membership
APHL Goes to ABQ:
2016 Annual Meeting in
Albuquerque, NM
O
ver 600 public health laboratory leaders and partners from around the world
gathered in the Land of Enchantment to discuss the latest challenges and
opportunities facing public health today. Sessions examined new ways to manage
laboratories and personnel in an ever-changing healthcare system, and explored new
techniques and advances in laboratory science, testing and partnerships. PulseNet
celebrated two decades of fighting enteric diseases, and this year’s Dr. Katherine Kelley
Distinguished Lecture featured a mesmerizing performance by mentalist and magician
Oz Pearlman. Learn more by accessing the presentations at www.aphl.org/conferences/
proceedings/Pages/2016-Annual-Meeting.aspx.
APHL Sierra Leone Consultant Isatta Wurie, PhD, discusses challenges post-Ebola
Congratulations were given to the 2016 APHL Award winners on Wednesday at a
breakfast in their honor. To learn more about the awards and the winners, visit
www.aphl.org/awards.
Lifetime Achievement Award • Dr. Charles Brokopp, retired; former director, Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene
Donna Ferguson, PhD, PHM, of the Monterey County Health Department attends
pre-conference workshop
• Dr. Frances Downes, professor, Michigan State University; former director, Bureau of
Laboratories, Michigan Department of Community Health
Presidential Award • Dr. Isatta Wurie, senior technical consultant and Sierra Leone team lead, APHL
Champion of the Public Health Laboratory Award • Dr. Alberto Gutierrez, director, Office of In Vitro Diagnostics in the Center for Devices
and Radiological Health, US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Gold Standard for Public Health Laboratory Excellence Award • Jack Krueger, retired; former director, Health and Environmental Testing Lab, Maine
Department of Health and Human Services
• Berry Bennett, retired; Florida Department of Health Bureau of Public Health
Laboratories
Oz Pearlman chats with meeting attendees after his performance
Silver Award • Katherine Haddaeus, biological scientist III, Florida Department of Agriculture and
Consumer Services
• Kathryn Wangsness, chief, Office of Laboratory Services, Arizona State Public Health
Laboratory
Thomas E. Maxson Education, Training and Workforce Development Award • Dr. Nicole Green, director, Public Health Laboratory, Los Angeles County Department of
Public Health
Emerging Leader Award • Dr. Laura Naught, CLIA director, Missouri State Public Health Laboratory, Missouri
Department of Health and Senior Services
Ambassador Bonnie Jenkins, PhD, speaks to the Member Assembly
• Dr. Lixia Liu, director, Scientific Laboratory Division, New Mexico Department
of Health
On the Front Line Award • William Smith, executive director, National Coalition of STD Directors
• Nancy Thiex, principal investigator, Association of American Feed Control Officials
Healthiest Laboratory Award • First Place: Georgia Public Health Laboratory, Georgia Department of Public Health
• Runner-Up: Indiana State Department of Health Laboratories
• Honorable Mention: New Mexico Department of Health Scientific Laboratory Division
Executive Director Scott Becker takes a “selfie” with the 2016 APHL Award Winners
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LAB MATTERS Summer 2016
PublicHealthLabs
@APHL
APHL.org