Pre-Conference Speakers

Jamie Bishop, PhD
 

Jamie has served as the Biosafety Officer and the organization-wide subject matter expert on biological containment practices at UC Santa Barbara for over 9 years. She develops risk assessments tailored to sophisticated academic research and maintains expertise of existing and proposed regulations, with specific attention to those in the broad areas of biological research and waste management. Jamie earned a doctorate in Biomolecular Science and Engineering from UCSB and worked in private industry on a MEMS-based medical device prior to joining UCSB’s Environmental Health and Safety team. She’s excited to present on Field Research Safety for Biosafety Professionals at the 16th CDC Biosafety Symposium.

Christina Egan, PhD, CBSP
Christina Egan, Ph.D. is Assistant Director of the Division of Infectious Diseases and Director of the Biodefense Laboratory at the Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH). She has been involved with public health preparedness and response activities within New York State for over 20 years. Her experience is primarily in the testing and analysis of varied specimens and samples for the presence of biothreats and food-borne agents as well as assay development and validation for use in testing clinical and environmental samples. Dr. Egan is CBSP and a member of the Association for Public Health Laboratories Public Health Biosafety and Biosecurity Committer and a Past Chair of the Public Health Preparedness and Response Committee which provides guidance regarding laboratory related issues to CDC and other partners for preparedness issues and policy development. She has served on several Institutional Biosafety Committees and on several national committees related to Biodefense activities including the National Preparedness and Response Science Board and has authored several book chapters and publications on public health preparedness and assay development and validation for biothreat agents.
Drew Fayram, MS
Mr. Fayram is the Biosafety/Safety Officer at the State Hygienic Laboratory at the University of Iowa. In this role, he manages health and safety programs for all laboratory and support staff, including biological, chemical, and radiological safety, as well as aspects of occupational health and safety. He also conducts biosafety and biosecurity outreach and consultation to diagnostic laboratories at healthcare facilities throughout Iowa. Drew received a Bachelor of Arts degree in biology from Wartburg College and earned a Master of Science degree in microbiology from The University of Iowa. He worked in BSL2/BSL3 laboratories for 6 years and served as an APHL/CDC Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratory Fellow at the Hygienic Laboratory before assuming his current position in 2015. Drew currently serves as the chair of the Hygienic Laboratory’s Safety Committee and is a member of the APHL Biosafety and Biosecurity Committee, the ABSA International Education and Curriculum Task Force, the Iowa Department of Public Health’s Highly Infectious Disease Planning Workgroup, and the University of Iowa’s Campus Safety Committee.
Janet Follo, MD, RBP
 

Ms. Follo manages the Research, Health and Safety program and is the Institutional Biosafety Officer at the University of Michigan. She also has oversight of the University of Michigan in-house Biological Safety Cabinet program and Respiratory Protection Program. She has previously held the position of Responsible Official for the university’s Select Agent Program and has experience in the design and verification of BSL3/ABSL3 labs, including a clinical BSL3 facility. Ms. Follo holds a Bachelor’s degree in Biology; and her graduate work includes a Masters of Industrial Health both from the University of Michigan.  She is a Registered Biosafety Professional and a member of ABSA International and the Midwest Biosafety Area Network. She serves as a member of the University of Michigan Institutional Biosafety Committee and provides support and consultation to the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee.  Janet is a participant in both the CSHEMA Biosafety and Animal Safety Community of Practices and is currently a member of the CSHEMA animal safety working group which is developing universal chemical containment levels for the use of chemical hazards in research animals.

Leslie Gartner, FAIA, RAIC, RIBA, LEED

With more than 32 years of experience, Les Gartner is principal-in-charge and national director for WSP’s science + technology. He has extensive experience with high containment research laboratory design, project management, costing and programming, including special requirements for national clients such as National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, DARPA and USAMRIID and research universities. The principles of science and health protection have been central to his design of BSL-4 facilities for the Centers for Disease Control and Protection, the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Department of Defense in every region of the U.S.

Mr. Gartner received a master of science degree in architecture and a bachelor of science in environmental studies from the University of Manitoba. Les is a Fellow of AIA and he is active in the American Biological Safety Association, Royal Institute of British Architects, American Association for Laboratory Animal Science, National Council of Architectural Registration Boards, and National Environmental Health Association.

Miguel A. Grimaldo, M.Eng
 

 

Paul Hansen
 

 

Jessica Healey
 

Jessica is a Senior Scientist at Environmental Health & Engineering, Inc. in Newton, MA. She is the Biosafety Officer for several research institutions in the Boston/Cambridge area, including Brigham & Women’s Hospital and the Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard. In addition, she provides operational guidance and technical support for biotech and academic research laboratories across the US. She specializes in laboratory safety, biological safety and shipping biological materials. She is registered and certified in the professional practice of biological safety through ABSA International and the American Society for Microbiology, and serves on the Board of the New England Biological Safety Association (NEBSA).

