Air Force Senior Health & Safety Operations Manager

RAFAEL G. CHARRIS, MS, CSP

**** ****** ***, *********, ******* 32539 • Home: 210-***-**** • ******.*******@*****.***

Operations and Occupational Health and Safety Leader

Passionate and committed health and safety professional with senior management experience focused on protecting workers and environment while balancing strategic goals and operational objectives. Demonstrated ability to collaborate with supervisors to develop, enhance and implement policy and programs. Works exceptionally well independently or as a leader or part of a team. Searches opportunities to create value and solve problems in all aspects of the job.

Professional Highlights

Over 20 years' experience specializing in occupational safety and health, industrial hygiene, radiation safety, emergency response management, health surveillance, incident investigation, and training

Over 5 years' distinguished executive management experience directing large military medical facility operations through increasingly responsible positions throughout the U.S. and abroad

Successful in achieving and surpassing goals, executing strategic objectives, evolving programs, managing projects, and developing human resources; adept in building cross-functional high-performance teams

Consistent evolving knowledge of applicable federal and consensus safety and health standards

Exceptional presentation and communications skills, both written and verbal; fluent in Spanish

Areas of Expertise

Program and Project Management • Strategic Planning • Regulatory Compliance • Creative Problem Solving • Staff Development • Transformational Leadership • Team Building • Process Improvement • Microsoft Office

Experience

Superintendent (Senior Operations Manager), 02/2014 to Current

U.S. Air Force, 96th Medical Group, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida

Principal advisor to the commander/CEO. Conducted strategic planning, developed performance metrics and helped formulate $97M budget/business plan, marketed health initiatives, delivered quality healthcare.

Demonstrated ability to lead 70 outstanding healthcare teams. Enabled 68 process improvement projects, resulting in 3 Best Patient Safety Program awards and twice recognized as Air Force Hospital of the Year.

Safety culture change agent. Logged 720 training hours on staff error-prevention, focused on enculturing the Air Force Surgeon General's "Zero Harm" vision; reinforced 61 clinic handoffs for 1,300 daily patients.

Superintendent (Senior Technical Operations Manager), 01/2012 to 02/2014

U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio

Led highly specialized staff of 192 industrial hygiene consultant and educators with $24M resources. Responsible for posturing worldwide readiness of 6 elite Air Force Radiation Assessment Teams.

Guided strategic direction and execution of occupational environmental safety and health surveillance, education and training, consultation and laboratory analysis support for 176 Air Force bases.

Developed 1,500 industrial hygiene specialists Air Force-wide through innovative evolution of technical advanced courses, setting benchmarks for similar Air Force preventive medicine specialty departments.

Achieved world-class results in laboratory compliance and restructured consultant division to project-based matrix, achieving efficiencies valued $900K. Resolved 3-year report backlog within 12 months.

Superintendent (Senior Operations Manager), 02/2010 to 12/2011

U.S. Air Force, 559th Medical Group, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas

Coordinated successful integration of the unit into larger parent organization. Led and planned conversion of emergency room to urgent care center. Oversaw Air Force’s largest annual outpatient 252K throughput.

Directed and organized training for over 300 medical personnel. Ensured proper classification and upgrades and mission readiness. Trained/documented workflows, executed comprehensive training plan.

Planned and conducted medical response exercises with installation/community to prepare for national disasters and evacuation procedures. Coordinated medical emergency plans to maximize capabilities.

Squadron Superintendent, (Operations Manager), 10/2007 to 02/2010

U.S. Air Force, 35th Aerospace Medicine Squadron, Misawa Air Base, Japan

Advised the commander/CEO on capability of 68 Air Force preventive medicine personnel assets. Executed medical mission to protect 10K residents and in support of Pacific theater of medical operations.

Helped develop & executed a $659K annual budget and ensured optimal execution of expenditures.

Aggressively incorporated HAZMAT response capability within installation infrastructure. Designed interagency response exercises and joint training curriculum for 25 installation field responders.

Optimized team industrial hygiene; accelerated emergency response 25%, achieved full health risk survey rates with 65% manning. Instituted rapid respirator protection procedures during Avian flu outbreak.

Manager, 10/2005 to 10/2007

U.S. Air Force, Bioenvironmental Engineering Flight, Travis Air Force Base, California

Managed 22 technicians and safety, industrial hygiene programs for 110 industrial facilities with over 14K employees. Controlled $105K operating budget and maintained $315K equipment inventory.

Recognized and resolved capability shortfalls. Restructured team emergency response and partnered with installation agencies to standardize procedures, eliminate training gaps and investigate incidents.

Streamlined quantitative fit-testing program to save 500 hours per year with enhanced customer service.

Managed 165 regional EHS specialists. Balanced manning experience across 6 installations in 12 months. Reduced competency timelines by 3 months across 12 bases.

Industrial Hygiene and Occupational Health Technician to Manager, 03/1998-10/2005

U.S. Air Force, Various Assignments at Edwards Air Force Base, Korea, and Kirtland Air Force Base, NM

Led 26-member team conduct occupational and environmental health surveillance on 10K processes and 7K workers, systematically reducing risk through exposure assessments and job hazard analyses.

Directed Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear response as well as HAZMAT response operations. Conducted investigations on incidents involving spills, overexposures, illnesses or injuries.

Radiation Safety Officer. Planned 2-year radon multi-phase project for 1K residents in base housing units.

Education

M.S., Safety Engineering and Homeland Security, National University, La Jolla CA 2013

B.S., Industrial Technology, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale IL 2007

A.S., Bioenvironmental Engineering, Community College of the Air Force, Maxwell AL 1993

A.S., Drafting and Design, Don Bosco Technical Institute, Rosemead CA 1987

Certifications and Training Highlights

Certified Safety Professional (CSP), Board of Certified Safety Professionals, Cert # CSP-32224 2016

OSHA 501 Authorized OSHA General Industry Trainer, License # 25-000******, 2017

Continuous Process Improvement Six Sigma Green Belt Course 2016

OSHA 510 30-hr Construction Industry Course, OSHA 511 30-hr General Industry Course

24-hr HAZMAT Operations Level 2008

Confined Space Training for Entrant, Attendant and Supervisor, Laser Systems Safety Officer, 1995

Ionizing Radiation Management Course, Radiological Control Technician

Advanced Industrial Hygiene, Nuclear Emergency Team Operations, Hazardous Waste Operations 1994

Nuclear Hazards Training Course, Bioenvironmental Engineering Readiness & Contingency Course

Laser and Radiofrequency Hazards Course 1993

Industrial Radiological Hazards Course, Industrial Hygiene Measurements 1992

Affiliations

American Society of Safety Engineers • American Industrial Hygiene Association • American Society for Quality • American Conference of Industrial Hygienists • Project Management Institute

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