WOEMA is a regional component of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM), and is dedicated to high quality medical care and ethical principles governing the practice of occupational medicine.
575 Market St.
Suite 2125
San Francisco, CA
94105
415/764-4918
f: 415/764-4915
e-mail
Committee Chairs & Responsibilities
Steven C Schumann MD
Awards CommitteeMedical Director, Occupational Health
Doctors on Duty/Salinas Urgent Care
Salinas, CA
Contact Dr. Schumann
Dr. Schumann has extensive experience in both private and corporate
Occupational Medical environments. His background includes clinical
software development as the founder of The Stolas Group, Inc. and its
signature product StolaSystem. He has served as Chairman of the Board
and has been active on WOEMA's behalf in Legislative Affairs. He
Graduated from UC Irvine School of Medicine and completed an Emergency
Medicine residency at Valley Medical Center in Fresno, California.
The Awards Committee is responsible for selecting the recipient from the WOEMA membership for the annual Jean Spencer Felton Award for Excellence in Scientific Writing. The Chair of the Awards Committee presents the award, a plaque, to the recipient at the annual Western Occupational Health Conference (WOHC). The Committee is also responsible for selecting the recipient from the WOEMA membership for the annual Rutherford T. Johnstone Memorial Lecture Award for outstanding service in occupational medicine. The Chair of the Awards Committee shall present the award, a plaque and an honorarium, to the recipient at the annual Western Occupational Health Conference (WOHC)
The Awards Committee is responsible for selecting the recipient from the WOEMA membership for the annual Jean Spencer Felton Award for Excellence in Scientific Writing. The Chair of the Awards Committee presents the award, a plaque, to the recipient at the annual Western Occupational Health Conference (WOHC). The Committee is also responsible for selecting the recipient from the WOEMA membership for the annual Rutherford T. Johnstone Memorial Lecture Award for outstanding service in occupational medicine. The Chair of the Awards Committee shall present the award, a plaque and an honorarium, to the recipient at the annual Western Occupational Health Conference (WOHC)
Robert J Pandya MD MPH
CMA Young Physician Representative
Occupational Health Services
Kaiser Permanente West Los Angeles Medical Center
Los Angeles, CA
Contact Dr. Pandya
Occupational Health Services
Kaiser Permanente West Los Angeles Medical Center
Los Angeles, CA
Contact Dr. Pandya
Dr. Pandya is a physician
at Kaiser Permanente West Los Angeles Medical Center.
The CMA Young Physician Representative is responsible for representing WOEMA at the California Medical Association’s House of Delegates meeting where the Young Physicians’ Delegation meets and following that meeting, is responsible for reporting to the WOEMA Board of Directors about the meeting. Limited funding may be made available to the representative to cover travel expenses to attend the meeting.
The CMA Young Physician Representative is responsible for representing WOEMA at the California Medical Association’s House of Delegates meeting where the Young Physicians’ Delegation meets and following that meeting, is responsible for reporting to the WOEMA Board of Directors about the meeting. Limited funding may be made available to the representative to cover travel expenses to attend the meeting.
Roman P Kownacki MD MPH FACOEM
Economic Affairs CommitteeKaiser Richmond Medical Center, Richmond, CA
Contact Dr. Kownacki
Dr. Kownacki
graduated from the Hahnemann University School of Medicine in Philadelphia
PA in 1986, completed his residency in Occupational Medicine at the University
of Southern California in 1989 and his Masters in Public Health from UCLA
in 1988. Dr. Kownacki is Board Certified in Occupational Medicine through
the American Board of Preventive Medicine. He is currently the Chief of
the Kaiser Permanente Richmond Occupational Health Center.
The Economic Affairs Committee is responsible for assessing the financial requirements and resources of WOEMA annually, making recommendations to the Western Occupational Health Conference chairperson as to the content of the annual conference program, making recommendations to the President and Board of Directors as to the additional educational needs of the membership, including recommendations with regard to conducting seminars other than the Western Occupational Health Conference to secure the financial viability of the organization and respond to changing economic situations regarding the practice of occupational medicine. The Committee Chair is responsible for conducting an annual financial audit at the WOEMA headquarters.
The Economic Affairs Committee is responsible for assessing the financial requirements and resources of WOEMA annually, making recommendations to the Western Occupational Health Conference chairperson as to the content of the annual conference program, making recommendations to the President and Board of Directors as to the additional educational needs of the membership, including recommendations with regard to conducting seminars other than the Western Occupational Health Conference to secure the financial viability of the organization and respond to changing economic situations regarding the practice of occupational medicine. The Committee Chair is responsible for conducting an annual financial audit at the WOEMA headquarters.
Erik Won DO MPH MBA
Education Committee Chair
Boeing Medical, Long Beach, CA
Dr. Won is an Occupational Medicine Specialist.
