Michelle Alfa

Dr. Michelle J. Alfa is a professor in the Department of Medical Microbiology at the University of Manitoba. In addition, she is the Medical Director, Clinical Microbiology Discipline for Diagnostic Services of Manitoba. She has worked for the past 20 years as a Clinical Microbiologist involved with teaching and research in the area of hospital- acquired infections.
One area of research is Clostridium difficile and the role of spores in the environment as a means of nosocomial infection transmission. In addition her group is studying toxin production in relation to the microbiome of the gut and other issues related to pathogenesis and alternative therapies for this organism.

Another area of her research involves the role of medical devices in infection transmission. Specifically, she is interested in cleaning efficacy of difficult-to-reprocess medical devices and the impact of biofilm formation on survival of microorganisms during reprocessing of medical devices.
Dr. Alfa has received awards for her teaching, research innovation and contributions as a Microbiologist in Canada. Dr. Alfa received her Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Manitoba, her Master of Science degree from the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia and her Ph.D. degree from the University of Alberta in Edmonton, AB. She is also board certified as a Clinical Microbiologist with the Canadian College of Microbiologists.

Kingsley Amoako

Dr. Kingsley Amoako is a research Scientist with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency leading a project on the development of novel technology platforms for the rapid detection of biothreat agents from food. He is a graduate from the University of Ghana (Ghana) and the United Graduate School, Yamaguchi University (Japan) and currently an Adjunct Professor at the University of Saskatchewan (Canada).
Dr. Amoako is the Project Leader for a Department of Defense Center for Security Science project on “Science and technology solutions to mitigate vulnerabilities in Canada’s food supply” as part of Canada’s foodborne bioterrorism response preparedness. This project is in collaboration with Health Canada, Public Health Agency Canada, University of Guelph, Michigan State University, the US Homeland Security National Centre for Food Protection and Defense, and the USDA.

Dr. Amoako is an active collaborator for Canadian Government funded projects in Russia and CIS on biological non-proliferation. One of the projects in Russia on the immunity and virulence of plague has been considered a ‘success story’ by the Global Partnership Program of the Department of Foreign Affairs, Canada. Dr. Amoako is currently the lead collaborator for two new projects funded by Canada in Kyrgyzstan.

Bree-Ann Carruthers

Bree-Ann Carruthers has a Bachelor of Science degree majoring in biochemistry from the University of Winnipeg. Bree-Ann works with the Public Health Agency of Canada and has been working for the past year and a half in the Applied Biosafety Research Program in which she specializes in disinfectant efficacy testing.

Sarah Chernis

Energy Modeler/Sustainability Coordinator

Sarah is a LEED Accredited Energy Modeler who has developed a particular expertise in daylight modeling, LEED coordination and Integrated Design Process Facilitation. Her career in, and passion for sustainable design started in Atlanta, Georgia where she recognized that an environmentally friendly environment and good design are not mutually exclusive and that architecture should strive to both enhance and respond to its landscape.
For Sarah, good, energy efficient design integrates strategies such as passive solar heating, daylighting, and heat recovery, rather than piling on of expensive technologies (like solar panels/PV) to reduce energy consumption. She believes, the key is minimizing demand loads and using advantageous site characteristics before trying to apply expensive technologies like PV. Whether energy efficient because of passive solar heating or daylighting, for Sarah being a good steward does not just pertain to the environment but also to the health and comfort of people and providing an environment that will attract and retain employees. Her most recent project involvements includes compilation for Recycled and Regional Material Credits for Manitoba Hydro Place, Winnipeg; Red River College Heavy Equipment Transportation Centre LEED submittal, and the wind study for the new Women’s Hospital in Winnipeg. Sarah assisted in writing the Comprehensive Transportation Management Plan and conducted a water measurement and verification study for Smith Carter’s LEED Platinum certified office building and is working currently with the project team on the J.C. Wilt Lab redevelopment here in Winnipeg.

Susan Fern-MacDougall

Susan Fern-MacDougall is the Director of Environmental Health and Safety for the University of Toronto. Susan’s educational credentials include: BSc (Chemistry) from McMaster University; Master of Health Studies from Athabasca University; MSc(A) Occupational Health from McGill University. Susan also has the CRSP professional designation (Certified Registered Safety Professional). Susan has over 20 years of experience building Environmental Health and Safety programs from inception to successful certification under ISO regimes relating to quality (9000), environmental management (14001), and safety management (18001). Other management systems that Susan has experience implementing include the Responsible Care program from the Canadian Chemical Producers Association and the DNV Safety Management System. Susan’s career has spanned a number of industries including: pharmaceutical, institutional, chemical, and electronic. The biosafety program at the University of Toronto is a consensus based management system borrowing concepts and best practices from ISO, and supported with database software and automated e-forms.

