2026 APHL Award Winners

Urban serves as division chief for the Environmental Sciences department at the Maryland Department of Health Laboratories Administration. Urban joined the Maryland Department of Health in early 2020 after faculty appointments at Harvad University and Johns Hopkins University. He became a member of the Environmental Laboratory Sciences Committee shortly after.

Urban has consistently advocated and supported the expansion of his laboratory capabilities, incorporation of new technologies, and professional development of his staff and APHL Fellows. He regularly gives educational presentations on public health laboratories testing capabilities to outside organizations.  his includes presentations to organizations such as the Best Practices for Non-Targeted Analysis (BP4NTA) and the Pesticide Advisory Committee for the Maryland Department of Agriculture, among others.

As a longstanding member of the Environmental Laboratory Sciences Committee, Urban has actively participated in committee discussions, proposed and helped plan APHL Annual Conference session proposals for breakouts and plenaries. He has been instrumental in preparing and presenting sessions on High Resolution Mass Spectrometry, its theory, use and practice. Urban has also presented on the novel techniques for evaluating data from High Resolution Mass Spectrometry to provide improved laboratory workflows to other state public health laboratories.

Urban has also been a longstanding and vocal advocate of the APHL Fellowship program. He has utilized the program to bring multiple Fellows to his laboratory, both current and previous, and has shared his successful experiences with the program in several forums.

Ramaiah serves as Director of Bioinformatics, Project Director, and Principal Investigator for the CDC-funded Pathogen Genomics Center of Excellence (PGCoE) at the Georgia Public Health Laboratory (GPHL). He received his PhD jointly from Manonmaniam Sundaranar University and Åbo Akademi University. Following his doctoral research, Ramaiah completed multiple postdoctoral research appointments at the Indian Institute of Science, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Stanford University School of Medicine. He brings over 18 years of experience spanning academic institutions and local, state and federal public health laboratories in the United States and internationally. His expertise addresses emerging public health challenges across viral, bacterial, immunological, human, and disease vector–related research. 

Ramaiah has authored 52 peer-reviewed publications, including articles in Nature and Cell group journals. He has received several awards and recognitions, most notably the highly competitive International Society for Infectious Diseases (ISID) New Investigator Award in 2016, recognizing his scientific contributions to Mycobacterium tuberculosis genomics and bioinformatics. Ramaiah began his US public health laboratory career at the CDC as an APHL-CDC Bioinformatics Postdoctoral Fellow, contributing to vector-borne pathogen genomics and advancing bioinformatics within the Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch. He later served as Lead Bioinformatics Scientist at the Milwaukee Public Health Laboratory (MPHL), leading SARS-CoV-2 genomic surveillance and managing multiple CDC-funded projects. Since 2019, he has held leadership roles at the Tata Institute for Genetics and Society and MPHL, served as visiting faculty at UC San Diego and UC Irvine, and currently holds senior leadership at GPHL. 

As the Founding Director of Bioinformatics at GPHL, Ramaiah has been instrumental in advancing bioinformatics analytics and data modernization. Under his leadership, the division supports near–real-time genomic surveillance for multiple CDC programs, including the Emerging Infections Program (EIP), Antimicrobial Resistance Laboratory Network (AR Lab Network), National Wastewater Surveillance System (NWSS), and PGCoE. His work provides critical support across the Georgia Department of Public Health (GDPH), including Epidemiology and Information Technology, and has significantly strengthened the state’s capacity to recognize and respond to emerging and re-emerging infectious disease threats.  Notably, Ramaiah leads multidisciplinary teams of staff and APHL fellows to develop and implement whole-genome sequencing (WGS) assays for Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) and influenza viruses, the first such implementation at GPHL. He has also spearheaded automation of end-to-end data analytics workflows, from raw sequencing data transfer to analysis and reporting within an AWS cloud environment. These efforts serve as a model for advancing public health genomics in state and local laboratories.

