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 Professional Development Team

Team Leader: Michelle McKinney, MS, CBSP

Educational Operations (EOC)

Kelly Flint
Cheryl Lemanski

Provide quality, relevant biosafety education to ABSA members and other practitioners. The committee will develop courses, serve as facilitators, review course content and handouts, on-site coordination of the course, and summarize evaluations from the course.

Instructional Technologies Committee

Stacey Kraemer
Maryjo Lanzillotta, RBP, CBSP

Continue to develop the ability of ABSA to provide quality training through various delivery methods.

Instructional Resources Committee

Carol McGhan,MPG, CBSP
Madeline Dalrymple, RBP

Develop additional individuals with training expertise to ensure the continued availability of quality training.

Curriculum Development Committee

Esmeralda Prat, RBP
Elizabeth Weirich, MS, CBSP

Provide continuous evaluation, review and upgrading of education and educational content.

Publications Committee

Karen Byers, MS, RBP, CBSP

Publish Applied Biosafety and other biosafety publications.

Training Tools Committee

Julie Johnson, PhD, CBSP

The Training Tools committee’s mission is to provide a consolidated collection of biosafety training materials readily accessible via the ABSA web site for individuals responsible for providing biosafety training. Training Tools committee members identify and solicit quality biosafety training materials, evaluate all submitted materials for relevance and accuracy, and organize materials into categories for posting on the web site

 Defining the Profession Team

Team Leader: Rich Rebar

Mentoring Committee

Melissa Morland, RBP, CBSP
Hallie Heaney

Facilitate the creation of mentoring relationships within ABSA, between a mentee who wishes to enhance their biosafety knowledge in specific areas, and a mentor. The Committee's goal is to solicit knowledgeable ABSA members willing to volunteer as mentors, and match up interested parties. The Committee will also solicit feedback on the process in order to track the effectiveness and make improvements.

Registration Committee

Betty Kupskay, MS, RBP

Recognize biosafety professionals through credentialing. Review applications for registration as a biological safety professional. Determine if applicant meets established criteria.

Certification Maintenance Committee

Krista Murray

Develop the continuing education criteria necessary for Certified Biological Safety Professionals (CBSPs) to maintain their certification and for administering the recertification process. Criteria for serving on this committee include being an active status CBSP.

Historical Committee

Joseph Kozlovac, MS, RBP, CBSP
Bob Hawley, PhD, RBP, CBSP
Manny Barbeito, CBSP

Compile, record, preserve, and make available the history of ABSA.

 Management Team

Team Leader: John Balog, BS, RBP

Affiliate Relations Committee (ARC)

John Balog, BS, RBP
Jeff Owens, MPH, CBSP

Assists, advises and coordinates the Affiliate and International affiliate petition process with the respective petitioning organizations according to criteria approved by the ABSA Council. Serves as liaison between ABSA and it's affiliated organizations. Convenes a meeting of delegates of affiliated organizations at the Annual Conference. Makes recommendations to the ABSA Council on matters affecting Affiliate and International Affiliate policy.

Awards Committee

Elizabeth Gilman Duane, MS, RBP, CBSP

Provide the names of nominees for the Arnold G. Wedum Distinguished Achievement Award, Everett Hanel, Jr. Presidential Award, the John H. Richardson Special Recognition Award, and the Knudsen Award to the ABSA Council for review and approval.

Bylaws Committee

Tom Boyle, RBP

Review the By-Laws, propose amendments, and review other matters related to the By-Laws

Website Committee

Melina Kinsey, RBP, CBSP

Facilitate the continued development and oversight of the ABSA website as a fundamental means of communication for ABSA members and other practitioners.

Finance Committee

Leslie Delpin, RBP, CBSP

Make recommendations to the Council on matters concerning financial policy, fiscal performance, financial statements, investment of funds, and other financial matters.

Marketing and PR

Lolly Gardiner, RBP

Promote and publicize the efforts of ABSA. Increase awareness of the field of biosafety. Develop a media plan and support documentation, develop promotional pieces on biosafety and ABSA, contact suitable organizations, associations, agencies and media for alliances.

Membership Committee

James Klenner, RBP, CBSP

Promote membership in ABSA, publish and maintain a membership directory.

Nominating Committee

Chris Thompson, MS, RBP, CBSP

Prepare a slate of candidates for officers, Councilors, and at-large members of the Nominating Committee. Nominating Committee members are elected.

Philanthropic Committee

Craig Welence, MPH, CBSP
Barbara Johnson, PhD, RBP

Identify and facilitate philanthropic activity which fosters the awareness, evolution, and practice of biosafety in underserved areas; e.g., via provision of biosafety education and information, technical expertise, safety equipment, PPE, or technical services.

 Alliance Team

Team Leader: Jeffrey Owens, MPH, CBSP

AALAS: Jeffrey Owens, MPH, CBSP

ACS: Jennifer Wright

AIHA: David Easton

APIC: Bernie Menue, MEd

ASM: Karen Byers, MS, RBP,CBSP

CDC: Shanna Nesby, DVM, MPH

CSHEMA: Matt Finucane, MS

DOS: Barbara Johnson, PhD, RBP

Emory University: Patty Olinger, RBP

EPA: Joe Kozlovac, MS, RBP, CBSP

FBI: Jim Klenner, RBP, CBSP

Griffin Foundation: Elizabeth Gilman Duane, MS, RBP, CBSP

OSHA: Rich Rebar, RBP, CBSP, Penny Holeman, MPH, RBP, CBSP

Sandia National Laboratories: Jennifer Gaudioso, PhD

UN: Mary Cipriano, MBA, RBP, CBSP

USDA: Julie Johnson, PhD, CBSP

WHO: Stefan Wagener, PhD, RBP, CBSP

Develop criteria and formal structures for alliances, including the expectations from the cooperating organizations.

 Regulatory & Technical Affairs Team

Team Leader: Andy Braun, ScD, RBP

Legislative Committee

Josh Goldberg

ABSA's Legislative Committee has twin aims: 1) to establish ABSA's credibility with Congress as a preeminent voice on American Biosafety, and 2) to inject ABSA's stance on important biosafety issues into the Congressional forum. The Legislative Committee endeavors to accomplish these goals by monitoring Congress for biosafety-related hearings and proposed rulemaking, and initiating contact with Congress on appropriate matters.

Regulatory Review Committee

Bill Homovec, CBSP

Develop and implement an effective method for reviewing and commenting on issues or regulatory concerns that impact the ABSA membership or the health or safety of the environment. Respond to requests for comments by regulatory agencies proposing new or amended regulations. Develop "white papers" and other guidance documents.

Technical Review

 Conference Services Team

Team Leader: Barbara Johnson

Exhibitors Advisory Committee

Steve Sowa

Make recommendations to the Council concerning issues relating to exhibitors and event sponsors. Solicit new exhibitors and sponsors.

International Committee

Bob Hawley, PhD, RBP, CBSP

Local Arrangements Committee

2009 Miami: Jairo Betancourt, RBP
2010 Denver: Lolly Gardiner, RBP

Select and coordinate arrangements for upcoming conferences. Work begins at least three years prior to the conference date. Often members of this committee work or live in the city where the conference will be held.

Scientific Program Committee

Je't Aime Newton, RBP, CBSP
Anne-Sophie Brocard, PhD, RBP

Solicit submissions for platform presentations and poster sessions for the annual conference, submit nominees for the Wedum and Eagleson Lectures. The SPC shall also request applications for the Gross Memorial Award, select moderators for each of the platform presentation sessions and actively encourages all presenters to prepare and submit papers for publication in the ABSA Journal, Applied Biosafety.