The Education Committee shall provide guidance and information to the President and Board of Directors with reference to the education of the members, the medical profession, and the public on all aspects of occupational health and medicine; shall make recommendations to the Western Occupational Health Conference chairperson as to the content of the annual conference program; and shall make recommendations to the President and Board of Directors as to the educational needs of the membership, including recommendations with regard to conducting educational activities other than the Western Occupational Health Conference. The Committee is charged with offering educational activities, primarily face-to-face meetings (conferences), consisting of a mix of educational methods chosen as most effective based on a review of the science behind health-care improvement. To maintain a continuing assessment of WOEMA’s efforts to address its educational mission, the Education Committee is charged with evaluating all WOEMA’s educational offerings to judge whether a Continuing Medical Education (CME) program has met its objectives of improving physician competence, performance or treatment outcomes. The methods may include, but are not limited to, gathering and reviewing the assessments of the members of the planning group, the members of the Education Committee and members of the conference faculty -- all of whom are considered to be informed observers and evaluators -- and analyzing the feedback provided by the registrants on the WOEMA evaluation forms and post conference surveys. Since WOEMA recognizes evaluation as an integral part of the planning process and the quality assurance function, the charge to the Committee calls for evaluation activities to occupy a portion of each meeting of a planning group and of the Education Committee.
The Education Committee shall provide guidance and information to the President and Board of Directors with reference to the education of the members, the medical profession, and the public on all aspects of occupational health and medicine; shall make recommendations to the Western Occupational Health Conference chairperson as to the content of the annual conference program; and shall make recommendations to the President and Board of Directors as to the educational needs of the membership, including recommendations with regard to conducting educational activities other than the Western Occupational Health Conference. The Committee is charged with offering educational activities, primarily face-to-face meetings (conferences), consisting of a mix of educational methods chosen as most effective based on a review of the science behind health-care improvement. To maintain a continuing assessment of WOEMA’s efforts to address its educational mission, the Education Committee is charged with evaluating all WOEMA’s educational offerings to judge whether a Continuing Medical Education (CME) program has met its objectives of improving physician competence, performance or treatment outcomes. The methods may include, but are not limited to, gathering and reviewing the assessments of the members of the planning group, the members of the Education Committee and members of the conference faculty -- all of whom are considered to be informed observers and evaluators -- and analyzing the feedback provided by the registrants on the WOEMA evaluation forms and post conference surveys. Since WOEMA recognizes evaluation as an integral part of the planning process and the quality assurance function, the charge to the Committee calls for evaluation activities to occupy a portion of each meeting of a planning group and of the Education Committee.
Craig F Conlon MD PhD
Ethics Committee
Dept. of Occupational Medicine
The Permanente Medical Group, Northern California
Livermore, CA
Contact Dr. Conlon
Dept. of Occupational Medicine
The Permanente Medical Group, Northern California
Livermore, CA
Contact Dr. Conlon
Dr. Conlon is on the clinical staff of the Northern California Permanent Medical Group in the department of Occupational Medicine. He is Board Certified in Occupational and Environmental Medicine through the American Board of Preventive Medicine. He has spent the past ten years in worker injury prevention and ergonomics research with UCLA and UC Berkeley, leading to a PhD in Environmental Health Sciences at UCLA in 2008. He is a medical school graduate of Keck School of Medicine of The University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA and completed his residency at Western Medical Center, Santa Ana, CA.
The Ethics Committee is responsible for monitoring WOEMA activities to ensure all members act in support of the principle of transparency, in support of the broad interests of WOEMA and avoid any conflict – financial or otherwise – between their respective individual interests and the interests of WOEMA in any and all activities undertaken by them on behalf of WOEMA. The Committee is responsible for reviewing any potential conflict of interest that is raised and to make a report/recommendation to the President and to the Board of Directors. The Ethics Committee is also responsible for ensuring that Board members are familiar with and adhere to the WOEMA Code of Ethics.
The Ethics Committee is responsible for monitoring WOEMA activities to ensure all members act in support of the principle of transparency, in support of the broad interests of WOEMA and avoid any conflict – financial or otherwise – between their respective individual interests and the interests of WOEMA in any and all activities undertaken by them on behalf of WOEMA. The Committee is responsible for reviewing any potential conflict of interest that is raised and to make a report/recommendation to the President and to the Board of Directors. The Ethics Committee is also responsible for ensuring that Board members are familiar with and adhere to the WOEMA Code of Ethics.
