Lab Manager | Run Your Lab Like a Business

Lab Manager's editorial advisory board members:

Dwayne Henry is a 25-year plus employee of Montgomery College who is currently the Instructional Lab Manager of Chemical and Biological Sciences at the Takoma Park/Silver Spring, MD campus. After completing his BS and MA degrees in biotechnology in 1994, he spent one year doing toxicology studies at Oncologix, a cancer research company in Gaithersburg, MD. He then joined Montgomery College's Takoma Park/Silver Spring as its sole biology instructional lab coordinator where he helped organize and develop its current biology laboratory academic setups, developed and modernized its biology labs physical structures/equipment, and upgraded the biology lab safety procedures. Once promoted to Instructional Lab Manager, he would then become the college’s only manager of both biology and chemistry labs, at which time he would then repeat those same feats for its Takoma Park/Silver Spring campus chemistry labs. He has also started the campuses' first laboratory safety committee and partners with various organizations to provide basic laboratory skills and job training for individuals with various disabilities.

Additionally, Dwayne has received his certification in management and supervision from the American Management Association, as well as certificates in diversity management, organizational leadership, and conflict resolution. He is currently a member of the planning and development of biology and chemistry labs committee for Montgomery College's new Catherine and Isiah Leggett Math and Science Building, scheduled for groundbreaking in the spring of 2023. During the fall 2021, Dwayne was named co-chair of the Montgomery College college-wide Biosafety and Infectious Materials committee. During this time he also accepted an invitation to become a member of the LST mentorship team in the American Chemical Society’s Division of Chemical Health and Safety. The mentorship team advises/mentors/trains graduate students in lab safety as well as how to conduct efficient and effective laboratory safety workshops. He also teaches a weekly 30-minute Introduction to Science class to five- and six-year-olds at the college's Center for Early Education. This is a part of his ongoing commitment to introduce science to a diverse array of young minds so they know that no matter what their background may be, careers in science are an available option to all.

Christie Bowden is an R&D manager and senior research scientist at Arkema Inc. There, she manages analytical groups within Arkema’s Analytical and Systems Research department to deliver high quality analytical solutions to R&D and production. Prior to management, Christie spent 15 years in the laboratory utilizing gas chromatography, liquid chromatography, and mass spectrometry for small molecule and polymer additives method development and analysis. Christie has a BS degree in chemistry from DeSales University and a MS degree in chemistry from Drexel University. She currently is the Association of Laboratory Managers (ALMA) Immediate Past President, was the 2017 ALMA Program Chair, and has been actively involved with ALMA for over five years. Christie is also a member of the American Chemical Society and the American Society for Mass Spectrometry.

James Connelly is the chief executive officer of My Green Lab and is one of the most influential leaders in the corporate sustainability and green building movement today. James is a frequent keynote speaker on regenerative design, sustainable business, and laboratory sustainability. He is an avid writer, and his research and commentary have been featured in news outlets such as China Dialogue, CGTN TV, Engineering News Record, Building Green, Trim Tab, Sustainable Brands, and GreenBiz. Before joining My Green Lab, James was the Vice President of Strategic Growth for the International Living Future Institute, where he led international growth strategy and became a founding board member of Living Future Institute Europe. During his time at ILFI, James created several leading-edge sustainability programs, including Declare, an innovative ingredient transparency label for non-toxic building products, Living Product Challenge, the world’s most advanced sustainability standard for building products, Just, a social equity label for organizations, and Zero Carbon Building Certification. James has won numerous scholarships and awards for his research and work; notably, he received a 2012 Fulbright Fellowship to research on green building rating systems in China, was selected as a Greenbiz 30 under 30 Sustainable Business Leader in 2016, and a Net Zero Energy Trailblazer in 2019.

Sherri L. Bassner obtained her PhD in inorganic chemistry from The Pennsylvania State University in 1988. She began working for Air Products and Chemicals, Inc., in the fall of that year. Most of her 22 years with Air Products were spent in business unit R&D positions, first as an individual contributor and then in technology management positions. Her areas of expertise focused on solvent and water-based coatings and adhesives. Her experience with Air Products included almost 4 years in Mexico where she built applied technology organizations in both Mexico and Brazil to provide local support to business in the region and managed the Mexican business. After four years managing Air Products’ Global Analytical Sciences organization, Sherri moved to Intertek USA in July 2010, where she assumed business management responsibility for the Intertek Chemicals and Materials lab in Allentown, PA. Her last role at Intertek was as vice president for chemical services, building a platform across global business lines to provide comprehensive testing, development support, investigations, and regulatory consulting for customers across industries. Sherri is currently enjoying retirement, participating in part-time consulting and leadership coaching. She blogs on personal and professional development as well as other topics at www.sherribassner.com.

Kerri Mack, PhD, is the safety manager of the chemical, biological, and radiological high hazards division within the Defense Science and Technology Laboratory, which is part of the Ministry of Defence (MOD) in the UK. She is also the head of profession for the lab managers and part of her role is to build and champion the profession, provide career and networking opportunities and ensure the community reaches its full potential.

During her first decade of working with vaccine development of high consequence pathogens, Kerri also managed the high containment research laboratories, giving her useful first-hand experience of all the challenges of effective lab management. Kerri’s research studies and lab management experience shaped her passion toward safety management such that she went on to become the biosafety advisor for the organization, covering work with animal pathogens, human pathogens, and GMOs. 

As part of her learning, Kerri has received career training and practice in the skills of mentoring, coaching, leading, and managing. Kerri’s educational background includes a PhD in medical microbiology and genetics, a post graduate certificate in education for the age group of post compulsory education and training, a Nebosh health and safety diploma (at post graduate level), an environmental management diploma, senior mentor qualifications and she is a chartered project, program, and portfolio professional. 

Dan Scungio, MT (ASCP), SLS, CQA (ASQ), has over 30 years of experience as a certified medical technologist and a bachelor’s degree in medical technology from the State University of New York at Buffalo. As a laboratory safety consultant and a safety officer, Dan provides on-site education and safety training for labs of all sizes with a mission to help organizations create safety savvy laboratories.

Todd McEvoy, PhD, is the senior director of laboratory services for Azzur Labs at their Schnecksville, PA location. In this role he is accountable for all aspects of the business performance including people leadership, scientific operations excellence, business development, administrative and support functions, quality, and safety. Prior to this role, he was employed by Intertek and served both technical and leadership roles including senior scientist, laboratory operations manager, and most recently, general manager. He joined Intertek in 2010 after six years with Air Products and Chemicals in various research and development roles including microscopy, surface science, polymer analysis, and on-site water treatment pilot trials. 

Todd graduated with a BS in chemistry and with honors from Shippensburg University in 1998 and earned a PhD in chemistry from the University of Texas at Austin. His graduate work at UT focused on developing integrated spectral, microscopic, and electrochemical methods to study charge storage processes in electrochromic ion-storage materials. Upon graduation he pursued a post-doc at the Naval Research Laboratory studying hybrid carbon:polymer ultracapacitors. He is past president of ALMA (Association of Laboratory Managers) and is currently a board member.