Presenters
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Wade Atkins, MS, MT(ASCP), SBB, CQA Sr. Quality Assurance and Regulatory Affairs Specialist Department of Transfusion Medicine, Clinical Center National Institutes of Health Wade Atkins is the Supervisor Quality Assurance and Regulatory Affairs in the Department of Transfusion Medicine, Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health.He has QA and RA oversight of the Blood Establishment, Tissue Establishment that supports collection, manufacturing, labeling, and distribution of 5 licensed blood products AND collections, manufacturing, labeling, and distribution of somatic cellular therapy products for approximately 50 protocols with 30 or more under IND. |
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Amy Beres, PhD Director, Cell Processing Laboratory Aurora Hematologic Malignancy and Stem Cell Transplant Program Amy Beres obtained her bachelor's in biochemistry from the University of Wisconsin. She earned a PhD from the Medical College of Wisconsin and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. After more than a decade of bench research in cellular therapy, Dr. Beres transitioned to industry where she gained experience in FDA regulations and cGMP manufacturing. She later transitioned to healthcare and serves as Director of Regenerative Medicine at Advocate Aurora Health where she has overseen the Cell Processing Laboratory since 2016. |
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Edwin Brindle, MSc, MLT: HOST Edwin Brindle is the Quality Manager at Hamilton Health Sciences, Cellular Therapy and Transplantation. Ed has over 30 years of experience as a Medical Lab Technologist in Hematology, Transfusion, Microbiology, Clinical Biochemistry, Quality Management, Cord Blood, and Cellular Therapy and has served in various Technical and Managerial roles within the UK and Canada. He is currently the Quality Manager for the Cellular Therapy & Transplantation Service at the Juravinski Hospital and Cancer Centre, Hamilton Health Sciences, Ontario, Canada. |
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Alisa Forsythe Alisa Forsythe currently serves as the IT Business Analyst for FACT. Alisa constantly seeks to improve lives and processes with technology. With over 13 years of experience, she has overseen countless projects for FACT, the Department of Defense, and other smaller organizations. Since she joined FACT she has spearheaded the new FACT Accreditation Portal effort and is currently working to release the next major version. |
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Leigh Gates, CPHQ: HOST Leigh Gates is the Manager of Clinical Quality for the Blood Disorders & Cell Therapies Center (BDCTC) at UCHealth in Aurora, Colorado. She manages the quality program for all hematologic malignancy, BMT, Immune Effector Cell and general hematology patients for the system, as well as oversees data management for the center. Leigh has over 13 years of experience in oncology quality and improvement with past experience in advocacy and patient experience as well. Prior to UCHealth, Leigh held positions at the American Society for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and Right Management Consultants. She is a Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality (CPHQ), a past member of ASTCT's Quality Committee and received her B.A. at University of Colorado, Boulder. |
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Phillip Johnson, MMedSc(Path) Phillip Johnson is the Director/Scientific Director at the Queensland Cord Blood Bank at the Mater and the Director of the Ceullar Therapy Unit of Mater Pathology. He is a member of the FACT Cord Blood Bank Processing, Selection and Release Standards Subcommittees, the FACT Quality Management Committee, and the FACT Cord Blood Accreditation Committee. He is a FACT Cord Blood Bank, Collection and Processing Inspector. |
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Sarita Joshi, MBBS, MD Dr. Sarita Joshi is the Medical Director of the Apheresis facility and cancer and blood disorders attending faculty at Seattle Childrens Hospital and associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Washington. She is a board certified pediatric hematologist oncologist and is also certified in transfusion medicine by the American board of pathology. Dr. Sarita Joshi enjoys caring for patients undergoing apheresis procedures and those with medically complex hematological conditions. She seeks to serve her patients by providing quality, holistic care and being an integral part of their journey to cure and good health. Dr. Joshi has been a FACT Apheresis Inspector for five years and is a member of the FACT Cellular Therapy Collection Standards Subcommittee. |
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Joseph Schwartz, MD, MPH Dr. Joseph Schwartz is the Division Director of Transfusion Medicine and Cellular Therapy at New York Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center Bone Marrow and Hematopoitetic Stem Cell Transplantation Program. Dr. Schwartz serves on the FACT Board of Directors, is Chair of the FACT Technology Committee, Chair of the FACT HLA Typing Accreditation Committee, and Co-Chair of the FACT Cellular Therapy Accreditation & Cord Blood Bank Accreditation Committees. Dr. Schwartz has participated as a Marrow Collection, Apheresis Collection, Cord Blood Banking, and Cord Blood Processing Inspector for 14 years. |