Steve Krajewski
Health Officer

It was the spring of 1977. I was in my final semester at Rutgers University and the real world was staring straight at me. I needed a job. I figured my degree in Psychology was a start, but I did not want to go on for more education at this time. Bills had to be paid. Three very important people in my life gave me some advice. My girlfriend, Lili, who eventually became my wife (we just celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary in March 2004) told me I needed a job so we could get married. The other important person was my Mother, Caroline E. Krajewski (now Caroline E. Manney when she remarried after my father passed away). She was the Director of the Somerset Valley Visiting Nurse Asso. My mother worked long hours providing nursing service to those less fortunate. She never complained. She said she had the best job in the world. My mother referred me to Mr. Bruce Wolf, the Health Officer of Somerville at the time. I made an appointment to visit with Mr. Wolf. We sat and talked for hours about public health. He explained what I had to do to become a health inspector and eventually a health officer. Mr. Wolf turned out to be not only a very good friend, but also my mentor as we worked together for over 6 years.

Eventually, I attended the Environmental Health and Law course at Cook College, passed my state licensing exam and received my training at the Somerville Health Department under Bruce Wolf’s guidance. Several years later, I received my Master’s degree in Public Health from the UMDNJ Program in Public Health (before it became the School of Public Health), passed my Health Officers licensing exam, and eventually became the Health Officer at Somerville when Mr. Wolf left to join a private environmental health consulting firm. In 1996 I was elected President of the New Jersey Public Health Association. This was one of the proudest moments of my life. I will be forever grateful to the Association for showing their support in me. If I can paraphrase my mother, I have the best job in the world, thanks to public health.

Steven T. Krajewski, M.P.H. Health Officer,
Borough of Somerville
NJPHA President 1996 - 1997