What initially drew you to ASSP and what keeps you engaged?

I am a relatively new member of ASSP (about 2 years). I attended my first meeting as a non-member. At that meeting, I realized how welcoming everyone was and how tight-knit the safety community was, so I decided to become a member. Fast forward a couple of months, and I was at the Pulp and Paper conference and stopped by the ASSP booth, and was introduced to Kyle and Linda and they were so welcoming, and so I decided to get involved by becoming a Delegate at Large for the Santiam Section and later co-chairing WISE. What keeps me engaged is seeing the members show up every month and be so engaged with the safety profession. It is also really cool to be able to network with new people at each meeting.

What inspired you to take on co-chairing WISE initiative, and what do you hope it brings to our members? 

I was inspired to co-chair WISE because I wanted to help create a space where women in safety could connect, learn, and support each other. I’ve experienced how powerful mentorship, networking, and shared experiences can be and I wanted to help foster that for our members. My hope is that WISE provides opportunities for growth, meaningful connections, and a sense of community – so every member feels encouraged, empowered, and inspired to thrive in the safety profession. 

How do you think WISE can impact the future of the safety profession, especially for those just entering the field? 

WISE has the power to shape the future of the safety profession by creating a sense of community, confidence, and belonging. It gives professionals a place to connect, learn from shared experiences, and see real examples of successful women in safety. WISE helps encourage learning, lifts up new voices, and shows that there is a place for everyone in this profession.

If you could describe WISE in three words, what would they be—and why? 

Empowering, Rewarding, Gratitude because WISE creates a space where women in safety can learn from one another and uplift each other, provides meaningful connections and opportunities, and leaves me feeling thankful for the community it fosters.

Can you share a memorable moment or success story from your involvement with WISE so far?

So far we have put on a WISE Social Event and a Paint Night Event. At both events, it was so special to watch everyone relax, have fun, and genuinely enjoy each other’s company. At the Paint Night in particular, someone told me how inspiring it was to see so many women represented in the safety field. Hearing that reminded me why these gatherings matter and how meaningful it is to create spaces where women can connect and feel seen.

Outside of your professional role, what’s something surprising or fun that people might not know about you?

I’m always excited to go on adventures. I spend most of my weekends doing things outdoors, whether it’s hiking with my dog, skiing, stand-up paddleboarding, or exploring new parts of Oregon. Oregon has so many great outdoor spaces and I love getting outside no matter the season. Also, more recently I have joined adult sports leagues – I played softball in the fall and am currently playing volleyball.

If you could give one piece of advice to someone just starting out in the safety profession, what would it be—and why?

I would tell people just starting off in the safety profession to always keep learning. The field is constantly evolving, whether it’s new regulations, emerging technologies, or changing workplace hazards. Staying curious and committed to ongoing learning not only helps you make informed decisions, but also strengthens your credibility, adaptability, and impact as a safety professional. A plus is there are plenty of wonderful professional development classes for the safety profession. 

Todd Hudson

President, Maverick Safety Training

Mentorship Chair, ASSP Columbia Willamette Chapter

Meet Todd Hudson

Maverick Safety Training is a professional development firm that caters to people in the EHS sector, specifically helping them become great trainers. A lot of EHS professionals are technically very knowledgeable, but don’t know how to create and deliver engaging content that people remember and changes behaviors.

What initially drew you to get involved with ASSP and what keeps you engaged?

ASSP’s mission of keeping people healthy and safe really resonated with me. The moment of silence at the national conference’s opening ceremony for workers who lost their lives on the job in the past year is incredibly moving. What keeps me engaged is the passion that members have for that mission and their openness to help each other and embrace new ideas. I spent most of my career in the electronics industry, which is a notoriously secretive. You couldn’t discuss your problems or ask for help outside your company; it felt very isolating.

You just launched ASSP’s first Mentorship Program – thank you! What inspired you to take on this initiative and what do you envision for the program?

I’ve been involved in creating mentoring programs for over 20 years and have seen incredible results…better job performance, higher morale, stronger sense of community. In our chapter, there’s easily over a thousand years of experience that could be shared to everyone’s benefit, both mentees and mentors.

