The CT Valley Chapter of ASSP as well as the Western Mass Section will be holding elections for chapter and section officers for the 2023-2024 year, which begins July 1, 2023. The official ballot with instructions on how to vote will be sent out on Friday, June 2nd and the ballot will close on Friday, June 9th. The ballot will be emailed out by ASSP Chapter Services, members that have unsubscribed from chapter email will not receive a ballot in their inbox. Please review the ballot slate for each position below.
President: Benjamin Weidman, CSP
Ben has over 7 years of experience in the safety and health field and has been a member of the ASSP both at Keene State College and with the CT Valley Chapter. Ben is currently the President-Elect for the ASSP CT Valley Chapter. Ben is currently an EHS Program Manager for Medtronic in North Haven, CT. He oversees several safety and health programs for over 2,800 employees at the North Haven Campus which includes both manufacturing as well as research and development operations.
Ben holds both a Bachelor of Science (’17) and Masters of Science (’18) in Safety and Occupational Health Applied Sciences from Keene State College. He also holds the professional designation of Certified Safety Professional (CSP).
President Elect: Gabriella Gajowiak, CSP
Gabriella joined the Magic Kingdom safety team as an entry-level Associate Safety Professional following a year-long occupational safety internship with Walt Disney World. Her enthusiasm and commitment to learn how to build successful partnerships with all levels led her to her to becoming an integral part of the Disney’s Hollywood Studios team as a Safety Professional. As an active member of the ASSP Central Florida Chapter, Gabriella took on the role of chapter Vice President. Since then, Gabriella moved into a new position as a Health and Safety Manager with ESPN based out of Bristol, CT and looks forward to continuing an active membership with the ASSP CT Valley Chapter. Gabriella has been honored as a National Safety Council Rising Star for her professional accomplishments, selected by the Board of Certified Safety Professionals to participate in ASP Job and Task Analysis Panel, and is the 2021 recipient of the Central Florida Chapter SPY Award.
Vice President: Melissa Noyes
Melissa Noyes has been an ASSP member for 20 years, holding various leadership roles in the CT Valley Chapter and Kentucky Chapter. Melissa has led Safety programs in aerospace, engineering and industrial facilities throughout CT and KY since 2000. She has a BS in Occupational Safety from Keene State and an MS from Rochester Institute of Technology. Melissa spends her free time cheering on and supporting her teenage children’s activities and traveling to Breweries throughout New England with her husband.
Treasurer: Davide Roncari, CSP
Davide has 23 years’ experience in the EHS field, working in the manufacturing, pharmaceutical, and utilities industries. Davide is currently an EHS Manager at Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals in Ridgefield, CT, where he focuses on Occupational Safety, Construction Safety, Injury/Illness Prevention, and Emergency Response.
Davide holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Safety Administration from Mercy College and has been a Certified Safety Professional (CSP) since 2011. Davide is a former volunteer firefighter in Enfield, CT, SeaCliff, NY, and Croton-on-Hudson, NY.
Secretary: Kevin Galotti, CSP
Kevin has twelve years of experience in the safety field and has been a member of the ASSP for six years. Kevin is a past President of the CT Valley Chapter from the 2020-2021 year where the chapter earned its first platinum award. Kevin has 12 years of retail safety experience. However, Kevin has recently transitioned into a new role as the Director of Environmental Health and Safety for Travelers Insurance where he is responsible for the safety and health of 30,000 employees. Along with a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from the University of New Haven, Kevin holds a graduate certificate in Occupational Safety and Health from the University of Connecticut. He also holds the professional designation of Certified Safety Professional (CSP).
Western Mass Section Chairperson: Maryanne Steele, CSP
Maryanne has over twenty-three years of experience in the safety field and has been a member of the ASSP for seventeen years. She had held the positions of President Elect and President of the CT Valley Chapter from the 2016-2018, and has been the Chairperson of the Western Mass Chapter since 2011. Maryanne is the Assistant Director of Campus Fire and Safety Services at the UMass Amherst Campus, she has been at UMass for 17 years. She holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering and is a Certified Safety Professional.
Western Mass Section Secretary: Rob Wallace, ASP
Rob began his career in safety 10 years ago in a consulting firm as an industrial hygienist where he became the branch safety officer. For the past 7 years he has worked in higher education and is an Occupational Health and Safety Manager at his alma mater, UMass Amherst. He enjoys the challenges that come with working at a large university including large construction projects, educating university staff, working with students, and occasionally being involved in cutting edge research. Rob has served on the steering committee for the annual OSHA Summer Summit for the past 3 years. He has an BS in Environmental Science from UMass Amherst.