38 Public & Environmental Health Policy Manager Michigan Environmental Council As a third-grader, Samantha Pickering was stirred to action by the sight of trash on the school playground. Her dedication to protecting the health of others and the environment is evident through her career. As the public and environmental health policy manager for the Michigan Environmental Council, Pickering assisted in securing funding for statewide lead testing and microplastics research in the Great Lakes region. She is also the global director of education for Plastic Oceans International, where she raises awareness of plastic pollution, including an Earth Day film screening. Pickering was awarded a T-RUST (Transformative Research in Urban Sustainability Training) fellowship, funded by the National Science Foundation, for her research on solid waste reduction. She also volunteers as a program coordinator and educator for Green Living Science and a bug hunt team leader with Friends of the Rouge. Pickering earned her bachelorÕs degree from the University of Michigan- Dearborn and her masterÕs degree from Wayne State University. She is a resident of Ferndale. The information presented here was accurate as of Jan.1, 2025.