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Philadelphia Resident Honored with EPA Employee Award

Release Date: 05/17/2007
Contact Information: Donna Heron 215-814-5113

PHILADELPHIA (May 17, 2007) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s mid-Atlantic region presented its Lorraine Urbiet Communicator of the Year Award to Patricia L. Taylor, of Northeast Philadelphia, at its annual Employee Recognition Ceremony on April 24.

This award is given to a regional employee in memory of Lorraine Urbiet (1947-1993), who personified excellence in communications with creativity and caring.

Taylor, a community involvement coordinator with the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Division, has been busy during her four years at EPA.

Some of the headline stories Trish has been involved in include:
“Student steals mercury from high school”
“Ricin found in senate office building”
“EPA provides bottled water to residents”
“Boots on the ground at Hurricane Katrina”

“When Hurricane Rita hit New Orleans, Trish didn’t need to be asked twice to go down and help,” said last year’s winner, Donna Heron. “And once there, she created the community outreach program that set the stage for the rest of EPA’s outreach efforts. Her good work under the worst of circumstances contributed to EPA’s positive reputation in the communities devastated by the hurricanes.”

Heron added that Taylor has spent countless hours in the homes of concerned residents, hosting open houses and public meetings. “Trish brought in independent experts to help in New Orleans and when it was time for her to leave, she was applauded for her leadership.”

Taylor, who grew up in Bloomsburg, Pa., graduated from Bloomsburg Area High School in 1986. Her parents, Kenneth Taylor, and Kathleen and David Sommers, still live in Bloomsburg. And she received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida in public relations and environmental studies in 2002.
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