Meet Our Environmental Public Health Team
Florida Department of Health in Monroe County
- 305-293-7500
- DOHMonroe@flhealth.gov
-
Mailing Address
1100 Simonton St.
Key West, FL
33040
James Rachal, Environmental Public Health Manager
James Rachal’s varied experiences encompass 2 tours in the Air Force where he was stationed in Europe and deployed to serve in Operation Desert Storm. Afterward, he worked for his B.S. in Biology and M.S. in Environmental Science. Upon graduation he began his career in FDOH and has been working in Environmental Public Health with the FDOH for over 20 years. He works as a Generalist in the division, currently in over 16 programs. He enjoys his too-infrequent fishing trips, traveling and cooking.
Ingrid has worn many hats. She was born and raised on a large farm in N. Central Massachusetts. She attended college in Connecticut where she was a student-athlete, playing college basketball and receiving an associate’s degree in Physical Education. After college, she worked as a police officer on Cape Cod. Then, she shifted gears when her two children were born and became a Montessori teacher where she owned and operated her own school. Once her children were older, she worked at TD Bank and worked her way up to Assistant Branch Manager.
In 2015, Ingrid moved to Key Largo to be with her daughter and newborn granddaughter and joined the DOH-Monroe Environmental Public Health team. Ingrid enjoys spending time with her precious granddaughter and being with her family and friends.
Michael Zombeck, Environmental Specialist
Michael (Mike) Zombeck has his B.S in Biology. Upon graduation, he began his career by SCUBA diving, working with marine animals and coral reefs. In 2021, he shifted careers and started working in Environmental Public Health with FDOH. He’s a generalist in the division, working in all the programs Environmental Public Health oversees here in the Keys. In addition, being the lead for the Public Swimming Pool and Body Art Programs in Monroe County.
He’s an avid hockey fan, participating in the local community league and cheering on his favorite professional teams as well.
Cristina Bernal, Environmental Specialist
Cristina Bernal, graduated from high school and after one year in the college of medicine, she discovered her passion in life was the ocean, she got her B.S in Marine Biology and stayed in the same college to get her M.S in Environmental Affairs.
In 2003, after working as a partner in an environmental consultant agency for some years, she decided to come to the Florida Keys. Cristina worked as a volunteer for two years at the Dolphin Research Center. She began working for DOH-Monroe in 2011 as Environmental Specialist, simultaneously working on getting all the environmental health professional certifications. Now she runs the Small Quantity Generator (SQG) program and works in our beach water program. Cristina enjoys traveling and has visited about 20 countries.
Kaelen Close, Environmental Specialist
Kaelen Close is currently an Environmental Specialist II who recently moved to the keys from Miami. He grew up in New England where he played baseball in high school and college, eventually graduating with a BS in Environmental Science and Chemistry. He initially moved to Miami for a change of pace and escape from winter, which inevitably lead to a move further south to the keys to join DOH-Monrow In his free time he enjoys kayaking and fishing.
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