Meet the Team
About
David Forney
David served as Chief of the United States Public Health, Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP) at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Before devoting his work fulltime to the VSP, he undertook a tour of duty in Bangladesh with the World Health Organization in their Smallpox Eradication Program and assisted Ministries and Commissions around the world on policies and regulations for national public health initiatives.
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About
Jon P. Schnoor
Jon’s experience is entirely in the maritime regulatory and enforcement field. He has successfully led others in the United States Coast Guard and served as Assistant Deputy Chief of the United States Public Health, Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP). He is convinced that the protection of cruise line public health remains with international standard-setting and systems capability.
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About
Catherine Arthur-Hirschenfang
Catherine has developed, implemented and managed Florida state tourism, cruise line and hotel initiatives with governmental organizations and public-private partnerships. She maintains the distinction of serving as the sole coordinator for the United States Public Health, Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP) workshops. Knowing that what we learn is decisive to how we perform our jobs, she recognizes career education as a key value for working professionals.
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About
George H. Vaughan, Jr., DrPH
Ranked Captain and serving as Epidemiologist with the United States Public Health, Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP), George performed duties of Field Epidemiologist and Inspector. Over the past few years, enormous challenges like the influenza A(H1N1)pdm09, Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus and the SARS-CoV-2 have highlighted threats to global health. Epidemiology’s contribution is aimed at analyzing and monitoring their scope and excessive effects.
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About
Markus Dietl
Markus is a certified HACCP-Team Leader, as well as a certified ISO 22000 Auditor for Food Safety. He is currently a CQI/IRCA-certified Lead Auditor for Quality Management Systems (QMS) candidate. With a 15-year career in sea and shoreside public health management, Markus’ focus on ISO 22000 is a continuous journey of Food Safety Management. He makes the business case for adopting VSP and EU SHIPSAN requirements as a ‘one system model’.
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About
Ben Hirschenfang
Ben was Deputy Director of the JASSM cruise missile program at Lockheed Martin Corporation for the United States Air Force. His initiative in establishing Lockheed Martin’s quality-based auditing process, “Process Verification Program” for the JASSM program has been adopted as a Lockheed Martin Best Practice, as well as a USAF practice across other weapon systems. The end result is that many validation processes are streamlined and production delays eliminated.
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About
Thomas Hill
Thomas has thirty-five years with the US Public Health Service (USPHS), retiring at the rank of Captain. He is credentialed by the US National Environmental Health Association as a Registered Sanitarian, and certified Professional-Food Safety. He is a Diplomate in the American Academy of Sanitarians. While at the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) he served as the Program Technical Expert for the InterstateTravel Program (ITP) providing consultation and training to ITP Specialists and Investigators in the field inspecting interstate conveyances, including passenger aircraft, vessels, trains, buses, caterers and watering points.
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About
Daniel Harper, DrPH
Dan served at four U.S. federal agencies among them as Captain with the United States Public Health, Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP). He was Professor at the Environmental Health Science Program at Eastern Kentucky University and maintains his credentials as Registered Environmental Health Specialist (REHS) and Registered Hazardous Substances Professional (RHSP). Dan has written and co-authored manuals and articles for industry and academia.
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About
Kristijian Horvatek
Kristijan holds a master of science degree (M.S.) in environmental engineering, and a bachelor’s degree (B.S.) in environmental health engineering. He has more than ten years’ experience in the fields of public health and environmental engineering compliance, and has been an officer with management responsibility and an internal inspector. His certification training includes Pool/Spa Operator of Aquatic Facilities and development and implementation of HACCP-based food safety system. Kristijan believes in healthy cruising supported by education, development and implementation of the highest public health standards.
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About
Dumitru Zamfir
Dumitru runs a consulting practice that audits and inspects cruise line hotel and technical operations, as well as food and beverage facilities. Previously, Dumitru served as Corporate Sanitation Officer and advisor with Apollo – BSSL and Celestyal Cruises, where he focused on public health and food safety.
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Testimonials
Oliver Gerbig
Managing Director
sea chefs Cruise Services GmbH
“GPHS Consulting is an industry accelerator that allows food handlers as well as their supervisors and managers to learn new skills and to be updated on new regulations and recommendations in regards of Public Health on board Cruise Ships. Cruise operators benefit from GPHS Consulting to always deliver a very high standard experience in matter of Public health and are rewarded by satisfactory scores during worldwide Public health Inspections.”
Philippe Faucher
Vice President, European Operations & Global Business Development
The Apollo Group
“I like the fact that you are well resourced and in the zone; no doubt your reputation supersedes you guys.”
