

2023 Safety Conference Speakers

KEYNOTE SPEAKER:
Danny W Smith, SMS, CIT
Senior Safety Consultant at SafeStart
Danny, distinguished for his thought leadership in human factors management for SafeStart, regularly speaks at state, regional and national conferences on a variety of topics related to injury reduction, engagement and culture. He has the ability to make the concepts being taught relatable and valuable to every participant.
Much of this practical application stems from Danny having over 25 years of EHS experience and working with industries including aerospace, oil & gas, construction, iron and steel, chemical processing, automotive, and pharmaceutical.
Danny represents SafeStart as a member of the National Safety Council’s Exhibitor Advisory Board and is a long-standing member of the Alabama Governor's Safety and Health Conference Planning Committee. He is also the co-founder and co-host of the SafeTalk with SafeStart podcast.

John Young - ND Safety Council
John Young is a Safety Consultant for the North Dakota Safety Council (NDSC). Before coming to work for the NDSC, Young spent 20 years with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) as a Compliance Safety and Health Officer (CSHO) and then the Assistant Area Director for the Bismarck Area Office. During his 20 years with OSHA conducting and reviewing investigations and inspections, his primary focus areas were in general industry manufacturing, construction, and oil and gas activities. Before coming to work for OSHA, Young spent over eight years in private industry working on safety in manufacturing environments, from coordinator through corporate manager with responsibility for multiple manufacturing plants nationally and internationally. He has a Master of Science in Industrial Management from the College of Engineering at South Dakota State University and a Master of Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle Pennsylvania.