Olga Gavrilova

Olga Gavrilova graduated from the Kyrgyz State Medical Institute in Bishkek. At the Anti-plague Station of the Kyrgyz Republic, she first worked as a doctor specializing in Epidemiology, and later became the manager of the Anti-plague Station. She then worked as a doctor specializing in bacteriology at the Laboratory on Diagnostics of Plague and Anthrax, at the Republican Center of Quarantine and Extremely Dangerous Infections. She became head of the Laboratory of Diagnostics of Plague and Anthrax in 2002.

Olga Gavrilova participated in a pre-conference course at the First Annual conference of the Biosafety Association for Central Asia and the Caucasus in 2009.Olga Gavrilova also participated in ABSA’s 50th Annual Biological Safety Conference in Nashville, and attended the WHO Training Workshop on Plague Epidemiology, Treatment, Laboratory Diagnosis and Prophylaxis in 1999.

Olga is currently working as a researcher at the Republican Center of Quarantine and Extremely Dangerous Infections in the Kyrgyz Republic, and she volunteers as a trainer for the EU/UNDP Border Management in Central Asia, the Central Asia Drug Action Programme, and the International Centre for Migration Policy Development.

Ayoob Ghalami

Ayoob Ghalami is the senior biosafety officer for the University of Toronto. At the University of Toronto he has developed and taught courses in general biosafety, blood borne pathogens and transportation of dangerous goods. His main interests are program development and systemic biosafety management.

Diane Gordon

Diane graduated from the University of Manitoba with a Bachelors of Science majoring in Microbiology in the co-op program. Diane gained experience working in a microbiology lab while employed at the Canadian Science Centre for Human and Animal Health as a co-op student. Diane works as a research assistant for the Applied Biosafety Research Program at the Canadian Science Centre, and has recently gone back to University to pursue a Master’s.

Ambassador Marius Grinius

Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the Office of the United Nations and to the Conference on Disarmament, Geneva

After twelve years of military service in the Canadian Army, Marius Grinius joined the Canadian Foreign Service in 1979. He has had two postings to Thailand, one to the Canadian Delegation to the North Atlantic Council (NATO), and two postings to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, the second as Ambassador. His tours of duty at the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada in Ottawa included desk officer for nuclear arms control, and as Director of the Asia Pacific South and then Southeast Asia Divisions.

More recently he had a series of assignments in Ottawa, including in the Privy Council Office as principal analyst in the Social Development Policy Secretariat and as Director of Operations in the Security and Intelligence Secretariat, as well as Director-General of Operations in the Department of Western Economic Diversification. After concluding his tour as Ambassador to the Republic of Korea and to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, he was posted to Geneva as Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the Office of the United Nations and to the UN Conference on Disarmament.  Ambassador Grinius was the 2009 Chair of the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention and in that capacity chaired the BTWC annual meetings of experts, as well as of Member States.

Mr. Grinius has a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from the Royal Military College of Canada. He is married to Carolyn La Brash. They have two children, Alexander and Justin.

Vibeke Halkjær-Knudsen

As s Senior Biosafety Officer, Vibeke Halkjær-Knudsen is at present designing and implementing a combined management system and training program at her institution according to OHSAS 18001, ISO 14001 and CWA 15793 and as a biosecurity officer she is responsible for implementing the new Danish biosecurity legislation at her institution.

She serves on occasion as Temporary Advisor to the WHO, participates frequently in various international biosafety and biosecurity related working groups; she is a member of the steering group of the Nordic Biosafety Network, a member of ABSA and has served as council member of EBSA. She has given several international training courses either within in the ABSA/EBSA framework or with WHO at various institutions in their home countries.
She has during the last 15 years been managing a whole range of building projects - either as primary project manager ….or for some of the later projects ….she has overseen the design, building and commissioning of several complex animal / BSL2 / BSL3-enhanced / GMO and large scale GMP vaccine facilities where achieving simultaneous compliance with several contradicting guidelines and regulations, has been the biggest challenge.
She is a frequent speaker at international conferences, and she has published several papers on pitfalls to avoid when aiming for efficient and fast project deliveries, which meet the clients’ expectations from a budget, timeline and performance point of view.

