Tennessee One Health Committee

The Tennessee One Health Committee promotes and supports the health of humans, animals, and the environment through cooperation and collaboration across disciplines, including local, state and federal agencies, academic institutions and outside partners. The committee serves as a starting place for equitable one health related response, advocacy and outreach. 

Participating agencies include:

  • Tennessee Department of Health
  • Tennessee Department of Agriculture
  • Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency
  • Tennessee Emergency Management Agency
  • Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation
  • United States Department of Agriculture 

Meetings of the Tennessee One Health Committee provide a forum for members to share information on issues and projects concerning human, animal, and environmental health. Meetings are open to professionals with an interest in One Health. Email One.Health@tn.gov for more information.

2024 Meetings:

  • January 25, 2024 - virtual
  • March 28, 2024 - virtual
  • May 23, 2024 - hybrid
  • July 25, 2024 - virtual
  • September 26, 2024 - virtual
  • November 21, 2024 - virtual

Past Meetings

March 28, 2024  (9:30-10:30am CT, Virtual)

  1. Cute Animals and Scary Bacteria: A ‘Farm Days’ Tale | Allison Foster, MPH & Hopelyn Mooney, MPH; TDH
  2. Update on Chronic Wasting Disease in Tennessee | Sonia Mongold; TWRA

January 25, 2024  (9:30-10:30am CT, Virtual)

  1. Microplastics Research | Dr. Maryam Salehi; University of Missouri
  1. TDH & TDA Laboratory Overview | Dr. Kara Levinson; TDH & Dr. Adam Travis; TDA 

November 30, 2023  (9:30-10:30am CT, Virtual)

  1. Live Poultry Salmonella Outbreak 2023 | Dr. Samir Hanna; TDH
  2. Tick University | Dr. Abeardo Moncayo; TDH

September 28, 2023  (9:30-10:30am CT, Virtual)

  1. Bacteriological and Fish Advisory Program | Debbie Arnwine; TDEC
  2. Agrotourism | Katie Garman, MPH; TDH

July 27, 2023  (9:30-10:30am CT, Virtual)

  1. Drug Diversion and Veterinary Medicine| Dr. Simone Godwin; TDH
  2. Animal Emergencies Taskforce  | Dr. Samantha Beaty; TDA

May 25, 2023  (9:30-10:30am CT, Virtual)

  1. Mpox and Pets| Emma Roth, MPH
  2. Overview of Consumer and Industry Services and Risk Based Inspections  | William Peppers

March 23, 2023  (9:30-10:30am CT, Virtual)

  1. An Examination of Ruminant Animal Contact and STEC | Lindsey Ferraro, MPH
  2. Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Update | Whitnie Smartt, DVM, MPH

November 17, 2022  (9:30-11:00am CT, Virtual)

  1. COVID-19 Wastewater Surveillance | Russell Owens
  2. One Health Initiative: Delusional Parasitosis Needs Assessment | Sandra Pena, MPH, MS

September 22, 2022  (9:30-11:00am CT, Virtual)

  1. Monkey Pox (MPX) Virus Update | Julie Shaffner, MS
  2. MPX and Pets Surveillance | Rachel Wofford, MPH

May 26, 2022 (9:30-11:00am CT, Hybrid - Ellington Agricultural Center)

  1. NBS Overview | Amy E. Bogucki, MPH | NEDSS Base System (NBS) Team
    An overview of the NEDSS Base System (NBS) that is used to store and report surveillance data in Tennessee. The overview will include a brief history of NBS, the structure of the system, and how data are stored in tables for reports and analysis.
  2.  Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) Substances: An Emerging Contaminant Jeremy Hooper | Environmental Consultant, Department of Environment and Conservation
    Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) Substances are a family of more than 5,000 synthetic chemicals.  Commercially used in products since around the 1950s (e.g., Scotchgard and Teflon), PFAS can be found in air, water, land and in people and animals.  Though research is still ongoing, PFAS have been linked to negative human health effects, including cancer. This presentation will provide an overview of PFAS, including what is known about these chemicals in Tennessee, TDEC’s PFAS drinking water sampling initiative,and federal agency (e.g., EPA) efforts. 
  3. Human Health and Antimicrobial Resistance: Where are We? | Dr. Cullen Adre | Pharmacist, Healthcare Associated Infections and Antimicrobial Resistance Program
    Discussion of the threat of antibiotic resistance in the US across the spectrum of healthcare and benefits of antimicrobial stewardship programs.

