FORT COLLINS, COLORADO - General Session Instructors
Heather Blair
Ms. Heather Blair, Assistant Biosafety Officer/ ARO, Colorado State University, was given a great opportunity to begin her career in Microbiology at an early age. During her senior year in High school, she was able to receive an internship at Los Alamos National Laboratory with the Bio-threat Reduction Division. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Zoology at Brigham Young University (BYU) in Provo, UT, with a minor in Microbiology. During her time at BYU, she conducted research and trained personnel to work in BSL2 and BSL3 Microbiology labs for both BYU and Los Alamos National Laboratory. After finishing her Bachelor’s degree, she continued on as a research associate for 2 years at BYU before pursuing her Masters degree in Microbiology at Colorado State University. Heather has spent most of her career in bacteriology working with select agents and in training individuals to work with these organisms safely. Heather was hired as an Administrative Professional in 2004 and is serving in the capacity of Assistant Biosafety Officer/ ARO for Colorado State University. In 2010 Heather became a Registered Biosafety Professional through the American Biological Safety Association.
Robert P. Ellis - Course Director
Dr. Robert Ellis graduated from the University of Wyoming with a BS in Microbiology. Bob’s education continued with the MS and PhD degrees earned at Purdue University. He is currently the Director of Biosafety at Colorado State University. Bob joined the faculty at CSU in January 1978, and is Professor, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology. Bob was appointed to the CSU Biosafety Committee in 1978, and was Biosafety Officer 1986–1989, and 1997–present.
Bob is a Certified Biological Safety Professional and a Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Microbiologists (Honorary). He was elected to the American Biological Safety Association Council in October, 2004, and was elected President–Elect of ABSA for 2008. He served as the ABSA President in 2009. Bob is on the Editorial Board for Applied Biosafety. Bob has taught many pre–conference and summer session courses for ABSA and the Eagleson Institute. In addition to his CSU and ABSA activities, he has been the Executive Director of the Conference of Research Workers in Animal Diseases since 1987, and was the Founding Editor-in-Chief of Animal Health Research Reviews. Bob was chair of the Scientific Advisory Board for the National Biosafety and Biocontainment Training Program (NBBTP) of the National Institute of Health (NIH) for 2007 through 2011. Bob serves on the Biosafety Committees for the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and the National Wildlife Research Center (NWRC). In 2004, Bob initiated and continues to direct the Biosafety and Biosecurity Training Course in Fort Collins, CO. The BBTC is held each July and includes Animal, Plant, and General biosafety and biosecurity training sessions. Bob initiated and is currently gaining administrative approval for a Master's in Microbiology with a Biosafety Concentration, at Colorado State University.
Claudia Gentry–Weeks
Dr. Claudia Gentry–Weeks is the Associate Biosafety Officer for CSU and is Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology at CSU, Fort Collins, CO. Claudia received her B.S. in Bacteriology at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, and her Ph.D. in Microbial Genetics at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK. She spent 4 ½ years as a postdoctoral fellow in infectious diseases at Washington University in St. Louis, MO, and 6 ½ years as a Senior Staff Fellow at the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD. Claudia has taught Medical Microbiology to undergraduate students and Mechanisms of Bacterial Pathogenesis to graduate students at CSU. In addition, she served as the Head of the Bacteriology Section of the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory from 1995–1999. Her research interests have included studying bacteriophage conversion in Streptococcus pyogenes, pathogenic mechanisms of Bordetella avium and Bordetella pertussis, animal models for Enterococcus faecalis intravenous infections, development of a real–time PCR test for detection of Salmonella enterica and more recently, using bacteriophage amplification for detection of Francisella tularensis, Yersinia pestis, Burkholderia mallei, and Burkholderia pseudomallei. Claudia’s recent contributions to the Biosafety Program at CSU include development of a database for monitoring training and agent use and preparing biosafety training presentations and self–tutorial modules. In 2009 Claudia became a Certified Biosafety Professional through the American Biological Safety Association.
