About us

This weblog is for the discussion of contemporary environmental public health issues – issues that may occur locally, nationally, or internationally. My name is Dr. Raymond W. Thron and I will be one of your hosts for this weblog. Joining me is Dr. Shana Morrell. Additional contributors and authors will be announced as they join. The commentaries reflect the opinions and beliefs of the individual writer. Your hosts will will attempt to ensure that all information posted is credible.

For any commentary, to see comments offered, please click on the commentary title, or on “comments” link at the end of the commentary.

Please note that all links in the commentaries were functional at the time the specific commentary was published. Links, however, do change. If you should encounter a non-functional link, do let me know. I will then try to find the new document location, if possible. Send a note to rwthron@yahoo.com

Thank you.

Raymond W. Thron, Ph.D.
Dr. Thron has had a life long career in environmental public health, having worked for both local and state agencies, the private sector, and currently as a faculty member at Walden University. At Walden University, he helped create and served as the first faculty chair for its doctorate program in public health. For ten years, he served as the director of environmental and occupational health for the State of Minnesota.

Previously he had the opportunity to work in several East European countries helping them regarding public health infrastructure, including environmental and occupational health issues, workforce development, and public health collaborative endeavors. Past academic affiliations include the University of Minnesota, University of St. Thomas (St. Paul, MN), Howard University, and through training provided to faculty at Namibia University, Namibia, and Kenyata University, Kenya.

Shana Morrell, Ph.D., MPH
Dr. Morrell received her MPH and Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota. She majored in environmental health, specializing in environmental toxicology. She currently is the Academic MPH Program Coordinator with Walden University, in the School of Health Sciences.  She maintains a special interest in global environmental health and environmental and social justice.

Mehrdad M. Javaherian, Ph.D., MPH

 Dr. Javaherian holds degrees in civil/environmental engineering and public health, and a PhD in public health focused on epidemiology. His current research is focused on quantitative assessment of the benefits of sustainable best management practices on carbon dioxide emission reductions, including potential health implications. His past research has included quantitative assessment of the association between the built environment and pedestrian activity, and on mathematical modeling of vapor intrusion to indoor air. Dr. Javaherian also has 19 years of consulting experience in the field of environmental health, including performing site investigations, human health and ecological risk assessments, and design and implementation of in-situ remediation technologies at hazardous waste sites. He is currently involved on research, development, and application of multiple patented green and sustainable technologies focused on generating renewable sources of energy, and achieving unrestricted soil and groundwater cleanup in a sustainable manner.

Nina M. Bell, MPH
Mrs. Bell has more than 20 years of experience in marketing and public relations, most of which encompass the healthcare arena. A resident of Northwestern Pennsylvania, she currently works as the Vice President of Stewardship and Development for The Wesbury Foundation, which supports a Continued Care Retirement Community of 400 aging adults.

In the realm of athletics, Mrs. Bell is a triathlete and completed five Ironman competitions as well as several Olympic and Sprint distance races. In 2000, she was named the ASCInet Ohio State Triathlon Series Age-Group Champion. She has also won her division in several regional races in Northwestern Pennsylvania/Eastern Ohio. In 2007, she was named the Ford Ironman Everyday Hero at Ironman Wisconsin for her work in developing a children’s bicycling program to combat childhood obesity. That program is being developed into a publication that will be used as a model for other communities.

She holds a BA degree in public relations/journalism from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, a master’s diploma from the University of London in organizational behavior, and is a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE), a credential held by only 5,000 people worldwide. She is currently working toward her MPH and PhD in public health/health promotion and education at Walden University.

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08 Feb 2010>