Environment Health & Safety (EH&S) Assistant Vice Chancellor Chris Strang has announced that Todd Yanke has been named Interim Director of Chemical Safety and Chemical Hygiene Officer for FP&M Environment, Health & Safety (EH&S) following the retirement of Jeff Zebrowski. Todd most recently served as Manager of Chemical Safety and Associate Chemical Hygiene Officer.
“Todd has been part of this team from the beginning, and he has demonstrated the leadership and strategic thinking that is needed to keep us moving forward, ” Chris said. “I am confident he is the right person to step in and lead during this transition.”
After earning his Occupational and Health Safety degree from Iowa State University, Todd built a diverse private-sector career. He started as a loss control inspector before moving to Los Angeles, where he spent a decade as Director of Safety and eventually President of Paper Coating Company. Drawn back home to Wisconsin by his family farm and his passion for safety, he joined UW-Madison’s newly formed Chemical Safety group in 2010 as a Laboratory Safety Coordinator. Over the last 15 years, he worked alongside Jeff to build the program into a premier campus resource, stepping into the role of Associate Chemical Hygiene Officer in 2021.
“I am excited to continue the work I have started in my time at EH&S and to continue to foster a culture of safety on campus,” Todd said. “I truly believe that working with all the departments in FP&M we can provide the best safety, and customer service to campus.”
The Director of Chemical Safety and Chemical Hygiene Officer manages the university’s chemical safety, hazardous waste, and environmental compliance programs across campus and offsite facilities. They collaborate closely with faculty and staff to develop safety policies, provide expert guidance on handling and disposing of chemicals, and ensure laboratories remain safe and compliant.
Aaron McCoy will step in for Todd and serve as the Interim Chemical Safety Manager/Associate Chemical Hygiene Officer. Aaron joined the Chemical Safety unit in 2016 after receiving his Ph.D. in Chemistry from UW-Madison. He has held several roles in his 10 years with EH&S, most recently as the Assistant Chemical Hygiene Officer.
Jeff retired following over 20 years of service with EH&S. His last day in the office was May 22.
“Jeff has made a lasting impact on EH&S and the broader UW-Madison community,” Chris said. “Since joining us in 2005, he has helped build and grow the Chemical Safety program from the ground up, expanding its scope, strengthening key safety and compliance processes, and fostering strong partnerships across campus. His leadership has also guided major advancements, including the implementation of ChemManager+, which has significantly improved how we track and manage chemical use across the university.”