LEHA awards two educational scholarships each year in order to encourage outstanding students in the environmental health field. Two scholarships of $1000.00 each are awarded, one to an undergraduate and one to a graduate student. Students may be nominated by any LEHA member in good standing or any official of an accredited university or college offering a degree program in Environmental Health.

The Undergraduate recipient, Jill E. Matte was attending Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, and the Graduate recipient, Angela R. Guidry was attending McNeese State University in Lake Charles at the time of the award. Both recipients were in New Orleans to accept the scholarships in January 2001.

Walter G. Pichon, III, R.S. is the recipient of the 2001 Outstanding Registered Sanitarian Award. Mr. Pichon is married, and has four children. He received a degree in Biology from Dillard University in New Orleans in 1978. Walter is a 23-year veteran of the Department of Health, beginning his career as a Sanitarian with the Orleans Parish Sanitarian Services in 1979. In 1991, he accepted a promotion with the Food and Drug Unit as a Sanitarian Coordinator. In August 2000, he was promoted to a Sanitarian Program Manager for the Food and Drug Unit, encompassing the Tanning Program which included commercial body art and piercing program. Walter has been very active in the commercial body art program and served as liaison for LEHA in the 2001 educational health conference in New Orleans. He has been a Board member of the Louisiana Environmental Health Association for many years.

James J. Balsamo, Jr., MS, MPH, MHA, RS, CSP, CHMM, DLAAS is the recipient of the 2001 Outstanding Environmental Professional Award. Mr. Balsamo has two sons. He is a 1967 graduate of Louisiana State University of Baton Rouge (BS in Pre-Med); 1969 graduate of Louisiana State University of Baton Rouge (MS in Dairy Nutrition Research); and 1973 graduate of Tulane University (Masters in Medical Care Administration) and 1996 graduate of Tulane University (Masters in Public Health and Tropical Medicine). Jim began his career as a Sanitarian and was promoted to Deputy Director of the Bureau of Personal Health Protection of the New Orleans Health Department. He has worked for Tulane University for 27 years, 20 of those years as the Director of the Office of Environmental Health and Safety. He has been interested in environmental health his entire career, as shown through his involvement in professional organizations at the state and federal levels, and having served on many committees and been elected as board member and officer on these organizations for many years. He is Past President of the Louisiana Environmental Health Association (1974 and 1984), and soon to be President of the National Environmental Health Association. Although his achievements are too numerous to mention, below are a few: Registered Professional Sanitarian (state and national), Certified Hazard Control Manager, Certified Hazardous Materials Manager, Certified Health care Safety Professional, executive level. Certified Food Safety Professional, etc.