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Dr. Howard has served as chief of the Division of Occupational Safety and Health in the State of California's Department of Industrial Relations since September 1991. In this position, he administers all of the occupational and public safety programs in California's Division of Occupational Safety and Health and directs a staff of nearly 1,000.

"Dr. Howard brings a wealth of administrative experience, personal dedication and professional achievement in occupational health," Secretary Thompson said. "His leadership will serve NIOSH well in a time of unprecedented challenges and opportunities."

Prior to his appointment as NIOSH director, Dr. Howard also was an assistant professor of environmental and occupational medicine at the University of California at Irvine. He has also served as medical director and chief clinician of the Philip Mandelker AIDS Prevention Clinic, an AIDS Community Services Clinic in Los Angeles, and as an assistant counselor to the Under Secretary of Health and Human Services.

Dr. Howard began his career in occupational health as internist in the University of California, Los Angeles School of Medicine Pulmonary Fellowship Program at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles in 1979. During his clinical work, he worked closely with asbestos-exposed shipyard workers and published research findings related to workplace asbestos exposure and occupational lung disease.

Dr. Howard received his Doctor of Medicine from Loyola University in 1974, his Master of Occupational Health from the Harvard School of Public Health in 1982, his Juris Doctor from UCLA in 1986, and his Master of Laws in Administrative Law and Economic Regulation from George Washington University in 1987. Dr. Howard is a board-certified occupational physician and has written numerous papers on occupational health law and policy.

Kathleen M. Rest, Ph.D., M.P.A., who has served as NIOSH acting director since June 2001, will resume her duties as NIOSH deputy director. "Thanks in great measure to Dr. Rest's vigorous leadership, NIOSH successfully met many daunting challenges in the past year," Secretary Thompson said. "I am pleased that Kathy will continue as deputy director."

NIOSH is the part of CDC that conducts research and makes recommendations for preventing work-related illnesses, injuries and deaths. It is headquartered in Washington, D.C., and has locations in Atlanta, Ga., Cincinnati, Ohio, Morgantown, W.Va., Pittsburgh, Pa., and Spokane, Wash.

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