National Safety Council leader Hersman to join Waymo
Reprints
The National Safety Council on Tuesday announced the departure of President and CEO Deborah A.P. Hersman, who will leave the organization in January for a post as chief safety officer at Waymo, a self-driving technology development company based in Mountain View, California.
Ms. Hersman joined the National Safety Council in May 2014 after serving 10 years at the National Transportation Safety Board, including five as the organization’s chairwoman, the council said in a statement. During her tenure with the NSC, the council launched several workplace safety initiatives focused on eliminating preventable deaths, including a focus on fatigue as a way to prevent workplace injuries and vehicle safety technology.
Waymo is a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc. and used to be owned by Google Inc. until 2016, when the company was known as Google Self-Driving Car Project, according to the company website.
Ms. Hersman’s final day with NSC will be Jan. 11, 2019, and NSC Chief Operating Officer Nicholas Smith will serve as interim president and CEO, according to the statement.
“On behalf of the NSC Board of Directors, congratulations to Debbie on her exciting new role with Waymo,” said Chairman Mark Vergnano in the statement. “Debbie has always been a strong champion for safety, and she is perfectly positioned to lead Waymo through the next phase of their self-driving vehicle program.”
Read Next
-
Q&A: Deborah A.P. Hersman, National Safety Council
Deborah A.P. Hersman became president and CEO of the National Safety Council in March 2014. Based in Itasca, Illinois, the nonprofit organization works to prevent injuries and fatalities at work and in homes and communities. Prior to joining the National Safety Council, Ms. Hersman served on the National Transportation Safety Board and was its chairman from 2009 to 2013. Citing her desire to help people learn from a “tragic event without having to experience it,” Ms. Hersman recently spoke with Business Insurance Associate Editor Stephanie Goldberg about the major risks various age groups face and how the National Safety Council is working to mitigate them. Edited excerpts follow.
Related Stories
-
-
Majority of employees tired at work: National Safety Council
-
National Safety Council unveils injury database and web tool
