must take the lead—and can look to existing and proposed standards from other localities for guidance.
- Public News Service (April 30, 2025): USDA moves may compromise safety for MN meatpacking workers
- Minnesota House of Representatives (June 9, 2025): Wide-ranging $1.19 billion environmental and natural resources bill heads to the governor.
- Minnesota Reformer (April 29, 2025): Commentary: With federal environmental law in meltdown, Minnesota needs to step up. Now is no time to weaken Minnesota’s strong environmental laws.
- University of Minnesota (July 25, 2025): ‘Environmental protection is sacred to me’
- KSTP (May 22, 2025): Internal emails reveal blind spot for Minnesota regulators after recent environmental spill
- Sahan Journal (April 21, 2025): Trump administration cuts millions in funding from environmental justice groups in Minnesota. The state, cities, tribal nations, and dozens of community organizations lost funding to support work reducing pollution and energy costs in historically polluted, diverse neighborhoods.
Missouri
- Labor Tribune (April 14, 2025): Missouri AFL-CIO strongly condemns worker health and safety agency cuts
- KOMU 8 Reporter (July 18, 2025): Officials give heat safety tips ahead of triple-digit heat indices forecast in mid-Missouri
- Fox 4 KC (August 1, 2025): OSHA investigating deadly collapse at Family Dollar in Kansas City
- KBSI 23 (August 13, 2025): OSHA’s Safe + Sound Week promotes workplace safety
- The Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) annual Safe + Sound Week is underway, highlighting the importance of workplace safety and health.
- Missouri Independent (August 13, 2025): Commentary: The EPA is waging war on climate science and public health
Nebraska
- Nebraska Now 8 ABC (July 18, 2025): ‘A shame’: Nebraska hospitals call for an end to violence against healthcare workers
- Nebraska Health Care Foundation KSNB 4 (July 17, 2025): ‘People Worth Caring About’ docuseries now streaming nationwide. The series explores workforce challenges in long-term care while emphasizing the deep, daily connections between caregivers and residents.
- The Chemical Engineer (August 1, 2025): Three dead following blast at biofuels plant in Nebraska
- WKNY (August 1, 2025): Family, friends confirm identity of 2 young girls killed in explosion at biofuels plant
- EHS Leaders (August 6, 2025): Safety Board Investigating Fatal Explosion, Fire in Nebraska. The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) is investigating a fatal explosion and fire at the Horizon Biofuels facility in Fremont, Nebraska, that occurred on July 29, the board announced August 4. The blast fatally injured a father and his two young daughters, who were in the facility at the time of the incident.
North Dakota
- North Dakota Monitor (July 16, 2025): Gov. Armstrong pushes flexibility, transportation permitting reform during Senate committee hearing
- Environmental Health News (August 5, 2025): North Dakota royalty owners accuse oil firms of pocketing millions through transport deductions
- Grand Forks Herald (August 13, 2025): Letter: Smartphones are North Dakota’s top health threat in North Dakota? Really? Gov. Armstrong’s new interim head of North Dakota Health and Human Services believes that smartphones are the greatest threat to public health in our state. Really?
- North Dakota Monitor (August 3, 2025): Stigma still keeps police from seeking mental health care, Fargo study finds. Police officers may experience roughly 180 traumatic events over a 30-year career.
South Dakota
- KXLG (July 31, 2025 ): South Dakota Residents Urged to Take Precautions as Smoke Affects Air Quality
- Environmental Health News (August 13, 2025): Water demand in South Dakota’s Black Hills is outpacing supply, study warns
- South Dakota News Watch (August 03, 2025): Federal cuts roundup: The impact on South Dakota
- KXLG (August 11, 2025): Brookings Bureau: Brookings County Faces Dual Water Threats–Pollution and Flood Risk
- KFF (July 24, 2025): Tribal Health Officials Work To Fill Vaccination Gaps as Measles Outbreak Spreads
Wisconsin
- The Guardian (August 11, 2025): Flooding hits Midwest as Milwaukee experiences second wettest day ever
- Wisconsin Public Radio (April 14, 2025): Wisconsin Supreme Court to decide big cases involving environmental challenges. The court’s liberal majority will rule on cases that could affect PFAS cleanup, settlements of ecological violations, and more.
