Dr. Betsy Kagey, deputy director for the Division of Emergency Preparedness and Response in the Georgia Department of Community Health, will address first responders, the college community and area residents on the H1N1 Virus in a Homeland Security Seminar on Wednesday, November 4 at 10 a.m. in the Falany Performing Arts Center on the College’s campus in Waleska, Ga.

“The seminar series provides a resource for important information that will benefit the community,” said Peg O’Connor, associate vice president for academic affairs.

“The series also underscores the mission of the College’s Public Safety Institute to provide the programming and the expertise that is essential for growth and service in the public safety arena.”

Kagey’s area of expertise is in environmental epidemiology. Prior to coming to Atlanta three years ago, she worked in public health emergency preparedness at the Allegany County Health Department in Maryland.

Her work at the county health department included planning public health response to bioterrorist agents (such as anthrax), all hazards, and planning for public health’s response to pandemic influenza with local partners.

Coupled with her experience in environmental health along with her experience in local public health emergency preparedness, Kagey is a subject matter expert in the area of environmental health and is currently working with the chem/rad planner on Georgia’s response plans to chemical and radiological events. Kagey also works with Georgia’s Division of Environmental Health Chemical Hazards program.

She has a B.S. in chemistry, an MSPH in environmental epidemiology and a Ph.D. in environmental health and toxicology.