March 24, 2022 (9:30-11:00am CT, Virtual)

  1. Brief TN COVID-19 Update from TDH
  2. Cervid Health Update from TWRA
  3. Captive Primates and Public Health Risks from TDA
  4. Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Update from TDA
  5. Discussion and updates regarding SB1856/HB 2832

January 27, 2022 (9:30-11:00am CT, Virtual)

  1. Avian Influenza Update | Alexa McCourt and Whitnie Smartt (TDA)
  2.  TDH Covid Update | Jane Yackley (TDH)

October 28, 2021 (9:30-11:00am CT, Virtual)

  1.  Taylor Bridge Fire (2012) | Dr. Mark Kinsel, President and CEO at Agricultural Information Management, Inc.
  2.  Rabies in a Tamandua | Dr. Andrew Cushing, UT College of Veterinary Medicine

July 29, 2021 (9:30-11:00am CT, Virtual)

  1.  One Health & Artificial Intelligence | Alexa McCourt, DVM, Tennessee Department of Agriculture
  2.  K-12 One Health Group Objectives & Updates | Keren Rozensher, DVM, USDA, APHIS, Veterinary Services

May 27, 2021 (9:30-11:00am CT, Virtual)

  1.  COVID-19 and Animal Welfare Issues | Dr. Karen Gruszynski
  2.  SARS-CoV-2 at the Knoxville Zoo | Dr. Heather Grome
  3.  Triple W Exotic Sale 2021 Update | Captain Walter Cook

March 25, 2021 (9:30-11:00am CT, Virtual) 

  1. Update on the interagency HAB Response Plan | Judy Manners, MSc, REHS/RS - Environmental Health Specialist
  2.  The What, Why, and Who of the University of Tennessee One Health Initiative | Deb Miller, Director UT One Health Initiative 
  3.  Kord Lab Pathology Rounds, Tennessee Department of Agriculture | Dr. Kenneth Kim, CE Kord Lab Director 

January 28, 2021 (9:30-11:00am CT, Virtual) 

  1. The Five Letters of One Health: Application of Adaptive PCR at the Tennessee Department of Agriculture | Dr. Kenneth Kim, CE Kord Lab Director TDA & Nick Adams, Research Assistant Professor in Biomedical Engineering
  2. COVID-19 Data Update: Mary-Margaret Fill, MD Deputy State Epidemiologist, Jane Yackley, MPH Epidemiologist (TDH)
  • November 21, 2019 (9:30-11:00am CT, Tennessee Department of Agriculture)
    1. Neil Vezeau, BS (DVM/MPH Candidate at Iowa State University): Building Local and International One Health Collaborations 
    2. Anastasia Lambrou, MSc (PhD Candidate, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health): ThaiFlu Project 
  • September 26, 2019 (9:30–11:00am CT, Tennessee Department of Agriculture)
    1. Dr. Katie Rumsey, DVM, MPH, DACVPM (Iowa Department of Agriculture): Suggestions for Prevention & Responding to Veterinary Controlled Substance Misuse
    2. Dr. Samir Hanna, MD, MSPH (Tennessee Department of Health): Salmonella in Live Poultry
  • July 25, 2019 (9:30–11:00am CT, Tennessee Emergency Management Agency)
    1. Jeremy Hooper (TDEC): What is TDEC doing about PFAS? TDEC’s Approach to Understanding PFAS in Tennessee
    2. Mugdha Golwalkar, MPH (TDH): Outbreak of E. coli O103
  • May 23, 2019 (9:30–11:00am CT, Tennessee Department of Agriculture [436 Hogan Road, Nashville, TN])
    1. Dr. Kate Varela (CDC One Health): Update on CDC One Health Priorities 
    2. Dr. Leslie Seraphin (USDA-VS): RB-51 Shedding Related to Raw Milk Exposure in PA
    3. Dr. John Dunn (TDH): Tennessee Raw Milk Legislative Efforts
  • March 28, 2019 (9:30–11:00am CT, Tennessee Department of Agriculture [436 Hogan Road, Nashville, TN])
    1. Jesse Tussing, USDA Wildlife Services: USDA-WS Feral Swine Program
    2. Dr. Leslie Seraphin, USDA-VS: Asian Long-Horned Tick
  • January 31, 2019 (9:30–11:00am CT, Tennessee State Public Health Laboratory [630 Hart Lane, Nashville, TN])
    1. Walter Cook and Dr. Sara Clariday (TWRA): Update on Chronic Wasting Disease Response and Captive Cervidae
  • November 8, 2018 (9:30–11:00am CT, Tennessee Department of Agriculture [436 Hogan Road, Nashville, TN])
  1.  Dr. R. Douglas Meckes (State Veterinarian, North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services): NC Hurricane Response
  2.  Tyler Means and Danny Ripley (Metro Nashville Public Health): Cracking the Case on a Salmonella Outbreak: A Local Health Perspective
  • September 27, 2018 (9:30–11:00am CT, Tennessee Department of Agriculture [436 Hogan Road, Nashville, TN])
  1. Dr. Keren Rozensher (USDA APHIS Veterinarian): Virulent New Castle Disease & One Health
  2. JD Freye (USDA WIldlife Services): Update on the New Castle Disease in California from the Wildlife Biologist's Viewpoint