Michelle Garner-Janna
Chief Experience Officer & Co-Founder
What Works Institute
Embracing Neurodiversity: A Strategic Imperative for EHS Leadership
As workforce diversity evolves beyond visible traits to include cognitive differences, Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) leaders must rethink traditional approaches to safety, training, and risk management. This presentation introduces a compelling new dimension of strategic safety leadership: neurodiversity.
Michelle Garner-Janna is an accomplished business executive with more than 30 years of experience leading Health, Safety, Environmental, Manufacturing & Maintenance functions. She is the Chief Experience Officer and Co-Founder of the What Works Institute, a collaborative learning and research hub focused on improving health, safety, and environmental outcomes through strategic research, practical tools, and peer engagement. Prior to that, she led Global Health, Safety & Environment Cummins Inc., a 62,500+ employee global power leader in over 190 countries and territories.
She is a Certified Safety Professional, Certified Professional Ergonomist, and Certified 6-sigma Greenbelt. Mrs. Garner-Janna holds both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Industrial Engineering from Auburn University as well as an Executive MBA from the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University. She is a past Board member of the National Safety Council and past Chairperson of the Campbell Institute. She is also a professional member and past President of the West TN American Society of Safety Professionals, a member of the Memphis Wastewater Hearing Authority and is active in community affairs by frequently volunteering her time.