PARK RIDGE, Illinois — The American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE), the world’s oldest professional safety organization, is bestowing the honor of Fellow on a longtime member who has made significant contributions to the occupational safety and health profession throughout her distinguished career. Deborah R. Roy, MPH, CSP, RN, COHN-S, FAAOHN, is the 2018 recipient of the Society’s highest honor. She also will be ASSE’s 2020-21 president, having been elected this year as the organization’s senior vice president.
“I worked with Deb on our Board of Directors and I’m familiar with her exemplary achievements and willingness to take on key volunteer roles,” said ASSE President Jim Smith, M.S., CSP. “She served on our leadership team at a time of great change. It led to a new organizational structure that is helping ASSE meet today’s challenges.”
Roy’s esteemed career in occupational safety and health spans more than 35 years as she transitioned from an occupational health nurse to a small consulting firm owner to a corporate executive on the leading edge of safety initiatives. She has earned a reputation among colleagues for being a strategic thinker with strong business skills, technical expertise and a constant desire for improvement. She began working as the sole occupational health nurse in an electronics plant of 1,300 employees. Now she is the corporate director of health, safety and wellness at L.L.Bean in Maine.
An ASSE member since 1993, Roy served two years on the organization’s Board of Directors (2015-17) before being elected in March as senior vice president of the Society. Her one-year term begins July 1, followed by a year as president-elect and a year as president.
“Deb is a forward-thinking leader who is always looking to innovate,” said ASSE Fellow and past President Thomas Cecich, CSP, CIH. “There is no one I know who has better modeled how to prepare themselves to succeed as a safety professional. Deb possesses a unique ability to develop and execute a vision of a desired future state.”
At L.L.Bean, Roy’s innovative approach has resulted in the implementation of safety management systems at seven sites in seven years, significantly improving injury rates and reducing costs. She has been a speaker, educator, mentor and trainer on a multitude of topics for thousands of safety professionals. She has written for peer-reviewed journals and was a contributing author to a book published by ASSE in 2015, Consultants Business Development Guide, which addresses financial issues of running a successful consultancy.
“Deb is a consummate safety and health professional, thought leader and business executive,” said ASSE Fellow and past President Kathy A. Seabrook, CSP, CFIOSH, EurOSHM. “Her leadership abilities and subject matter expertise have helped raise the bar in the occupational safety and health profession. She is passionate about preventing workplace injuries rather than just responding to them.”
Roy will be honored during ASSE’s Safety 2018 Professional Development Conference & Exposition, held June 3-6 in San Antonio. The global event will feature more than 5,000 safety professionals learning about best practices, industry trends and the latest product innovations in the occupational safety and health field.
The honor of Fellow recognizes an ASSE member’s lifetime commitment to worker safety and health. Nominees must have a track record of significant contributions to the occupational safety and health profession for at least 20 years. To see the Society’s list of Fellows dating back more than 50 years, visit ASSE Fellow recipients.
About ASSE – Working together for a safer, stronger future
For more than 100 years, the American Society of Safety Engineers has been at the forefront of helping occupational safety and health professionals protect people and property. The nonprofit society is based in the Chicago suburb of Park Ridge. Its global membership of over 37,000 professionals covers every industry, developing safety and health management plans that prevent deaths, injuries and illnesses. ASSE advances its members and the safety profession through education, advocacy, standards development and a professional community. Its flagship publication, Professional Safety, is a longtime leader in the field. Visit www.asse.org and follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
Media contact: Blaine Krage, 847.768.3416, bkrage@asse.org