Elissa Reaves, Ph.D., who is currently Director of the Pesticide Re-Evaluation Division in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP), will become the new Director of the Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT), replacing Denise Keehner. Keehner left her position as Assistant Secretary of the Maryland Department of the Environment to return to EPA in April 2022 as OPPT Director. Keehner previously worked in a variety of EPA offices, including OPPT, OPP, the Office of Land and Emergency Management, and the Office of Water. Dr. Reaves is expected to begin her new position soon, but a start date at OPPT is unclear.
Keehner provided an experienced hand to steer OPPT through some challenging times. She will be missed!