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atalie Adan Interview, continued...
GEHA: What can other residents do to help improve Georgia's environment?
Natalie Adan: Georgia residents are purchasing more locally grown products, which has increased rapidly
over the last 10 years. This not only helps reduce the carbon footprint but also helps support our community.
The Georgia Department of Agriculture launched the Georgia Grown program in 2012, which strives to
identify Georgia Grown products to consumers and educate them on their seasonality and preparation. The
Georgia Grown program includes the creation of a new certification mark that agriculture producers,
retailers, and restaurants can easily use on their products to identify them as being grown in Georgia. The
Department of Agriculture also built a new Georgia Grown test kitchen, which is used to test recipes and
film cooking and food safety demonstrations using Georgia Grown products.
GEHA: As Director of Consumer Food Safety Division at the Georgia Department of Agriculture,
what do you see as the greatest achievement for environmental health in Georgia in the last 5 years?
Natalie Adan: Federal grant funding has allowed public health programs to move their programs forward at
a master pace. The grants have also allowed us the opportunity to work more cooperatively together with all
the stakeholders and better harmonize our efforts towards our common goal of protecting public health.
GEHA: What is most rewarding to you about your work?
Natalie Adan: The most rewarding part of my job is helping to make a difference by providing education
and outreach for both industry and consumers.
GEHA: Who have been the major influences in your life?
Natalie Adan: I have been fortunate to have a number of influences in my career in food safety. Through
my participation in the International Food Protection Training Institute (IFPTI) Fellowship in Food Safety, I
was able to form a strong bond with officials from 10 other State/Local agencies that have proven to be long
lasting with the benefits of collaboration on a variety of projects. The IFPTI Fellowship experience also
provided me with the opportunity to develop a professional relationship with Mentors from the Food Safety
arena and collaborate with IFPTI on other projects.
A variety of food safety and public health associations such as the Georgia Environmental Health
Association (GEHA), National Environmental Health Associations (NEHA), Georgia Association of Food
Protection (GAFP), International Association of Food Protection (IAFP), Association of Food and Drug
Officials (AFDO), and Association of Food and Drug Officials of the Southern States (AFDOSS) have been
beneficial in meeting colleagues and providing the educational training necessary to develop my career.
In addition, I have had colleagues within the Georgia Department of Agriculture that have provided me the
opportunity to advance my career with the knowledge, skills, ability, and resources needed to be a
successful leader.
GEHA: Do you have any advice that you'd like to give to the members of GEHA?
Natalie Adan: Use the passion you have for public health to influence a change. Through working together
we can not only provide resources to our community and beyond but also save lives.
GEHA: How can we best teach children about environmental and health issues?
Natalie Adan: I have 2 beautiful, smart daughters that I am very proud of. Environmental health issues
begin at home with our daily lives and help spread this behavior at school, work, and play. My children are
interested in learning and passing this knowledge on to others. They see the passion & dedication that I have
for the work I do and my hope is that they will choose a career path that they love. Our children are the ones
that will continue to make a difference in the future.
Georgia Environmentalist Volume 36 25
GEHA: What can other residents do to help improve Georgia's environment?
Natalie Adan: Georgia residents are purchasing more locally grown products, which has increased rapidly
over the last 10 years. This not only helps reduce the carbon footprint but also helps support our community.
The Georgia Department of Agriculture launched the Georgia Grown program in 2012, which strives to
identify Georgia Grown products to consumers and educate them on their seasonality and preparation. The
Georgia Grown program includes the creation of a new certification mark that agriculture producers,
retailers, and restaurants can easily use on their products to identify them as being grown in Georgia. The
Department of Agriculture also built a new Georgia Grown test kitchen, which is used to test recipes and
film cooking and food safety demonstrations using Georgia Grown products.
GEHA: As Director of Consumer Food Safety Division at the Georgia Department of Agriculture,
what do you see as the greatest achievement for environmental health in Georgia in the last 5 years?
Natalie Adan: Federal grant funding has allowed public health programs to move their programs forward at
a master pace. The grants have also allowed us the opportunity to work more cooperatively together with all
the stakeholders and better harmonize our efforts towards our common goal of protecting public health.
GEHA: What is most rewarding to you about your work?
Natalie Adan: The most rewarding part of my job is helping to make a difference by providing education
and outreach for both industry and consumers.
GEHA: Who have been the major influences in your life?
Natalie Adan: I have been fortunate to have a number of influences in my career in food safety. Through
my participation in the International Food Protection Training Institute (IFPTI) Fellowship in Food Safety, I
was able to form a strong bond with officials from 10 other State/Local agencies that have proven to be long
lasting with the benefits of collaboration on a variety of projects. The IFPTI Fellowship experience also
provided me with the opportunity to develop a professional relationship with Mentors from the Food Safety
arena and collaborate with IFPTI on other projects.
A variety of food safety and public health associations such as the Georgia Environmental Health
Association (GEHA), National Environmental Health Associations (NEHA), Georgia Association of Food
Protection (GAFP), International Association of Food Protection (IAFP), Association of Food and Drug
Officials (AFDO), and Association of Food and Drug Officials of the Southern States (AFDOSS) have been
beneficial in meeting colleagues and providing the educational training necessary to develop my career.
In addition, I have had colleagues within the Georgia Department of Agriculture that have provided me the
opportunity to advance my career with the knowledge, skills, ability, and resources needed to be a
successful leader.
GEHA: Do you have any advice that you'd like to give to the members of GEHA?
Natalie Adan: Use the passion you have for public health to influence a change. Through working together
we can not only provide resources to our community and beyond but also save lives.
GEHA: How can we best teach children about environmental and health issues?
Natalie Adan: I have 2 beautiful, smart daughters that I am very proud of. Environmental health issues
begin at home with our daily lives and help spread this behavior at school, work, and play. My children are
interested in learning and passing this knowledge on to others. They see the passion & dedication that I have
for the work I do and my hope is that they will choose a career path that they love. Our children are the ones
that will continue to make a difference in the future.
Georgia Environmentalist Volume 36 25
