EH Nation on the Road: Conference Season Stories, AI in Food Safety & the World’s Greatest Mustache

EH Nation on the Road: Conference Season Stories, AI in Food Safety & the World’s Greatest Mustache

In this special Fourth of July week episode of the Beyond Data Management Podcast, Cameron Garrison is joined by HS GovTech’s own Adam Smith for a fun, behind-the-scenes look at spring environmental health conference season. From Idaho to California, Montana, West Virginia, North Dakota, and AFDO in Columbus, this episode takes EH Nation on the road for a recap of the conferences, conversations, travel chaos, red-eye flights, strange airport food, client meetups, AI discussions, and unforgettable moments that happened along the way. Cameron and Adam talk about environmental health conferences across the country, the importance of showing up in person, what HS GovTech is seeing from agencies nationwide, the upcoming NEHA conference, the AFDO AI workshop series, live podcast recordings from the road, and why public health communication, trust, and technology are becoming more important than ever. And yes — we also discuss the legend of Adam’s mustache, a White Castle vending machine disaster, a surprisingly luxurious airport bathroom, rubber duck souvenirs, blackjack in North Dakota, and what happens when conference season pushes sleep deprivation to the limit. Topics covered include: Environmental health conference season HS GovTech on the road NEHA, AFDO, CUPA, SEHA, Montana, Idaho, West Virginia, North Dakota and more AI in food safety and public health Public health communication and trust Live podcast recordings from upcoming conferences Behind-the-scenes stories from the Beyond Data Management Podcast Travel chaos, red-eye flights, road stories, and EH Nation community moments If you work in environmental health, public health, food safety, regulatory programs, or government technology, this episode is a lighter but meaningful look at the people, places, and conversations shaping the EH community across the country. Powered by HS GovTech. Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2439423/fan_mail/new] Please remember to like and subscribe - and reach out to us with your stories and show ideas Beyond@hscloudsuite.com

Why food companies are racing to adopt this AI - Ep39

🎙️ Beyond Data Management Podcast — Powered by HS GovTech What if your food safety and quality systems could answer any question in real time, in any language, tailored to your role — while predicting problems before they happen? In this powerful episode, Cameron Garrison interviews Dr. Vera Dickinson, Founder & CEO of Nova Q. Vera brings decades of hands-on expertise from the front lines of food safety: PhD research on pathogens, quality leadership at Disney (under Frank Yiannas), Mars Wrigley, Danone, Sargento, and more. They discuss: Why the food manufacturing industry remains conservative despite razor-thin margins and high-stakes risks The human and financial cost of manual processes and slow recalls How exposure to ChatGPT sparked Vera’s vision for purpose-built AI (no generic hallucinations) Nova Q’s innovative tools: unified regulatory knowledge center, real-time analytics, root cause analysis, forecasting, and organization-wide visibility Leadership lessons on culture change, hiring smarter teammates, and fearless decision-making Lessons from major mergers, industry consolidation, and high-profile failures like Chipotle and Peanut Corporation of America Vera emphasizes the need for validated, future-proof AI tools that support both internal compliance and upcoming regulatory requirements. Whether you work in food manufacturing, quality assurance, regulatory affairs, or government oversight — this episode is packed with practical insights and inspiration for anyone passionate about modernization and protecting public health. Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2439423/fan_mail/new] Please remember to like and subscribe - and reach out to us with your stories and show ideas Beyond@hscloudsuite.com

A First Look at Wiley: AFDO's New AI - Ep38 Jason Brill

In our June 1st episode AFDO Executive Director Steve Mandernach gave us a teaser that a new AI for food safety and health regulators was going to be debuted at the upcoming AFDO conference in Columbus Ohio. The unveiling has happened, and Wiley is smart.  Jason Brill from AFDO joins us to give us an exclusive deep dive into this powerful new tool. You can ask Wiley yourself at https://afdo.org/askwiley and you can reach Jason at jbrill@afdo.org Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2439423/fan_mail/new] Please remember to like and subscribe - and reach out to us with your stories and show ideas Beyond@hscloudsuite.com

Steve Mandernach previews AFDO 26 and discusses AI, FDA Collaboration, and the Future of Food Safety