Kevin Humeniuk

Architect

Kevin Humeniuk obtained his Master of Architecture from the University of Manitoba; he is a member of the Manitoba Association of Architects and the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada and is a LEED Accredited Professional. Over his ten years in architectural practice Kevin has gained considerable experience in a wide variety of roles and responsibilities. He has been a project manager and design team member responsible for client liaison, functional programming, laboratory planning, and architectural production work on a variety of projects. For the past five years, Kevin has been exclusively involved in research laboratory projects as a project manager, project architect and laboratory planner. His project involvement includes the NML Expansion at the Canadian Science Centre for Human and Animal Health; the BSE Laboratory in Edmonton, the new Human and Animal Health Biocontainment Laboratory in the Kyrgyz Republic, the Kleysen Institute for Advanced Medicine and the J.C. Wilt Infectious Diseases Laboratory redevelopment.

Kevin has presented at various conferences and seminars, including at the Biosafety Association of Central Asia and the Caucasus (BACAC) in 2009 in Almaty, Kazakhstan, Tradeline “Science Building Solutions 2005” Conference and at an international workshop on Containment Laboratory Design and Operations hosted by Smith Carter.

Philippe Mira

Philippe Mira has a degree specializing in Thermal Engineering and Energies. He has 23 years of experience as a project director, ten of which focused on the development of biowaste decontamination solutions.
Philippe Mira has worked extensively with BSL1, BSL2, BSL2+, BSL3, and BSL4 laboratories, and has experience in designing new biowaste decontamination lines, as well as implementing extension projects, and revamping projects. He has worked on projects all over the world, from the Wuhan Institute of Virology in China to the Queensland Institute in Australia. He has participated in research and development programs such as the development of continuous biowaste decontamination system for BSL4 facilities, and the development of a small-scale decontamination system for research labs.

Philippe Mira has been a lecturer at many international conferences on biosafety, including the ANBIO conference in Rio de Janeiro, and the International Conference on Biocontainment Facilities in Las Vegas. He has also published an article entitled Continuous Biowaste Treatment Systems in Salles propres/Cleanrooms Magazine.

Philippe Mira works as a Biosafety expert and Project Director for the Biopharma Department of Actini, and is fluent in French, English, and Spanish.

Jennifer Pacan

Jennifer has been involved in basic and applied research in private, academic and government institutions focussed on biological control of plant pathogens, microbial pathogenesis, biological control of zoonotic pathogens, and development of methods for detecting pathogens in foods and environmental matrices. Jennifer joined Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) in 1999 and was charged with the task of developing and implementing a biosafety program at the Guelph Food Research Centre (GFRC). Jennifer has served as the Biological Safety Officer at GFRC since 2000. As a member of the National Containment, Biosafety and Biosecurity Working Group Jennifer contributed to the development and implementation of AAFC’s Containment, Biosafety and Biosecurity Program and was appointed to AAFC’s National Containment, Biosafety and Biosecurity Committee in 2009.

Valerie Ann Phelan

Valerie completed her bachelor’s degree in physics at Boston University in 1996, then studied chemistry and biology at McGill University as a non-degree student and later got her Master’s degree in Occupational & Environmental Health from the University of Toronto.

She has been working as an RSO and as an occupational hygiene consultant for 10 years and has now been working at Ryerson University as the Radiation/Chemical/Biosafety Officer for the past 1 ½ years.

She belongs to the Laser Institute of America (LIA), the Occupational Hygiene Association of Ontario (OHAO) and the Canadian Radiation Protection Association (CRPA) where she sits on the board of directors.

Gary Schmidt

Mr. Gary W. Schmidt, Account Manager-Progressive Recovery, Inc. PRI was established in 1983 as a manufacturer of heat transfer and related systems. Expanding into the Biowaste market in 1998, PRI has become the leader in the design and manufacture of Effluent Decontamination and Caustic Digester Systems with over 100 projects. These systems are applicable up to and including BSL-4 environments.

Arash Shahsavarani

Arash Shahsavarani is a Unit Head at the Biotechnology Section at Environment Canada’s Science and Technology Branch. He has been involved in the review of the New Substances Notification Regulations (Organism) since 2007 when he started as an evaluator with the section conducting risk assessments. Prior to joining Environment Canada, he was a sessional lecturer at the University of Ottawa and at Heritage College where he taught several courses including general biology, microbiology and environmental and human physiology. He completed his Ph.D. in Biology at the University of Ottawa where his research focused on the molecular identification and characterisation of proteins involved in calcium ion regulation in fish. He completed his B.Sc. and M.Sc. at the University of Guelph in marine biology and zoology, respectively, with a focus on the environmental physiology of aquatic organisms.

