For Immediate Release
Sacramento, CA, May 24, 2023 – The Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL) is pleased to announce the winners of its annual awards for outstanding achievements in laboratory science, creative approaches to solving today’s public health challenges and exemplary support of laboratories serving the public’s health. Awardees were honored on May 24, 2023 during the APHL Annual Conference in Sacramento, CA. Congratulations to all award winners!
The following awards were presented:
Lifetime Achievement Award – This award recognizes individuals who have established a history of distinguished service to APHL, made significant contributions to the advancement of public health laboratory science or practice, exhibited leadership in the field of public health and/or positively influenced public health policy on a national or global level. This is not a retirement award, but a true Lifetime Achievement Award.
- Ralph Timperi, former director, Massachusetts State Public Health Laboratory; retired, APHL
- Eric Blank, former director, Missouri State Public Health Laboratory; senior advisor for public health systems, APHL
Gold Standard Award – The award is given to an APHL member who makes or has made significant contributions to the technical advancement of public health laboratory science and/or practice.
- Amy Miles, director, Forensic Toxicology Section, Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene
Silver Award – This award honors a laboratorian with 10 to 15 years of service in a Governmental public health laboratory (either Public Health or Environmental/Agricultural laboratory). The honoree will be recognized as a leader both within their home laboratory as well as external to their laboratory.
- Elizabeth Nazarian, research scientist, Bacteriology Laboratory, Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health
On the Front Line Award – This award honors an individual or laboratory outside of the APHL membership who makes significant contributions to the advancement of public health laboratory science and/or practice.
- Nathan Grubaugh, associate professor, Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health; affiliated faculty, Yale Institute for Global Health
Emerging Leader Award – The Emerging Leader Award honors an individual whose leadership has been instrumental in one or more advances in laboratory science, practice, management, policy or education early in their career. This year there are two Emerging Leader Award winners.
- Emily McCutchen, manager, Nebraska Public Health Laboratory
- Michael Perry, associate director, Biodefense Laboratory, Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health
Leadership in Biosafety and Biosecurity Award – This award honors a laboratorian with over 10 years of related service in the field of biosafety and biosecurity in a state and/or local public health laboratory. The honoree will be recognized as a leader both within their home laboratory as well as external to their laboratory (for example, by serving in a leadership role in committees/taskforces at the national level).
- Leah Gillis, adjunct professor, DrPH Public Health and Clinical Laboratory Science and Practice Program, College of Public Health, University of South Florida
LEAD Award – This award, established in 2021, recognizes the legacy of Eva J. Perlman, APHL’s first chief learning officer, who over three decades helped shape the public health laboratory workforce and represented the attributes of ‘serving those who have served.’ This award honors an individual who exhibits the attributes of a leader, encourager, advocate and developer, and who has 10 or more years of service in a state, local or territorial public health laboratory, or other public health laboratory partner. This year there are two LEAD Award winners.
- Kristina McCallum, manager, Biochemistry Laboratory, Division of Laboratory Services, Colorado Department of Agriculture
- Kelly Winter, branch chief, Training and Workforce Development Branch, Division of Laboratory Systems, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Champion of the Public Health Laboratory Award – This award recognizes federal, state and local elected officials or executive branch employees who have recognized the importance of state and local governmental laboratories that perform testing of public health significance either through support of legislation or federal agency decisions.
- Demetre Daskalakis, director, Division of HIV Prevention, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Presidential Award – The APHL Presidential Award was selected by Dr. Daphne Ware during her Presidential year (2022-2023) for the significant contributions that were made to the association’s work to promote policies that strengthen public health laboratories.
- Judith Monroe, president and chief executive officer, CDC Foundation
Healthiest Laboratory Award – This award is given to an APHL member laboratory that is committed to safety, environmental process, environmental policy and employee health and wellness.
- Winner: Nebraska Public Health Laboratory
- Runner-up: San Jose-Santa Clara Regional Wastewater Facility Laboratory
Thomas E. Maxson Education, Training and Workforce Development Award – This award was established in August of 1998 in memory of Dr. Maxson, and honors an APHL member who is a public health or clinical laboratory practitioner, trainer or educator who has made significant contributions to public health laboratory practice by creating, delivering or developing continuing education opportunities, programs, policies or practices for the laboratory community.
- Crystal Fortune, laboratory biosafety coordinator and newborn screening short-term follow-up coordinator, Montana State Public Health Laboratory
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The Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL) works to strengthen laboratory systems serving the public’s health in the U.S. and globally. APHL’s member laboratories protect the public’s health by monitoring and detecting infectious and foodborne diseases, environmental contaminants, terrorist agents, genetic disorders in newborns and other diverse health threats. Learn more at www.aphl.org.
Contact Michelle Forman at 240.485.2793 or michelle.forman@aphl.org
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