John Henneman
 

As the Director of Biocontainment Operations, John Henneman’s primary role is to provide leadership in biocontainment operations management to include oversight in maintenance management, research program support, information technology, and security management along with continued development of policies to support infectious disease research. John directs operations to ensure compliance with applicable regulations, laws, and guidelines relevant to biocontainment facilities and oversees all facility logistics required for the research mission.  He works with the Director of the BRI to ensure the needs of the scientific program are met and collaborates with faculty and staff to develop training programs for current and future employees of the BRI.  John has over 37 years of experience in scientific research and research laboratory operations.  Previous positions include working as a research associate at the Laboratory of Comparative Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Institute; as a lab operations coordinator and then administrator at the Battelle Biomedical Research Center; and as Manager of Biocontainment Operations at the Pell Laboratory for Advanced Biological Research, The Pennsylvania State University. His expertise includes the design, construction, commissioning, and operation of biocontainment facilities, along with the unique ability to understand research needs and equip the facility to accommodate them.  At Battelle, John also served as Chairman of an Environment, Safety, Health, and Surety Committee. At PSU he served on the Institutional Biosafety Committee, Safety Council, and Process Safety Management Focus Group.  John is an American Biological Safety Association (ABSA) Registered Biosafety Professional (RBP).  He has also been an instructor or lecturer for ABSA and the Eagleson Institute.  John served as one of ABSA’s representatives to the NIH Design Requirements Manual revision committee and as chairman of the ABSA task team supporting ABSA’s involvement with the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) committee to develop a national standard for the verification of BSL-3 facility performance (ANSI Z9.14-2019), and on the non-government review team to provide a revised version of Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories (BMBL) Appendix D – Agriculture Pathogen Biosafety, for the 6th edition of the BMBL.

Previous Positions
The Pennsylvania State University, Manager, Pell ABSL-3 Laboratory for Advanced Biological Research, 2011-2016
Battelle Biomedical Research Center, Laboratory Coordinator/Space Administrator, 1995-2010
Program Resources Inc./DynCorp, Research Associate, 1987-1995
Microbiological Associates, Inc., Laboratory Technician, 1983-1987

Education
ABSA Classes in BSL-3, BSL3Ag, and BSL-4 Biocontainment Operations, 2004-2019
Graduate course work in Biomedical Sciences, Foundation for Advanced Education in the Sciences (FAES), National Institutes of Health, Campus, Bethesda, MD
MS, Environmental Biology, Hood College, Frederick, MD
BA, Biology, Mansfield University, Mansfield, PA

George Lathrop, DVM, DACLAM
 

 

Michael Moreland
 

 

Scott Patlovich, DrPH, CIH, CSP, CBSP, SM(NRCM), CHMM, CPH

Scott Patlovich is the Assistant Vice President of Environmental, Health & Safety at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) and an Instructor at The University of Texas School of Public Health (UT SPH).  He holds a Doctorate of Public Health in Occupational and Environmental Health Sciences (concentration in epidemiology and disease control) from UT SPH and a Master of Public Health in Occupational and Environmental Health Sciences (concentration in industrial hygiene) from the same school.  Scott is a Certified Industrial Hygienist, a Certified Safety Professional, a Certified Biological Safety Professional, a Specialist Microbiologist in Biological Safety Microbiology, a Certified Hazardous Materials Manager, and is Certified in Public Health.  Previously, Scott served as a safety manager at the Texas Biomedical Research Institute, which has the only privately operated BSL-4 laboratory in the country.  He also worked as a Senior Safety and Health Manager in the Office of Safety, Health, and Environment at the National University of Singapore. Scott has served as a co-investigator on several grants through UT SPH, such as the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Biosafety and Infectious Disease Training Initiative, and the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses / National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Development of Respiratory Protection Training.

Michael Pentella, PhD, D(ABMM)

Dr. Pentella is a Clinical Professor at the University of Iowa, College of Public Health and Director of the Iowa State Hygienic Laboratory. His experience spans over forty years in clinical microbiology and public health laboratories. He is certified as an American Board of Medical Microbiology Diplomate, a specialist in microbiology through the American Society for Clinical Pathology, and certified in infection control through the Association of Professionals in Infection Control. Dr. Pentella is a member of the Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL) Infectious Disease Committee, the APHL Biosafety and Biosecurity Committee (chair), and the American Society for Microbiology (ASM) Lab Practices Committee. Over the years, he has made several contributions that have improved the practice of clinical microbiology and biosafety. He has written over 45 articles and fifteen book chapters

Nate Powell, DVM, DACLAM
 

 

Sara Souza
 

 

David Joey Stringer, BS, BA
 

Joey is the General and Technical Laboratory Supervisor for the Dallas County Health Laboratory. In that role he oversees 5 Laboratory units including serology, bacteriology, TB, LRN and STAT lab. Joey has been involved in public health since 2002. Joey currently serves as the Responsible Official for the Dallas County Select Agent program and provides on-site Biosafety guidance for Dallas County Health and Human Services and the surrounding sentinel laboratories. He serves as a volunteer member for the Institutional Biosafety Committee and the Institutional Review Board for UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. He also serves on various APHL Committees and Subcommittees and has done so since 2011.

Cassandra Tansey, DVM, DACLAM
 

Cassandra Marie Tansey is a Senior Clinical Veterinarian in the Comparative Medicine Branch of the National Center for Emerging and Infectious Zoonotic Diseases (NCEZID) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, GA. Dr. Tansey received her DVM from Texas A&M University before completing a residency in laboratory animal medicine. In 2018, she became a diplomate of the American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine (DACLAM).

Dr. Tansey joined the Comparative Medicine Branch in 2015. Her responsibilities include research and veterinary support for infectious disease studies, training laboratory animal medicine veterinary residents, providing veterinary support for research within high-containment laboratories, and serving on the CDC’s Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) and Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC).

Dr. Tansey is currently a member of a number of professional organizations, including the AVMA, American Association of Laboratory Animal Science, the Association of Primate Veterinarians, the American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine, and is a World Veterinary Association Councillor for America (North).

Anthony Troiano, PhD, RBP
 

Anthony “AJ” Troiano is a classically trained microbiologist who spent his early career conducting research in microbiology, biochemistry and optical microscopy of spore-forming bacteria. He brings direct laboratory bench experience to the challenge of integrating rigorous safety regulations into normal laboratory operations.

As the Biosafety Officer for multiple BSL-3 laboratories, AJ provides expertise in biological safety and compliance. He is also able to draw on the wide range of professionals at EH&E to provide expertise in other areas such as indoor air quality, industrial hygiene and facility engineering to deliver complete solutions and support business continuity. His deep knowledge of high-risk biological pathogens, specifically those spread via inhalation of aerosols, ensures the highest level of safety for these critical environments.

AJ translates adeptly between the need for environmental health and safety compliance and laboratory staff expectations for a functional research environment. He delivers practical and efficient recommendations, always recognizing the deadlines, bottom lines and grant funding cycles that frame research science today. When projects include scientific reviews of laboratory and operations protocols, his training and education as a scientist ensure a streamlined process and outcomes that serve needs of both management and researchers.

AJ’s experience spans biosafety, biosecurity, National Institute of Health (NIH) Recombinant DNA Guidelines, U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) select agents, hazardous material management, public health and laboratory gap analysis. As part of the Laboratory Response Network (LRN), he led a state program for Ebola virus emergency preparedness and response procedures.

Jason Villano, DVM, MSc, MS, DACLAM

Jason Villano is the Director of Rodent and Rabbit Resources and an Assistant Professor of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland.  Dr. Villano earned his veterinary degree from the University of the Philippines, a Master of Science degree in Biomedical Engineering at the Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, and a Master of Science degree while pursuing residency in Laboratory Animal Medicine at Penn State College of Medicine in Hershey, Pennsylvania. He has served as clinical veterinarian at the Singapore General Hospital and at the University of Texas Medical Branch before joining the faculty at the University of Michigan Medical School. A Diplomate of the American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine (ACLAM), he currently serves as an ad hoc consultant for AAALAC International and is an active member and leader of the American Association of Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS), ACLAM, and the Association of Primate Veterinarians (APV). He has written a book and book chapters and several scientific and review papers in the field of laboratory animal medicine and science.

Henry Wu, MD

Dr. Henry Wu is an Assistant Professor and Senior Physician at the Emory University School of Medicine, and serves as the Director of the Emory TravelWell Center Dr. Wu completed his medical degree at Harvard University and his training in infectious diseases at the University of Pennsylvania.  He also has a diploma in tropical medicine and hygiene from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.   Dr. Wu previously served as a Medical Epidemiologist at the Meningitis and Vaccine Preventable Diseases Branch of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  His interests include the epidemiology of travel related infections, infections of the central nervous system, and the evaluation patients with potentially serious communicable diseases.