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Wilmington Resident Honored with Prestigious EPA Award

Release Date: 06/19/2008
Contact Information: Donna Heron 215-814-5113 / heron.donna@epa.gov

PHILADELPHIA (June 19, 2008) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s mid-Atlantic region presented its most prestigious employee award to Jeanna Henry, of Wilmington, Del., at its annual Employee Recognition Ceremony on May 13.

Given in memory of Glen Witmer II (1949-1977), this award is presented to an employee whose service is distinguished by concern for the environment, enthusiasm for environmental programs, a logical approach to problem solving, attention to detail, resourcefulness and initiative, and an ability to deal with people in a manner that fosters cooperation, understanding, and resolution of environmental problems.

Henry, who has worked as an environmental scientist at the EPA for seven years, is an enforcement officer with EPA’s Waste and Chemical Management Division. Last year’s winner, Russell Swan said that Henry was selected because “she is the kind of employee that every supervisor wants to have – smart, motivated, good communications skills and great with people. Jeanna has managed a vast array of hazardous waste and underground storage tank enforcement cases. She is focused, and detail-oriented, which helps in making her successful from the initial inspection through the case development process,” Swan said.

“But Jeanna has something else that’s not easy to define – it’s a combination of work ethic, professionalism, intelligence, joy and fun,” Swan added. “I think that’s why everyone enjoys working with her. She has learned the very difficult Resource Conservation Recovery Act quickly, and in a few short years she has become a mentor for new employees who gravitate to her because she is never too busy to take whatever time is necessary from her heavy workload.”

Henry, who grew up in Delmar, Md., and graduated from Delmar Jr.-Sr. High School in 1996, graduated from Salisbury State University in 2000 with a bachelor’s degree in environmental health with minors in biology and chemistry. In 2000 she received a National Network for Environmental Management Studies Fellowship and worked with EPA headquarters in the Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response.

“Receiving this award is a great honor and further enforces the many reasons I love EPA,” Henry said. “I have always had a great love and appreciation for the environment. When I began college, I knew I wanted to have a career that would make a difference for our world, which is why I made my mind up as a freshman to work at the EPA.”

EPA’s mid-Atlantic region covers Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia.