Distinguished Alumnus
Heather Buonomo obtained a B.S. in Food Science and Nutrition, before becoming a Registered Environmental Health Specialist with the state of California. She has worked for the County of San Diego, Department of Environmental Health’s Food and Housing Division since 2002. She worked her way up to Chief of Operations for the Food and Housing Division where she oversees a team of 107 full-time employees and an annual operating budget of $17.5M. She manages the California Health and Safety Code regulations at over 15,500 food establishments, 2,500 housing sites, including 77,000 apartment and hotel units, 30 detention facilities, 35 organized camps, 200 body art shops and over 4,000 swimming pool sites. She is the Chair of Subcommittee B of the California Retail Food Safety Coalition, which focuses on writing state code language to address food safety issues, represents San Diego County on the state Food Safety Policy Committee and participates in a state advisory committee for the implementation of AB 2178, state law on Limited Service Charitable Feedings Organizations. Heather has also twice been the local chapter president of the California Environmental Health Association and in 2017 was recognized as the Department of Environmental Health’s Employee of the Year, an award that is given to only one person out of 300 employees annually. When not at work, you’ll find her running, swimming, hiking, eating (her husband’s cooking!) and spending time with her family at endless children’s porting events.