Sean Kaufman
Mr. Sean Kaufman is the Director of Programs at the Center for Public Health Preparedness and Research in the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University. Sean has several years of experience in the fields of organizational development, behavioral management and modification, crisis and risk communication and emergency preparedness. Currently he serves on the Board of Commissioners at the National Center for Health Education Credentialing (NCHEC), is a Trustee for Professional Development for the Society of Public Health Education (SOPHE), and the past President of the Georgia Federation for Professional Health Educators (GFPHE). He continues to contribute to corporate publications and has facilitated several risk and crisis communication seminars for organizations and Fortune 500 companies.
A graduate of San Diego State University, Sean began his career with the San Diego State Student Health Services working as an STD, HIV and pregnancy counselor. He started his work with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 1999 and continued to work in the field of HIV/AIDS and underserved populations within the United States. In 2000, Sean began his work with waterborne diseases and developed the Healthy Swimming program while at the Division of Parasitic Diseases in the National Center for Infectious Diseases at CDC. During his tenure at CDC, he responded and assisted the Office of Communication during the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001; led a team of health education and communication specialists to Trenton New Jersey to work with postal employees who were exposed to anthrax, and responded directly with businesses and employees at the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) who were affected by SARS. Sean’s experience working in the Office of Terrorism Preparedness and Emergency Response at CDC, the Center for Public Health Preparedness and Research at Emory University, and within the Fortune 500 business sector provides him with a diverse and well-rounded perspective for preparedness efforts.
Joseph P. Kozlovac
Mr. Joe Kozlovac (M.S., RBP, CBSP, SM-NRM) is a Registered Biosafety Professional (RBP) and a Certified Biological Safety Professional (CBSP) through the American Biological Safety Association (ABSA). Joe is also certified as a Specialist Microbiologist in Biological Safety Microbiology through the National Registry of Microbiologists, American College of Microbiology, ASM. Joe has a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from the University of Pittsburgh in Johnstown, PA and a M.S. in Environmental Science and Policy from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD. He has authored several journal articles and textbook chapters on the subjects of Biological Toxins; Bloodborne Pathogens; Indoor Air Management; ABSL–3 Agriculture, Agricultural Risk Assessment and Decontamination. Joe has also participated in the development of a new appendix on ABSL–3 Agriculture which appears in the CDC/NIH BMBL 5th edition. Joe serves on the editorial review board of the peer reviewed journal Applied Biosafety and has also served as an external reviewer for the biosafety chapter in the USAMRIID Textbook of Military Medicine. Joe is currently employed at the USDA ARS where he is responsible for developing biosafety policy for the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and to assist ARS locations in implementing these policies, and other biosafety guidelines and regulations. Joe’s program is responsible for the development of guidance for the design and construction of containment facilities. Joe has the responsibility for approving all biosafety related design features for ARS design projects.
Joe is a member and serves on the Council of the American Biological Safety Association and is also a member and Past-President of the Chesapeake Area Biological Safety Association (ChABSA). Joe is also a member of the International Veterinary Biosafety Working Group. His professional services have included providing biosafety training to >850 Pakistani Scientists as part of an effort by the State Department's Biosecurity Engagement Program, serving as USDA representative for the NIH RAC Biosafety Working Group, served as a peer reviewer on the design of USAMRIID's new research facility, provided BSL–3 Operations Training to individuals in the Food Emergency Response Network (FERN) and providing independent assessments of U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) BSL–4 and BSL–3 Laboratories as an external participant in USAMRIID's Safety Inspection Program. He has also served as a consultant to the U.S. State Department on the Technical Review Committee for the decontamination of an anthrax contaminated mailbag facility in the Washington, D.C. metro area.
June I. Medford
Dr. June I. Medford earned her Ph.D. from Yale University in 1986 in Biology, with expertise in plant molecular biology. Dr. Medford subsequently spent 3 years as a post-doctoral associate with the plant molecular biology group at Monsanto conducting plant genetic engineering experiments and producing some of the world’s first transgenic plants. Dr. Medford moved to her own research laboratory at The Pennsylvania State University where she was one of the first researchers in Pennsylvania to work on transgenic plants. In 1996 she moved to Colorado State University and has served on and as the chair of the Institutional Biosafety Committee. In addition, Dr. Medford also serves on the IBC committee at the National Renewal Energy laboratory in Golden Colorado.
