Robert Emery, DrPH, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA), University of Texas-Houston, Houston, TX
Robert Emery, DrPH, chp, cih, csp, chmm, cpp, ARM, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA)
Vice President of Safety, Health, Environment & Risk Management
University of Texas Health Science Center—Houston
Houston, TX

Robert Emery is Vice President for Safety, Health, Environment & Risk Management for The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth Houston) and Professor of Occupational Health at the University of Texas School of Public Health. Bob is a board licensed Medical Health Physicist, a Certified Health Physicist (CHP), Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH), and a Certified Safety Professional (CSP). He holds both ABSA International credentials; the Registered Biosafety Professional (RBP) and Certified Biological Safety Professional (CBSP).

Kristin King, DrPH, CBSP(ABSA), University of Texas-Houston, Houston, TX

Kristin King, DrPH, CPH, CHSP, CIC, CBSP(ABSA)
Biological Safety Manager
University of Texas Health Science Center—Houston
Houston, TX

Kristin King is the Biological Safety Program manager within Environmental Health & Safety at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth Houston).

Scott Patlovich, DrPH, CIH, CSP, CHMM, CPH, CBSP(ABSA)Scott Patlovich, DrPH, CIH, CSP, CHMM, CPH, CBSP(ABSA)
Assistant Vice President of Environmental Health & Safety
University of Texas-Houston, Houston, TX

Scott Patlovich is the Assistant Vice President of Environmental, Health & Safety at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth Houston) and an Instructor at The University of Texas School of Public Health (UT SPH).

Natasha Griffith, MS, MPH, RBP(ABSA)Natasha Griffith, MS, MPH, RBP(ABSA)
Associate Director – High Containment Core
Georgia State Universtiy
Atlanta GA

Natasha Griffith is the Associate Director, High Containment Core at Georgia State University (GSU) where she oversees design and construction of new high containment research facilities and leads a multidisciplinary team to support safe operations and maintenance (O&M) of all high containment facilities at GSU. Natasha earned her Master of Science degree in Microbial Pathogenesis and a Bachelor of Science degree in Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics from UCLA as well as Master of Public Health in Paris, France. With over 15 years of experience, Natasha has led numerous international missions in response to infectious disease outbreaks.Before joining GSU, Natasha was the Branch Chief of Quality and Safety Systems, DLS, CSELS at the CDC where she led quality and safety staff to support the development of standards, guidelines, recommendations, and tools for improved quality and safety in clinical and public health laboratories. Prior to her work at CDC, Natasha directed all high contaminant facilities at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

William Arndt, PhDWilliam Arndt, PhD
Senior Biosafety Officer
Georgia State University
Atlanta, GA

William (Bill) Arndt is Senior Biosafety Officer (BSO) at Georgia State University where he oversees biosafety and biosecurity for the GSU research community and leads a multidisciplinary team to support safe research at GSU. Bill earned his Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in Microbiology from Arizona State University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Microbiology from South Dakota State University. Bill is virologist by training and subject matter expert in areas of disease surveillance, infectious disease diagnostics, incident/outbreak response, vaccine development/production, high-containment laboratory operations, biorisk management, and dual-use research of concern (DURC). He has supported the US Government health security and capacity building initiatives for 12+ years across Africa, Middle East, and Southeast Asia. Before joining GSU, Bill was a Biosafety Team Lead and International Program Lead in the Division of Laboratory Systems (DLS), CSELS at the CDC where he was responsible for managing multi-member teams and projects related to providing support to public health and clinical laboratories and development of national biosafety and biosecurity legislation, policies, regulations, and guidelines development. Prior to his work at CDC, Bill was a Principal Member of the Technical Staff at Sandia national Laboratories where he led various activities related to laboratory design best practices and outbreak response.

Michael Pentella, PhD, D(ABMM)Michael Pentella, PhD, D(ABMM)
Clinical Professor | Director
State Hygienic Laboratory—University of Iowa
Iowa City, IA

Dr. Michael 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) Biosafety Committee, Antibiotic Resistance Lab Workgroup, the APHL Infectious Disease Committee, and the APHL Respiratory Viruses Subcommittee. He has made several contributions that have improved the practice of clinical microbiology and biosafety. He has written over 50 articles and twenty book chapters.

