Kenneth Shilkret

My years at A.B. Davis adequately prepared me academically for college.  I was heavily involved in sports at Davis running on the cross country teams and managing the basketball and football teams.  I primarily hung with the Graham JHS crowd, but enjoyed interacting with students from all the other schools as well. Socially, I was kinda shy with the girls, so I didn’t date much. My twin brother and I had to deal with some family health problems so we both had to work during High School.  During my senior year, I worked at the Daily Argus in the printing and distribution areas from 1-5 each day.  I attended St. Lawrence University and graduated with a B.A in Sociology.  I enjoyed the academic challenges in college as well.  I was also a member of the Alumni Council and co-chaired several reunion committees.  I took ROTC in college and was commissioned a 2^nd Lt. after I graduated. I joined the Army to see the world and was assigned to Ft. Hamilton in Brooklyn. (1962-1964). In 1964, I accepted a job offer from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) as a Public Health Advisor.  This seemed to be a natural fit since my father was a physician and I was nurturing my sociological imagination.  I spent an enjoyable 38 years with CDC with field assignments in NYC, Detroit, Lansing MI and Trenton, NJ.  In my last two assignments, I coordinated the State TB Control Program activities.  I was on the training cadre at the Model Tuberculosis Center and CDC and also collaborated on several research papers regarding TB.  While in New Jersey, I attained my Masters degree in Health Administration in 1978.  I moved to Clinton, NY after I retired from CDC, and accepted a job as the Epidemiologist for the Oneida County Health Department.  My primary role is to develop and implement health emergency response and preparedness plans. It certainly is a challenging job but I will probably stop working full-time by June 30.  Both of my children are married (Tracy and Chris and Todd and Eva).  I am also “PeePop” to my three grandchildren (Isabella, Sophia and Nathaniel).  They live in the Philadelphia area, which is only 5 hours from here.