Thank you to all who attended, exhibited, sponsored, and volunteered at GOSH 2025!

That’s a wrap on the successful 38th biennial 2025 Oregon GOSH Conference with 1,322 attendees! GOSH offered 168 sessions with over 270 hours of training delivered by more than 195 speakers, networking opportunities, and 150 exhibit booths with the latest products and services.

Tuesday kicked off with a Keynote by Dr. Sally Spencer Thomas, with a powerful presentation on mental health and suicide prevention.

Also on Tuesday, the Oregon Young Employee Safety Coalition (O[yes]), hosted students and early professionals at no cost as an opportunity to attend the largest OSH conference in the PNW and network.

Women In Safety Excellence (WISE) held a networking event Tuesday evening and recognized five women across the state with Healthy, Well and Wise awards from ASSP. The WISE event was planned collaboratively by all the Oregon ASSP chapter WISE chairs.

The 7th Columbia Forklift Challenge competition winners were celebrated on Wednesday.

Seven leaders in on-the-job safety and health were honored with awards during the ceremony on Wednesday, March 5. The categories include rising safety star, business leader, safety committee/team, safety and health professional, and workplace safety program. For more information read the award recipient profiles.

The Oregon State Association of Occupational Health Nurses awarded their 2025 Shelley Jones Occupational Health Nurse of the Year, Linda Meuleveld, Wednesday evening at their networking event. Congrats Linda!

Thank you to conference planning committee chairs: Brittany Johnston (Conference Chair), Angie Wisher and Jimmy Gibbons (Program), Deb Bridges (Sponsorships), Jason Luty (Exhibits), Soren Bjerregaard (CEUs), Aaron Corvin and Lyn Zielinski Mills (Marketing), Kim Gamble (Awards), Craig Hamelund (Forklift Challenge), and Dave McNiel (Room Volunteers). Thank you to the 59 room volunteers and many others that help make this conference a success. And a special thank you to the Oregon OSHA planning team – Sharell Lein, Jill McConnell, and Diane Kronemann!

Mark your calendar for the next GOSH, March 1-4, 2027!

Women In Safety Excellence (WISE) held a networking event Tuesday night and recognized five women across the state with Healthy, Well and Wise awards from ASSP. The WISE event was planned collaboratively by all the Oregon ASSP chapter WISE chairs. Learn more here.

Thank you to the planning committee:

Paula Jones – Chair

Leigh Manning

Delta Blurton

Kathryn Ewing

Peche Barteaux

Jeffrey Mook

Shyra Vaughn

Niki Holm

Deb Bridges

Brittany Johnston

THANK YOU to Natalie McKinley for taking the time from her studies and 2 jobs to share her experiences as an ASSP Student Member with us!

If you are interested in ways to get involved with our ASSP Student Section at Oregon State University, or to mentor or be a mentee with our developing mentorship program next chapter year, please reach out to us at updates@cwc.assp.org!

Natalie McKinley

OSU Student, ASSP Student Member, Kinesiology Major | EOH Minor

What initially drew you to the field of occupational safety and health, and how has your perspective on the field evolved since you started your studies?

When I first started studying here at Oregon State, I had dreams of becoming a Physician Assistant, until I began working in a concrete manufacturing company. Seeing all of the injuries being viewed as “casual,” made me rethink my future career choice. I’ve always had a passion for helping others, which has only been made stronger through my studies of Environmental and Occupational Health.

Do you have a career path in mind?

Currently I have two jobs: a student worker at OSU’s EHS and the Project Manager’s assistant at OSU’s Memorial Union, which have both been incredibly beneficial in furthering my understanding of what it means to help others maintain high levels of safety in varying industries. For example, one project I worked on was creating safety ladders for OSU’s Student Experience Center’s roof, which allowed for HVAC technicians to safely work on a multitude of equipment. My main interest within this field is construction safety and ergonomics, which I plan to pursue post-graduation. Ever since I received my OSHA30, my next goal is to receive an ASP, leading to eventually getting the CSP.

Tell us about your involvement in the OSU Student Section.

As of December 2024, I took on the role of the OSU Student Section’s President. Within this role, I help plan events, campus tours, and meetings.

What do you hope to gain from your membership with ASSP and how do you think it will help you in your future career?

I hope to gain more leadership experience working with people of different backgrounds and interests. I want to be able to understand all walks of life while working as a safety professional, as it will curate more trust within my workplace. Being a member of ASSP allows the opportunity to connect with others who have/are working in similar fields, such as safety. By learning from others, we can advance our members’ understanding and confidence of becoming a safety professional. Guest speakers relay unique information that our club may not hear from somewhere else. It truly is priceless having these wonderful people share what they know to us.

You were able to attend GOSH 2025, what stood out to you and what did you gain from the courses you attended?

The most memorable part of GOSH was the community. Everyone was incredibly kind and willing to help answer any questions. With regards to the courses, I learned more about electrical safety and what to do during moments of downed power lines. I also went to a silica course, which included information on worker’s health when working with fine dust particles.

What are some of your hobbies outside of your studies?

Outside of studying, I’ve begun getting into woodworking. So far, I’ve found the most enjoyment through making kitchen utensils such as spoons and spatulas. I also love to work on cars with my friends.

We congratulate our 2025-2026 Columbia-Willamette Chapter Board! Thank you to everyone for submitting nominations and voting in this important process.

ASSP is closely monitoring significant cuts to NIOSH, which will greatly reduce its workforce and impact it’s ability to conduct research and develop interventions that protect workers across industries. In a recent communication from ASSP President, Pam Walaski, ASSP members are encouraged to contact your congressional representatives to advocate for NIOSH and it’s essential role in worker safety. Read statement & take action 

Learn more at ASSP’s Government Affairs page here: Government Affairs

Our chapter also posts current updates on our website here: Government Affairs – ASSP Columbia Willamette Chapter

The Columbia Willamette Chapter will be reaching out to local representatives. If you are interested in getting more involved, reach out to us at updates@cwc.assp.org