In this episode of Beyond Data Management, Cameron Garrison welcomes back Steve Mandernach, Executive Director of AFDO, for a wide-ranging conversation on the future of food safety regulation, inspections, training, and technology. Steve previews the upcoming AFDO conference in Columbus, including major sessions on AI in food safety, the 15th anniversary of the Food Safety Modernization Act, food safety culture, inspector safety, de-escalation, and the launch of AFDO’s new AI-powered website assistant, Wiley. The conversation also covers FDA-state collaboration, the “FDA bridge project,” federal information-sharing challenges, food chemical regulation, training modernization, and why AI may create one of the biggest shifts the inspection world has seen in decades. Whether you work in regulatory food safety, public health, industry compliance, inspections, or government technology, this episode offers a look at where the field is heading next. Links and Resources Discussed: AFDO & 2026 Annual Conference • AFDO Official Website: https://www.afdo.org/ • 130th AFDO Annual Educational Conference (Columbus, OH – June 5-9, 2026): https://www.afdo.org/event/aec-130/ • AFDO Training Courses & Webinars (free): https://www.afdo.org/training/ Dr. Harvey Wiley & The Poison Squad • PBS American Experience Documentary "The Poison Squad": https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/films/poison-squad/ • Book: "The Poison Squad" by Deborah Blum: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/312067/the-poison-squad-by-deborah-blum/ FSMA 15th Anniversary & Policy • FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Overview: https://www.fda.gov/food/food-safety-modernization-act-fsma • The BRIDGE Project (FDA state inspection transition): https://www.fda.gov/food/integrated-food-safety-system-ifss/bridge-project • Federal and State Food Safety Information Sharing Act of 2026 (H.R. 8430): https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/8430 Cost of indecision clip from Steve's first appearance on the podcast: https://youtu.be/L6XpjQWb0kk Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2439423/fan_mail/new] Please remember to like and subscribe - and reach out to us with your stories and show ideas Beyond@hscloudsuite.com

Traumatic Insemination: Bed Bugs Are Even Grosser Than You Imagined

In this episode of Beyond Data Management, powered by HS GovTech, Cameron Garrison talks with Dr. Aaron Ashbrook, Assistant Professor of Urban & Peri-Urban Entomology at the LSU AgCenter. Dr. Ashbrook breaks down the science (and horror) of bed bugs: their resurgence tied to spring travel in the Southern U.S., how much blood they drink, why they’re so hard to kill, and the bizarre reality of traumatic insemination. He also shares practical advice for travelers, hotel inspections, and what environmental health professionals should tell operators when bed bugs show up. 🔑 What You’ll Learn: • The gross truth about bed bug mating (traumatic insemination) and how much blood they actually consume • Why bed bugs are surging again in 2026 — especially in the South due to travel • Heat treatments: What temperature and time actually kills them (and why resistance to heat is limited) • Hotel room inspection checklist every traveler should use • Why bed bugs are NOT a “dirty house” problem — they love clean, high-traffic places • IPM strategies: Vacuuming, mattress encasements, silica dust, biocontrol, and when to combine with insecticides • Real lab insights from Dr. Ashbrook’s heat + humidity and insecticide research Whether you’re in environmental health, pest control, or just someone who travels and doesn’t want unwanted guests, this episode gives you the facts without the hype. Dr. Ashbrook’s work focuses on bed bugs, German cockroaches, and other urban pests in the humid Gulf Coast environment. He’s also heavily involved in extension and training for pest control operators and public health professionals. 📌 Resources Mentioned: - LSU AgCenter Urban Entomology - Bed Bugs Uncovered webinar / presentations by Dr. Ashbrook - Recent heat exposure studies on bed bugs Drop your biggest bed bug horror story (or hotel inspection tip) in the comments! 👉 Subscribe for more conversations with leaders in environmental health, entomology, and government innovation. #BedBugs #EnvironmentalHealth #LSU #Entomology #PestControl #HotelSafety #TravelTips #PublicHealth Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2439423/fan_mail/new] Please remember to like and subscribe - and reach out to us with your stories and show ideas Beyond@hscloudsuite.com