Districts
Northeast District
Northeast District Director
Emily Speck, BSPH, REHS
GIS Coordinator
Portage County Health District
999 East Main Street
Ravenna, OH 44266
330-296-9919 EXT: 132
especk@portagehealth.net
Bio:
Hello! I am excited and honored for this opportunity serving as the Northeast District Director in 2025.
I am a Kent State University graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Public Health with a concentration in Environmental Health. Throughout my college career, I was very involved in the College of Public Health and gained experiences through internships. I was an intern for Kent State’s Environmental Health & Safety Department, and I was a water quality intern for Lorain County Public Health. When I graduated, I was offered a position as a Sanitarian-in-Training (SIT) at the Portage County Health District in the Stormwater Program. Eight years later, my career has evolved with experience, knowledge and maturity working in all the water quality programs as a Registered Environmental Health Specialist (REHS). I am still a field inspector through and through, but I have recently taken on the position as the GIS Coordinator at the Portage County Health District. This position allows me combine my passions of Environmental Health and Geospatial Data Programming. It is truly amazing what we learning from all the data we are collecting and visuals we creating just by completing our daily inspections! It shows that what we do as EHSIT/REHS is significant and the reason why it is important to become involved.
I am proud of being a member of OEHA and being part of the planning committee. There are years’ worth of experience on the Northeast Planning Committee that are committed in making this a fantastic conference!
2025 Northeast OEHA Fall Educational Conference
Hello All,
The Northeast OEHA Planning Committee is very excited to present this year’s fall conference at the Hilton Garden Inn in Twinsburg, OH, on October 14 and 15, 2025. The conference theme is, “OEHA Protecting the Public from the Real Pollutant… Misinformation”. We can’t wait for you to join us and spend a few days with colleagues to network, learn, chat, and laugh a bit too!
The Planning Committee is proud to present our keynote this year. On Tuesday you will hear from Dennis Summers, DVM, DACVPM with “HPAI Overview, Regulatory Response Process, and Strategies.” This presentation will provide an overview of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza and discuss the regulatory process to responding to reports.
Again this year we are offering a two day track of presentations. Each day will provide Environmental Health Specialists (REHS) with CEU’s, pending Ohio Department of Health approval. Two-day conference attendees can earn twelve CEU’s and two pesticide credit hours. Please see our tentative agenda listed on OEHA website to see the sessions that will be available.
We will hold several fundraisers to support the George Eagle Scholarship Fund, so please remember to bring some cash for this great cause. A basket raffle will take place during the entirety of the conference. Additionally, we will have daily 50/50 raffles. The Planning Committee welcomes donations for the raffle items. Please feel free to reach out to me directly if you would like to donate.
The Hilton Garden Inn is at 8971 Wilcox Dr., Twinsburg, OH. Hotel accommodations for those wishing to stay overnight can be made directly by contacting the hotel at 330-405-4488. Rooms will be held for OEHA attendees at a special rate of $127 per night until September 13, 2025. Please mention you are with OEHA to obtain our special rate.
For any additional information regarding the conference or to nominate someone for the future District Director-Elect position, the Outstanding Sanitarian Award, or the Gary Matson Membership Recognition, please visit the OEHA website or contact me directly. We look forward to seeing all of you this fall!
In Your Service,
Emily Speck, REHS
Northeast OEHA District Director
330-296-9919 ext: 132
especk@portagehealth.net
Northeast District Planning Committee members
Emily SpeckDistrict Director | Tom Blackford |
Sara CochraneSummit County Health Dept. | Laura Fauss
|
Courtney GrossmanPast District Director Ohio EPAEnvironmental Specialist IINortheast District OfficeCourtney.Grossman@epa.ohio.gov330.963.1226
| Rebecca JewellSecretary |
Colton MastersPast District Director | Patty McConnellCanton City Public Health |
Sue McFaddenHappily Retired | Dakota MorganMahoning County Public Health |
Courtney MyersTreasurer Stark County Health Department | Melissa O'ConnellMedina County Health Department |
John PavelStark County Health Dept | Keith RileyHappily Retired
|
Mary Helen SmithHappily Retired! Email: mhsmith@neo.rr.com
| Karleigh SpenceNew Philadelphia City Health Dept. |