Shoolah Escott, MS, MT(ASCP)
Biosafety/Biosecurity Trainer & Consultant
Lexington, MA

Shoolah Escott is currently an independent, Biosafety, Biosecurity, and Bioterrorism Preparedness Trainer and a COVID-19 Contact Tracer with Partners In Health. She was the Biosafety Manager and ARO at the MA State Public Health Laboratory for over 2 years where she provided biosafety training and support to over 50 clinical laboratories and to internal public health laboratory staff. She worked for APHL/CDC National Laboratory Training Network, CDC Laboratory Training Branch for over 17 years developing, implementing, delivering, and presenting national training programs in biosafety, biosecurity and bioterrorism preparedness. She has a strong background in clinical microbiology and was the safety officer for the Memorial Hospital clinical laboratory. Currently, she serves on several ABSA and APHL committees. Here are a few key biosafety accomplishments: What Constitutes an Effective Biosafety Plan at the World Microbe Forum; Biosafety and Biosecurity: Minimizing the Risks in the Laboratory and Clinical Laboratory Biosafety Risk Assessment seminars presented nationally multiple times; and the lead on the initial development and revision of the Clinical Laboratory Preparedness and Response Guide.

Erin Bowles, BS, MT(ASCP)Erin Bowles, BS, MT(ASCP)
Laboratory Network Coordinator
Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene
Madison, WI

Erin Bowles is the Laboratory Network Coordinator for the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene’s Communicable Disease Division, where she provides outreach and education to more than 125 laboratories in Wisconsin in order to ensure a coordinated statewide response to any biological threats of public health importance. Her background in clinical microbiology and expertise in biosafety serve her well as a member of APHL’s Workforce Development Committee, the Sentinel Laboratory Outreach and Partnership Subcommittee, and the Sentinel Laboratory Training Special Interest Group. Some of the committee projects that she has contributed to are revisions to the ASM Sentinel Level Clinical Laboratory Guidelines and the development of risk assessment training and biosafety tools such as the “Clinical Laboratory Preparedness and Response Guide”.

Michael Perry, MS EdMichael Perry, MS Ed
Associate Director of the Biodefense Laboratory | Alternate Responsible Official
New York State Department of Health—Wadsworth Center
Albany, NY

Michael Perry is the associate director of the Biodefense Laboratory at the New York State Department of Health – Wadsworth Center. As the ARO, APHL Biosafety and Biosecurity committee member and a member of the Wadsworth Center institutional biosafety committee, Michael has extensive training and expertise in biosafety. As part of the Global Health Security Agenda, Michael was the lead trainer for APHL’s Global Health program, developing and providing trainings in the proper use, operation, and maintenance of biological safety cabinets and biorisk management for international public health laboratorians in Africa. Over the last 10 years, Michael has conducted numerous sentinel laboratory site visit which focused on the evaluation of both laboratory biosafety which a focus on assistance with risk assessments and risk mitigation strategies.

Daniel Eisenman, PhD, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA), SM(NRCM), Advarra, Research Triangle Park, NC

Daniel Eisenman, PhD, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA), SM(NRCM)
Executive Director of Biosafety Services
Advarra
Research Triangle Park, NC

Dan Eisenman is Executive Director of Biosafety Services at Advarra, a large clinical research compliance company. Dan heads a commercial IBC with over 1,000 clinical and basic science research sites across North America. Prior to joining Advarra Dan was the Biosafety Officer at the Medical University of South Carolina and UNC Chapel Hill. Dan holds a PhD in molecular biology and immunology, various biosafety certifications (RBP, SM(NRCM), CBSP) and a Regulatory Affairs Pharmaceuticals certificate from the Regulatory Affairs Professionals Society.

Deborah Howard, MPH, CBSP(ABSA)Deborah Howard, MPH, CBSP(ABSA)
Global Environment, Health, and Safety Biological Materials Manager
BASF
Durham, NC

Deborah Howard is the Expert, Global Environment, Health & Safety Biological Materials Manager for BASF where she has oversight of greenhouses, laboratories, inoculant, & fermentation sites. She has been the Biosafety Manager at BASF since May 2014. Deborah has extensive experience with IBC’s, IACUC, Select Agent regulations, exporting, greenhouse, arthropods, genetically modified plants, & animals. She has over 30 years of experience in health and safety & knowledge of regulations including NIH, OSHA, EPA, APHIS, & USDA. Previously, she was the Biosafety Manager at UNC Chapel Hill where she was the IBC Administrator for 6 years.