Paul J Papanek Jr MD MPH FACOEM
Legislative Affairs Committee (Co-Chair)
Dr. Papanek received his MD degree in 1977 from UC San Diego and took his residency in Family Medicine at UCLA. He received a Masters of Public Health degree from UCLA in the field of Occupational and Environmental Health Science, and is Board certified in Occupational Medicine. Dr. Papanek was Chief of the Occupational Health Service/Kaiser on the Job Program in the Metro Los Angeles area, was the Assistant Program Director for the UCLA Occupational Medicine residency, and has served on the Workers' Compensation Committee of the California Medical Association.
Scott Levy MD MPH FACOEM
Legislative Affairs Committee (Co-Chair)The Permanente Medical Group, San Rafael, CA
Contact Dr. Levy
Dr. Levy is Chief of Occupational Medicine as well as Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation for The Permanente Medical Group. He is board certified in both Internal Medicine and Occupational Medicine and regularly practices in both fields. Dr. Levy had served as Chair of the WOEMA membership committee for 3 years and still remains an active member. He is currently Co-Chair of the WOEMA Legislative committee as well as a member of ACOEM membership committee. Dr. Levy also serves as Secretary of the Specialty Delegation of the California Medical Association.
The Legislative Affairs Committee is responsible for keeping itself informed from all available sources regarding all legislation at the state level that affects the field of occupational health regarding proposed legislation and regulations in all member states of WOEMA. The Committee is expected to communicate information regarding such legislation and regulatory activities to the President and Board of Directors. Members shall be assigned by the President to represent WOEMA in submission of testimony when governmental agencies or a state legislature request information or testimony from the profession of Occupational Medicine. Members also shall be assigned to testify before governmental agencies or a state legislature whenever regulation or legislation affecting any aspect of the practice of occupational medicine being proposed for adoption or passage. WOEMA may at times employ a lobbyist to support the efforts of this Committee.
The Legislative Affairs Committee is responsible for keeping itself informed from all available sources regarding all legislation at the state level that affects the field of occupational health regarding proposed legislation and regulations in all member states of WOEMA. The Committee is expected to communicate information regarding such legislation and regulatory activities to the President and Board of Directors. Members shall be assigned by the President to represent WOEMA in submission of testimony when governmental agencies or a state legislature request information or testimony from the profession of Occupational Medicine. Members also shall be assigned to testify before governmental agencies or a state legislature whenever regulation or legislation affecting any aspect of the practice of occupational medicine being proposed for adoption or passage. WOEMA may at times employ a lobbyist to support the efforts of this Committee.
Matthew Chan, MD MPH
Membership Committee ChairAssociate Medical Director
Loma Linda University Health Care, Highland, CA
Contact Dr. Chan
Dr. Chan is a southern California native who loves the outdoors and adventuring into the unknown. He completed both medical school and residency at Loma Linda Unversity, and is board-certified in Occupational & Environmental Medicine. He also holds a masters degree in Public Health with an emphasis in Lifestyle Medicine, which he believes is critical to the practice of any medical specialty. Dr. Chan currently serves as the Associate Medical Director at Loma Linda University Health Care.
The Membership Committee is responsible for recruiting and retaining WOEMA members in coordination with WOEMA activities/programs. The Committee Chair will coordinate an annual campaign in conjunction with ACOEM to contact non-renewed members and encourage them to continue membership. In addition, the Committee is responsible for reaching out to new members to welcome them to the organization and to gain their involvement in the organization. The Membership Committee will provide guidance and information to the President and Board of Directors with reference to increasing the value of membership to ensure retention and on methods for recruiting new members to ensure the future viability of the organization.
Sachin Kapoor DO MBA MPH FACOEM
Newsletter Committee ChairKaiser Permanente, Antioch, CA
Contact Dr. Kapoor
Dr. Kapoor completed his training in Occupational and Environmental Medicine
at Harvard University, and earned his Masters in Public Health from the
Harvard School of Public Health. Prior to that he completed Internal
Medicine training at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New
Jersey. He attended medical school in New York where he simultaneously
earned his Masters in Business Administration in Management. He is board
certified in Internal Medicine and Occupational and Environmental
Medicine. He joined Kaiser Permanente in 2005 and practices clinical
occupational medicine full time. He has a background in web design and
an interest in the development and enhancement of electronic health
information systems.
The Newsletter Committee is responsible for ensuring the periodic publication of the WOEMA newsletter. Working with an Associate Editor, the Newsletter Editor shall be responsible for collection of newsletter submissions and editorial review. The Associate Editor shall be considered to be a candidate to assume the role of Secretary/Newsletter Editor at the completion of the Editor's term.
