OSHEM and OEM move to the Office of the Under Secretary for Administration
OSHEM Director Rich Wright and OEM Director Eric Gentry will report directly to Under Secretary Ron Cortez.
Effective March 1, the Office of Safety, Health, and Environmental Management and the Office of Emergency Management will move from the Smithsonian Facilities structure to become separate units of the Office of the Under Secretary for Administration. OSHEM Director Rich Wright and OEM Director Eric Gentry will join the OUSA Cabinet, reporting directly to Under Secretary Ron Cortez
This reorganization recognizes the vital importance of the OSHEM and OEM missions to all aspects of Smithsonian life.
For more than 40 years, OSHEM has led the Institution’s programs in safety, occupational health and wellness, fire protection, industrial hygiene, and environmental management. OSHEM professionals are dedicated to ensuring a safe and healthful environment for our workforce, visitors, property and collections.
Established in 2015, OEM oversees the Smithsonian Emergency Management Program under SD 109. It coordinates the pan-SI Emergency Operations Group with representatives of every unit and keeps us all informed and connected through the Smithsonian Communications Center and LiveSafe app.
“I join Secretary Bunch and Deputy Secretary Park in viewing protection and promotion of health and safety, protection of the environment we occupy, and emergency preparedness as essential priorities for the Institution,” said Under Secretary Cortez. “COVID 19 has challenged us dramatically on these fronts, and Directors Gentry and Wright, OSHEM Associate Director for Occupational Health Dr. Anne Christensen, and their dedicated staff have brought exceptional leadership and expertise to the Smithsonian response. Now, reporting directly and regularly to me, these colleagues will have an even greater voice as SI prepares for and meets new challenges ahead,” he continued. “I want to thank Smithsonian Facilities Director Nancy Bechtol for leading OSHEM and OEM successfully over many years. Nancy has helped develop these teams into the tremendous Institutional assets they are today.”
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Posted: 1 March 2022
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