How do you think mentorship can impact the future of the safety profession, especially for those just entering the field?

My training edict is “Teach the fewest people the least amount of content as fast as possible.” Traditional training has a lot of waste, for example too much content, delivered at the wrong time. Well-structured mentoring is virtually waste-free. People learn just what they need when they need it. This approach quickly builds skills and confidence, especially in our emerging professionals who are on the steepest part of the learning curve.

If you could describe the new mentorship program in three words, what would they be and why?

I can do it in two words! Nurturing mastery. “Nurturing” because mentoring is relationship-based learning that caters to the mentee’s needs in the moment. The mentor is there to ensure they succeed. “Mastery” because the goal is to transfer a mentor’s knowledge and wisdom to a mentee, so they perform skillfully and confidently.

Outside of your professional role, what’s something fun people might not know about you?

I’m a fanatic about the movie The Big Lebowski. I went to a Lebowski Fest in L.A. and the Hollywood Reporter printed a picture of me from the costume party.

What’s one challenge you’ve faced in your safety career that helped shape your approach to leadership or mentorship?

When I was a manufacturing manager in the semiconductor industry, there was a freak accident and one of my supervisors got sprayed with a caustic chemical all over his cleanroom bunny suit. What should’ve been a minor incident became a major one when he did everything wrong despite receiving extra safety training. This caused me to question the fundamental effectiveness of traditional training and search for better methods. I’m happy to say I found them, but the bar for safety training must be held extremely high. We need to continually be on the hunt for ever more effective ways of engaging our colleagues and ensure that they will act safely and correctly when the time comes.

What’s a safety topic you’re currently passionate about, and how do you stay up to date in such a fast-evolving field?

I’ve been teaching clients how to use AI as a role play partner to practice and prepare for tough, uncomfortable safety conversations. It’s revolutionary! This use of AI ties into my love of mentoring. They’re both about helping people quickly build their skills and confidence on specific challenges they’re facing at the moment.

Keeping up with the changes in the AI space is almost impossible; there’s too much happening too quickly. That said, I read several AI blogs and do a lot of experimenting with the technology on my own.

Celebrating Excellence: Eric Connelly Named 2025 Safety Professional of the Year

Eric Connelly with his wife, Christine, and Barbara Aguon (Awards Chair)

Eric Connelly: 2025 Columbia Willamette Chapter Safety Professional of the Year

We are proud to announce that the 2025 Chapter Safety Professional of the Year (SPY) award has been presented to the outstanding and highly deserving Eric Connelly.

A dedicated member of ASSP since February 2007, Eric has served as a Senior Safety Management Consultant at SAIF Corporation since 2004. He holds the Certified Safety Professional (CSP) designation from the Board of Certified Safety Professionals and is widely recognized as a subject matter expert in construction safety. Eric leads SAIF’s efforts on Owner Controlled Insurance Program (OCIP) projects and is an OSHA 10 Authorized Construction Trainer. He also contributes his expertise through active involvement in the Construction Safety Summit and the Construction Advisory Council.

Eric’s impact extends well beyond construction. He is a valued member of SAIF’s School Safety Networking Group and the Pacific Northwest Section of the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA). For over 15 years, he has played a key role in organizing the Western Pulp & Paper Conference. His voice is a familiar and respected one at the Governor’s Occupational Safety & Health (GOSH) Conference and other safety events across Oregon, including those hosted by Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC).

What truly sets Eric apart is his unwavering commitment to mentorship and professional development. He is known for generously sharing his time, knowledge, and experience to support the growth of fellow safety and health professionals. His leadership is not only technical but deeply human—marked by humility, collaboration, and a passion for elevating the profession. As one of his SAIF colleagues put it best, if Eric had a catch-phrase, it would be: “Happy to help.”

The award was presented by Barbara Aguon, Awards Chair, during the 2025 Officer Installation Event. Please join us in congratulating Eric on this well-earned recognition!

Pictured above is Eric Connelly during the recent roof installation at the PDX Terminal Core Redevelopment (TCORE) project. As the lead SAIF consultant, Eric has been instrumental in supporting the safety team overseeing construction and improvements at Portland International Airport.

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