Dr. Leah Ames is a Thermo Fisher Scientific Field Applications Scientist and an analytical validation specialist for qPCR applications. She has 15 years of clinical molecular experience, holds a specialist certification in flow cytometry from the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP), and has served as an adjunct professor in laboratory science programs at multiple universities. 

Dr. Diego Arambula is the Quality Team Lead for the Quality and Safety Systems Branch (QSSB) in the Division of Laboratory Systems (DLS) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). He also leads the Next Generation Sequencing Quality Initiative, a collaboration between CDC, the Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL), and partner state and local public health laboratories to develop a sequencing-specific quality management system. Diego works to improve the quality of laboratory testing in clinical and public health settings, focusing on quality management for molecular assays.  

Dr. Dana Powell Baker is the Manager for Academic Partnerships at the Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL). As an ASCP-certified Medical Laboratory Scientist, her areas of expertise include higher education, learning and development, laboratory operations, interprofessional education, and healthcare simulation. In addition to her professional responsibilities, she advocates for diversity, equity, and inclusion in the laboratory medicine workforce and the public health sector.

Dr. Christine L. Bean oversees experiential learning programs as the Chief Learning Officer at the Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL). These programs include fellowships, internships, leadership, academic partnerships, and the Training and Workforce Development programs to develop and deliver training for APHL members and laboratory system partners. Dr. Bean joined APHL in October 2021 after serving as the Director of the New Hampshire Public Health Laboratories from January 2005-October 2021. She was the APHL President in 2013, serving on numerous APHL committees and a 2007-2009 Clinical Laboratory Improvement Advisory Committee (CLIAC) member.  

Rebecca Bird is an Assistant Professor at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) in Little Rock, Arkansas. She is also a Lieutenant Colonel in the Arkansas Air National Guard. Ms. Bird has served her country for 28 years. She started her laboratory civilian career near Omaha, Nebraska, after graduating from the University of Nebraska Medical Center in 1999. Ms. Bird has served as the primary hematology faculty for UAMS for three years. As the primary faculty for hematology, she has taught over 500 students and increased ASCP MLS hematology scores by over 10 percent. Ms. Bird's experience allows her to interface with laboratory professionals from all over the world. She is passionate about increasing the quantity and quality of the medical laboratory workforce and encouraging the next generation of students to consider entering the medical laboratory profession. Specifically, Ms. Bird has coordinated relationships and face-to-face visits with multiple high schools, MLT programs, and military bases.

Erin is the Laboratory Network Coordinator for the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene’s Communicable Disease Division, where she provides outreach and education to more than 125 laboratories in Wisconsin to ensure a coordinated statewide response to any biological threats of public health importance. Her background in clinical microbiology and expertise in biosafety serve her well as a member of APHL’s Workforce Development Committee, the Sentinel Laboratory Outreach and Partnership Subcommittee, and the Sentinel Laboratory Training Special Interest Group. Some of the committee projects she has contributed to are revisions to the ASM Sentinel Level Clinical Laboratory Guidelines and developing risk assessment training and biosafety tools such as the “Clinical Laboratory Preparedness and Response Guide.”

Dr. Alicia Branch is the CDC OneLab™ Network Lead and a Health Scientist-Safety Specialist in the Division of Laboratory Systems (DLS), Training and Workforce Development Branch (TWDB) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Dr. Branch has more than 20 years of professional experience as an academic researcher and clinical laboratory manager, biosafety manager (working in biological levels 1-3+ enhanced), laboratory quality project manager, microbiologist, scientific writer, and instructor. She began her career at CDC in 2009 as a Biological Scientist - Microbiologist with the Pandemic Preparedness Team in the Immunology and Pathogenesis Branch. She has supported five pandemics, including serving two years during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr. Blanche C. Collins leads the eLearning and Training of Trainers Team for CDC’s Division of Laboratory Systems, Training and Workforce Development Branch (TWDB). The team creates and maintains eLearning and training of trainer courses for clinical and public health, and laboratory professionals. Before joining TWDB, she was the lead educator for the Laboratory Leadership Service (LLS) Fellowship Program. Dr. Collins has also served in training and communication roles in CDC’s Division of Global Migration Health, Division of STD Prevention, Emergency and Risk Communications Branch, Division of Strategic National Stockpile, and Office of Health and Safety. Before coming to Atlanta, Dr. Collins taught and conducted research at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Faulkner University, Oregon State University, and the University of Florida.