- Wisconsin Public Radio (June 24, 2025): Wisconsin Supreme Court sides with environmental regulators in PFAS case. Court says DNR has authority to address PFAS contamination regardless of whether the chemicals are designated as hazardous substances.
- Wisconsin Examiner (July 2, 2025): Wisconsin labor, environmental groups warn of damage from clean energy rollbacks
- Wisconsin Examiner (April 22, 2025): Commentary: On this Earth Day, stand up for our environment by saying ‘yes’
- Wisconsin Examiner (April 28, 2025): Labor groups mark Workers Memorial Day to highlight workplace deaths
- Center for Media and Democracy (March 28th, 2025): Wisconsin’s Environmental Future Is at Stake in State Supreme Court Race
- Wisconsin Public Radio (July 7, 2025): Key conservation, environmental priorities left out of Wisconsin budget. Funding to reauthorize the state’s land purchase program and combat PFAS has yet to be addressed.
- Wisconsin Public Radio (June 10, 2025): Wisconsin might have to pick up tab to retain pollution protections under proposed budget cuts to EPA. Legislative Fiscal Bureau documents indicate EPA grants slated for elimination support dozens of DNR jobs.
- Wisconsin Public Radio (May 7, 2025): Wisconsin could lose millions under Trump’s proposed budget cuts to EPA. Budget would make nearly $2.5B in cuts to state revolving loan funds.
- Wisconsin Public Radio (June 24, 2025): High heat in the workplace is a concern for Wisconsin employers. The head of a state workplace health and safety program says heat-related illnesses can affect people of all ages and across a great number of occupations through the summer months — even indoors.
- Wisconsin Public Radio (May 13, 2025): Federal cuts threaten Wisconsin farm safety center for children, rural communities. National Farm Medicine Center is US leader on farm safety for kids, but loss of staff and funding puts programs in jeopardy.
- Spectrum News 1 (April 28, 2025): 112 Wisconsin workers died on the job in 2023, according to AFL-CIO report
OEM Images of the Month
Firefighters battle a fire after an explosion in an industrial area in Fremont, Nebraska, on July 29, 2025. Chris Machian/Omaha World-Herald/AP. Accompanying story: KLKN (August 7, 2025): Federal board investigating fatal Fremont plant explosion. LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — A federal agency announced this week that it is investigating the explosion that killed three people in Fremont. The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board is looking into the blast at the Horizon Biofuels plant.
Potential occupational hazards, including chemical and physical exposures, faced by female military personnel. Image from the article: Clark KL (2025) Environmental and occupational risks to reproductive health in women service members and veterans. Front. Public Health. 13:1628858. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2025.1628858. Full article available at: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1628858/full
CDC (August 20, 2025): Map shows measles cases across U.S.
- The measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, which includes two doses, is 97% effective at preventing measles. Communities develop herd immunity when at least 95% of residents are vaccinated.
- As of August 5, 2025, a total of 1,356 confirmed* measles cases were reported by 41 jurisdictions: Alaska, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York City, New York State, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
- There have been 32 outbreaks** reported in 2025, and 87% of confirmed cases (1,177 of 1,356) are outbreak-associated. For comparison, 16 outbreaks were reported during 2024, and 69% of cases (198 of 285) were outbreak-associated.
Annual CSOEMA VIRTUAL FALL SEMINAR on September 12, 2025
Registration for the 102nd Annual 2025 CSOEMA Virtual Fall Seminar is now open. Please join us in the Spring for Maternity in the Workplace on September 12, 2025, as an online event. Topics include reproductive toxicology, perinatal issues that affect workability, laws that protect the pregnant worker, lactation concerns, maternal restrictions and accommodations, and much more! Visit the CSOEMA website to register for this event.
102nd Annual 2026 CSOEMA SPRING SEMINAR on March 12-14, 2026
Save the Date for the 102nd Annual 2026 CSOEMA Spring Seminar. We hope you will join us in the Spring for Prevention Works: Advocating for Policy to Protect the Workforce on March 12-14, 2025, in Coralville, IA, as a live in-person and online event. Attend the event for professional enrichment, continuing medical education credits, and fellowship with your OccMed colleagues. Visit the CSOEMA website to register for this ev
Is there a particular topic you would like presented at the next CSOEMA Seminar? Do you have a presentation that you would like to share? We are always looking for talented, interesting speakers for our Seminars. Do you or someone you know have a presentation or topic that would interest our membership? Let us know by completing this quick form!
