Rising Stars of Safety 2024

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Lauren Douglas
  • Air Force Safety Center

On September 17, 2024, the National Safety Council awarded two Air Force Airmen the Rising Star of Safety Award at their annual National Awards Celebration in Orlando, Florida. This award recognizes safety professionals under 40 years of age for their safety leadership and dedication to continuous safety improvements.

The awards took place in conjunction with the 2024 NSC Safety Congress & Expo, the nation’s largest gathering of safety and health professionals.

"National Safety Council award winners don't just aim to check off a box for safety,” said Lorraine Martin, president and CEO of the National Safety Council. “These leaders understand that they must prioritize safety at every level of decision making.”

The class of 2024 included 38 safety professionals for their continuous safety improvement within their organizations and created initiatives focused on measurable outcomes to provide workforces safe environments.

This year’s Air Force Rising Stars of Safety are:

•            Staff Sgt. Nicholas Fonte, 86th Airlift Wing occupational safety specialist

•            Master Sgt. Nicole Palermo, Air Combat Command occupational safety manager

As a safety specialist, Fonte inspects base facilities and assesses unit programs for safety and compliance. His wing validates hazard reports and investigates mishaps to help prevent future incidents from occurring. This unit also acts as an advising team for any questions on safety regulations or interpretations that Airmen, supervisors, or commanders may have. Fonte describes his job as similar to OSHA for the Air Force.

Fonte stood out among DoD and private company safety professionals because he prioritizes service to others and his exceptional performance influences many people. He was able to make an impact in his role by participating in programs and missions during his three years at Ramstein Air Base. The individual wing mainly supplies data in the form of hazard submissions, inspection findings, and mishap reports. These facets are imperative to Air Force Safety.

Staff Sgt. Nicholas Fonte distinguished himself through exceptional leadership and outstanding communication while managing four critical safety programs for the United States' largest overseas military community leading a team of five Occupational Safety technicians to investigate 21 vehicle incidents. His programs have impacted more than 56,000 personnel and effectively raised awareness about the Department of Defense's leading cause of fatal mishaps, enhancing community safety. Fonte led a groundbreaking, significant policy change at the Department of the Air Force headquarters level. This initiative streamlines 124 annual investigations, identifying root causes and prevents approximately $753 million in injuries and damages.

Fonte orchestrated a safety initiative event that facilitated in delivering a Risk Management Applications and Integrations course to Germany. This enterprise-wide accredited course, recognized in both military and civilian sectors, equipped 23 members with the expertise necessary to advise key decision makers on risk management for all military operations at all echelons.

Fonte's exceptional leadership and dedication to safety were acknowledged by the DAF Chief of Safety, Maj. Gen. Sean Choquette, who personally recognized his efforts with a prestigious coin and award. His proactive and visionary approach sets him apart as a leader dedicated to advancing safety and operational excellence. As a result, the safety culture at his installation significantly improved, evidenced by a tripled increase in formal hazard reports and the visibility of 11 deliberate risk assessments for installation operations.

“I am proud and surprised that I was able to win, especially knowing that I was selected among so many other great safety professionals, in and outside of the DoD,” said Fonte. “You don’t win an award like this as a young staff sergeant without having good people looking out for you.  I know Senior Master Sgt. Dylan Gaissert and Master Sgt. Dorian Lewis took the time and did the work to nominate me for this award and setting me up for success.”

Fonte also credits his win to the strong safety team at the 86 AW. In fact, one of the 2023 Rising Star winners, Master Sgt. Jalleshia Miller, is also in Fonte’s unit. 

As a safety manager, Master Sgt. Nicole Palermo advises Major Command leaders on force development, mishap prevention, and Department of Labor standards. She manages command-level mishap prevention programs and provides Risk Management guidance for Agile Combat Employment and Mission Ready Airmen within Air Combat Command. With ten years of impactful safety experience, Palermo has had the opportunity to work at the wing, Numbered Air Force, and MAJCOM level which has continuously expanded her expertise.

In Palermo’s 20 years of military service, her safety supervision and outstanding reputation led to her to be selected as manager of the Air Combat Command Safety Directorate. Overseeing programs affecting more than 138,000 Airmen, 334 aircraft, and 24 weapons systems at 130 locations, as well as leading a rewrite of standards used by safety professionals demonstrated her commitment to safe practices and highlights her reason for being nominated for such an honor. She has been recognized numerous times for phenomenal performance, including “Safety Professional of the Year” in 2018 for U.S. Air Forces Central Command.  Palermo earned the “Best Safety Office in the Air Force” while leading the Occupational Safety office at Shaw Air Force, South Carolina in 2020.

“I am honored to be receiving the NSC Rising Star Award as there are so many amazing and deserving safety professionals out there,” said Palermo. “There is always something new to learn. Management must place a high focus on safety. Safety professionals must think about how to gain the support of the leadership and promote a positive safety culture at all organizational levels.  Developing trust as a committed team member within the organization is the first step.” 

Palermo directed the investigation for two physical training related fatalities identifying the need for proper identification and training to safeguard Airmen who possess the sickle cell trait.  As the Safety Manager for the 380th Air Expeditionary Group, Al Dhafra Air Base, Qatar, she authored a Hazardous Energy Control training that was implemented base-wide and eradicating 20 hazards across four units. The program provided a safe environment for 3,600 personnel and $8 billion in assets. 

She embedded a culture of safety with a team of 12 safety professionals throughout the Republic of Korea where she drafted the first-ever safety guidance for the Ministry of Employment and Labor program encapsulating South Korean Nation Occupational Safety and Health laws. Notably, during her tenure at Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington from 2013 to 2017, Palermo directed safety operations for a 22-day humanitarian effort that aided the neighboring city with potable water during a per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) drinking water contamination emergency. This collaboration with military and civilian partners distributed over 150 thousand gallons of potable water to ten-thousand residents.  

Palermo now oversees the occupational safety program for ACC covering 156,000 personnel, 1,300 aircraft, and 24 weapons systems across 5 NAFs, 34 wings and the USAF Warfare Center. She provides support to wings by creating and implementing safety policies, procedures, and products tailored to the specific needs and requirements of ACC. Palermo’s position is imperative to protect the resources we have in place to efficiently deliver training and education on various safety topics.

“I have had the amazing opportunity to work with and for so many great individuals throughout my career,” said Palermo. “These individuals have helped mold me into the Safety professional I am today, and I cannot thank them enough.”

Martin congratulated each of the award winners and spoke about the importance of the work they do.

“These 38 leaders, representing a wide range of industries, are truly the best and brightest in safety,” said Martin. “Through their dedication and enthusiasm, they have shown that improvement, innovation and change are not only possible, but that they also help save lives. We thank each of this year’s honorees for making the world a safer and better place for all.”

Congratulations 2024 Rising Stars!