Program

2025 Schedule at a Glance

All times Eastern Standard
Stay tuned for additional session information.

2025 Opening Keynote

All together now: creating a tapestry of inclusion 

Dani Stroughton Duncan, EdD, MLS

In this session, we will explore the profound impact of inclusion and psychological safety on fostering a productive work culture. Participants will gain insights into how a sense of belonging and appreciation for unique perspective enhances patient care. Through this understanding and strategy, leaders can help transform their workplace to a thriving and seamless tapestry of inclusion.

Danielle (Dani) Stroughton Duncan, EdD, MEd, BS, MLS, is the Director of the Education Division at COLA. She is a medical laboratory scientist, laboratory educator and leader with over a two decades of experience in private and hospital settings. She focuses on using education as an avenue to cultivate laboratory leaders. Dani is overwhelmingly passionate about education, laboratory science, and promoting positive, diverse, and inclusive organizational cultures.

2025 Plenary Session

From the Basement to the Boardroom: Leading in the Laboratory and Beyond 

Tracy Pryor, MBA

This is an interactive and engaging lookback at the leadership trajectory of a former Laboratory Technologist turned Hospital Executive. The session walks participants through leadership lessons that can be applied in the clinical laboratory setting and beyond the clinical laboratory. 

Tracy Pryor, a native of Petersburg, Virginia, started her clinical laboratory career at The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland in 2011. Tracy has progressed through the laboratory leadership ladder, serving in roles such as Laboratory Supervisor, Team Leader, and Director of Operations. Now, an MBA graduate, Tracy is serving as an Assistant Chief Operating Officer at HCA Healthcare, applying what she learned in the laboratory to hospital operations! 

2025 Closing Keynote

The Cross-Generational Jam: Turning Friction into Fusion

Jenn Whitmer, MA

Unlock the power of CLEAN communication to bridge intergenerational gaps and transform miscommunication into growth opportunities. With lots of laughter, you’ll discover research-backed strategies to lead through the friction of five generations working together. Master each generation's communication style, refine your own, and foster a culture of collaboration that drives success.

Jenn Whitmer returns to ASCLS today to equip you to navigate conflict and communication with clarity and humor. Get ready for storytelling, research, and practical tools that will help you as emerging leaders to build connection and lead with confidence—even in challenging situations. Jenn lives in St. Louis, Missouri, with her high school sweetheart and husband of nearly 30 years, Michael, their four teenage kids, and a surly cat that allows them all to live in the house.

Educational Sessions Preview

We invite you to explore some of the educational opportunities you will experience at the 2025 ELMC². All educational sessions will be recorded and registered attendees will have access to these recordings for 30 days after the event. Each educational session is one contact hour of P.A.C.E.^® credit. Stay tuned for additional sessions!

All together now: creating a tapestry of inclusion 

Presenter: Dani Stroughton Duncan, EdD

COLA, Inc.

In this session, we will explore the profound impact of inclusion and psychological safety on fostering a productive work culture. Participants will gain insights into how a sense of belonging and appreciation for unique perspective enhances patient care. Through this understanding and strategy, leaders can help transform their workplace to a thriving and seamless tapestry of inclusion. 

Level of Instruction: Intermediate

Avoiding Social Mis-steps with our Patients

Presenters: Hepua Hermosura, MBA and Carly Preston, MLS(ASCP)^CM

The Queen's Health Systems and Caldwell Memorial Hospital

How diversity, equity, inclusion and social justice (DEIJ) can improve the care we provide to our patients and can be implemented on a daily basis. 

Level of Instruction: Advanced

Benchmarking - A tool for improving the quality of clinical laboratory testing

Presenters: Cindy Johnson, MS, MLS(ASCP)^CM and Catherine Otto, PhD, MLS(ASCP)^CM

CentraCare and Otto and Associates

Establishing benchmarks for processes, like establishing quality control parameters for analytical processes, is vital for improving the quality of clinical laboratory testing processes.  This session introduces participants to the value of using benchmarks to identify the level of quality and incorporating a benchmarking program as a tool for improving patient safety.

Level of Instruction: Intermediate

Bridging Personal, Professional and Organizational Ethics in Leadership

Presenter: Patricia (Pat) Tille, PhD, MLS(ASCP)

University of Cincinnati

Ethics in health care extend beyond the research, education, and clinical environment. This session is designed to explain how one’s personal and professional ethics bridge the gap to the profession in laboratory medicine and leadership. It will briefly evaluate the complexities of ethics and applications to the three levels and how they impact the daily demand of the lab professional.

