Angela Leek, PhD, CHP
Director of Radiological Solutions and Regulatory Affairs
Years of Experience in
Radiation Protection
Years of Experience in
Health Physics
Year Joined
SummitET
Why I work at SummitET
Over my career, I have always enjoyed identifying connections and enabling collaborations to fill gaps or improve processes or programs. Through my interactions with SummitET prior to joining the team, I could see that the tagline of a “preparedness solutions company” is more than just words to the people who work here. I resonate with this mission and look forward to working together to explore ways to support and expand on solutions to address challenges across our radiation protection community.
My work/research will make a difference in the world because…
As the health physics workforce is shrinking across all industries, the state radiation control programs are particularly vulnerable to loss of longstanding technical knowledge and frequent turnover as staff gain experience and move to other career options. I hope to help to ensure consistent protection of health and safety by finding ways to provide technical resources and staff augmentation for inspections, licensing, and other state radiation control program activities to state programs. This will help to ensure that states have a technical support option to maintain strong technical capacity in their regulatory oversight and radiation emergency preparedness responsibilities, regardless of any changes affecting their programs.
In my dissertation research work, I hope to develop methods to identify gaps in understanding of radiation in ways that can be translated to target specific development and delivery aspects of training for each group or individual. The result could be more effective allocation of responder and worker time toward training that correlates with improved and lasting understanding and approach to radiological response.
Three things you may not know about me
I have grown two sons.
My favorite past time is paddleboarding on a quiet lake overlooking downtown Des Moines when it is warm from May through September – although I’d much prefer it to be an ocean.
I served on the CRCPD Board of Directors for nearly six years and currently serve on the Board of Directors for the Health Physics Society.
The best advice I’ve ever received
No one actually has all of the answers figured out – keep learning and finding your own way.
Education
IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY
Ph.D. Industrial and Agricultural Technology, 2023
OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY
M.S. Radiation Health Physics, 2014
WILLIAM PENN UNIVERSITY
B.A. Business Management, 2000
UNIVERSITY OF IOWA
Radiologic Technology, 1996
Certifications
Affiliations
- Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)
- Governor-Appointed State Liaison Officer representing Iowa 2013 – 2023
- Organization of Agreement States (OAS)
- Voting member representing Iowa 2013-2023
- Co-Chair of NRC Workgroup for General Licensed Devices Safety Evaluation
- Co-Chair of NRC Workgroup for General Licensed Devices Modernization
- Conference of Radiation Control Program Directors (CRCPD)
- Director Member representing Iowa 2013-2023
- Board Member Positions 2017-2023
- Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)
- CRCPD and State of Iowa Representative
- American Academy of Health Physics
- Member and Nominating Committee
- Health Physics Society
- Director Member 2022-2025
- Homeland Security Response Section
- Women in Health Physics Section
- Council of State Governments – Midwestern Radioactive Materials Transportation Committee (MRMTC)
- Alternate to Governor-Appointed State Liaison representing Iowa 2013-2013
Contributions
About Angela
Angela Leek, Ph.D., CHP, joined SummitET as the Director of Radiological Solutions and Regulatory Affairs in February 2023 after 16 years in the radiation control program at the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services.
Angela began her state program service in 2006 as a health physicist in the mammography program and spent the last nine years as the Bureau Chief for Radiological Health. As the Bureau Chief, Angela was responsible for all radiological regulation programs in Iowa which included licensing and inspection activities for all aspects of radiation producing machines, radioactive materials, and the radon and tanning programs within Iowa. Angela was also responsible for the implementation and ongoing operation of the online licensing database system that serves three bureaus and 16 different licensing programs across the ADPER/EH division. In addition to these regulatory functions, Angela was responsible for coordinating dose assessment and development of technical advice and protective action recommendations for radiation emergency preparedness and response. She continues to support these radiological preparedness activities in Iowa and across the nation as a Type 1 ROSS and a member of the ROSS working group that supports the national cadre of ROSS.
Angela recently served as the Chairperson for the Conference of Radiation Control Program Directors (CRCPD) and served on the CRCPD Board of Directors for nearly six years. She was Iowa’s governor-appointed state liaison officer to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and Iowa’s voting member for the Organization of Agreement States. Angela maintains active memberships with organizations across all aspects of radiation protection including the Health Physics Society, where she is currently serves as a Board Director member. Through these associations and partnerships, Angela continues to develop and support over 100 trainings and presentations for various groups across the nation on radiation protection, regulatory control program perspectives, and emergency preparedness and response. Angela has been involved in the radiation field for over 25 years and is certified by the American Board of Health Physics. She earned her master’s degree in Radiation Health Physics from Oregon State University and her Ph.D. in Industrial and Agricultural Technology from Iowa State University.