Meet the Water Quality & Health Council

Who We Are:  The WQ&HC is a multidisciplinary group of independent experts sponsored by the American Chemistry Council’s Chlorine Chemistry Division.

The group’s knowledge and experience span science and medicine, public health policy, consumer advocacy, environmental engineering, risk assessment and emergency response.  In 2016, the American Chemistry Council and the WQ&HC will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the WQ&HC’s founding.

Our Mission:  The WQ&HC strives to protect public health by promoting knowledge of evidence-based practices and policies that enhance water quality and health. It separates science fact from fallacy and informs industry, health professionals, policy makers, and the public on a wide range of topics.

The Chlorine Connection:  Chlorine chemistry is used to help control infectious diseases that can be spread through contaminated drinking water, swimming pools and surfaces.  In 1991, the chlorine industry invited a small group of experts to serve as advisors on the appropriate use of chlorine for public health.  The current group includes four original members, designated below by asterisks.

The Members:  Each member of the WQ&HC brings a unique perspective to the group’s public health mission, based on technical expertise and professional experience.  The following summarizes this broad base of experience:

• Chair, Chris Wiant, PhD, is the chair of the WQ&HC and President and CEO of the Caring for Colorado Foundation, which funds health care projects throughout Colorado.  Dr. Wiant has been Executive Director of the Tri-County Health Department, serving nearly one million residents in Adams, Arapahoe and Douglas counties in Colorado.  He has been involved for many years in issues of national, state and local public health and environmental policy.  READ MORE
• Co-chair, Linda Golodner* has dedicated her professional career to advocating for consumer rights in healthcare, food and product safety.  She has also focused her work on corporate social responsibility and ethical behavior in the marketplace. She was President and CEO of the National Consumers League (NCL) from 1985 to 2007, is now President emeritus and represents NCL on several Boards and advisory groups.  Golodner is the principal of Consumer Initiatives, advising and consulting with government, nonprofit, and for profit organizations on consumer issues. READ MORE
• Bruce K. Bernard, PhD, is Founder and President of SRA International, Inc., a consulting firm started in 1982 and now based in Cambridge, Maryland, which serves clients in animal and human health and environmental sciences, particularly at the junction between science and regulations.  He has been retained by the National Academy of Sciences, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Mental Health, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Department of the Navy, Department of Defense, as well as consumer industries and legal entities.  READ MORE
• Stephen A. Hubbs, P.E., retired from the Louisville Water Company (LWC) in 2004 as Vice President of Water Quality and Production. His career at LWC encompassed areas of public water supply research, planning, operations, and executive management. His final project at LWC combined the sciences of bank filtration with tunneling, winning the American Society of Civil Engineers “Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement” award in 2011, the first time this award has been presented for a water supply project (and beating out the new Dallas Cowboys Stadium!).  READ MORE
• Ralph D. Morris, M.D., M.P.H.*, is currently a semi-retired physician in northern Minnesota working as the Medical Director for Greater Northwest EMS and volunteer in a variety of local community projects. His credentials include membership to the American Board of Preventive Medicine, Public Health and General Preventive Medicine (1986) and a Diplomat of the National Board of Medical Examiners (1975).  READ MORE
• Fred Reiff, P.E.*, is a registered professional engineer with over 55 years of experience that includes civil, environmental, ocean and public health engineering in both the private and government sectors at the local, national and international levels. Mr. Reiff is a retired official from both the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (WHO) and the U.S. Public Health Service.  READ MORE
• Joan B. Rose, PhD*, serves as the Homer Nowlin Chair in Water Research at Michigan State University, the Co-Director of the Center for Advancing Microbial Risk Assessment and Co-Director of the Center for Water Sciences. She is a member of the National Academy of Engineering, serves the International Water Association as part of US National Committee and works in Singapore advising the Public Utilities Board.  READ MORE
• Barbara M. Soule, RN, MPA, CIC, FSHEA, has worked in health care for over 40 years, serving as Director of Infection Control and Epidemiology for 25 years at Providence St. Peter Hospital in Olympia, Washington, and Director of Safety, and Director of Quality Management Services. In these roles she managed programs in quality and performance improvement, hospital epidemiology and infection control, risk management, clinical research, education, and care management services.  READ MORE
• Bob (Robert) G. Vincent has been an Environmental Administrator in the Florida Department of Health since 2003. He manages Department of Health programs for Healthy Marine Beaches, Safe Drinking Water, Water Well Surveillance and Public Pools and Bathing Places.  Mr. Vincent has 30 years of experience with the Florida Department of Health at local health departments, regional offices and headquarters in administration and environmental health field work in areas including:  public swimming pools and bathing places, drinking water, food sanitation, onsite sewage, group care, zoonotic vectors, contaminated water well surveillance, epidemiology, and emergency planning and response.  READ MORE

*Original member (beginning in 1991)