AHE Elects 2011 President

The board of directors of the Association for the Healthcare Environment (AHE), formerly known as ASHES, announces the election of Gary Dolan, CHESP, as association president for 2011. Dolan is currently serving as vice president. Dolans year-long term as president begins Jan. 1, 2011.

Dolan is director of environmental Services at The Village at Penn State. He has been an AHE member since 1995 and has 19 years of environmental services experience. Dolan has served the AHE board of directors since 2009, and has served on the AHE conference planning committee and board advisory council.

"Being an AHE member over the past 16 years has given me a path, a direction, and a career that I am very proud of," says Dolan. "AHE has driven me to reach higher with not only my professional goals, but personal goals as well. I look forward to being president so that I may give back to AHE, its membership and continue its growth as an organization."

AHE members also elected two new representatives to the board of directors. Their three-year terms begin January 1, 2011:

Alba Hernandez, MS, RD, CHESP: Hernandez is currently director of the Nutrition and Hospitality Service Center for James J Peters VA Medical Center in the Bronx, N.Y. She serves as the co-chair for the Veterans Health Administrations Environmental Services Directors Advisory Board, and is the former president for the Healthcare Foodservice Administrators Association, Greater New York Chapter.

John McAllister, CHESP: McAllister is currently director of environmental services and central transport at New England Baptist Hospital in Boston. He has 25 years experience in environmental services management, and currently serves on the New England AHE board.

The Association for the Healthcare Environment (formerly known as ASHES), of the American Hospital Association (AHA), is the premier association that represents, defines, and advances the healthcare environmental services profession as well as housekeeping, waste management and textile care professionals in healthcare. AHE provides educational programs, opportunities to network with peers on a national level, recognition for personal and professional achievements, as well as affiliation and collaboration with the AHA on public policy and advocacy issues related to the healthcare environmental. See www.ahe.org for more information.