LEHA awards two educational scholarships per 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. Any LEHA member in good standing, or any official of an accredited university or college offering a degree program in Environmental Health may nominate students.

This year, the award recipient for the Undergraduate Scholarship was Candice Monique Spears. She is majoring in Chemical Engineering and is currently enrolled at LSU in Baton Rouge.

Jody Guidry, RS is the recipient of the 2003 Outstanding Registered Sanitarian Award.

John Dale Givens is the recipient of the 2003 Outstanding Environmental Professional Award. A native of Alexandria, Louisiana, Givens is married, has two sons and a grandson.

Throughout his 36-year career, Dale Givens has continually demonstrated his tireless dedication to the environment of the state of Louisiana. Over the last six and half years, under his guidance as Secretary, the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality has moved to the forefront on the national level as an example for sound environmental management. His insight into information technology has led to major innovations within the department over the last several years and his "open door" management approach has provided access to all and has ensured strong working relationships for DEQ with EPA, the state Legislature, industry, and environmental groups. Dale's leadership and guidance set a consistent direction for the department during his tenure.

John Dale Givens served as Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) from January 1996 until his retirement in August 2002. Givens is a career employee who worked for the state of Louisiana for 36 years and was with the DEQ since its inception in 1984. His tenure at DEQ included serving twice as Assistant Secretary for the Office of Water Resources. He also served as Administrator of the Technical Services Division and the Municipal Facilities Revolving Loan Program.

Givens received a B.S. in zoology in 1966 from Louisiana State University. He began his state career the same year with the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries as a biologist in the Water Pollution Control Division. He became Administrator of that division in 1979 and retained the position when the Water Pollution Control Division was transferred to the Department of Natural Resources in 1980. He has also served as the Executive Secretary of the Louisiana Stream Control Commission and as Technical Secretary for water with the Louisiana Environmental Control Commission.

He is a past President of the Association of State and Interstate Water Pollution Control Administrators and served as the Co-Chair of the Water Committee for the Environmental Council of States. He served as a Policy Advisory Board member on the Interstate Technology and Regulatory Cooperation Working Group and was Co-Chair of the Gulf of Mexico Program's Policy Review Board. He has also been a member of the Louisiana Environmental Health Association for 8 or more years, and has been a tremendous support to his staff working with the organization, and support of in-kind service to the association. He has also accepted our invitation and spoken to the group on many occasions.

He is a recipient of the Charles E. Dunbar, Jr. Career Service Award from the Louisiana Civil Service League, and the Professional Conservationist of the Year Award from the Louisiana Wildlife Federation.

He is an Executive Board Member of the Istrouma Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America, a Board Member of the La Capitol Federal Credit Union, a member of the Baton Rouge "Downtown" Kiwanis. Club, as well as other civic and governmental organizations.

James D. Miller, M.T. ASCP, CHMM, CPM is a recipient of the 2003 Presidential Citation. James is married and has three children.

He has done an outstanding job this year continuing to enhance the access database he created to maintain and track: finances, membership status, the Board of Directors positions and length of service for historical purposes; sponsorship and scholarship information, and many other items. He has also developed queries and specialized reports of his own design, and those requested by Board members throughout the year. Many nights and weekends were spent perfecting this database.

James helped Walter Pichon, Conference Coordinator with many items for the conference mail outs. He has continued to provide the workshop, conference, and speaker certificates, and nametags for the conference, as well as assemble the conference folders with personalized labels, and update the Presidential and Scholarship donation plaques.

Jodi G. Miller, CHMM, CPM, is a recipient of the 2003 Presidential Citation. She is married to James Miller.

Jodi helped James assemble the conference packets, tags, and speaker plaques. She also updated the web information on scholarships and award recipients, and updated the scholarship mail out packet and form for 2002. She obtained the Award plaques for the 2003 Annual Awards Luncheon, and was responsible for all of the Conference equipment.

As the photographer for the conference and secretary, she stayed busy during the conference as well.