As Project Director and Principal Investigator of Georgia-PGCoE, Ramaiah works closely with laboratory and scientific teams across GDPH and oversees budgets, work plans, and contracts with five Georgia-based universities and one Texas-based university. Since 2022, these partnerships have fostered innovation and built capacity in pathogen genomics, molecular epidemiology, and bioinformatics, enabling faster and more effective responses to emerging infectious diseases. To date, Ramaiah has secured approximately $17 million through the PGCoE program, along with several million dollars through the Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity (ELC)–Advanced Molecular Detection (AMD) program. Ramaiah also serves as an investigator for multiple CDC-funded programs, including ELC, EIP, and NWSS, and as Business Officer for Georgia-PGCoE, leading administrative coordination with CDC and academic partners. He plays a critical role in translating and implementing both wet-lab and bioinformatics workflows for routine pathogen genomic surveillance, outbreak investigations, and genomic epidemiology. In addition, Ramaiah serves as the AMD Workforce Development Leader for Georgia, coordinating seminar series, hands-on workshops, and online training programs across the Southeast Region. Through collaborations with public health, academic, and industry partners, he has developed curricula in genomic and molecular epidemiology covering next-generation sequencing, antimicrobial resistance, pathogen genomics, and wastewater surveillance. He has ensured training materials are publicly accessible, benefiting laboratories nationwide.

Ramaiah is deeply committed to mentorship, supporting staff, fellows and interns from APHL, CDC and PGCoE in their professional development, conference presentations and peer-reviewed publications. Drawing on his expertise, he has contributed to APHL initiatives including the Molecular On-call Network, Genomic Epidemiology programs, the PGCoE Network, and the AMD Workforce Development program, and he serves as a Bioinformatics Training Leader in Georgia for the Southeast region.

Lundquist serves as biosafety and outreach coordinator for the Minnesota Department of Health Public Health Laboratory With nearly 20 years of laboratory experience, Lundquist has built a distinguished career spanning throughout public health, hospital and agricultural laboratories. He is an American Biological Safety Association (ABSA) Registered Biosafety Professional and a certified Medical Laboratory Scientist and Medical Laboratory Technician. These are credentials that reflect his technical expertise and his deep understanding of laboratory operations across disciplines.

Lundquist’s professional foundation in the hospital and clinical laboratory settings has been instrumental in shaping his work in public health. This background allowed him to build and sustain meaningful partnerships with the clinical laboratory community and their understanding of safer and secure practices that are achievable and practical in real world workflows. His ability to connect with bench-level staff has been instrumental in strengthening biosafety culture across Minnesota.

Lundquist strives to serve people, whether that is across Minnesota, APHL or the entire biosafety community. Throughout his time as the Biosafety Coordinator, he has successfully conducted site visits and assessed over 20 labs across Minnesota providing tailored guidance that supports safer practices while respecting each laboratory’s operational realities. His background as a Medical Laboratory Technician helps support clinical labs holistically during visits, offering insight to all lab function levels. Lundquist serves as the MDH Safety Coordinator for the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Incident Management Team and is an active member of the APHL Biosafety and Biosecurity Committee (BBC). Through his leadership on the BBC, Lundquist has significantly contributed to the biosafety community by developing and delivering numerous presentations focused on preparedness, biosafety and risk assessments. Recently, Lundquist led the development of the APHL Risk Assessment Guide: Testing Raw Milk Samples That May Contain Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza and is currently leading the development of the APHL Checklist for Clinical Laboratories to Handle a Specimen Containing a High Consequence Pathogen.

Beyond his technical accomplishments, Lundquist exemplified the qualities of an exceptional biosafety professional. He has excellent leadership qualities, such as integrity, dedication and vision and contributes extensively to the mission of Laboratory Biosafety and Biosecurity. He is a recognized leader, trusted advisor and dedicated mentor in public health who is always willing to share his knowledge and expertise. He is tremendous asset to the biosafety community, APHL and to the Minnesota Department of Health.

Fortune currently serves as the biosafety officer for the Montana Laboratory Services Bureau. She began her career in the North Carolina State Laboratory of Public Health (SPHL) in 2004 working in Laboratory Improvement. In 2009 Crystal began working at Montana SPHL as the Laboratory Training Specialist, Biosafety Officer (BSO), and Select Agent Program Alternate Responsible Official. Her responsibilities included developing and delivering training in biosafety, bioterrorism preparedness, and packaging and shipping (P&S) to first responders and clinical laboratorians. As the laboratory subject matter expert (SME) for the Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) program, she provided guidance and feedback in the development of all-hazards sample transport plans intended for county health jurisdictions’ response to emergencies. In 2025, Fortune gave three biosafety and P&S virtual training sessions, including a training booklet and job aids. She has served as a SME for the CDC developed P&S train the trainer modules and was on the team that developed the 2016 “Clinical Laboratory Preparedness and Response Guide,” which serves as a critical resource to help laboratory microbiologists work safely with biohazardous organisms. She has also been instrumental in revising this guidance which has been a Sentinel Laboratory Partnerships and Outreach Subcommittee (SLPOS) project since 2022.