Upcoming Events
| EVENT | LOCATION | DATE |
|---|---|---|
| CSOEMA 2025 Fall Seminar (Register here) | Virtual | September 12, 2025 |
| House of Delegates Meeting | Virtual | TBD |
| Medical Review Officer Course – Fast Track (Register here) | Schaumburg, IL | October 4-5, 2025 |
| ACOEM Virtual Fall Summit (Register here) | Virtual | November 5-7, 2025 |
| CSOEMA Board of Governors Fall Meeting | Virtual | November 22, 2025 |
| CSOEMA 2026 Spring Seminar (Register here) | Lisle, IL | March 12-14, 2026 |
| CSOEMA Board of Governors Reception, Dinner, and Meeting | Lisle, IL | March 12, 2026 |
ACOEM Responds to NIOSH, HHS, OSHA, EPA Significant Reductions
As members of the Central States Occupational and Environmental Medicine Association (CSOEMA), we are acutely aware of the profound effects that federal policy can have on occupational and environmental health. Recent actions by the Trump Administration — specifically, significant budget cuts and restructuring within the CDC, NIOSH, EPA, OSHA, and other critical federal departments—have raised serious concerns among our professional community. The urgent call to action from the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM) outlines steps you can take to advocate for the protection of public health and worker safety regarding the proposed and enacted reductions affecting the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), and related agencies. In their letter to members, ACOEM emphasizes the following key points:
“The core of our profession is being dismantled to the detriment of worker health.”
DR. MICHAEL LEVINE, MD, MPH, FACOEM
- Threats to Worker Health and Safety: The reductions in funding and restructuring of NIOSH and CDC programs directly undermine essential research, surveillance, and intervention programs that protect workers from occupational injuries, illnesses, and environmental hazards.
- Impact on Public Health Infrastructure: These cuts weaken the federal government’s ability to respond to emerging health threats, such as infectious disease outbreaks and environmental disasters.
- NIOSH and CDC Budget Cuts: Reductions in funding jeopardize critical research, training, and outreach programs that are foundational to occupational health and safety.
- EPA Restructuring: Changes at the Environmental Protection Agency threaten to weaken enforcement of environmental regulations that protect both workers and the general public.
- Loss of Expertise: The proposed reductions risk the loss of highly specialized professionals and long-standing partnerships that are vital to advancing occupational and environmental medicine.
- Broader Federal Reductions: Across-the-board cuts in federal health and safety agencies diminish the nation’s capacity to address occupational hazards, environmental exposures, and emerging health threats.
- ACOEM urges its members to contact their elected representatives, participate in advocacy efforts, and raise awareness about the importance of maintaining robust federal support for occupational and environmental health.
What You Can Do
- Contact Your Representatives: Reach out to your Senators and Congressional representatives to express your concerns about the impact of these reductions on occupational and environmental health.
- Engage in Advocacy: Participate in ACOEM’s advocacy initiatives and support efforts to protect federal funding for public health and worker safety.
- Educate Your Community: Share information with colleagues, employers, and community groups about the importance of strong federal support for occupational and environmental health.
By staying informed and engaged, we can work together to advocate for the policies and resources necessary to protect the health and safety of workers and the public. Let us heed ACOEM’s call to action and ensure that our voices are heard in defense of occupational and environmental health
Stay informed. Stay engaged. Advocate for Occupational and Environmental Health.
References:
- ACOEM (April 2025): ACOEM Calls Members to Action over HHS & NIOSH Reductions
- ACOEM (April 2025):ACOEM Response to HHS and NIOSH Significant Reductions
OEM Advocacy Spotlight
Learn more about what ACOEM is doing for YOU and OUR PROFESSION. Check out the following ACOEM websites for more information:
OEM Clinical Practice Highlights
- MDGuidelines: Did you know? Your ACOEM Membership now includes access to MDGuidelines, the industry-leading online tool for quickly accessing evidence-based disability duration information, and ACOEM Clinical Guidelines. This offer is valid for U.S.-based ACOEM members with active membership. Launch the new MDGuidelines ACOEM Navigator. For more information, click here.