Kenneth E. Olson
Dr. Ken Olson is Professor in the Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, where he is the Director of the Arthropod–borne and Infectious Diseases Laboratory (AIDL). Ken earned his B.S., North Carolina State University, and M.S. and Ph.D. at Colorado State University. His major research efforts include identifying molecular strategies for interfering with the replication of human pathogens in mosquitoes. Currently we are using RNA interference strategies targeting the pathogen to promote virus resistance in mosquitoes. We have developed transgenic mosquitoes that are dengue virus resistant in relevant organs such as mosquito midgut and salivary glands. Other important goals are to use and develop new methodologies to identify components of the RNAi pathway in mosquitoes, viral-specific siRNA production in infected mosquitoes, study the molecular epidemiology of dengue viruses and to identify and characterize important arthropod–borne virus–mosquito interactions. Finally we are using small animal models to observe alphavirus and flavivirus transmission from mosquitoes to mice for studying viral pathogenesis and the efficacy of specific antiviral therapeutics in animals.
Aaron T. Phillips MS, MT (ASCP)
Mr. Aaron Phillips received his Bachelor's Degree in Microbiology from Colorado State University. He spent five years in the US Army as a biological research assistant. During his service, Aaron was stationed at Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, where he rotated through the many facets of animal model research including clinical pathology, necropsy, histology, and diagnostic pathology. He received his Medical Technologist (ASCP) certification and his Master’s Degree in Molecular Biology from Hood College while serving. Aaron joined CSU in 2007 where he continues to work as the laboratory manager for the BSL3 Arthropod–Borne Infectious Disease Lab.
Becky Rivoire
Ms. Becky Rivoire, Past Director of the Product Development and Manufacturing (PDM) Core under the Rocky Mountain Regional Center of Excellence (RMRCE) (2005 – 2011), and a Senior Research Associate in the Laboratory of Dr. Patrick Brennan (1987–1995 and 2001–2011), both at Colorado State University (CSU). She is Regulatory Affairs Certified through the Regulatory Affairs Professional Society (RAPS) and has extensive experience in developing and manufacturing various product types both from an industrial and academic perspective. Becky has spent 10 years working in industry performing good laboratory practice (GLP) small and large animal toxicology studies, developing diagnostic tests for veterinary pharmaceuticals, and developing monoclonal antibody and recombinant protein analytes for manufacturing diagnostic products both at Elars/Syngene and Heska Corp. in Fort Collins, Colorado. She has worked for 16 years in academia with various mycobacterium organisms, with a focus on Mycobacterium leprae under Biosafety Level (BSL) –2 conditions and Mycobacterium tuberculosis under BSL–3 conditions. In 1992, she established a current good manufacturing practice (cGMP) Pilot Plant to manufacture two new leprosy skin test antigens developed as early diagnostic intradermal tests for leprosy. She assisted in writing the investigational new drug ( IND) application for a Phase I Clinical Trial at CSU and a Phase II Clinical Trial in Nepal, and is currently the study coordinator for the Phase II Trial. Under the PDM Core, Becky will direct the development and manufacturing of vaccine, diagnostic, and therapeutic products derived from BSL–3 Select Agents for the RMRCE program and thus is able to provide an introduction to BSL–3/cGMP. In 2011 Becky received her Ph.D. in Microbiology at Colorado State University.
Amanda Zimmer
Ms. Amanda Zimmer (M.S., ARO) is an Assistant Biosafety Officer and Occupational Health and Safety Program Coordinator at Colorado State University. She graduated from Iowa State University in 2004 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Microbiology and minor in Emerging Global Diseases. During her undergraduate studies she worked at the USDA National Animal Disease Center in Ames, Iowa. After graduation she continued her research at the NADC in the Bacterial Diseases of Livestock Research Unit focusing on Spirochete Zoonotic research. She completed her Master of Science degree majoring in Immunobiology in 2007 at Iowa State University. Her Master’s thesis described the expression of C–type lectin outer membrane proteins of Leptospira interrogans. Amanda has taught Microbiology and Veterinary Diagnostic Microbiology at Front Range Community College Larimer Campus. She joined CSU in the fall of 2007 conducting vaccine and adjuvant studies with Leishmania major and aerosol challenge and vaccination studies with La Crosse Encephalitis virus mouse models in the BSL–3. Currently she coordinates the Occupational Health and Safety program and conducts trainings in Select Agents, BSL–3 safety and Blood borne pathogens at CSU.