Constantly looking for new challenges, increasing responsibility, and ways to develop her leadership skills, in 2017, Fortune became an ABSA International Registered Biosafety Professional (RBP). She has been an active member of the ABSA International Public Health Outreach Shared Interest Group (PHO) since 2023 and became the Vice-Lead in 2024. In January 2026, she took on the role of Lead. While on the PHO she co-authored and helped design the following posters that were co-sponsored by APHL: “Green, ADA and Ergonomic Considerations for Renovation and Construction”; “Mobilizing Biosafety, An Introduction to Mobile Laboratories and Event Preparedness”; and the “25th Anniversary of the Needlestick Prevention Act”. She is currently working on a poster based on the Workplace Violence webinar.

Fortune is currently in the application process for the USF DrPH program and has served as the facilitator for the Northern Plains Consortium biosafety team. Her knowledge of the work performed in so many sections of her laboratory really helps her have a high-level overarching view of biosafety throughout the entire laboratory. Additionally, while she helped her laboratory to perform COVID-19 testing safely during the pandemic, she pursued development of her leadership skills and managed to complete her Master of Public Health degree.

Corrigan is the director of the County of San Diego Public Health Laboratory. He exemplifies the defining qualities of the APHL LEAD Award leader, encourager, advocate, and developer through more than a decade of dedicated service to state and local public health laboratories and a sustained commitment to workforce development, innovation, and community protection.

Corrigan’s journey into public health began with humble beginnings growing up in Tok, Alaska, a small rural community where access to healthcare was limited and public health infrastructure was often strained. From an early age, he observed the challenges faced by remote populations, including workforce shortages, delayed access to care, and fragile systems vulnerable to disruption. These experiences instilled a deep commitment to equity, access, and population-level impact. A formative summer internship in South Africa further clarified his path, reinforcing that while clinical medicine was not his calling, public health laboratory science offered a powerful, scalable means to protect communities.

Corrigan entered the field as a Public Health Microbiologist and later advanced to Laboratory Manager at the Humboldt County Public Health Laboratory. There, he demonstrated strong operational leadership, staff mentorship, and a systems-based approach to laboratory management. In parallel, he pursued advanced education as a member of the inaugural Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) cohort at the University of South Florida, reflecting his commitment to leadership development, policy-informed decision-making, and organizational resilience. Following completion of his DrPH through the LabAspire program, Corrigan relocated to Southern California to serve as Laboratory Director for the County of San Diego Public Health Laboratory (SDCPHL).

His leadership was immediately tested. Just weeks into his tenure during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the laboratory was forced to shut down due to critical infrastructure failures, requiring evacuation of staff and immediate activation of Continuity of Operations (COOP). Under unprecedented conditions, Corrigan prioritized staff safety while ensuring uninterrupted public health testing through rapid coordination with local, state, and federal partners. His steady leadership preserved essential services and maintained workforce stability during a critical period.  Rather than restoring the status quo, Corrigan transformed crisis into opportunity. He led the vision and advocacy for a 52,000-square-foot, purpose-built, state-of-the-art public health laboratory, built by laboratorians for laboratorians with workflows aligned to staff safety, operational efficiency, and future preparedness. The facility includes expanded genomic epidemiology and One Health programs, robust wastewater surveillance addressing the Tijuana River crisis, and a dedicated training laboratory intended to serve as the Southern California workforce development hub. Designed to support LRN-B preparedness through BT BSL-3+ / enhanced laboratory capabilities, the laboratory positions SDCPHL to advance toward LRN-B Advanced Laboratory status strengthening both regional and national response capacity.