Commander Sabrina DeBose is the Team Lead for the Biosafety Core Team in the Quality and Safety Systems Branch (QSSB) in the Division of Laboratory Systems (DLS) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). She has combined experience in biorisk management, regulatory compliance, emergency preparedness, and program management. As Team Lead, CDR DeBose provides technical expertise and guidance in biorisk management to clinical and public health laboratories. She is responsible for delivering high-level oversight and coordinating critical laboratory policies and operations associated with laboratory safety.  

Amber Eberhardt is a Health Scientist and Program Evaluator for the Training and Workforce Development Branch (TWDB) in the Division of Laboratory Systems (DLS) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). She has over six years of experience in program evaluation and qualitative and quantitative data analysis. Amber started her career at CDC in the National Center for Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities (NCBDDD) in the Birth Defects Branch as an Epidemiological Assistant. She currently leads a large-scale evaluation project of the CDC OneLab initiative.  

Dr. Lauren Horton is the Division Director of Research at HCA Healthcare. In this role, Dr. Horton believes in equipping others with the tools they need to succeed. With her expertise, she has successfully developed protocols, clinical designs, and test strategies to assist in developing research and product development projects. Her passion for helping people led her to pursue a research career, and through her work, she has become an advocate for equitable patient care as well as access to innovative research therapies.

Dr. Nathan Johnson is Chair of the Laboratory Sciences Department in the College of Health Professions at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. In this role, he also acts as Professor and Program Director of the Medical Laboratory Science Program. He serves on the NAACLS Board of Directors and is a former ASCP Board of Directors member. Dr. Johnson retired from the United States Air Force with the rank of Colonel and is professionally certified in multiple clinical and administrative areas. 

Chris N. Mangal is a senior public health professional with over 20 years of experience leading complex emergency preparedness and response programs, managing personnel, and providing scientific guidance to local, state, territorial, and federal agencies. Currently, she serves as the Director of Public Health Preparedness and Response at the Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL), where she provides leadership for emergency preparedness, biorisk management, and crisis response to natural disasters, including hurricanes and emerging threats such as Ebola, Zika, and coronaviruses. She has expertise in developing and expanding networks such as the Laboratory Response Network (LRN), promoting a culture of innovation and accountability, and advocating for policies and resources to strengthen healthcare and public health systems.

Breyanna M. Mikel is a Health Scientist for the Training and Workforce Development Branch (TWDB) in the Division of Laboratory Systems (DLS) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). She has over seven years of experience in health promotion and education, program development, program evaluation, health disparities, and child and adolescent health. Breyanna currently leads various evaluation projects, such as the evaluation of laboratories’ likelihood of using virtual reality (VR) headsets and training, ZenVR – a VR mindfulness app that aims to reduce stress levels, and the ongoing data monitoring and evaluation efforts for the CDC OneLab.  

Kathy Nucifora joined COLA as the Accreditation Division Manager in November 2009 and served until she was promoted to Chief Operating Officer in 2019.  

Before joining COLA, Kathy held the positions of Laboratory Administrator for the University of Maryland Medical Center Midtown Campus and laboratory administrator for a large multi-specialty medical clinic with over 100 providers and thirty clinical departments in Hutchinson, Kansas. Kathy created and implemented new quality processes and procedures in her role at the University of Maryland Medical Center. In addition to managing the day-to-day operations of the laboratory, she led a multidisciplinary task force to implement molecular testing for MRSA, implemented a positive patient identification system via handheld computers, and helped lead the Laboratory and Nursing Process Improvement Committee. Kathy has also served as adjunct faculty at the Community College of Baltimore County for their Medical Laboratory Technician program. 

