Lab Matters Summer 2024 | Page 9

MEMBERSHIP

On the Front Line 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 .

• Barbara Cassens , director , Office of Partnerships , United States Food and Drug Administration

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 .

• Kelly Oakeson , PhD , chief scientist of bioinformatics and next generation sequencing , Utah Public Health Laboratory

Leadership in Biosafety and Biosecurity 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 ).

• Anna Liddicoat , MPH , biosafety / biosecurity officer , North Carolina State Laboratory of Public Health

LEAD Award . Established in 2021 , this award 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 .

• Denise Toney , PhD , HCLD , director , Virginia Division of Consolidated Laboratory Services

Champion of the Public Health Laboratory 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 .

• Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro , Third Congressional District in Connecticut

Presidential Award . The APHL Presidential Award was selected by Dr . Tim Southern during his Presidential year ( 2023-2024 ) for the significant contributions that were made to the association ’ s work to promote policies that strengthen public health laboratories . This year there are two Presidential Award winners .

• Jim Pirkle , MD , PhD , retired

• Marilyn Bibbs Freeman , PhD , deputy director , Virginia Division of Consolidated Laboratory Services

Healthiest Laboratory Award . Given to an APHL member laboratory that is committed to safety , environmental process , environmental policy and employee health and wellness .

• State jurisdictional award winner : Kentucky State Public Health Laboratory

• Local jurisdictional award winner : San Francisco Public Health Laboratory

Thomas E . Maxson Education , Training and Workforce Development Award . Established in 1998 in memory of Dr . Maxson , this award 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 .

• Rolinda Bailey , safety officer , Tennessee Public Health Laboratory g