As a leader, Corrigan has delivered clear results in advancing leadership development initiatives and institutional growth. He has strategically leveraged APHL partnerships to elevate the visibility and credibility of SDCPHL while integrating forward-thinking approaches such as automation and artificial intelligence to ensure sustainability amid fiscal constraints. His leadership reflects vision, adaptability, and innovation qualities essential to modern public health laboratories. As an encourager, Corrigan consistently champions career progression and individual development across disciplines. He believes public health laboratories must operate with a business-like mindset, even within a not-for-profit framework to remain sustainable, efficient, and accountable stewards of public resources.

Corrigan recognizes the importance of interdisciplinary leadership, fiscal stewardship, and operational expertise and has intentionally supported non-laboratory professionals pursuing advanced education. This inclusive approach ensures scientific excellence is matched by strong strengths-based management and strategic oversight. As an advocate and developer, Corrigan advances workforce priorities and resource needs at local, state, and national levels. He has served on APHL and partner workgroups, including the LRN Operations Workgroup, PHPR Workgroup, and the APHL Nominations Committee. At the state level, he served 10 years as Comptroller for the California Association of Public Health Laboratory Directors (CAPHLD) and is President-elect beginning October 2026. Through APHL fellowships, he expanded SDCPHL capabilities in LC-MS/MS and genomic sequencing, including wastewater surveillance, reshaping the laboratory into a resilient, efficient, and future-ready institution.

Bind serves as program manager of the NJ Department of Health Biomonitoring and Exposure Assessment Program. He is a co-founder of the NJ Biomonitoring Program (NJB) and the Prenatal Lead and Mercury Screening Program. This landmark initiative screens expectant mothers and newborns in high-risk communities for toxic metals while providing critical interventions and support. Through persistent outreach, education, and strategic partnership-building, Bind established a groundbreaking collaboration with Rutgers Health at University Hospital in Newark, making prenatal screening for lead and mercury a standard of care. He strategically leveraged the existing capabilities of multiple partners, including NJ Poison Control and local health departments, to maximize program impact and sustainability. Since its inception in 2019, the program has analyzed over 30,000 samples from ~20,000 pregnant women and newborns. Through screening and targeted education, the program has achieved significant reductions in blood lead and mercury levels at both individual and population levels. Nearly 2,000 patients with elevated levels have received treatment or intervention through education and behavioral modification. Individual case studies demonstrated remarkable outcomes, including reductions exceeding 90% in maternal mercury levels and over 50% reductions in lead levels between siblings born one year apart.

Bind continues expanding the program by partnering with hospitals in NJ cities with diverse populations and environmental risk factors. After five years of persistent relationship-building, Capital Health near Trenton finalized partnership agreements, with program launch scheduled for February 2026. St. Peters University Hospital in New Brunswick began collections in January 2026, screening 1,000 pregnant individuals as a Quality Improvement Project informing policy for establishing standard-of-care protocols. Influence on Policy and International Dialogue The work conducted by Bindand the NJB team has significantly influenced state, national, and international dialogue on prenatal screening and the mercury crisis. The prenatal screening data directly informed the final version of the prenatal screening bill (A4848/S3616) passed by the NJ legislature on December 18, 2025. His presentations have inspired organizations worldwide, including hospital networks in other states and internationally, including Nigeria, to implement similar models.

As a member of the APHL Environmental Health Committee for six years, Bind has led mercury position statements, biomonitoring position implementation, and elemental workgroups. A call to action on mercury that he co-authored was featured by the United Nations Environmental Programme. He currently serves on APHL Global Health Committee, raising awareness of international implications of biomonitoring work, and actively collaborates with other states on awareness and risk-reduction regarding mercury in skin-lightening products.

Over the past five years, Bind has conducted hundreds of presentations at conferences and community meetings, raising awareness about harmful chemical exposures and evidence-based reduction strategies, and trained thousands of medical providers, community and public health workers through various venues. Following his presentations, NJDOH Communications partnered with NJB to launch a statewide mercury awareness campaign in 2026, and multiple NJ agencies formed a collaborative working group to develop comprehensive solutions. Rutgers Health and Hackensack Meridian Health Network committed to program expansion through future grant funding. Most recently, he launched a groundbreaking community-based approach to reduce prenatal exposures by developing a program that brings screening and education directly to communities.

