Colette Johnston

Colette Johnston resides in a rural uranium based mining community. Even though the mines and mills are, for the most part, no longer operational the long-term effects of exposure to radiation (primarily cancer)  still hugely impact the community. In 2000 Colette's brother was diagnosed with bladder cancer, which led to Ms. Johnston's involvement with various organizations including the Lance Armstrong Foundation and the NCI's Consumer Advocates in Research and Related Activities (CARRA).   In addition, Colette served on the University of Utah IRB for five years, and coordinated the Moab Skinny Tire Events in support of the Lance Armstrong Foundation. She served for six years as a member of the NCI's adult CIRB.  She also served on the EDRN Steering Committee and has just completed a four year term  with AARPP where she served both as a member of the Board of Directors and as Secretary of the Executive Committee. 

She continues to work as an advocate and caregiver both locally and regionally with various cancer care entities and patients. She has recently completed authoring a fictional novel that is based on the issues of those receiving the governments "Compassionate Compensation" for the uranium industry workers, and is moving forward with its future publication.

She is employed at the Moab UMTRA clean up of uranium mine tailings in the Radiation Control program as the Dosimetry Coordinator. Working to insure both the immediate and long term safety of the workers charged with relocating the 16 million tons of radioactive tailings. Ms. Johnston's background and education reside in environmental and biological/health physics radiation safety industry.