2021 Dedicated Service Award:   Santos Ayala

After retiring from the Army as Environmental Health Compliance Officer, Mr. Ayala joined Arlington County Government as a Code Enforcement Inspector, where he proactively investigated and responded to complaints of Housing Code Violations. 

After three years with the Building Department Inspection Services he was promoted to an Environmental Health Specialist (EHS) within the Department of Human Services Public Health Division. Shortly thereafter he became a member of NCAEHA. He joined Arlington County as an EHS a little time after that and he encouraged me to join the organization. He has been a long-term member of the NCAEHA and has presented at several of the Educational Conferences.

For the past 22 years his routine work has included plan review, inspections of hotels, restaurants and water recreation facilities. As a licensed Lead Risk Assessor with the State he has been invaluable with performing lead risk assessments of children who have been tested with elevated blood lead levels in Arlington, Alexandria and Prince William jurisdictions.

He was instrumental in the creation of the Mobile Unit Inspection Program within the Environmental Health Program. He has great communication skills, helping with Spanish translation with the Community and the entire Public Health Department, ensuring the health and safety of all. An excellent team player he is currently on the COVID Public Health Response Team Operations Section performing risk assessments of close contacts of cases through interviews and investigation.