Nasandra Wright, M.P.H., R.S., is a dedicated and experienced environmental health professional who is committed to developing and improving the delivery of food safety initiatives at the state, county, and local levels. After spending nearly two decades working in the private sector and in public health, including stints as a Public Health Commissioner, Environmental Health Director, Project Manager, and Food Safety Specialist, Wright forged alliances and built support among various stakeholders in order to maximize the health and wellness of all persons within their communities. She seeks to strengthen food safety awareness and best practices within underserved communities. Wright understands that inspiring teams to provide exemplary service requires a passion for helping individuals. And that to empower such entities, there need to be collaborative ideals and a focus on reaching shared targets.
As the Director of Environmental Health at the Kanawha-Charleston Health Department, Wright spearheaded the leadership team responsible for resolving the West Virginia water crisis of 2014. She partnered with media, local businesses and individuals, and the West Virginia National Guard during the unprecedented event. She even worked with her internal team to develop an overall food safety policy for conditionally re-opening foodservice facilities and other permitted establishments during the crisis. Nasandra has since designed new approaches for implementing community-wide food safety programs and standards, such as a unique smartphone food application (app) for managing obesity. She also developed and implemented a county-wide food safety alert system capable of alerting permitted establishments of potential threats to customers within 60 seconds.
Nasandra ultimately brings a wealth of experience, expertise, and dedication to the Center for Foodborne Illness Research and Prevention team as the Program Manager for TARTARE: The Assessment and Management of Risk from Non-typhoidal Salmonella, Diarrheagenic Escherichia coli and Campylobacter in Raw Beef and Dairy in Ethiopia.