- ACOEM | On-Demand Learning: Enhance Your Skills and Knowledge and earn continuing medical education. View ACOEM’s extensive on-demand learning opportunities in the ACOEM Store. ACOEM is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to sponsor continuing medical education for physicians.
OEM Research Rounds
Kuwazuru, Tomoichiro MD; Okawara, Makoto MD, PhD; Ohkubo, Naoaki MD, PhD; Ishimaru, Tomohiro MD, MPH, PhD; Tateishi, Seiichiro MD, PhD; Horie, Shigeo MD, PhD; Yasui, Toshiyuki MD, PhD; Fujino, Yoshihisa MD, MPH, PhD. A Cross-sectional Study of the Association of Menopausal Symptoms With Presenteeism Among Female Employees of a Japanese Company. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 67(8):p 595-600, August 2025. | DOI: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000003403
- CIDRAP (August 11, 2025): A recent common cold may nearly halve risk of COVID-19, study suggests. Article citation: CM Moore, EA Secor, JL Everman, et al., on behalf of the HEROS study team, The common cold is associated with protection from SARS-CoV-2 Infections, The Journal of Infectious Diseases, 2025; https://doi.org/10.1093/infdis/jiaf374
- D Michaels, GR Wagner. OSHA Injury Data: An Opportunity for Improving Work Injury Prevention, American Journal of Public Health 115, no. 4 (April 1, 2025): pp. 588-595. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2024.307934. Summary article news brief available here.
- TenHarmsel H, Harduar Morano L, Rosenman KD. Solar Panel Installation Workers Exposed to Pesticides During Two Agricultural Applications — Michigan, August 2023 and May 2024. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2025;74:450–454. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7428a2
Member Highlights
- Christopher Iverson, MD, MBA, MPH, FACOEM, restarted the Occupational Medicine Advanced Elective for the medical students at the University of Iowa. He currently has nine fourth-year medical students enrolled this year. Dr. Iverson was also featured in an article at the University of Iowa announcing his start as the new director of Occupational Health. Dr. Claudia Corwin is also featured in this article. Fantastic job, Chris and Claudia!
- Zeke McKinney, MD, MHI, MPH, FACOEM, Occupational Medicine Physician, UMN/Health Partners Occupational Medicine, and Research Investigator, was featured in a series of news articles in AXIOS, KARE, and the Minnesota Star Tribune on his research on the role of saunas for protecting firefighters. Dr. McKinney was also recognized in an article in the Minneapolis Post for his work during the COVID-19 pandemic and to address health disparities in Minneapolis, MN.
Congratulations New ACOEM Fellows from the Central States
We are pleased to announce the following CSOEMA members became ACOEM Fellows at AOHC 2025 in Austin, TX:
| Isabel Periera, MD, MPH, FACOEM | Saint Paul, MN |
| Christopher Iverson, MD, MBA, MPH, FACOEM | Iowa City, IA |
| Ngozi Obi, MD, MPH, dipABLM, FACOEM | Mequon, WI |
| Romero Santiago, MD, MPH, FACOEM | Urbana, IL |
Congratulations! Demonstrate your dedication and leadership in occupational medicine by becoming a Fellow of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (FACOEM). The FACOEM designation is ACOEM’s highest acknowledgment that recognizes years of dedication to exceptional education, leadership, and commitment to the specialty. Applications for the Class of 2026 are now being accepted! Completed applications and all required documents must be submitted to fellows@acoem.org by November 1, 2025. For more information about the ACOEM Fellowship, click here.
CSOEMA Summer Social & Fundraiser Event Interest Survey
We are planning to introduce a new social event that will allow us to come together and connect in more informal and fun ways. We aim to create an annual CSOEMA Summer Social event that will serve not only as a social networking gathering, but also as a fundraiser for the CSOEMA Foundation following the yearly executive committee meeting. We want your feedback on your ideas for future social events. Please take our survey here, or at: https://vevox.app/#/m/156094780.
