| Staff Profiles |  | |
Safety & Health Assessment & Research for Prevention (SHARP) — Research for Safe Work
SHARP's team of researchers offer expertise in economics, epidemiology, ergonomics, industrial hygiene, occupational medicine and nursing, safety, toxicology, and computer systems.
For additional information about the Safety & Health Assessment & Research for Prevention (SHARP) program, please contact us.
| SHARP staff | |
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Darrin Adams is the Information Technology Specialist for SHARP. Darrin graduated with a BS in Computer Science Engineering from the United States Military Academy, West Point, NY in 1991. Darrin came to the Department of Labor and Industries in 1998 and has worked for the Data Warehouse Technical Team, and Actuarial Services.
Naomi Anderson is an Epidemiologist at SHARP. Naomi received her BA in Sociology from San Diego State University and her Masters' in Public Health from the University of California at Los Angeles. Before entering the occupational health and safety field, Naomi worked in communicable disease control and in tobacco control and prevention. Naomi's research interests include social and behavioral risk factors, health disparities and survey design/methodology. Naomi is currently working in SHARP's Occupational Surveillance Program on health indicators and asthma. Naomi is also researching work-related amputations.
Stephen Bao is an Ergonomist in SHARP. Stephen received his Ph.D. and Licentiate both in Industrial Ergonomics from the Luleå University of Technology, Sweden, an MS in Orthopaedic Biomechanics from Shanghai Second Medical University, and a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Shanghai Jiaotong University. Before joining SHARP in November, 1997, Stephen spent over 12 years in ergonomic research and consultation with the University of Waterloo (Canada), Advanced Ergonomics Inc. (Canada), Ergonomics Plus Inc. (Canada), Atlas Copco Tools (Sweden), the Swedish National Institute for Working Life, Luleå University of Technology, and Tongji Medical University (China). Stephen's major research interests include physical exposure assessment and workplace ergonomics risk evaluation, ergonomics intervention and hand tool ergonomics.
David Bonauto is the occupational medicine physician at SHARP. David did his undergraduate work at Bowdoin College in 1987 and did research in private industry from 1987 to 1989. He went to medical school at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons receiving his MD degree in 1993. He trained in Internal Medicine at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center in New York receiving his board certification in 1996. After two years practicing as an internist, David did public health training at the University of Washington receiving his MPH in 2000. David is a clinical instructor in Occupational Medicine in the Department of General Internal Medicine at the University of Washington. David's interests are chemically and biologically related illness as well as musculoskeletal disorders.
Scott K. Edwards, CSP, is a Safety Engineer in SHARP. Scott is a graduate of University of Central Missouri (formerly Central Missouri State University), Warrensburg, MO and has a BS in Industrial Safety. Scott has worked as an Industrial Health and Safety Specialist with a major aerospace company and as Safety Program Coordinator for a major North American Maritime Port. Scott brings a background in manufacturing, safety and health program assessment and risk management. Scott is a Professional Member of the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) and will be working to support the Trucking Industry Partnership as well as other health and safety research within SHARP.
Joyce Fan is an Epidemiologist at SHARP. She received her Ph.D. in Epidemiology from the Medical University of South Carolina, her MS degree in Food Science from Washington State University, and her MS degree in Plant Pathology from Beijing Forestry University. Joyce's major research interests include design and analysis of epidemiologic studies in environmental and occupational health and the fetal origins of adult chronic disease. She is currently working on SHARP's prospective study of upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders.
Michael Foley is an economist at SHARP. He is a doctoral candidate (ABD) in economics at the University of Michigan. Prior to coming to SHARP in 1997, he was an assistant professor of economics at Reed College in Portland, Oregon from 1992 to 1997 where he taught courses in microeconomic theory, economic history, environmental economics and the economics of safety. His primary research projects include a study of the health and safety implications of the growth of the contingent workforce, modeling the relationship between economic performance and occupational health and safety, and a study of the long-term economic and social impacts of carpal tunnel syndrome. In addition, Michael assists with other SHARP projects, including a survey of Washington State businesses on ergonomic exposures and injuries, a study of musculoskeletal hazards in sawmills, and workplace violence.
