EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE
Spring has Sprung, and So has APHL
It’s spring in DC and there’s so much to
report on! No, I’m not talking about the
Mueller report…I’m talking all things
APHL.
These past few months we held a
series of meetings ranging from the
Newborn Screening and Genetic Testing
Symposium, the Public Health Laboratory
Training Conference, three PulseNet/
OutbreakNet Regional Meetings and the
11th National Conference on Laboratory
Aspects of Tuberculosis. These gatherings,
not including the various committees
that met, have put us in touch with a vast
number of members. How vast you ask?
By my count, we had over 850 members
and partners come together—all engaged
in the work of their laboratories AND
the association.
Let’s look at the Newborn Screening
Symposium as an example. We had
562 people gathered in Chicago,
representing 24 countries—Australia,
Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China,
Costa Rica, Denmark, Finland, France,
Germany, Greece, India, Japan, Lebanon,
Mexico, Netherland, New Zealand, Qatar,
Spain, Turkey, UAE, United Kingdom and
Vietnam—along with representatives
from 45 states across the US. We had over
25 companies exhibiting and highlighting
the latest in technologies and support for
the newborn screening system. Lastly, we
announced to the cheering crowd that, as
of 2020, the symposium would become an
annual event. Be sure to dig into our lead
article in this issue of Lab Matters because
there is so much going on in this dynamic
field, led by many of APHL’s members and
partners.
Meetings and events are not the only
thing we have been busy doing. We have
worked with our close partner and allies
at the Council of State and Territorial
PublicHealthLabs
@APHL
Epidemiologists, NAPHSIS and HIMSS
to launch an advocacy campaign called
Data: Elemental to Health. The goal is to
seek funding of $1 billion over 10 years to
modernize the public health surveillance
enterprise so that we can transform
disease surveillance and save lives. More,
better, faster data yielded by secure,
interoperable systems will allow public
health professionals and policymakers to
make better decisions and get ahead of
chronic, emerging and urgent threats. This
campaign fits nicely in the overall APHL
strategic initiatives related to improving
the informatics infrastructure and ways
to engage with non-traditional partners in
all things “data science.”
Spring is also a time of anticipation. I’m
excited and am getting ready for APHL
2019 which is fast approaching. Plan to
attend and mix and meet with your 600+
colleagues, choose from over 35 plenary
and breakouts, eight roundtables and
four Innovate! Sessions. You can also
view 117 posters, listen to 30 speed-
dating presentations and visit 77 booths
representing 66 companies. Also, if you
are one of the first 500 people at the Kati
Kelley lecture, you will receive a copy
of What the Eyes Don’t See by Dr. Mona
Hanna-Attisha, this year’s lecturer. Won’t
you meet me in St. Louis?
More, better, faster data yielded
by secure, interoperable systems
will allow public health professionals
and policymakers to make better
decisions and get ahead of chronic,
emerging and urgent threats.”
Scott Becker, Executive Director, APHL
With spring turning soon to summer, it
is also a time of leadership transition at
APHL. I am grateful for the leadership
and guidance of Dr. Joanne Bartkus. She
has been a strong voice for our members
and for the association. I am appreciative
of all Joanne has done this year and look
forward to working closely with incoming
president Dr. Grace Kubin in the coming
year. n
APHL.org
Spring 2019 LAB MATTERS
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