Member Spotlight: December 2023
Kevon Price
NC DOT HBCU Safety & Risk Management Fellow
Kevon Price has a bachelor’s degree from Elizabeth City State University in Emergency Management and is currently working toward a master’s degree at East Carolina University in Occupational Safety. He has served with Americorps NCCC as a FEMA Corps Member and IEM as a Disaster Recovery Apprentice. Kevon is currently serving the NC DOT as a Safety & Risk Management Fellow. This is a paid position offered to recent graduates of historically black colleges. One of the most meaningful programs Kevon has worked on with the NC DOT is the slip and fall simulator. The slip and fall training simulator uses glass panels, a harness system, and specialized shoe covers to simulate slippery surfaces and the act of slipping and falling on a low friction surface such as ice. At NC DOT, slips and falls make up a majority of the workers comp payouts. The simulator is used to train peoples’ bodies on how to respond to regain balance, in hopes to lower future cases. Kevon is currently working on getting real life experience, while building his resume and professional network.
Member Spotlight: September 2023
Jessica D. Frederick, SHRM-CP
Workers Compensation & Safety Coordinator
ECS Group of Companies
As an experienced HR professional with certifications from the Society for Human Resource Management – Certified Professional (SHRM-CP) and Professional in Human Resources (PHR), I’ve been managing workers’ compensation claims nationwide for the last year, in North Carolina for the prior two years and in Virginia for ten years before that. I possess an in-depth knowledge of the workers’ compensation claims process including working with medical providers, insurance carriers, and most importantly injured workers. My goal is to streamline processes and enhance communication between stakeholders. I am currently serving as the NC ASSP Chapter’s Award Chair. I attended the ASSP National Conference in San Antonio this year as a new ASSP member I am excited about the opportunity to learn more about the safety-side of the house!
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: FEBRUARY 2023
Elyse Barrick, CSP, WELL AP
Senior Manager & Site Lead EHS
Biogen Gene Therapy
Elyse Barrick is the Senior Manager, EHS and site lead for Biogen’s Gene Therapy facility currently under construction in Research Triangle Park, NC. After graduating with her BS in Environmental Sciences from the University of Toledo, she started her environmental career serving as a Peace Corps volunteer in La Paz Centro, Nicaragua teaching community environmental programs for 3-6 grade students. Upon returning to the US, she moved to Raleigh/Durham to start her first career position as an environmental scientist for an environmental and engineering consulting firm, mostly focused water and wastewater projects for the US government.
While leaving her office building one afternoon, the EHS project manager stopped her to correct an at-risk action of walking down the stairs while texting (her friend about Taylor Swift!) and it started a career shift that led her into the full environmental, health, and safety field. A few short weeks later, the same project manager reached out about the opportunity to provide some EHS consulting for a client in Santiago, Chile. Over the next few years, she supported the start-up of the client’s data center facility, built out their ISO 14001 and OSHAS 18001 (now ISO 45001) management structure, and developing a solid understanding of South American EHS regulations.
As Elyse realized that she thoroughly enjoyed the field of Environmental, Health, and Safety, she decided to transition back to a US based role working as on-site EHS specialist for Valspar and later a Sr. EHS Specialist for BioMerieux. While at BioMerieux, she was able to focus on manufacturing and laboratory safety, process improvements through LEAN and obtained her Certified Safety Professional designation. Most recently, she was the Safety Program Manager at RTI International and led achievement of the WELL Health and Safety Certification as response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Currently, she is focused on the start-up of operations at Biogen’s Gene Therapy facility, with a strong focus on building a sustainable management system, biological and recombinant DNA safety programs, and regulatory compliance programs.
Outside of work, she loves being outside, traveling with her husband, and learning about all types of construction equipment with her 3-year-old son. She loves to help her colleagues achieve success by providing them a safe and productive workplace and committing to Biogen’s patients by providing them with safe and quality treatments.