Worksafe Colorado Executive Board
John S. Kirar, CSP, CHMM, PMP
Private Employer Representative
John is the System Safety Engineering and Health and Safety Manager at Ball Aerospace and Technologies Corp. responsible for implementation and management of both corporate safety programs. Previously, Mr. Kirar was the Nuclear Safety Manger at Bechtel Jacobs Company LLC in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Mr. Kirar has also worked at the Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site in Golden, Colorado and Lockheed Martin. Mr. Kirar has 32 years' experience in safety engineering and risk management, nuclear safety, systems engineering, project management, environmental health and safety management, and regulatory compliance. He has worked as a System Safety Engineer/Manager in the aerospace industry, as a Nuclear Safety Engineer/Manager supporting the Department of Energy, and as Vice President for his own safety engineering and management consulting firm. He has multiple years' experience in the safety and hazardous materials management fields evaluating public, worker and environmental health and safety risks associated with the accidental release of chemical and radiological contaminants.
Ken Scott, MPH​
Academia Representative
Outreach Director and Continuing Education Director Mountain and Plains Education & Research Center, University of Colorado
​As Outreach Director, Ken supports several "Research to Practice" projects. In particular, he is working on a project related to the aging workforce. Ken also helped showcase the "Holding Mother Earth Sacred", a photo journal exhibit that highlights how four Tribal communities in the US and Canada are advancing energy resource development, job creation, and worker safety within their communities. Ken helps coordinate an annual Public Health Academy for high school students, and he is involved with ongoing efforts to promote state-based surveillance throughout the West.
Gene Hook, MS
Government Representative
Envrionmental Scientist, Denver Department of Environmental Health (DEH)
​Mr. Hook is the manager of DEH's lead program, and has more than 20 years experience in the environmental health and public health fields. He is a certified lead risk assessor in the State of Colorado, and completed numerous investigations of workplace lead exposure. Mr. Hook was a member of the advisory groups that created strategic plans for lead poisoning prevention in Denver and for the State of Colorado. He was part of a team that completed a Community Health Assessment report for Denver, under the requirements of Colorado's new Public Health Improvement Plan.
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Open Position
State Government Representative
Dianne Tobias, BS, ARM
Worker's Compensation Representative
Safety Services Specialist, Pinnacol Assurance
​Dianne is dedicated to workplace safety in Colorado. She joined Pinnacol Assurance in 1993 and now oversees the quality of safety services and resources provided to Pinnacol's customers. She serves as a member of Colorado's Cost Containment Certification Board. She developed and delivered safety training for Red Rocks Community College, American Society of Safety Engineers, and Colorado Safety Association. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Systems, and an Associate in Risk Management.
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Marty Otañez, PhD
Community Representative
Assistant Professor of Anthropology, University of Colorado, Denver
​Dr. Otañez directs the University of Colorado initiative called the Coalition for Excellence in Digital Storytelling, www.dscoalition.org. He is implementing a community based participatory research project that uses digital storytelling to increase the number of Latino nurses in Colorado and to diversify Colorado's healthcare workforce. His health related videos include "Breaking the Barriers: Minorities in the Nursing Profession" (2011) and "Men in Nursing" (2009). Dr. Otañez has also produced "Up in Smoke" (2003) about tobacco farmers and global tobacco companies in Malawi that aired on BBC TV in fall 2003. His primary goal during his 2-year term will be to involve more community members and identify his successor on the board.
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Jeffery M. Citrone
Professional Organization Representative
Director of Health and Safety Compliance at L T Environmental, Inc. Mr. Citrone is a Certified Industrial Hygienist, a Certified Safety Professional, a State of California Registered Environmental Assessor and a State of Wyoming Professional Geologist. Mr. Citrone was recognized by the Rocky Mountain Section of the American Industrial Hygiene Association as its 2010 Industrial Hygienist of the Year. Mr. Citrone is also the Past-President of the American Society of Safety Engineers Colorado Chapter and a board member of the State od Colorado Workers Compensation Premium Cost Containment Board.
Mr. Citrone has over 30 years of experience in industrial health, safety and environmental compliance related to various industries and facilities. He assists clients in identifying areas of potential risk and discovering effective and efficient plans to reduce those risks. Performed compliance and risk assessments; mock compliance audits: preparation of environmental, health and safety plans and regulatory and best-practice required training.