Lorin Kerr Award 2020 Deborah Weinstock OHS Section of APHA

This award recognizes a younger activist for their sustained and outstanding efforts and dedication to improve the lives of workers. Deborah Weinstock has spent more than 25 years working to ensure that American workers are safe on the job through advocacy, consulting, and program management. Her long history in coordinating worker education projects, demonstrate her ability to collaborate with community-based organizations, labor unions, advocacy groups, and other front-line and first responder organizations. Additionally, as the Director of the National
Institute of Environmental Health Sciences’ National Clearinghouse for Worker Safety and Health Training since 2005, she has extensive experience working with government, academia, and the private sector. The Clearinghouse provides resources and support to nonprofit organizations to deliver training to a variety of workers who may face hazardous work environments. The National Institutes of Health honored her with a Merit Award for her leadership and management of multiple disaster response and recovery efforts. Deborah was first introduced to the NIEHS Worker Training Program in 1993 while working at the Department of Energy. The protection of workers in the nuclear weapons complex has since been a focus for her worker health advocacy. She continued learning about unions working for Ruth Ruttenberg & Associates, where she became Executive Director of the NIEHS National Clearinghouse and learned to evaluate safety and health training programs. In 1998, Deborah began work as the OSH Specialist for the AFL-CIO where she continued her advocacy efforts. Deborah is a member of MDB, Inc.’s Senior
Leadership Group based in Washington, DC. She leads MDB’s Occupational Safety and Health practice and is the company’s Director of Corporate Operations. Deborah has a Master of Science, Applied Behavioral Science/Organization Development from Johns Hopkins University and she has been an active contributing member of the Occupational Health and Safety Section since 1998 serving as Section Councilor, Secretary, Governing Councilor, and Treasurer. This award is named for Lorin Kerr (1909 -1991, a life-long activist and served for over 40 years as a
physician for the United Mine Workers. He was dedicated to improving access to health care for coal miners and other workers and to obtaining compensation for and preventing black lung disease.