Bind demonstrates exemplary leadership in cultivating the next generation of public health professionals. Over the past three years, he has mentored more than a dozen fellows and associates, providing comprehensive training across all facets of biomonitoring, such as program planning, implementation, sample collection and analysis, data interpretation, community outreach, and policy translation. Multiple fellows have been successfully recruited into permanent NJDOH positions, directly strengthening our laboratory capacity. The exceptional contributions from Eric exemplify the highest standards of innovation, leadership, and dedication in public health laboratory science. He has transformed prenatal biomonitoring from concept to standard-of-care practice, directly protecting thousands of mothers and newborns from toxic exposures. His work has yielded measurable health outcomes, influenced state legislation, informed national policy, and inspired international action. His strategic approach to partnership development, community engagement, and workforce mentorship ensures long-term program sustainability.

Lee serves as the lead biological defense coordinator at the Florida Department of Health Bureau of Public Health Laboratories-Jacksonville, He is a member of the National LRN Operational Work Group, Chair and member of the APHL Sentinel Laboratory Partnerships and Outreach Subcommittee, a member National Public Health Preparedness and Response Committee, a member Unknown Environmental Samples Task Force, a member Mpox Technical Workgroup, member Additionally Lee has taught for almost every (possibly actually ever) APHL/CDC LRN training course.

Lee has co-authored 20 manuscripts, participated in peer-reviewed research and authored or co-authored chapters in reference manuals, and authored a chapter in "Remembering 9/11 and anthrax: public health's vital role in national defense". His work in the article about using MALDI-TOF for highly pathogenic organisms is still insightful and informative for laboratories trying to rely on MALDI for identification for select agents. He co-authored two chapters in the 2023 Clinical Microbiology Procedures Handbook from ASM Press, and has worked with ASM as a SME on the Sentinel Laboratory Guidelines. The case studies he has worked on have contributed to the better understanding of how these organisms that seem unreal to most people can be a part of common life.

Lee has worked with APHL, CDC and EPA on various pilots and projects to determine if methods, protocols or workflows are appropriate for use. He has also worked with the local FBI branch to do tabletop (and boat) exercises. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic he would, with his compatriots, travel to sentinel labs to give trainings. Lee is, inarguably, a technical expert in the field. So many laboratories recognize his expertise regarding Bacillus anthracis, but also in biosafety, biosecurity and Brucella spp., among others.

Everyone who has taken the LRN classical methods recognizes Lee as an amazing trainer. His dedication in the classroom shines in the way he presents the academic and technical material. He also is observant in the wet-lab, making sure that everyone not only follows best practices but understands the best practices. In fact, there is a nickname for him: St Philus of Anthracis. What is really telling is that most of this information not common knowledge—Lee doesn't brag about accomplishments, he just tells stories about his experiences. Because his biggest and most lasting contribution to public health is not a test method, or a lab instrument, or a specific practice. Lee's biggest contribution to public health, domestically and internationally, is the number of people he trained. He trained people to understand methods and to be able to take them back to their home lab to teach others. He developed best technical practices in the people he interacted with in the laboratory. His legacy is the number of laboratorians, and by extension their laboratories, that he has worked with in any capacity. He impacted so many people and improved public health just by being himself.

Glaser is a prominent pediatric infectious disease specialist and a leader in public health laboratory sciences, currently serving as the Center for Laboratory Sciences Public Health Medical Officer at the California Department of Public Health (CDPH). Glaser holds a unique dual background, having trained in veterinary medicine at UC Davis before attending Tulane University School of Medicine for her medical doctorate. She completed her pediatric residency and infectious disease fellowship at the University of California, San Francisco, where she also serves as an Associate Clinical Professor.

For 20 years, Glaser held various leadership roles at CDPH, including Chief of the Viral and Rickettsial Disease Laboratory (VRDL) and Chief of the Encephalitis and Special Investigations Section. She also served as a physician at Kaiser Permanente Northern California leading pediatric antimicrobial stewardship. As a pioneer in public health, Glaser founded and led the California Encephalitis Project (CEP) as Principal Investigator at VRDL. Launched in 1998, this landmark initiative between CDPH and CDC, revolutionized the medical community’s approach to brain inflammation, fundamentally shifting how clinicians investigate, diagnose, and treat encephalitis. CEP remains one of the largest and most comprehensive studies of encephalitis patients ever conducted, providing a massive cohort for research into both infectious and non-infectious causes.