Level of Instruction: Intermediate

Building a Cohesive Lab Team Through Communication and Conflict Resolution

Presenter: Brittany Teeter, MS, MLS(ASCP)^CM

UT-Health San Antonio 

This presentation explores strategies for building a cohesive laboratory team through the use of effective communication and conflict resolution. Participants will learn techniques to enhance clarity and discuss tips on how to proactively identify sources of conflict in laboratory settings and apply practice conflict resolution.

Level of Instruction: Basic

DCLS Driven Lab Utilization for Specimen Referral Testing 

Presenter: Christen Diel, MS, MLS(ASCP)

Wellstar Medical College of Georgia 

Send-Out testing can drive up significant costs and resources. Our institution has developed a Utilization Review process to mitigate these wastes through a targeted review of high-cost or often misutilized tests. Our resident-led clinical assessments ensure clinically necessity, pioneering a more cost-effective and patient-centered approach to laboratory testing. 

Level of Instruction: Intermediate

Finance for Non-Financial Leaders

Presenter: Molly Hazen and Eric Lockett, MBA

The Queen's Health Systems 

In this presentation we will be learning how Clinical Laboratory fits into the Healthcare Business Model. With a focus on practical connections leaders can take to align their operations with financial drivers that matter to their organization. 

Level of Instruction: Advanced

From the Basement to the Boardroom: Leading in the Laboratory and Beyond 

Presenter: Tracy Pryor, MBA

HCA Houston Healthcare

This is an interactive and engaging lookback at the leadership trajectory of a former Laboratory Technologist turned Hospital Executive. The session walks participants through leadership lessons that can be applied in the clinical laboratory setting and beyond the clinical laboratory. 

Level of Instruction: Basic

Imposter Syndrome: Why You Are Your Biggest Enemy

Presenter: Ali Murphy, MHHSA, MLS(ASCP)^CM

HealthPartners

Imposter Syndrome is a sneaky psychological condition that seems to impact more people than we know but is not well known. In this session we will uncover if you might be a sufferer from its under-minding grips and if it is holding you back personally and professionally. Then we will work through 4 tactics to improve and overcome Imposter Syndrome.

Level of Instruction: Basic

Innovating and Advocating to Grow the Workforce

Presenters: Jeanene Contreras, MBA, MLS(ASCP) and Diana Kremitske, MHA, MLS(ASCP)

Geisinger Core Laboratory and Geisinger

A new set of laboratory management competencies are advancing, emphasizing practices to address workforce shortages. These include assuring knowledge of laboratory workforce shortages in human resource departments, amplifying awareness of recruitment strategies, and winning administrative support for the startup of innovative, home-grown pathways to certified laboratory professional roles.

Level of Instruction: Basic

Is Training the Solution? Assessing when instruction should be used to remediate operational challenges

Presenter: Carol Rentas, PhD, MLS(ASCP)SC, MB

George  Washington University

Instruction and training require valuable resources such as time, money, and manpower. Often, resources are wasted on remedial training, which may not be the best solution or strategically focused on the key issue. This talk dispels the notion of instruction as necessarily the first choice and encourages other strategic approaches and practices to ensure efficient and successful lab outcomes.

Level of Instruction: Basic

Negotiating New Laboratory Equipment Contracts

Presenters: Kristie Dickson, MS, MLS(AMT)

Privia Medical Group - North Texas Laboratory

Understanding the parts of a contract is the 1st basic step to being able to negotiate one. Knowing the value you bring to the negotiating table as a customer is the 2nd step to negotiating a good contract. Understand everyone is in it to make money, know your margins and be willing to push back on theirs.

Level of Instruction: Basic

Pathogens and Betrayal: When the Threat is Inside the Laboratory

Presenter: Casey Schroeder, PhD, SM(ASCP)

Texas Department of State Health Services

Insider threats present serious risks to clinical and public health microbiology labs, where staff have access to sensitive pathogens and data. This presentation explores real biocrime cases, key behavioral indicators, and explores motivations behind insider threats. Learn strategies to recognize, respond to, and prevent breaches, ensuring a secure lab environment and protecting public health.

Level of Instruction: Intermediate

Retention and Recruitment in the Lab

Presenters: Carly Preston, MLS(ASCP)^CM, Casey Schroeder, PhD, SM(ASCP), and Jane-Alyse VonOhlen, MS

Caldwell Memorial Hospital, Texas Department of State Health Services and Diagnostic Laboratory Services

Explore dynamic recruitment and retention strategies for the laboratory profession. Hear about strategies used in large organizations, rural organizations and state organizations. 

