Top 40 Under 40 2014: Jennifer Menefee

Sept. 22, 2014
Jennifer Menefee, Director of Environmental Health and Safety, Veolia Transportation

Jennifer Menefee is the director of environmental, health and safety services for Veolia Transportation’s Phoenix location, a position she has held since 2009. She works with employees, labor groups, government and regulatory agencies to develop and implement best safety practices and environmental practices within the transit industry.

Menefee has more than 14 years of experience in the environmental health and safety field in both the public and private sectors. She has earned numerous degrees and certifications and participates actively in a number of professional organizations.

In her current position, Menefee has created a safety committee with participation from three local unions and administrative staff, resulting in a 30 percent reduction in worker injuries. She also partnered with the Arizona Division of Occupational Safety and Health (ADOSH) to achieve acceptance into OSHA’s Voluntary Protection Program and worked with ADOSH to identify potentially hazardous situations outside Veolia’s direct jurisdiction and partnered with city leaders to change unsafe situations that can affect the safety of both employees and the general public.

Menefee implemented a preventative maintenance program for facility maintenance and developed and maintained a site specific ISO 14001/OHS 18000 Management Systems with a continual process of improvement for safety and environmental. She also developed site-specific Environmental Management Systems that have helped to maintain environmental compliance with regulatory agencies and implemented recycling programs for project facilities and onboard buses.

Menefee is a member of the Environmental Professionals of Arizona (EPAZ), the National Association of Environmental Professionals (NAEP), and the National Environmental Safety and Health Training Association (NESHTA).

As a HandsOn Greater Phoenix volunteer, she is part of an innovative alliance of volunteer organizations working to build community through service and civic engagement across the United States and abroad. She has also been a participant and guest speaker for the city of Phoenix Gang Resistance Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) summer programs and spearheaded the Phoenix Downtown Alley Initiative, which included the coordination of 17 business working collaboratively with various city departments and outside organizations in order to increase awareness of environmental concerns.

“What I cherish most about my job is being able to call myself a member of a team that has the ability to make a difference for the Phoenix community.”

“Oftentimes, environmental safety and operational safety are viewed as two separate entities so I absolutely love when new employees ask me what “environmental” has to do with safety and transportation. When this question is posed, I am eager to elaborate on the seamless relationship between safety and environmental and their integrated role in public transportation.”

“From the everyday tasks of a bus operator to the duties of a maintenance technician, we all have an impact on the environment.  Something as elementary as throttle control in a bus can increase or decrease fuel efficiency, and gain or lose passenger comfort or trust and therefore business. Poor throttle control and aggressive driving can negatively affect both the passengers we are supposed to be safety transporting and the environment. Additionally, fuel or other fluid leaks, air emissions from exhaust, and improper chemical storage can have a major environmental impact on the locale we call home.”

“By being part of a team that provides the proper training and education to become safe and courteous drivers, we all become environmental stewards without effort. In short, what I enjoy most about what I do is making a positive impact for employees, the community and the environment.”

“What I like most about being in the public transit industry is that it is challenging and varied. Every day a new challenge arises, meanwhile, there is always the constant — to provide quality and reliable service to the community in order to safely transport our customers to their jobs, medical appointments, vacations and families each and every day.”

“Ideally, I would like to see more integration of technology and public transit.  Making systems more user-friendly can only enhance the usage of public transit. The evolution of public transit to incorporate the technological advancements that scientists develop every day can make mass transit a much more workable option for consumers.”

“As a millenial, we want to have our cake and eat it, too. We want options like complete streets, bus systems, rail systems, personal rapid transit systems and all the while minimizing our impact to the environment. Seeing how technology has been applied to public transportation in innovative ways like the Ultra PRT system is exciting. Even the use of real-time trackers is a technology that I would love to see more transit systems utilize to provide real-time information on when the bus or train will be arriving. Overall, I hope to see advancements in technology help grow public transportation into a viable option across all cities in the U.S.”

“I am especially passionate about roller derby. It is so much fun and also helps to have an outlet to be able to release any frustrations. The all-women league I was a part of was the only banked-track league in our state and the things that we accomplished on the track and off are amazing and empowering to all women. As successful career women and alter ego derby women, it is a great avenue to meet other women accomplishing incredible things.”