Emily Hovis, MS
About
Emily Hovis is an Assistant Teaching Professor in the UW Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences. She is an environmental health professional with experience in public education, food safety and environmental compliance. Emily earned her MS and BS in Biology from Sonoma State University and now teaches in the field of food safety, environmental health policy, and zoonotic disease.
As a former retail food safety regulator, Emily is passionate about promoting environmental health and public service as a career path. She is actively involved in promoting food safety education and currently serves as a member of the Washington State Retail Food Safety Advisory Council (FSAC) and the Association of Food and Drug Official’s (AFDO) Food Recovery Committee.
Aside from her work as a teaching professor, Emily actively pursues a passion for food production. She is the owner/operator of Triple H Family Farm, a 33-acre livestock farm in Lewis County that focuses on conservation grazing and sustainable land management practices to enhance native species and produce healthy food for the community.
Education
- MS, Sonoma State University
- BS, Sonoma State University
Mentorship
Available to mentor new master's students in autumn 2026. Please follow the instructions on the How To Apply page.
DEOHS Students Mentored
Application of the Sterile Insect Technique within Existing Mosquito Control Programs in Riverside County, California
Matthew Hileman | MS Applied | 2025 | View
Development of a GIS Tool to Identify Food Rescue Opportunities in Washington State
Tania Vallejo | MS Applied | 2023 | View
Assessment of Animal Health Practices and Antibiotics Usage on Dairy Farms in Washington State
Timothy Obadiah Magnus | MS Thesis | 2025 | View
Development of a Geographic Information System (GIS) Tool To Identify Food Rescue Opportunities in Washington State
Tania Valentina Vallejo Quiroga | MS Applied | 2023 | View
Engagement
Community and research partnerships
I have several active research projects and service activities focused on food safety, health equity, environmental justice and community engagement:
- Micro-Pantries/Community Refrigerators: I am currently working with the Washington State Department of Health to understand micro-pantries and community refrigerator safety and their potential as a hyper-local alternative means of food assistance within the Puget Sound area. In addition, I am working with an interdisciplinary team led by the UW Urban Freight Lab to explore how remote sensor technology could be used to promote food safety and improve supply chain logistics at micro-pantries in Seattle.
- Food Rescue & Food Safety: I am currently working with the Washington State Department of Ecology to develop a statewide food rescue mapping tool to help connect food businesses to hunger relief organizations and improve the efficiency of food rescue/donation in our state. In addition, we are analyzing capacity at hunger relief organizations to accept additional donations through expanded food rescue programs.
Teaching practices
I am passionate about teaching the next generation of environmental health professionals and incorporating hands-on experiences based on real-world situations into my course curriculum. Most of my classroom instruction is grounded in student-centered, active learning through in-class group activities and discussions. I am also a firm believer is bringing in diverse guest lecturers who conduct environmental health work within government, industry and community groups to provide information to students about their work, career paths, professional experiences and potential careers within their fields. I currently teach ENV H 441/541: Food Protection (AUT), ENV H 473/584: Environmental Health Policy & Practice (WIN), ENV H 442: Zoonotic Diseases and their Control (SPR), and an online version of ENV H 111: Environment and Health Connections (SPR).
Service
My service within DEOHS includes participating in the Peer Teaching Evaluation committee and the Curriculum committee. Outside the University, I am a member of the Washington State Environmental Health Association (WSEHA) Annual Education Conference planning committee and chair of the WSEHA awards committee. I am a member of the Washington State Retail Food Safety Advisory Council (FSAC) and the Association of Food and Drug Official’s (AFDO) Food Recovery Committee. I am also a member of the National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) and participated as a food safety subject-matter expert for the NEHA Professional Food Handler summative assessment.
Previously, I served as a food safety subject-matter expert for the Washington State Department of Social & Health Services’ Aging and Long-Term Support Administration textbook Fundamentals of Caregiving, 3rd Edition [dshs.wa.gov]. Between 2019-2021, I served as the Food Safety Subject-Matter Expert Group Coordinator for the Washington State food waste prevention plan – Use Food Well Washington [ecology.wa.gov] and served on the Conference for Food Protection Food Recovery Committee.
Additional Information
Committee activities:
Food Safety Subject Matter Expert Group Coordinator for the Washington state food waste prevention plan: Use Food Well Washington.
Planning volunteers for the Washington State Environmental Health Association annual education conference.
Voting member of the Conference for Food Protection/Food Recovery Committee