Glaser has been a central figure in investigating Acute Flaccid Myelitis (AFM), a rare but serious condition causing muscle weakness and paralysis, particularly in children. She played a critical role in identifying early clusters of the polio-like illness in California starting in 2012, which preceded the larger national outbreaks in 2014 and 2016. Her work focused on the potential link between AFM and Enterovirus-D68, strongly suggested a link between respiratory outbreaks and AFM clusters. As a leader at CDPH and CEP, she helped establish surveillance protocols to track, diagnose, and differentiate AFM from other neurological conditions. She authored many clinical reviews and guidelines for clinicians to recognize AFM and select appropriate diagnostic tests.

Glaser played a significant leadership role in CDPH’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, leveraging her expertise in both human and veterinary medicine to implement innovative screening and surveillance programs. As Assistant Deputy Director and VRDL Chief, she oversaw critical laboratory and infectious disease investigative work essential to the state's pandemic management. Glaser is world renown for her work on AFM and has authored book chapters and participated on CDC panels and collaborations on a number of viral endeavors including Rabies.

Cole is currently serving in his 11th term in the US House of Representatives. Cole is recognized as a tireless advocate for taxpayers and small businesses, supporter of a strong national defense and leader in promoting biomedical research. He is considered the foremost expert in the House on issues related to Native Americans and tribal governments. Cole is the Chairman, the top Republican leadership position on the committee, of the powerful House Appropriations Committee, which he has served on since 2009. He also previously served as the Chairman of the House Rules Committee. Cole also served as a Deputy Whip for the Republican Conference and sits on the House Republican Steering Committee.

Cole has a significant background of service to his home state of Oklahoma. He has served as the State Chairman of the Oklahoma Republican Party, District Director to former Congressman Mickey Edwards, a member of the Oklahoma State Senate and as Oklahoma's Secretary of State. In this capacity, he served as former Governor Frank Keating's chief legislative strategist and liaison to the state's federal delegation. Keating tapped Cole to lead Oklahoma's successful effort to secure federal funds to assist in the rebuilding of Oklahoma City in the wake of the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building on April 19,1995. He was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame in 2017.

Cole is widely regarded as one of the GOP's top political strategists. He served as Executive Director of the National Republican Congressional Committee in the 1992 cycle. He also served as Chief of Staff of the Republican National Committee during the historic 2000 cycle in which Republicans won the presidency, the Senate and the House for the first time in 48 years. In the 2008 cycle, Cole served as Chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee.

Cole is a founding partner and past president of CHS & Associates, a nationally recognized political consulting and survey research firm based in Oklahoma City. The firm has been named one of the top 20 in its field and has dozens of past and current clients scattered across the country.

A former college instructor in history and politics, Cole holds a BA from Grinnell College, an MA from Yale University and a PhD from the University of Oklahoma. Cole has been a Thomas Watson Fellow and a Fulbright Fellow at the University of London. Cole has also received honorary degrees from Randall University (formerly Hillsdale Bible College) in Moore, Oklahoma City University and Gallaudet University in Washington, DC. He previously served for six years on the Smithsonian Institution Board of Regents.

Cole is a fifth generation Oklahoman and an enrolled member of the Chickasaw Nation. He is one of only five Native Americans currently serving in Congress. Since 2009, he has served as the Republican Co-Chair of the Congressional Native American Caucus. The National Congress of American Indians has recognized Cole's distinguished service with the Congressional Leadership award on three different occasions (2007, 2011 and 2017), more than any other Member of Congress in the history of the organization. He was inducted into the Chickasaw Hall of Fame in 2004.

Jernigan has been a pivotal figure in advancing the role of public health laboratories in infectious disease surveillance and response both here in the US as well as across the globe.

Jernigan’s contributions have helped strengthen the integration of laboratory science with epidemiology, enabling faster detection of pathogens and more coordinated responses to outbreaks. He has championed the modernization of laboratory infrastructure, the expansion of genomic sequencing capabilities, and the development of nationwide laboratory networks that facilitate real-time data sharing.