Level of Instruction: Intermediate

Staffing Shortages?  Train Students!

Presenters: Kristi Enerson, MLS(ASCP) and Terry Kotrla, MS, MLS(ASCP)BB

CentraCare and Austin State Hospital MLS Program 

Shortages in clinical laboratories are becoming acute, forcing laboratory managers to face difficult decisions in hiring.  Although CLIA allows individuals without formal training to work in a laboratory this is not the best solution.  This session will provide an overview for opportunities to grow your own laboratory professionals by collaboration with laboratory science programs experienced in training students from afar. Information will be provided on the potential for getting grants to offset the cost of training at your facility.

Level of Instruction: Basic

Surviving the Lab Inspection Gauntlet: Tales from a New Manager’s Frontline 

Presenter: Christal Lane, MS, MLS(ASCP)^CM

Sonic Healthcare USA 

Join us for “Surviving the Lab Inspection Gauntlet,” where you’ll dive into the real-life experiences of a new lab manager navigating the challenges of CAP and state inspections. This session will blend practical advice with entertaining stories, providing you with tips and strategies to survive - and thrive - your own inspections. 

Level of Instruction: Basic

The Cross-Generational Jam: Turning Friction into Fusion

Presenter: Jenn Whitmer, MA

Consone Consulting

Unlock the power of CLEAN communication to bridge intergenerational gaps and transform miscommunication into growth opportunities. With lots of laughter, you’ll discover research-backed strategies to lead through the friction of five generations working together. Master each generation's communication style, refine your own, and foster a culture of collaboration that drives success.

Level of Instruction: Basic

The Lab's Impact on Teamwork and Collaborative Leadership

Presenter: Doryan Redding, MLS(ASCP)^CM

University of Virginia Medical Center

This session seeks to empower lab professionals to enhance their communication skills and advocate for their role in improving patient outcomes and team dynamics. We’ll explore bridging gaps through clear communication and professional advocacy to address misunderstandings and promote the visibility and value of medical laboratory professionals in healthcare.

Level of Instruction: Basic

The Power of Mentorship 

Presenter: Malissa Norfolk, MBA, MLS(ASCP)^CM

University of Maine at Augusta 

Effectively mentoring employees can help them grow and succeed in their careers. It also benefits the leader to mentor their employees as these employees are typically more engaged and invested in their work. This session will discuss types of mentoring relationships as well as strategies for mentoring. 

Level of Instruction: Basic

Transitioning from Lab Staff to Lab Leader

Presenter: James McVey, BS

ARUP Laboratories

Often, a lab professional is promoted to a leadership position because they are strong individual contributors with an abundance of technical expertise, but, after their promotion, they stay in the “doer” or bench mode. This discussion will explore the important steps a new leader can take to balance task and staff management, while cultivating trust and support in and from their staff.

Level of Instruction: Basic

"Uh oh! What did I do now?" and other Case Studies in Human Resources

Presenter: Miles Tompkins, MLT(ASCP)^CM

Diagnostic Laboratory of Oklahoma

Does hearing that HR wants to speak to you almost always elicit groans or fear like being sent to the principal's office? Do you now find yourself having to take on HR duties that you were never prepared for? In this session we will be reviewing real-world scenarios in HR, and discovering how interactions involving HR can become a more collaborative experience.

Level of Instruction: Intermediate

Updates to CLIA Personnel Requirements

Presenter: Nicole Colby, MLS(ASCP)^CM

COLA, Inc.

The CLIA personnel regulations have largely remained unchanged for over 30 years. However, CMS published major updates to the personnel qualifications which will be effective December 28, 2024. This session will overview the process of how the regulations were changed, review the important changes to CLIA personnel regulations, and discuss potential impacts to laboratories.

Level of Instruction: Intermediate

We are on Day 103 with No Patient Harm!: Human Performance Strategies to Achieve a Highly Reliable Laboratory (HRL)

Presenter: Candice Freeman, PhD, MLS(ASCP)^CM

Scotland Health Care System

Bring your mobile device and participate in an interactive discussion about achieving a highly reliable laboratory. This session will focus on the application of human performance technology strategies coupled within a zero-harm framework to achieve an operational environment preoccupied with performance improvement, staff resiliency, and systems thinking to produce consistently accurate results.

Level of Instruction: Intermediate