Support the CSOEMA History Project
We invite you to make a financial contribution to support preserving the history of occupational and environmental medicine. Your donations will help fund ongoing projects, including completing the Occupational and Environmental Medicine documentary, which aims to capture our legacy and contributions to the OEM field. If you are interested in supporting this initiative, please contact CSOEMA Executive Director Susan Rittenhouse at susan@csoema.org. Your support is invaluable to the success of this project and the continued growth of our organization.
ACOEM Update
- Represent CSOEMA as a member of the ACOEM House of Delegates
The House of Delegates is ACOEM’s legislative branch, making recommendations to the ACOEM Board of Directors concerning policy matters affecting the College. These policy issues take the form of resolutions. Created in October 1966, the House usually meets twice a year — at the spring American Occupational Health Conference (AOHC) and at ACOEM HQ in the fall. For more information, send an email to susan@csoema.org.
- OccPod: the official ACOEM podcast
OccPod is the official podcast of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. These recordings began with COVID Conversations, a special presentation of the podcast focused on disseminating information about COVID-19. Now, OccPod delves into additional realms of worker health and safety, including our changing climate. OccPod is grounded in science with a focus on occupational and environmental medicine. Listen Now! Find OccPod on your favorite podcast platform, or play directly from the web.
Enterprise Health produces the OccTok podcast to support the ACOEM Ambassador Program. Hosted by Jeff Donnell, each episode features occupational health professionals who share their stories about how they got into OEM, what they like most about the field, and what advice they have for medical professionals who are considering this career path. All episodes can be accessed on Podbean or Apple podcasts.
- Has your ACOEM membership lapsed?
We would love to have you back as a member. ACOEM membership provides opportunities for physicians and associated healthcare professionals to enhance their careers through education, networking, and leadership. Membership also helps to: 1) Enhance the stature and recognition of the specialty; 2) Strengthen the voice of OEM in health policy debates; 3) Promote new levels of competency in the prevention and treatment of illness, injury, and disability in the work environment and community; 4) Reduce Seminar Registration Rates. Contact ACOEM’s Customer Support Team at 847-818-1800 and ask about a discount to renew.
Nominations Accepted for the CSOEMA Awards
- The National Leadership Award is presented to an individual who has made a significant contribution to the specialty and has taken steps to promote the specialty on a national level through research, education, and/or by increasing awareness of the value of the specialty.
- The Dedicated Service Award, created in 2005, is given at the Spring Seminar of the Central States Occupational and Environmental Medicine Association. The Dedicated Service Award recognizes a CSOEMA member who has exhibited outstanding service to the Association over a period of many years.
- The Exemplary Service Award, created in 2009, is given at the Fall Seminar of the Central States Occupational and Environmental Medicine Association. The Exemplary Service Award recognizes a CSOEMA member who has exhibited outstanding leadership and ability to accomplish a specific initiative or task that has and/or will provide significant benefit to the Association.
- The Dr. Alice Hamilton Award was established in 2024 to encourage and celebrate physicians with exemplary contributions to the fields of occupational medicine research, education, clinical occupational medicine, or occupational/environmental toxicology. Look for the inauguration of the Alice Hamilton Award to be given in Spring 2025.
- Recognize a deserving member for a CSOEMA award by following this link HERE.
Residents Corner
The ten states represented by the Central States Occupational and Environmental Medicine Association are home to two Occupational and Environmental Medicine residency programs. The HealthPartners Occupational Medicine Residency Program is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and the University of Illinois at Chicago Occupational Medicine Residency Program is located in Chicago, Illinois. These programs aim to develop and train preventive medicine physicians in Public Health and Occupational and Environmental Medicine. Please contact the residency program directors for more information or visit the websites below.
Kim Hargis, MD, MPH
Program Director, Occupational Medicine Residency Program
University of Illinois at Chicago
835 S. Wolcott, MC 684
Chicago, Illinois 60612
klatti1@uic.eduPhone: 312-996-6765 | Fax: 312-413-8485
https://glcohs.uic.edu/residency/
Maria Starchook-Moore, MD, MPH, FACOEM
Program Director, HealthPartners Occupational Medicine Residency Program
HealthPartners West End Clinic
1665 Utica Ave. S., Ste. 100
St. Louis Park, MN 55416
maria.starchookmoore@healthpartners.com
Phone: 952-541-2607 | Fax: 952-541-2626
https://mnoccmedresidency.com
Milestones
Do you have a Milestone announcement to share? Let us know about your birth, marriage, anniversary, promotion, or other life milestone by sending an email to: editor@csoema.org.
