“The Hidden Profession”: NEHA President Larry Ramden on Making Environmental Health More Visible

Environmental Health is prevention—and prevention is hard to see. It's why they local news doesn't lead with "Another plane took off safely - details at 11"

In this episode of Beyond Data Management, host Cameron Garrison sits down with Larry Ramden, current President of NEHA (National Environmental Health Association) and longtime Massachusetts EH leader. Larry shares his journey from mosquito control technician in the Caribbean to state and local EH leadership in the U.S., why uniform adoption of the FDA Food Code matters, how to tell prevention’s story to the public, and a simple pizza-sauce fix that saved a restaurant money and improved food quality.

If you care about food safety, vector control, public communication, and the next generation of EH pros—this one’s packed.

What You’ll Learn:

How hands-on training (yes, even slaughterhouse work) builds better inspectors

Vector control in the Caribbean vs. the U.S.—and what still works today

Why Massachusetts’ structure (351 local boards) is unique—and what that means for consistency

The case for uniform Food Code adoption across jurisdictions

Tactics to fight burnout and the “hidden profession” problem by marketing EH to the public

Mentorship: creating value beyond the checklist and building the next generation

A real-world allergen/labeling miss that triggered a multi-state recall—what to watch for

Pool chemistry 101 order of operations (alkalinity → pH → chlorine) you can share with operators

Diversity, tech modernization, and why Larry’s optimistic about EH’s future

Chapters

00:00 Intro & guest welcome
02:15 Larry’s path: Caribbean training, biology, and early vector work
08:54 Meat inspection lessons & why process knowledge matters
13:40 Vector control at home visits, water storage, and tree holes
18:48 Moving to the U.S., education hurdles, and breaking into public health
25:30 Massachusetts model: local boards, home rule, and statewide consistency
31:10 Food safety focus: from state wholesale to local retail
38:05 “The hidden profession”: telling prevention’s story to the public
44:10 Marketing EH: open houses, NEHA storytelling, and community education
49:22 Case study: allergen mislabeling and a multi-state recall
55:40 Pool chemistry order that actually works (and how to teach it)
1:00:35 Uniform Food Code adoption—why it matters for operators & chains
1:06:10 Mentorship, imposter syndrome, and accelerating new inspectors
1:13:00 Diversity, technology, and recruiting the next generation
1:18:20 A pizza-sauce process fix that cut waste & improved quality
1:23:10 Closing thoughts: realism, optimism, and the future of EH

About Larry:

Larry Ramden is the President of NEHA and a veteran EH practitioner with decades across state and local roles, quality control in food manufacturing, and national training. His focus areas include food safety, mentorship, and elevating public understanding of EH’s impact.

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