Captain Michael M. Welch, RSEH, MSEH, U.S. Public Health Service Chief Environmental Health Officer
Captain Michael M. Welch was selected as the Chief Professional Officer for the Environmental Health category effective November 1, 2009. As the Chief Environmental Health Officer, Captain Welch is responsible for providing leadership and coordination of the Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service (Corps) environmental health affairs for the Office of the Surgeon General and the Department of Health and Human Services. Captain Welch will provide guidance and advice to the Surgeon General and the Environmental Health Officer Professional Advisory Committee (EHOPAC) on matters such as recruitment, retention and career development of Corps Environmental Health Officers.
Captain Welch began his career with the State of Tennessee Health Department in 1984. He worked as a Field Sanitarian, District Sanitarian and Deputy Regional Director before joining the USPHS in 1990. His first assignment with IHS was as a Field Environmental Health Officer detailed to the Bristol Bay Area Health Corporation in Dillingham, Alaska. He also served as the Director for Environmental Health and Safety at Bristol Bay before transferring to Phoenix Area IHS as the Western Arizona District Environmental Health Officer in 1994. Captain Welch was selected as the Phoenix Area Environmental Health Services Branch Chief in 2001 and served in that capacity until 2007. Since 2007 he has served as the Acting Director for the Phoenix Area Office of Environmental Health and Engineering. Captain Welch has program responsibility for a staff of 75 professional, administrative and technical support personnel, a budget in excess of $35M and supervisory oversight for 20 Environmental Health Officers and 25 Engineers.
Captain Welch graduated from Tennessee Technological University with a BS in Biology and East Tennessee State University with a Masters of Science in Environmental Health Administration. He has completed the IHS Executive Leadership Development Program, is a Standardized FDA Inspection Officer, and Certified Healthcare Environmental Manager. He is a member of the American Academy of Sanitarians and a Regular Corps Officer (1997). Captain Welch has received numerous awards including the Society of American Military Engineers Cumming Award, the Health and Human Services Directors Award the Phoenix Area Environmental Health Officer of the Year and the IHS Environmental Health Officer of the Year Award. He currently serves as the key advisor to the Phoenix Area Director on a multitude of issues related to Environmental and Public Health.
Captain Welch is married to his wife Amy and they have one son, Christopher.
If you are a student or an environmental health professional interested in the Commissioned Corps, take the next step! E-mail us your questions, call us at 800-279-1605, or apply online now.