CAPT Michael M. Welch
Chief Environmental Health Officer, U.S. Public Health Service

CAPT Welch was selected as the Chief Professional Officer for the Environmental Health Officer category effective November 1, 2009. As Chief Environmental Health Officer CAPT Welch provides leadership and coordinates the Public Health Service (PHS) Environmental Health Officers professional affairs for the Office of the Surgeon General and the Department. CAPT Welch provides guidance and advice to the Surgeon General and the Environmental Health Professional Advisory Committee (EH-PAC) on matters such as recruitment, retention, and career development of PHS Environmental Health Officers.

CAPT Welch received his bachelor in science in biology from Tennessee Technological University in 1983. He began his career in Environmental Health with the State of Tennessee Public Health Department in 1984. CAPT Welch completed his master’s in environmental health from East Tennessee State University in 1988.

CAPT Welch joined USPHS in 1990 and was detailed to the Bristol Bay Area Health Corporation in Dillingham, AK, as a Field Environmental Health Officer. He served as the Director of Environmental Health at Bristol Bay Health Corporation before transferring to Phoenix Area Indian Health Service in 1994 as a District Environmental Health Officer. CAPT Welch was selected as the Director for Environmental Health Services in Phoenix Area in 2001. In 2007, he was appointed by the Area Director as the Acting Associate Director for the Office of Environmental Health and Engineering. The Phoenix Area Office of Environmental Health and Engineering provides environmental health, sanitation facilities construction and health care facilities construction services to 43 Tribes. CAPT Welch has program responsibility for 75 professional, administrative, and technical support personnel, an annual budget in excess of $35M, and administrative/management responsibility for 20 Environmental Health Officers and 25 Engineers.

CAPT Welch is a graduate of the Indian Health Service Executive Leadership Development Program, is a Standardized FDA Inspection Officer, and Certified Health Care Environmental Manager. He is a member of the American Academy of Sanitarians and has been a regular Corps officer since 1997. Captain Welch has received numerous awards including the Society of American Military Engineers Cumming Award, Health and Human Services Directors Award and the IHS Environmental Health Officer of the Year Award.