SILVER SPRING, MD--(Marketwired - May 20, 2015) - The Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL) is pleased to announce the winners of its annual awards for outstanding achievements in laboratory science, creative approaches to solving today's public health challenges and exemplary support of laboratories serving the public's health. Awardees were honored during a ceremony at the 2015 APHL Annual Meeting & Ninth Government Environmental Laboratory Conference in Indianapolis, Indiana.

The following awards were presented:

Lifetime Achievement Award - This award recognizes individuals who have established a history of distinguished service to APHL, made significant contributions to the advancement of public health laboratory science or practice, exhibited leadership in the field of public health, and/or positively influenced public health policy on a national or global level. This year's award is shared by two honorees:

• Dr. Sally Liska, global public health laboratory consultant; former director of the San Francisco Public Health Laboratory
• Dr. Philip Amuso, retired; former associate chief, Bureau of Laboratories, Florida Department of Health
  
  

Presidential Award - The presidential award recipient is selected by the APHL president and given to individuals who have made significant contributions to the association's work to promote policies that strengthen public health laboratories.

• Joe Reardon, consumer protection assistant commissioner, North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
  
  

Gold Standard for Public Health Laboratory Excellence Award - This award is given to an APHL member who has made significant contributions to the technical advancement of public health laboratory science and/or practice.

• Dr. Bahman Parsa, director, Environmental and Chemical Laboratory Services, New Jersey Public Health and Environmental Laboratories
  
  

Silver Award - This award honors a laboratorian with 10 to 15 years of service in a governmental laboratory (either public health or environmental/agricultural laboratory). The honoree is recognized as a leader both within their home laboratory as well as outside their laboratory.

• Dr. Ewa King, associate director of health, Rhode Island Department of Health, Division of Laboratories
  
  

Emerging Leader Award - This award honors a laboratorian whose leadership has been instrumental in one or more advances in laboratory science, practice, management, policy or education.

• Dr. Andrew Cannons, laboratory director, Florida Bureau of Public Health Laboratories, Tampa
  
  

On the Front Line Award - This 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. This year's award is shared by two honorees:

• Dr. Robert Kobelski, retired; former lead chemist, National Center for Environmental Health/Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Dr. Bernard Branson, retired; former associate director, Laboratory Diagnostics, Division HIV/AIDS Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  
  

Healthiest Laboratory Award - This award is given to member laboratories committed to safety, environmental process, environmental policy, and employee health and wellness.

• First Place - State Hygienic Laboratory at the University of Iowa
• Runner-Up - San Bernardino County Public Health Laboratory
• Honorable Mention - Katherine A. Kelley Public Health Laboratory, Connecticut Department of Public Health
  
  

The Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL) works to strengthen laboratory systems serving the public's health in the US and globally. APHL's member laboratories protect the public's health by monitoring and detecting infectious and foodborne diseases, environmental contaminants, terrorist agents, genetic disorders in newborns and other diverse health threats.

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