Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Senior Safety Professional Jennifer Zipeto, CSP was honored with the Women in Safety Excellence (WISE) Safety Professional of the Year (SPY) Award at the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) annual professional development conference “Safety 2018” in San Antonio, Texas on June 5th, 2018. Jennifer started her Disney career in 2010 and has supported OSHA programs, EPCOT, and most recently Disney Springs. Jen has been a practicing environmental, safety and health professional since 1994.
ASSP is the worlds’ largest and oldest professional society supporting occupational safety and health (OSH) professionals in their efforts to prevent workplace injuries, illnesses and fatalities globally. ASSP provides education, advocacy, standards development and a professional community to more than 37,000 members in order to advance their careers and the OSH profession as a whole. The diverse and engaged WISE member Common Interest Group community promotes the equity and advancement of women in the safety profession through education, mentorship, networking, collaboration, research and innovation and strives to continuously influence industry to address current and future safety challenges affecting women in the workforce locally, nationally and globally.
The WISE SPY Award promotes excellence and service by WISE members. Jennifer has served on the Board of Women in Safety Excellence for 12 years, including serving as Administrator and Assistant Administrator for 10 of those years. In partnership with others, Jennifer tirelessly worked to form WISE, which quickly gained support and began filling leadership positions under her guidance. In forming WISE, Jennifer not only provided a forum in which female professionals could network, but her efforts assisted in establishing the first ASSP Common Interest Group and therefore provided a structure for others to follow and grow. WISE is now the benchmark within ASSP and other common interest groups strive to emulate the success WISE has experienced. Under her leadership as WISE Administrator, the WISE community increased from 1,600 members to more than 2,200. Jennifer also serves as a mentor to young WISE professionals, spearheaded the endowment of the WISE Professional Development Grant, and coordinates the WISE events at the ASSP annual conference, to include an onsite networking lounge, a formal networking event, and a professional development retreat (pre-conference session).
Jennifer has previously been honored with the ASSP Charles V Culbertson Outstanding Volunteer Service Award, Diversity Award, and North American Occupational Safety and Health Week (NAOSH) Champion Award, and was named to the 100 Women Making a Difference in the Safety, Health and Environmental Industry. Jennifer was recognized by the ASSP Central Florida Chapter as the 2011 Safety Professional of the Year and has also been honored with the President of the United States Volunteer Service Award.
The August 2013 edition of ASSP’s “Professional Safety” magazine quoted Jennifer as the the-Administrator, “WISE fosters an environment that allows our members to share ideas and knowledge. We have a robust mentoring program and are strong networkers. We are ‘leaning in’ to our careers and to the ongoing evaluation of the state of women in the SH&E profession.” That quote speaks about WISE but also epitomizes what Jennifer has so strongly contributed to in the past, embodies presently, and works tirelessly to sustain for the future.