Dr. Timothy Ludwig, Managing Commissioner of the Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies’ Commission on Accreditation for Behavioral Safety, is pleased to announce that Sandy Knott, of Peru, Illinois, was recently elected to the Commission as an Associate Commissioner. Sandy was first introduced to the Center in 2004 working with Drs. Bill Hopkins and Dwight Harshbarger during the early years of our Accreditation program.

The Commission is comprised of CCBS experts who are experienced in both the implementation and evaluation of high-quality behavioral safety programs as well as behavioral research. Their mission is to identify and recognize, through the award of Accreditation and dissemination of best-practices, exemplary workplace programs that have demonstrated sustained effectiveness in the application of principles of behavior to improve and sustain the safety of employees. 

Sandy Knott brings a wide variety of practical skills for successful implementation of behavioral based programs.  Her previous employment as a risk control manager for SUPERVALU resulted in CCBS accreditation of two supply chain facilities with staggering improvements noted in injury reduction, production, quality and sustainability causing a corporate-wide behavioral-based integration process to begin.  Currently, Sandy is employed by The Cincinnati Insurance Companies as a loss control field director providing services to a territory of agencies and policyholders to reduce risk for the multiple lines of coverage offered.  

Her most memorable behavioral moment happened after implementation of a small version of a Behavior Based Safety (BBS) program. “I must admit when we implemented the program, I was skeptical on whether or not it would have any positive results.  I was struggling with the positive reinforcement program, and had not been providing positive reinforcement on a consistent basis.  As I went by a warehouse employee and did not comment on his wearing his required glove, he stopped and waved it in front of my face, smiled at me and asked me why I did not notice.  I thought ‘Wow, this really works,’ and, thereafter, never walked by an employee without providing positive reinforcement when it was deserved.

“The more I used positive reinforcement, the more I realized what power it had.I could not believe it when, a short time after implementation of the BBS program, the employees were noticing my safe behaviors, pinpointing them and providing me with positive reinforcement.  I knew then that we were on the road to success.” Sandy indeed has come a long way since! She has found that the principles of behavioral management can be used to solve any issue across life.  She uses the methods daily personally as well. As a pro-bono Vice President at the Safe House Animal Rescue League (www.safehousepets.org) based in the LaSalle County, Illinois, she rescues and socializes feral cats and kittens using behavioral methods. These methods also help when she is assisting with the spay/neuter transports for feral/outside friendly cats.

“Her experience and passion will be an asset,” noted current Managing Commissioner Dr. Timothy Ludwig. 

The Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies is a non-profit 501 (c) 3 organization founded in 1981 whose mission is to advance the scientific study of behavior and its humane application to the solution of practical problems, including the prevention and relief of human suffering. To learn more about the Center’s Accreditation program, visit our Safety Help Center at www.behavior.org.