Paul J Papanek Jr MD MPH FACOEM
Nominating Committee ChairKaiser Permanente, Los Angeles, CA
Contact Dr. Papanek
Dr. Papanek received his MD degree in 1977 from UC San Diego and took
his residency in Family Medicine at UCLA. He received a Masters of
Public Health degree from UCLA in the field of Occupational and
Environmental Health Science, and is Board certified in Occupational
Medicine. Dr. Papanek was Chief of the Occupational Health
Service/Kaiser on the Job Program in the Metro Los Angeles area, was the
Assistant Program Director for the UCLA Occupational Medicine
residency, and has served on the Workers' Compensation Committee of the
California Medical Association.
The Nominating Committee consists of at least three WOEMA members selected by the WOEMA Chairman of the Board. The Chairman of this committee shall be the immediate past Chairman of the Board, and at least one Member of the committee shall be a Member not currently holding any elective office. The Nominating Committee is appointed not less than three months before the Annual Meeting and is expected to present to the Secretary a complete slate of qualified members willing to serve, not less than six weeks before the Annual Meeting date for publication to the Membership. In addition to nominating candidates for the WOEMA Board of Directors, the Committee may be called upon to make recommendations to support candidates to the ACOEM Nominating Committee for ACOEM Board of Directors positions. Candidates selected must receive WOEMA Board of Directors approval before a letter of support may be sent to ACOEM.
Robert J Pandya MD MPH
Resident Scholarship Program Committee Chair
Occupational Health Services
Kaiser Permanente West Los Angeles Medical Center
Los Angeles, CA
Contact Dr. Pandya
Kaiser Permanente West Los Angeles Medical Center
Los Angeles, CA
Contact Dr. Pandya
Dr. Pandya is a physician at Kaiser Permanente West Los Angeles Medical Center.
The Resident Scholarship Program Committee is responsible for promoting scholarships for residents to attend the Western Occupational Health Conference (WOHC). Each year, WOEMA offers a limited number of scholarships for residents to participate at WOHC and this committee is responsible for selecting the recipients and coordinating efforts to welcome and active the residents in the organization. Additionally, the Committee coordinates a poster session at WOHC and is responsible for choosing the best submissions to receive monetary awards as determined by the Board of Directors.
The Resident Scholarship Program Committee is responsible for promoting scholarships for residents to attend the Western Occupational Health Conference (WOHC). Each year, WOEMA offers a limited number of scholarships for residents to participate at WOHC and this committee is responsible for selecting the recipients and coordinating efforts to welcome and active the residents in the organization. Additionally, the Committee coordinates a poster session at WOHC and is responsible for choosing the best submissions to receive monetary awards as determined by the Board of Directors.
Rupali Das MD MPH FACOEM
WOHC 2012 Committee ChairCA Dept of Public Health, Richmond, CA
Dr. Das is currently Chief of the Exposure Assessment Section,
Environmental Health Investigations Branch, California Department of
Health (CDPH). She is also an Associate Clinical Professor at the
University of California San Francisco, where her practice includes
attending physician in the occupational medicine referral clinic. She served as the WOEMA Education Committee Chair from 2009-2011.For
over a decade at CDPH's Occupational Health Branch she led programs to
track and prevent occupational pesticide illnesses, emergency
preparedness and planning, and respond to occupational infectious
disease outbreaks. She currently leads Biomonitoring California, the nation's first mandated statewide
program to assess chemical exposures in the California population. Dr.
Das attended medical school at the University of Illinois, Chicago. She
completed an internship and residency in Internal Medicine at Michael
Reese Hospital and Medical Center in Chicago, a Fellowship in
Occupational and Environmental Medicine at UCSF, and a Master's degree in Public Health at UC Berkeley. She is board certified
in Internal Medicine and Preventive Medicine/Occupational Medicine.
The WOHC Planning Committee is responsible for developing and conducting all aspects of the Western Occupational Health Conference (WOHC), an Annual Meeting that attracts physicians and other health professionals from across the U.S. and Canada.
The WOHC Planning Committee is responsible for developing and conducting all aspects of the Western Occupational Health Conference (WOHC), an Annual Meeting that attracts physicians and other health professionals from across the U.S. and Canada.
Sachin Kapoor DO MBA MPH FACOEM
Website Committee ChairKaiser Permanente, Antioch, CA
Contact Dr. Kapoor
Dr. Kapoor completed his training in Occupational and Environmental Medicine at Harvard University, and earned his Masters in Public Health from the Harvard School of Public Health. Prior to that he completed Internal Medicine training at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Jersey. He attended medical school in New York where he simultaneously earned his Masters in Business Administration in Management. He is board certified in Internal Medicine and Occupational and Environmental Medicine. He joined Kaiser Permanente in 2005 and practices clinical occupational medicine full time. He has a background in web design and an interest in the development and enhancement of electronic health information systems.
The Website Committee is responsible for maintaining and updating the content and functionality of the WOEMA website to ensure that it remains a usable resource for the membership and properly communicates the value of membership in the organization.