ABOUT
The Ag Health & Safety Alliance™ provides health and safety programs tailored specifically to our audience. We find creative, fun and exciting ways to engage our audience on the vitally important topics of ag health and safety.
Our team includes partnerships with individuals and organizations who are interested in this type of education and interaction to promote health and safety at the local, regional, national, and international levels.
Our organization embraces the idea of agriculture as a global community with a wealth of resources and organizations to assist with the ongoing development and promotion of dynamic programs.
Ag Health & Safety Alliance™ is:
Tailoring & customizing programs
for the next generation of agriculture
Partnering to develop teams
dedicated to the agricultural industry
Promoting & enabling
sustainable farm families
Focused on developing
behavioral change
Sharing knowledge through
storytelling & hands-on learning
Not just a curriculum;
our engaging programs are
fun & entertaining
Team
Carolyn Sheridan RN, BSN
Founder/ President
I grew up on a dairy farm in Northwest Iowa and continue to farm with my husband in the same area. As a registered nurse I received specialized Agricultural Health and Safety training that helped me understand the health and safety hazards associated with farming, ranching and all types of agriculture.
I have spent most of my career developing and delivering agricultural occupational health and safety services and programs to all generations of agriculture. The development of a program designed to address the health and safety issues for College Ag students has been a passion of mine which allows me to connect with students across North America and around the globe.
As an instructor for Agricultural Medicine Courses I have the opportunity to collaborate with individuals and organizations to enable health and safety professionals in the prevention of occupational illnesses and injuries among members of the agricultural community.
I also enjoy speaking on a variety of agricultural health and safety topics. Speaking engagements include local, regional, national and international venues with presentations tailored to the needs of the organization and audience.
David Sullivan Adv, Dip FBM
Program Director
I was raised on my family’s farm in Western Australia, which specialized in broad acre cropping and sheep production. I then completed my studies in Agricultural Farm and Business Management at Marcus Oldham College, which is Australia’s Premier Ag University. After graduation I had the opportunity to work in the live export industry and then manage a large scale cattle station. In 2006 I relocated to Canada where a short venture in construction health and safety gave me the additional knowledge to pursue a career in health and safety. I am a farmer, without a farm so focusing on agricultural health and safety is my true calling.
My work with the College Ag program in North America offers an opportunity to reach the next generation of agriculture in a fun and interactive way. Bringing the international health and safety perspective to students is an important way of connecting with students who are involved in agriculture.
Jenna Gibbs, MPH, PhD
Project Coordinator and Educator
I grew up in rural Southwest Missouri, in an agricultural area famous for its diverse agricultural landscape. Throughout high school, I played sports, was involved in FFA, and was very interested in biology and plant physiology. I took these passions to the University of Iowa, where I played Division I basketball and pursued a BA in biology/plant physiology and a master’s degree in public health. I then studied pesticide safety for my doctoral dissertation in Washington State. For the past four years, I have worked at the Great Plains Center for Agricultural Health at the University of Iowa, working on topics like hearing conservation, personal protective equipment, mental health, livestock production, pesticide safety, and hot/cold stressors. As project coordinator and educator, I assist with data analysis, reporting, grant writing, and trainings.
My family moved back to the Midwest to maintain our small family farm in Eastern Iowa. I believe in the impact of the Gear Up for Ag Safety™ Program because my own family, neighbors, and friends are that next generation!
Kayla Walls, Graduate Student
Outreach and Educational Program Intern
Growing up on a grain farm in western Ohio instilled in me a passion for the agricultural industry. As a former member of FFA and 4-H, I found a calling for educating youth. Combining these interests into one, I decided to pursue a career in agricultural safety and health with the ambition to help youth remain safe on their family farms.
I am currently a graduate student at Iowa State University majoring in Industrial and Agricultural Technology with a specialization in Occupational Safety. For my master’s thesis, I am researching the factors affecting youths’ decisions to enter grain bins. Prior to my current educational endeavor, I received a B.S. Degree in Agriscience Education from The Ohio State University.
My role on the Ag Health and Safety Alliance team consists of developing new curriculum for the Gear Up for Ag Health and SafetyTM program, analyzing evaluation data, and assisting with training sessions. It is my career goal to keep farm families safe, healthy, and whole!
Board of Directors
Carolyn Sheridan, RN, BSN
Founder
Ag Health and Safety Alliance
Carolyn Sheridan grew up on a dairy farm in Northwest Iowa and continues be involved in their family farm in the same area. As a registered nurse she received specialized Agricultural Health and Safety and has spent most of her career developing and delivering agricultural occupational health and safety services and programs to health and safety professionals and all generations of agriculture. Her passion has led her to focus on the development of the Ag College program to address the health and safety issues for College Ag students.
