PUBLIC HEALTH AND PREPAREDNESS RESPONSE
From left to right : Chris Mangal , Andrew Cannons ( FL-Tampa ), Tricia Blevins ( CDC ), Remedios Gose ( HI ), JohnAric Peterson ( WA ), Jill Sutton Hanratty , Ruby Rong Ni ( OK ), Irma Cornejo ( CA-Solano County ), John ( Brad ) Bowzard ( CDC ), Andrea Morris ( IA ), Pandora Ray ( APHL Consultant ), Kelsey Wieland ( IA ), Breahna Giles ( MN ), Lisa Smith ( AK ), Robert Tran ( CA-Los Angeles ), Kate Fitzpatrick ( AZ ), Stephanie Barahona , Peter Kyriacopoulos , Kim Christensen ( UT ), LeAnn Covington ( LA ), Tyler Wolford , Kayla Morgan ( MO ), Leanne Nicholls ( SD ), Caroline West ( WA ), Benjamin Ayers ( NE ) , Alexandra Portman ( TX-Dallas ), Kimberly Newman ( MT ), Ricardo Quijano ( TX-Houston ), Amanda Cosser , Ashley Luntsford ( CO ). Not Pictured : Emily Travanty ( CO ) and Peter Davis ( CO )
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identify strategies to support biosafety professionals with addressing the challenges mentioned above .
Strengthening Preparedness and Response Skills of Laboratorians
APHL facilitated the first Emergency Preparedness and Response ( EPR ) Leadership Workshop in Denver , CO , convening laboratory professionals working in state , local and territorial public health laboratories located west of the Mississippi River as well as subject matter experts ( SMEs ) from APHL member laboratories and partners to serve as instructors . Twenty participants — including laboratory directors , biothreat preparedness coordinators , chemical threat preparedness coordinators and biosafety officers — engaged in interactive , skill-building sessions over two days , focusing on :
• Leadership
• Public health incident management
• Coordination with emergency preparedness and response networks and key partners
• Public policy and its implications on laboratory operations
• Approaches to implementing continuous quality improvements .
The workshop allowed participants to gain a broader skill set and network with laboratorians from neighboring jurisdictions . APHL is planning the second EPR Leadership Workshop for public health laboratories east of the Mississippi River and is using feedback gathered from the first workshop to make improvements as well as provide more training opportunities and resources to all its members .
In collaboration with its Public Health Preparedness and Response Committee and other partners , APHL will continue to develop and deliver quality training courses to laboratory professionals . These in-person workshops , supported by CDC , provide vital opportunities to deliver much needed in-person training to strengthen technical , management and leadership skills of the public health laboratory workforce . g
• Communications and strategies for effective communication
• Developing and implementing effective training programs
Emergency Preparedness and Response Leadership Workshop attendees complete Play-Doh creations .
32 LAB MATTERS Fall 2024
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