Janet Griffiths, BS, BASF, Durham, NC

Janet Griffiths, BS
Lab Manager – Insect and Plant Propagation Team
BASF
Durham, NC

Janet Griffiths is the lab manager for the Insect and Plant Propagation Team at BASF. She has worked in this role for the last 10 years. Janet has 17 years’ experience in insect and plant rearing, with 15 of those years in lab management, mostly in multi species labs. Janet has worked with over 40 species of arthropods through the years. Prior to working at BASF, Janet spent 4 years managing insect rearing, plant propagation, and research involving plant/insect interaction at the Soil Arthropod Ecology Lab in the entomology department at North Carolina State University (NCSU). Before NCSU, Janet worked for North Carolina Department of Agriculture (NCDA) in Plant Protection where she supervised the lab that massed reared a predator beetle for release as a management tool for an invasive species. She also worked for NCDA Agronomic Division, working within a chemistry lab processing soil samples for farmers and local residents of North Carolina.

Anita Harrell, BS, BASF, Durham, NC

Anita Harrell, BS
North America Biosafety Manager
BASF
Durham, NC

Anita Harrell has 10 years of experience in the fields of Occupational Safety, Biological Safety and Laboratory Safety. She has worked at BASF for 35 years and is currently the North America Biosafety Manager. Prior to joining BASF, Anita worked at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, NC. She received a degree in Botany from NCSU in 1983. Anita currently oversees the North American Biological Safety Programs. She works with site biosafety representatives to oversee these areas. She participates and several global biosafety teams at BASF.

Amy Vogler, PhD, RBP(ABSA), Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ

Amy Vogler, PhD, RBP(ABSA)
Associate Director – Pathogen and Microbiome Institute
Northern Arizona University
Flagstaff, AZ

Amy Vogler is an Associate Director at the Pathogen and Microbiome Institute (PMI) at Northern Arizona University (NAU). She has worked at PMI since 1997 as a researcher and has been responsible for managing their BSL-3 Select Agent laboratory since 2009. She received her B.S. in Microbiology and Chemistry in 1999 and her Ph.D. in Biology in 2003 from NAU and is an author on 45 publications in the field of population genetics and molecular epidemiology of bacterial pathogens. She continues to conduct research on Yersinia pestis while also managing the BSL-3 laboratory. She received her RBP in 2012.

Shelley Jones, MS, RBP(ABSA), Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ

Shelley Jones, MS, RBP(ABSA)
Director of Biological Safety | Responsible Offical
Northern Arizona University
Flagstaff, AZ

Shelley Jones is the Director of Biological Safety and Responsible Official at Northern Arizona University. She received her B.S. from Illinois State University and her M.S. from Arizona State University, both in environmental disciplines. Shelley has over 30 years of diverse experience in environmental health and safety. She has been a Responsible Official/Alternate Responsible Official for 19 years.

Vibeke Halkjaer Knudsen, PhDVibeke Halkjaer–Knudsen, PhD
Vipsit LLC
Helsinge, Denmark

Vibeke Halkjaer-Knudsen (Vips) is a Senior Subject Matter Expert (SME) in areas related to biological and chemical risk management, incident management and response, accident and incident root cause investigations, dual-use materials, and high containment lab design. She performs multidimensional impact and risk assessments from a product, GMP, GMO, environment, health and safety, emergency preparedness, animal welfare, chemical and biological point of view. She has extensive experience with lab design and sustainable solutions on all continents. She sits in several think tanks and advisory boards, revises guidelines when needed and has a true passion for building the next generation of biorisk management professionals. She serves several of these younger individuals as a mentor, coach and provides reach back capacity when the daily tasks become too challenging. For almost 20 years, she was a Director at the Danish Statens Serum Institute, responsible for quality control labs, Tuberculin production, large scale vaccine production and facility design. She has spent the last 12 years at Sandia National Laboratories in New Mexico as Principal and later Distinguished Member of Technical Staff, working with international stakeholders, within the biorisk management non-proliferation programs funded by the U.S. Government. Since 2006, she has been consulting as a private GMP and Biorisk Management Consultant on the side while continuing to work her daytime jobs. In the autumn of 2022, she decided to focus full time on her role as an experienced project manager, supporting clients who were implementing biorisk management standards in their labs and in making risk informed decisions for sustainable laboratory design around the globe. She earned her PhD in Chemistry from the University of Copenhagen.