The National Environmental Health Association’s (NEHA) 2023 conference was in New Orleans in early August. New Flower Studio piercer John Johnson represents the Association of Professional Piercers (APP) on the NEHA body art committee (BAC) and was an instructor for the event’s body art track attended by health inspectors from around the United States.
NEHA is an organization that represents, and offers educational opportunities for health inspectors like those who inspect restaurants and piercing and tattoo studios.
John is one of three APP members who contribute to body art inspector training for health inspectors. NEHA is very invested in providing this type of education to inspectors which helps protect public health.
In the image above, Steve Joyner and Matt Bavougian are speaking with health inspectors attending the NEHA body art inspector training.
This week’s body art inspector training included several interactive activities that kept the inspectors and instructors engaged with each other.
In the image below, New Flower’s John Johnson sits in a round table session where NEHA’s body art committee members rotated every 12 minutes after answering quick questions asked by health inspectors.
NEHA conference banners featuring tattoo images is evidence of how much they value their body art committee.
The picture above shows the Body Art Inspector Training instructors. 2 NEHA administrators, 3 piercers, 1 tattooist, 2 health inspectors, and registered 1 sanitarian made up this year’s roster of presenters.
Poster Sessions are always a popular attraction at health conferences like NEHA’s. So is the vendor expo, which the APP had a booth at this year. This year the association was in space 205 which was right up front near the main entrance!
Carmela Bustamante is the local New Orleans APP member (Diamond Eyez) and was kind enough to volunteer her time at the APP booth. This means speaking with visitors about the association and it’s mission of body piercing health and safety information.
Conference attendees who visited the APP booth got to see piercing portfolios, study jewelry, discuss body piercing safety information, and watch a video of APP members and events. There was also an expo Bingo game where attendees visited the booth to get a stamp and possibly win a prize.
John, Matt, Steve, and Carmela got to meet up with old friend Seth and Monique from Mettle and Silver body jewelry in New Orleans. Monique and Seth used to be body piercers in Pasadena until moving to New Orleans in 2011 and are old friends.
If you’re a subscriber to the New Flower Studio monthly newsletter you’ll know that we consider the network and friendship of piercers around the world to be one of the treasures of body piercing. Our newsletter often features piercers from far away places who visit our studio. This picture above features 6 piercers from 4 places and we think that’s special.