Ninica Howard has been an ergonomist at SHARP since 1997. She received her bachelor of science degree in kinesiology from Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, British Columbia and her MS in occupational ergonomics from the University of Massachusetts. Ninica has been involved in research in various industries including construction, dairy farming, nursing homes and tree nurseries. Her interests lie in the development and application of ergonomic exposure assessment, macro-ergonomics, and musculoskeletal epidemiology.
Edmund Rauser is a Research Data Manager for the SHARP program. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Manufacturing Engineering Technology from Western Washington University and is a licensed Professional Engineer in the state of Washington. Prior to joining the SHARP program in 2005 he was a new products development manufacturing engineer at the Medtronic Corporation, where he developed electronic defibulators for emerging markets. Prior to Medtronic he was a manufacturing engineer for the Plexus Corporation, a contract design and manufacturing company. Throughout his career Edmund has designed new products for ease of assembly and manufacturing in order to reduce work-related injury and illness. Transitioning products into production, Edmund has conducted ergonomic impact assessments to verify that manufacturing processes do not cause work-related injury or illness. Campaigning early in a product development process for elegant designs, Edmund has helped limit work-related injuries while maximizing product manufacturing performance.
Barbara Silverstein is SHARP's Research Director. She received her MS degree in nursing from the University of California San Francisco, her MPH in Epidemiology and Environmental and Industrial Health from the University of Michigan, and her Ph.D. in Epidemiologic Science from the University of Michigan. She has worked on ergonomics-related issues at OSHA, the University of Michigan Center for Ergonomics, the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, and the California Department of Health Services. Her major areas of research have been identification and control of work-related musculoskeletal disorders, comparison of surveillance methods and intervention studies to control these disorders. She has conducted field research in a number of industries, including electronics, meat, poultry and fish processing, newspaper publishing, appliance manufacturing, medical equipment manufacturing, office work environment, pulp and paper mills, aluminum mills, automotive manufacturing.
Tom Sjostrom is Safety Engineer in SHARP. Tom is a graduate of Mitchell College, New London, CT in General Science & Engineering and has a BS in Occupational Safety and in Industrial Hygiene from the University of New Haven, CT. Tom also attended the University of New Haven Graduate School for an MS in Environmental Engineering/ Environmental Science. Tom worked as a Research Scientist with a Pharmaceutical company and as a Health & Safety Manager and Safety Director in the Pharmaceutical, Chemical, Forest Products/Pulp & Paper Industries. Tom is a member of the Hazardous Materials Control Research Institute, ASSE, AIHA, NFPA, ASCE and will be working to support the FACE program and health & safety research within SHARP.
Caroline Smith is an epidemiologist in SHARP. Caroline received her Masters' in Public Health from the University of Washington. Caroline's research interests include musculoskeletal disorders, work-life balance, contingent workers and other special populations such as older workers and immigrant populations. Caroline is also interested in the areas of social epidemiology, health communication and program evaluation. Caroline currently supports the Washington Occupational Surveillance Program as well as SHARP's Prospective study of upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders.
Carolyn Reeb Whitaker is an Industrial Hygienist at SHARP. She graduated with a Bachelor's in Human Ecology from College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor, Maine in 1992. From 1993 to 1999, Carolyn conducted research on occupational laboratory animal allergy at the Jackson Laboratory. Her research focused on identifying ventilation and work-practice strategies for the control of aeroallergens in an animal facility. In 2001, she completed her Master's degree in Industrial Hygiene from the University of Washington with a focus on task-based exposure assessment of noise in the construction industry. Carolyn provides industrial hygiene support for SHARP's Healthy Workplaces Project.
Steve Whittaker is SHARP's toxicologist. Steve graduated from University College London with a Ph.D. in Microbiology/Toxicology in 1982. Subsequently, Steve spent seven years at the University of California at Berkeley performing molecular-genetic research and two years at the University of Washington where he studied the the basis of birth defects. Steve is an Affiliate Assistant Professor with the University of Washington, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences (depts.washington.edu). From September 1991 to February 1996, Steve provided toxicological support for Seattle-area environmental consulting companies. Steve has been with SHARP since April 1996, where he provides a toxicological resource for L&I and external customers. Steve's recent research interests include advances in human health risk assessment, applying risk assessment methods to occupational settings, health effects associated with toxigenic fungi, isocyanate exposures in the collision repair industry, and the toxicology of metalworking fluids. Steve is also the Principal Investigator on SHARP's NIOSH-funded Adult Blood Lead Epidemiology and Surveillance (ABLES) program.