As early as 2004 when Jernigan was serving as Deputy Director of CDC’s Influenza Division, he was championing the concept of the warm base in public health laboratories to prepare for an inevitable flu pandemic. Under his leadership, the Influenza Division developed the five-target influenza typing and subtyping panel and assured its rapid FDA clearance and deployment just in time for 2009’s Influenza H1N1 pandemic. This test is still central to our national influenza surveillance. During that time, he was also instrumental in establishing and assuring sustainability of the Influenza (now International) Reagent Resource which has been leveraged in many responses and is used to provide standardized reagents, controls and laboratory supplies to public health laboratories throughout the world.

Jernigan was an early adopter of the Public Health Laboratory Interoperability Project (PHLIP), a project born out of a need to ensure all public health entities spoke the same language and communicated standardized information, despite the use of different systems and technologies. He understood the potential and sharing influenza data from public health labs to CDC became the first use case allowing near real time data transmission from public health labs to CDC, providing CDC with the ability to rapidly monitor and respond to changing trends in flu activity. This insight was predictive of Jernigan’s future role in championing and leading CDC’s Data Modernization initiative. He championed and leveraged significant funding to build scalable, secure, and interoperable data exchange throughout the public health system.

Following the H1N1 pandemic, Jernigan worked with APHL to develop the Influenza Virologic Surveillance Right Size Roadmap which endeavors to statistically determine the optimal sampling strategy for influenza virologic surveillance, giving public health goals to prevent too much or too little testing. Again, these efforts brought a novel approach to public health laboratory science. In his final years at CDC, Jernigan championed modern surveillance tools, including genomic sequencing and use of modeling to further infectious disease surveillance.

Through Jernigan’s leadership, public health laboratories across the globe have become more agile and better equipped to respond to both routine surveillance needs and public health emergencies. His efforts have also highlighted the importance of collaboration across all levels of government as well as globally, emphasizing the importance of having laboratory data translate into timely public health action.

Toney has spent her career strengthening public health through science, leadership, and service. She currently serves as Director of the Virginia Division of Consolidated Laboratory Services, where she has guided statewide laboratory operations with passion and integrity. Over the years, she has been a trusted national voice on laboratory quality, biosafety, emergency response and system preparedness. Her leadership has shaped not only her home state, but the broader public health laboratory community.

Toney’s impact is rooted in her many contributions to APHL, including her distinguished service on the APHL Board of Directors and her tenure as APHL President. In these roles, she helped steer the association through periods of rapid change and unprecedented demands on the public health laboratory system.

Among her many contributions, one has truly transformed the future of the public health laboratory system: the APHL Laboratory Director Bootcamp. Denise recognized early that the future of our system depends on preparing new leaders to step into these complex, demanding roles. Through her vision, guidance and leadership; the Bootcamp has become a critical piece of APHL’s workforce development efforts—equipping emerging directors with the skills, confidence, and support they need to lead effectively. Her commitment to mentoring, teaching, and building capacity has strengthened laboratories nationwide and ensured a strong pipeline of future leaders.

Toney’s mentorship has always been grounded in generosity, humility, and an unwavering commitment to public health. Her belief in developing strong future laboratory leaders has made our entire system better and will continue to shape public health laboratories for years to come.

Iwen has advanced public health laboratories through leadership, standards development, workforce training, and emergency response innovation. As Director of the Nebraska Public Health Laboratory, he has strengthened laboratory infrastructure and expanded capacity for emerging infectious diseases, biosurveillance, and preparedness through major federal and state initiatives. His service on national committees within the Association of Public Health Laboratories, including the Directors Advisory Committee, COVID-19 Task Force, and Biosafety Committee, has helped shape laboratory policy, preparedness strategy, and operational standards across the United States. Iwen also contributed to the CDC/APHL Biosafety Laboratory Safety Competency Guidelines, helping establish nationally adopted expectations for laboratory safety and workforce competency.

Through extensive outreach—including national workshops, professional society presentations, and training programs focused on emerging pathogens and laboratory response—Iwen has strengthened workforce readiness and promoted best practices across clinical and public health sectors. His leadership during high-consequence events such as Ebola and COVID-19 exemplified the critical role of public health laboratories in translating science into actionable public health protection, while his accreditation and inspection work has supported quality improvement and consistency across laboratory systems. Iwen’s career reflects exceptional dedication to advancing laboratory science and strengthening national preparedness.