Rising Stars of Safety, Class of 2024

Making the safe choice isn’t always easy. In the workplace, every decision comes with complications, costs and critics. Yet, safety professionals, with their drive and passion for their work, make it look easy. They’re willing to keep pushing and go that extra mile for safety because, for them, their work is more than a job – it’s a mission.

For more than a century, the National Safety Council has worked to save lives through safer workplaces, roadways and communities. We understand the challenges safety leaders face and seek to support them as they strive to make the world a safer place.

The 2024 NSC Rising Stars of Safety, our 15th class, demonstrate the incredible impact of their profession. Founded in 2010, the program recognizes up-and-coming safety pros 40 and younger who have a proven track record of safety leadership in their organization and are dedicated to continuous improvement. This program is possible thanks to the generous support of our 2024 Rising Stars Award sponsor, Dow.

These 38 leaders, representing a wide range of industries, are truly among the best and brightest in safety. Through their dedication and enthusiasm, they’ve shown that improvement, innovation and change aren’t only possible, but can also help save lives.

This year’s group is truly impressive. Take Michael Kennerson, director of safety at PosiGen. Known as “Safety Mike” around the workplace, Kennerson developed a comprehensive safety initiative that reduced the company’s total recordable incident rate by 60%. He’s on the frontlines of PosiGen’s safety program, leading safety meetings and inspections, implementing proactive measures, and engaging new hires and contractors. Kennerson shows his energy and passion for safety off the job as well, organizing community safety events and workshops.

In her role as senior manager of operations safety training at Amazon, Ciara Norman led the creation and launch of the Safety School Program – aimed at improving the employee safety onboarding experience. Between 2022 and 2023, new hires who went through the school showed a 37% drop in the recordable injury rate and a 100% reduction in the musculoskeletal disorder recordable injury rate. She’s a champion for total worker health and well-being both at work and in her community.

As the biosafety officer for the Houston Health Department, Gustina Marie Gonzales is charged with overseeing the safety of 2.4 million Texans. She’s made outreach a priority – communicating through weekly bulletins, newsletters and safety fairs. A volunteer in the department’s See to Succeed mission, she helps provide eye exams and glasses for Houston school districts.

Read each profile to learn more about the NSC Rising Stars of Safety, Class of 2024.

Thank you to each of this year’s honorees. Your work is making the world a safer and better place for all.

— Lorraine M. Martin

View Rising Stars profiles as they appear in the print edition of Safety+Health.

Join the Young Professionals Division

Did you know NSC has a group dedicated to young safety professionals? This affinity group focuses on safety pros who are younger than 45 and in the first half of their safety careers. The Young Professionals Division prioritizes connection, training and resources to improve results in all safety environments. Go to nsc.org/divisions to learn more.