Kathleen Shaver received her Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies – Public Policy and Government from American University, Washington, DC in 1989. After graduation, she worked as an environmental legal assistant and then as an aide to the Oklahoma Secretary of the Environment. In 1994 she received her Master of Science in Environmental Management from the Department of Occupational and Environmental Health (OEH) at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center (OUHSC). Her master’s thesis was titled “Management Indicators as Predictors of Back Injury in Oklahoma Hospitals”. She conducted doctoral research at the UCLA School of Public Health on industrial storm water runoff.
Ms. Shaver’s professional life has centered on leadership in the areas of environmental health and safety, sustainability, product stewardship, and corporate social responsibility in the manufacturing sector. She held executive positions with the Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturers Association and the Chlorine Institute and senior management positions in major multinational companies, including Honeywell, Mattel, Cisco Systems. She has been Director of Environment and Supply Chain Innovation at Apple since 2013. She has worked on international initiatives ranging from water conservation and elimination/substitution of hazardous chemicals in manufacturing to ethical sourcing practices and prevention of human trafficking. Her work extends to development and promotion of industry-wide best practices through organizations such as the Responsible Business Alliance, the Alliance for Water Stewardship, and the Clean Production Action Network.
Ms. Shaver is a valued advisor and friend of the Hudson College of Public Health. She chaired the OEH External Advisory Board for three years and participated as a stakeholder in the HCOPH strategic planning process for 2021-2025. In 2020 she endowed the Kathleen A. Shaver Scholarship to support students pursuing a degree in the field of occupational health, environmental health or industrial hygiene. In 2021, she was named as the Department of Occupational and Environmental Health’s Distinguished Alumni Award recipient.