Nancy B. Beck, PhD, DABT
Overview
Nancy provides industry leaders with advice related to the impact of environmental policy, including chemical regulations and compliance programs, applying her in-depth knowledge and applied public health experience as a PhD toxicologist. Nancy has over twenty years of applied public health experience, sixteen of which were from her time in government, including senior leadership positions at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the White House. As a PhD toxicologist she has a deep scientific understanding of chemical risk assessment, risk evaluation of environmental pollutants (including from mobile and stationary sources) and environmental policy. Nancy provides clients with insight into how regulatory policy is shaped and how rulemakings proceed from proposals to final regulations.
Nancy evaluates rulemakings and agency developments, applying her deep knowledge of how underlying technical/scientific information is used to support a rulemaking, assisting clients across all sectors. She has reviewed dozens of federal hazard assessments and risk evaluations. She works closely with clients to address high-level regulatory and compliance issues within the chemicals, consumer product, and environmental, health and safety arenas, providing advice on matters concerning pesticides, new chemicals, existing chemicals (including PFAS), hazardous air pollutants, food additives and contaminants, and biotechnology.
Chemicals, Pesticides, and Contaminants
Nancy has a strong understanding of the underlying science, technical and evaluation frameworks utilized by agencies in developing chemical compliance and regulatory standards. She provides advice to clients on chemical regulation and pesticides management, mitigating risks and navigating potential exposure claims. Nancy has a well-rounded insight into environmental and chemical risk evaluation, as well as human health regulatory policy and toxicology. She has been engaged in either the review or development of important agency regulations and guidance documents under various statutes including, but not limited to the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), and the Clean Air Act (CAA). She is steeped in knowledge regarding the EPA IRIS Assessments. Nancy previously served as principal executive and policy advisor to the EPA Administrator in the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention and led the TSCA team in the development of science-based approaches to the TSCA program and brought together and formalized an Interagency Working Group to advance the Endangered Species Act (ESA) consultation process for pesticides.
Nancy’s experience also includes over a decade of work as a scientist in the Office of Management and Budget’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA). She has a deep understanding of the OIRA processes and procedures that inform scientific assessments, including the Information Quality Law, Agency-wide Information Quality Guidelines, Peer Review Bulletin, and the Memorandum on Risk Evaluation.
Environmental
A major focus of Nancy’s work is to assist clients in coordinating with agencies on environmental issues and regulatory developments, including with EPA staff, as well as senior staff and policy officials throughout the Executive Office of the President and other Federal agencies. She works with clients to review agency processes and scientific evaluations underlying regulations under all the major environmental statutes, including the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), Clean Air Act (CAA) (as well as the NAAQS program), Endangered Species Act (ESA), Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA), Clean Water Act (CWA), and Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA).
Moreover, she assists clients in matters involving Environmental Justice issues and priorities for regulation.
Public Health and Consumer Products
Throughout her career, Nancy has worked on support documents, guidance documents, and regulations covering the vast space of public health concerns. She has managed matters involving sunscreens, tobacco, hemp, dietary guidelines, food additives and contaminants, and biotechnology. She is also well-versed in the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) and the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA).
Nancy maintains a broad regulatory practice and is commended for her extensive understanding of regulatory processes and the scientific underpinnings of federal and state regulations and compliance programs.
Experience
- Advised and collaborated with Administration officials and technical experts on policies related to: Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), agriculture/biotechnology, education, healthcare, transportation, and Veterans affairs.
- Advised and collaborated with Administration officials on federal policies affecting energy and environment.
- Provided technical and regulatory policy advice to the Special Assistant to the President, the Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Director of the NEC on diverse environmental and energy issues, including on regulations and guidance related to air, water, waste, chemicals, pesticides, biotechnology, transportation, and fisheries.
- Served as principal executive and policy advisor to the EPA Administrator in the management, operation, decision-making, planning, programming, policy development and implementation of the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP).
- Established strategies and managed implementation of programs under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA), and coordinated chemical safety and pollution prevention programs.
- Led workforce to successfully meet all statutory deadlines for the first two years of implementation of the 2016 Frank R. Lautenberg Amendments to the TSCA statute. Lead expert for sound implementation of risk assessment practices within the Frank R. Lautenberg Amendments.
- Acted as international contact and spokesperson for chemical and pesticide policy, including multiple engagements in Taipei, Seoul, Tokyo, Brussels, Helsinki, Cape Town, and Bogota.
- Served as a technical and strategy resource to committees and self-funded groups on the development and improvement of scientific documents, including risk evaluations and hazard assessments.
- Supervised the oversight of federal agency implementation of the Information Quality Law and OMB Information Quality Guidelines.
Accolades
Honors & Recognitions
- Nominated as Chair and Commissioner of the Consumer Products Safety Commission, March 2020
- Fellow, Society of Risk Analysis, December 2018
- Society of Toxicology Best Publication Award, March 2017
- OMB Achievement Award, July 2004-2011: Received seven achievement awards for work related to numerous public health decisions.
Affiliations
Professional
- American Board of Toxicology; Association of Government Toxicologists; Society of Toxicology; American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS); Society of Risk Analysis
- Board of Trustees, Evidence Based Toxicology Collaboration, May 2015–July 2017
- Trustee, Toxicology Education Foundation, 2014–May 2017
- Elected Treasurer, Society of Toxicology, National Capital Area Chapter, April 2014–2017
- Elected Chair, Society of Risk Analysis, Risk Policy and Law Specialty Group, 2015–2016
- Elected Councilor, Society of Toxicology, Risk Assessment Specialty Section, March 2012–March 2014
- Elected Councilor, Society of Toxicology, Regulatory Safety Evaluation Specialty Section, March 2009–March 2012
- Elected President, Association of Government Toxicologists, March 2007–March 2008
- Elected President-Elect, Councilor, Association of Government Toxicologists, March 2004–March 2007
Insights
Legal Updates
Events & Speaking Engagements
Publications
Blog Posts
News
Government Service
Senior Advisor to the OIRA Administrator, Office of Management and Budget, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), Executive Office of the President
Policy Advisor, National Economic Council (NEC), Executive Office of the President
Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, US Environmental Protection Agency
Toxicologist/Risk Assessor/Policy Analyst, Office of Management and Budget, OIRA, Executive Office of the President
Areas of Focus
Additional Service Areas
- Air Quality
- Energy
- Energy Transition
- Environmental
- Environmental Justice
- Government Relations
- Mobile Source and Fuels Regulation
- Natural Resources
- Pesticides
- PFAS Interdisciplinary Team
- Superfund (CERCLA), Site Remediation and Natural Resource Damages
- Sustainability
- Water Quality, Wetlands, Groundwater, and Drinking Water
- Plastics and Microplastics
- Retail and Consumer Products