Sen. Beverly Gard has been a champion for public health and the environment for nearly two decades while serving in the Indiana Senate. Her efforts have not only helped the state of Indiana; they’ve garnered national attention as well.
Sen. Gard has met with President George Bush at the White House in Washington, D.C., on environmental-related concerns. Not long ago, she was invited by Sen. George Voinovich (R-Ohio) to testify before his subcommittee in the U.S. Senate on the need for federal multi-pollutant emissions legislation. She has also led national discussions on causes and preventions of lead poisoning as well as energy related issues.
A former biochemist in the health care industry, Sen. Gard is currently chairwoman of the Indiana Senate Committee on Energy and Environmental Affairs, as well as the chair of both the Senate Public Health Subcommittee and the Environmental Quality Service Council.
In the last legislative session, Gard was a catalyst for agricultural marketing efforts as she led passage of a corn check-off program. She also worked hard to preserve open access to government through her serial meetings legislation, which ensured electronic technology would not circumvent public access and governmental accountability. For her efforts she was recently awarded the Frank O’Bannon Sunshine Award presented by the Hoosier State Press Association.
Sen. Gard is the chairman of the Agriculture, Energy and Environment Committee of the National Conference of State Legislatures. She also sits on several national committees, including the National Conference of State Legislatures Advisory Committee on Energy as well as the Council of State Governments Energy Task Force. She has served in various capacities to shape policies that ensure cleaner manufacturing processes and has authored legislation to clean up Indiana’s contaminated brownfield sites.
Just as important as her work in shaping policy is Sen. Gard’s outreach to citizens. She has literally built a bridge between her own policy weaving and the people those policies will ultimately affect. She continues to serve on the Policy Consensus Initiative Board of Directors and is also active with the Improving Kids’ Environment Board. In fact, she received a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Children’s. Environmental Health Award in 2005.
(Past & Present)
Hancock County ARC Board of Directors
Shares, Inc. Board of Directors
Greenfield Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors
Hancock Community Foundation Board of Directors
Alliance for Community Education Board of Directors
Hancock County Public Library Board of Directors
Hancock County Farm Bureau
Greenfield City Council, member and president
Hancock County Republican Vice-Chairman
Hancock County Cancer Society
Indiana Breast Health Awareness League
Hancock County Community Foundation Emeritus Board
Frank O’Bannon Sunshine Award: Hoosier State Press Association
U.S. EPA Children’s Environmental Health Recognition Award
Indiana Farm Bureau Legislator Award
Conservation Legislature of the Year: Indiana Environmental Organizations
Woman of the Year: Republican Mayor’s Association
Indiana State Medical Association Legislator of the Year (two times)
Indiana Library Federation (two times)
Lead-safe Leadership Award
Conservation Officers’ Legislator of the Year
Indiana Public Health Association Legislator of the Year
Indiana Autism Leadership Award
Indiana Health Industry Forum Award
Parks and Recreation Association Legislator of the Year
Champion of Small Business: Indiana State Chamber of Commerce
Business Champion: National Federation of Indiana Business