Meet the 2026 Bakersfield ASSP Symposium Speaker Lineup

Jason Kibbey
Jan 5
3 min read

If you’re looking for practical takeaways, fresh ideas, and real-world strategies you can apply immediately—this is your room.

The 2026 Bakersfield ASSP Professional Development Symposium brings together an impressive mix of safety leaders, trainers, regulators, legal experts, and specialty-risk professionals for a full day of learning and connection.

When: Wednesday, March 18, 2026 (7:00 AM – 5:00 PM PDT)

Where: Dignity Health Convention Center (1001 Truxtun Ave, Bakersfield, CA)

Bakersfield ASSP Symposium

👉 Register Now 2026 Bakersfield ASSP Symposium | Bakersfield ASSP Symposium

Keynote Spotlight: Valorie Kondos Field (“Miss Val”)

Our keynote speaker, Valorie Kondos Field, brings world-class culture and leadership lessons from her legendary career as UCLA Gymnastics head coach—leading teams to 7 NCAA Championships and mentoring elite athletes including Olympic champions. Her message centers on resilience, leadership, and building a positive culture—exactly what safety professionals need to influence behavior, commitment, and accountability in the real world.

Breakout Speakers You’ll Learn From

This year’s speaker lineup is designed for the realities of today’s workplace—training, human performance, compliance, health, investigations, specialty hazards, and leadership.

Training, Learning Culture, and Human Performance

Divina Jover – EHS Senior Training Supervisor at Wonderful Citrus, bringing a learner-centered, HOP-influenced approach to building scalable training programs. Danny Smith – SafeStart thought leader in human factors and engagement, known for practical injury-reduction and culture strategies.

Regulatory Insight and Practical Hazard Control

Kevin Goddard – Senior Safety Engineer with California’s OSHSB, focused on practical solutions that protect workers across industries.
David Gee – Senior Safety Engineer with Cal/OSHA Consultation, supporting safety/health evaluations and technical guidance.

High-Risk Work, Construction, and Field Safety

Chris Botting – Underground Service Alert (811), sharing critical best practices and updates for damage prevention and excavation safety.
Jaison Thomas – Bakersfield-based veteran/engineer/speaker focused on leadership clarity, communication, and reducing rework under pressure.
Gary Garrahan – Senior EHS Manager with extensive experience helping organizations strengthen EHS strategy and performance.

PPE, Arc Flash, and Specialized Protective Programs

Mike Perun – Protective apparel specialist supporting PPE programs for arc flash, flash fire, and related hazards (including NFPA involvement).
Scott Francis – PPE and thermal hazard specialist with decades of experience in protective fabrics, NFPA standards, and OSHA regulations.

HR, Legal, Investigations, and Workplace Accountability

Kelly George – Attorney and EHS leader with deep experience in risk, compliance, investigations, and organizational engagement.
Adrian Nevarez – Dual-certified HR/EHS executive (CSP, SHRM-SCP) translating complex systems into actionable improvement.
Dr. Juanita Webb & Dr. Justin Hiebert – Executive coaching, investigations, HR strategy, and business consulting to strengthen organizational systems.
Jerry Pearson – Labor and employment attorney guiding employers through wage/hour, claims, disputes, and workers’ compensation matters.
Elizabeth Maldonado – Employee relations and investigations background with a strong focus on engagement, wellness, and workplace processes.

Health, Wellness, and Public-Facing Risk

Marisela Sanchez, MSN, RN – Assistant Director of Health, Safety & Wellness supporting large teams and health outcomes in education settings.
Dr. Rasha Kuran – Infectious diseases specialist (Kern Medical) and Associate Medical Director of the Valley Fever Institute, with extensive experience in outreach and public education.
Chris Persel, M.A., CCM, CBIS, CPHM – Regional Director of Clinical Services / behavior programming leader in post-acute traumatic brain injury rehabilitation.

Specialty Topics and Real-World Experience

Emily Taylor, PhD – Biology professor and snake safety specialist delivering practical, ethical, compliance-aware training for rattlesnake environments.
Todd Giurlani – Veteran safety consultant with decades of experience supporting diverse industries and major projects.
Stephenie McWilliams – Longtime safety professional with experience spanning oil/gas, Department of Defense, and corporate environments.
Richard Gooden – Safety specialist with hands-on experience across high-risk work (construction, heavy equipment, refinery/oil field environments, and more).
Richard Garrett – Retired Kern County Sheriff’s Office lieutenant (2023) and security/investigations leader focused on proactive loss prevention and layered protection strategies.

Why Register Now

You’re not just attending a conference—you’re investing in a full day designed to help you lead safer, stronger, more resilient workplaces.

Full-day event: 7:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Early Bird Registration is available (with the current page showing $200 + tax and an early bird sale end date of Jan 31).
One place to learn, connect, and bring back tools your team can actually use.

👉 Head to the symposium site and click Register Now to secure your seat.