CSOEMA T-Shirts & Other SWAG
Order your CSOEMA T-shirts and other SWAG! (SWAG = Souvenirs, Wearables, and Gifts) Here’s your chance to own a wearable, functional, and collectible piece of CSOEMA SWAG! The CSOEMA Store is open! CSOEMA-branded items are available conveniently online to everyone. The CSOEMA Store offers clothing, drinkware, tote bags, and more. Items are available for purchase and shipping directly to your door. New designs and items will be added regularly. Shop the online CSOEMA Store today! To access the online store, visit: https://www.bonfire.com/store/csoema/
Get Engaged!
As our regional component professional organization, CSOEMA operates through the support of members who contribute their time and leadership to make the organization successful. We always seek members to serve as Conference Co-Chairs, Board of Governors, and other committee members. In addition to these roles, there are so many more ways to get involved. Check out our new webpage highlighting the numerous opportunities to get further involved here. Your participation lends your voice to the organization and gives back to the field of Occupational Medicine. Interested? Let us know by sending an email to susan@csoema.org.
Support the CSOEMA Foundation
Don’t forget to support the CSOEM Foundation by making a charitable donation. The CSOEM Foundation supports CSOEMA by providing resident scholarships and other seminar-related expense support that would otherwise not be available. Donations made are tax-deductible and support the ongoing work of CSOEMA.
Job Posting
Are you interested in posting a job listing with CSOEMA?
Job postings will be listed on both the CSOEMA website and the CSOEMA Connection Newsletter and distributed once via email to the CSOEMA membership. Please send an email to: admin@csoema.org
For members or sponsors:
- – One free 60-day advertisement period/year
- – $150 for each additional 60-day advertisement period
- For unaffiliated individuals/organizations:
- $300 for a 60-day advertisement period
CSOEMA Executive Committee
| Isabel Pereira, DO, MPH, MSA, FACOEM | President |
| Malgorzata B. Hasek, MD, MPH, FACPM, FACOEM | President-Elect |
| Maria Starchook-Moore, MD, FACOEM | Vice President |
| Christopher Iverson, MD, MBA, MPH, FACOEM | Secretary-Treasurer |
| Francine Katz, DO, MPH, FACOEM | Immediate Past President |
CSOEMA Governors
| Erin Kennedy, MD, MPH, MRO, CIME Kodjo Bossou, MD, MPH | Governors at Large: 2023-2026 |
| John Petrisko, MD, MPH Kim Hargis, MD, MPH | Governors at Large: 2024-2027 |
| Rachel Thies, MD, MPH, MHA, FACOEM Jeffrey Westpheling, MD, MPH | State Governors: 2025-2028 |
| Sarah Bronner, MD, MPH (MN) Claudia Corwin, MD, MPH (IA) | State Governors: 2022-2025 |
| Kristin Houseknecht, MD (IL) Christopher Smelser, DO, MPH, FACOEM (IN) | State Governors: 2023-2026 |
| Matthew Klick, DO, MPH (MO) Jui Haker, MD (WI) | State Governors: 2024-2027 |
| Sarah Bronner, MD, MPH (MN) Claudia Corwin, MD, MPH (IA) | State Governors: 2025-2028 |
| Prapti Kuber, MD MBA (Health Partners) Ivy Obonyo, MD (UIC) | Resident Governors: 2024-2025 |
CSOEMA Connection Editorial Staff
| William Wong, MD, MPH, FACP, FACOEM | Editor-in-Chief |
| Claudia Corwin, MD, MPH, FACOEM | Editor |
| Christopher Iverson, MD, MBA, MPH, FACOEM | Editor |
The CSOEMA Connection newsletter is the collaborative effort of CSOEMA members. It is a way for us to celebrate our members’ work, discuss important issues, and share information to support our mission. Allow your voice to be heard by contributing to this newsletter. If you have ideas for themes of future newsletter issues, have a tip for us about something (or someone) to feature, or just to let us know how we are doing, please reach out. Please send any contributions, questions, or comments to editor@csoema.org, or contact Susan Rittenhouse, CSOEMA Executive Director, at susan@csoema.org.