Sudaba Parnian holds a decade of experience as a dedicated Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) professional and adept data analyst. Currently serving as the M&E Manager at Quality Systems and Analytics in APHL, she guides evaluation initiatives, examines data, and crafts comprehensible reports, visuals, and insightful conclusions. With the privilege of being a Fulbright Scholar and a history of collaboration with global organizations, Sudaba remains committed to merging diligent analysis with thoughtful foresight in pursuit of meaningful impact. 

Joe Rothschild is a Health Communications Specialist with the Training and Workforce Development Branch in the Division of Laboratory Systems (DLS) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Joe began his CDC career in 2005 as a multimedia specialist in the Office of Workforce and Career Development (OWCD), transitioned to the National Center for Health Marketing (NCHM), and then joined the Division of Laboratory Systems (DLS). Coming from a background in video and film where he worked on TV shows such as COPS, National Geographic, Entertainment Tonight, and Oprah, Joe brings his creativity and insight to laboratory training products. Considered an agency specialist in Section 508 and Virtual Reality, Joe led the development of several firsts at CDC: the first Section 508-compliant Flash widget, the first VR laboratory training course, the first eLearning syndication system, and the first live-to-web microscope training webinar. Through these firsts, Joe received numerous innovation, public health impact, and excellence in communication impact awards. Originally from San Diego, he received a BA in Communication Design with an emphasis in Media Arts from California State University, Chico.

Channyn Williams is a Supervisory Medical Technologist and Cross-Training Coordinator at the District of Columbia Public Health Laboratory (DC PHL), with over 10 years of clinical laboratory experience. She joined the DC PHL as a medical technologist, quickly transitioning to several simultaneous roles. During the COVID-19 pandemic surge, Channyn served as supervisor for the DC PHL’s Mobile Testing Unit, then as interim Laboratory-Epidemiology Coordinator before taking her current role as cross-training coordinator.  
  
 

Dr. Kelly Winter is the Training and Workforce Development Branch Chief in the Division of Laboratory Systems (DLS) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). She has an MPH and PhD in epidemiology with more than 20 years of experience in communication and education, including over a decade in public health. Dr. Winter began her CDC career in 2014 as a Training Specialist in the National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases Division of Global Migration and Quarantine (DGMQ). During CDC’s 2014-15 emergency response to Ebola, she led training on entry screening and self-monitoring for travelers at US airports. From 2015 to 2018, she worked in DGMQ’s Travelers’ Health Branch, creating training and communication materials and serving as Managing Editor of CDC Yellow Book.  
  
 

Dr. Teresa Wolfe is a Subject Matter Expert II for Poˋokela Solutions. She works at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the Division of Laboratory Systems (DLS), Training and Workforce Development Branch (TWDB). She has a long history of working in clinical, academic, and industry laboratories and teaching laboratory medicine in higher education. Most recently, Dr. Wolfe served as the clinical laboratory consortium coordinator for the Oregon State Public Health Laboratory during the COVID-19 pandemic.  

Tammy Zinsmeister has dedicated two decades of her life to COLA’s mission, serving in a variety of roles as both a staff member and external advisor. While working for a physician organization in the early 90s, Tammy became an expert in the federal CLIA law and regulations. In 1993, she joined COLA to launch the first Government Relations Office.  

In her current role as Chief Innovation Officer, Tammy combines her knowledge of economics, policy, business, and entrepreneurialism with her skills to guide the development of new business ideas to advance COLA’s mission. Tammy is also responsible for initiating and sustaining relationships with physician organizations, laboratory stakeholders, and health plans to ensure COLA is valued and recognized as a high-quality accreditation service provider for laboratories nationwide.

Tammy received her Bachelor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Studies with a focus in economics and political science in 1986 from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. She is certified as a Professional in Managed Care by the American Academy of Healthcare Management.