Greenville, IA
Andrew (OP) McCubbins
Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communications
Texas A&M University
OP McCubbins is an Assistant Professor of Agricultural Education at Texas A&M. OP teaches courses in the Agricultural Sciences degree program. His research interests focus on STEM integration including the use of augmented, mixed, and virtual reality in agriculture. He is also a member of the American Association for Agricultural Education (AAAE), the National Association of Agricultural Educators (NAAE), and the North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture (NACTA) where he provides ongoing guidance and support to Ag students across North America.
Curtis Weber
President/ CEO
C Weber Consulting Ltd.
Curtis Weber comes from Battleford, Saskatchewan, Canada, where he has been inspiring and influencing change in safety behaviours and risk management internationally, for over 10 years. Working in safety as a Trainer, Consultant, Officer and Speaker, following a near fatal workplace incident, Curtis has been able to develop a unique way of challenging audiences to change the way they perceive safety. Curtis believes that before we can develop or change a safety/organizational culture, first we must understand and influence human behaviours towards safety.
Battleford, Saskatchewan, S0M 0E0
Bryan Weichelt, PhD, MBA
Project Scientist
National Farm Medicine Center, National Children’s Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety
Marshfield Clinic Research Institute
Bryan Weichelt grew up on a 65-cow dairy farm in central Wisconsin that sprouted his pursuit of a career in ag, rooted in five generations of tradition, hard work, and family. He is a Project Scientist at the National Farm Medicine Center (NFMC) and the National Children’s Center for Rural and Agricultural Health & Safety (NCCRAHS) focusing his research on the development, use, and adoption of technology to improve the health and safety of farmers, ranchers, their families, employees and visitors.
Marshfield, WI
Robby Frutchey
Lecturer in Charge
Iowa State University
AG450 Farm
Robby Frutchey is the Lecturer in Charge for the Iowa State University, AgEds 450 Farm which is the only completely student managed farm at a land grant university in the United States. The Ag 450 Farm is a place for production agriculture, but more importantly, it is an educational classroom. The primary goal of the Ag 450 Farm is to educate agricultural education and studies students about farm management practices. Robby leads students as they are involved in everyday management decisions and practices of a typical central Iowa farm.
Ames, IA
Risto Rautiainen
UNMC College of Public Health Director
Central States Center for Agricultural Safety and Health (CS-CASH)
Risto Rautiainen grew up on a farm in Finland. He has MS in agriculture from the University of Helsinki and PhD in Occupational and Environmental Health from the University of Iowa. He is professor at the University of Nebraska, College of Public Health, and he directs the NIOSH-funded Central States Center for Agricultural Safety and Health in Omaha, Nebraska. His main interest is in studying why agricultural injuries happen and how they can be prevented. He has over 30 years of experience in agricultural safety and health research and outreach in Finland, Canada and the US.
Omaha, NE
Brenda Schoepp NSch
Farmer, Author, Speaker, Mentor
Brenda lives and loves agriculture as a farmer and industry leader. A professional mentor, writer and speaker she inspires and empowers young men and women internationally and has worked in food systems globally. She is a published author with translations in several languages and her work was featured at UK World Food Day 2014, the Global Economic Summit 2015, FAO of the United Nations 2016, and in 2017 at Salon International De L’Agriculture (SIA) in Paris. Brenda is a Nuffield Scholar (Canada) and is currently a graduate student MA Global Leadership at Royal Roads University in Victoria. She is an advocate for gender equality and strong supporter of safe rural communities, youth and literacy.
Victoria BC, Canada
Jana Davidson
Education Content Specialist
Progressive Agriculture Foundation®/Progressive Agriculture Safety Days®
Jana Davidson serves as the Education Content Specialist for the Progressive Agriculture Foundation. Jana is responsible for curriculum maintenance and development for the Progressive Agriculture Safety Day program, as well public relations and marketing. She also serves as a trainer of the Safety Day coordinators that host more than 400 events annually throughout North America. Jana received her B.S. Degree from the Pennsylvania State University in Agribusiness Management and went on to earn a Masters of Education Degree in Teaching & Curriculum. Prior to joining the Progressive Agriculture Foundation, Jana served as a 4-H Extension Educator with Penn State Cooperative Extension and has been a Progressive Agriculture Safety Day Coordinator in her local community since 2007. Jana serves in the role of secretary on the Ag Health & Safety Alliance Board
Birmingham, AL