Heather Sheeley

With over 30 years of laboratory safety, and extensive expertise in high containment laboratories. Previous appointments at Porton Down as Safety Officer for 15 years. Past President EBSA, Past Co-Chair International Biosafety Working Group now IFBA. Active in ABSA and Institute of Safety in Technology and Research where she was past Chair for many years. Active around the world in promoting biosafety and biosecurity with projects in Middle East, Ireland, Pakistan and UK.

Andrea Smida

Andrea is currently the Biosafety Manger for the University of Saskatchewan (U of S). In this capacity, she is responsible for the implementation and maintenance of a comprehensive Biosafety program, which deals with Risk group 1 to 3 animal and human pathogens and toxins. She is also provides Biosafety training to the U of S campus and to external parties and involved in the commissioning of a new level 3 containment facility at the U of S. Andrea is a graduate of the University of Saskatchewan obtaining her Bachelors of Science degree in 2000 majoring in Biology and a Master of Science degree in 2004 majoring in Toxicology. Prior to starting her career in Biosafety, she worked in the private industry for 5 years as a Research and Quality Assurance and Quality Control Associate for a Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) pharmaceutical company dealing with drug treatment for genital herpes and as a Quality Control and Assurance Coordinator for a GMP neutraceutical company dealing with omega 3,6,9 fatty acids. Andrea is currently working towards her designation as a Certified Biosafety Professional.

Jeff Smith

Compressed Gas Specialist

Jeff has been involved in Healthcare and Laboratory work for the past 20 years in roles relating to sales, product management/marketing, business development, and installation services as it relates to medical gas systems, specialty gases, and cryogenics. Recently he founded JWS Healthcare Consultants which offered expertise in the area of medical and specialty gas systems used in hospitals, private clinics, and laboratories. Currently, Jeff is with Hemisphere Engineering who is known for their expertise in life Sciences including design in BSL2, BSL3 and BSL4 laboratory spaces.

He has a significant amount of knowledge when it comes to the use of cryogenic equipment and supplies in a laboratory setting. Topics that Jeff will cover in his presentation include safety precautions and protocols when using liquid nitrogen, ways of delivering cryogenic liquids to a point of use application, potential building infrastructure requirements, and some basic “lessons learned” from previous projects.

Jennifer Stanley

Jennifer Stanley is a Registered Occupational Hygienist, Canadian Registered Safety Professional and a Registered Biosafety Professional.
Jennifer graduated from the University of Guelph with a B.Sc. in Toxicology and from McGill University with a Masters in Science Applied in Occupational Health. She has been the Biosafety Officer at the University of Western Ontario since 2002. Currently the University has one Level 3 facility, over 100 Level 2 laboratories and numerous animal facilities.
Jennifer also teaches a Toxicology course in the post-graduate Occupational Health and Safety program offered at the University of Western Ontario

Aurel Tamburri

Aurel Tamburri is the Manager of Safety and Operational Services for the Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion, Public Health Laboratories. Aurel provides planning and strategic direction for the design and implementation of a comprehensive Safety Management System. He has 12 years experience in Occupational Health and Safety Management within the laboratory sector, including healthcare and public health and also 10 years of hands on clinical microbiology experience. Aurel has a diploma in Medical Laboratory Science from the Toronto Michener Institute, a post graduate diploma in Occupational Health and Safety from McMaster University; he is a Canadian Registered Safety Professional with the Board of Canadian Registered Safety Professionals, Certified in Loss Control Management and is an Ontario Laboratory Accreditation Assessor.

Dianne Watchorn

Ms Dianne Watchorn obtained her BSc from the University of Manitoba and began her career in the laboratory at the Health Sciences Center in Winnipeg in Virology.

She then moved to Health Canada’s National Reference Center for Tuberculosis in Ottawa. In 1998, she continued her career with the Mycobacteriology Diagnostic Unit in the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. During Dianne’s career, she has witnessed the evolution from work on open benches and mouth pipetting to the current Biosafety Standards.

A year-long assignment with the Office of Biohazard Containment and Safety gave her the chance to increase her Biosafety knowledge, participate in a field operation during the Avian Influenza outbreak in 2004, co-ordinate the Containment Level 3 Course and develop training protocols in these areas.

In 2007, Dianne was appointed the Biosafety Officer at Ottawa Laboratory Fallowfield, where she ensures facilities at this site follow Standard Operating Procedures and meet current Containment Standards for handling Animal, Human and Plant pathogens. Dianne’s life is very interesting overseeing 4 Containment Level 3 laboratories, Level 3 Post Mortem Suite, Barns with CL 3, Prions and CL2, Plant Pest Containment laboratories, as well as numerous CL2 Laboratories.

Larry Wiens

Architect

Larry Wiens obtained his Masters of Architecture at the University of Manitoba; he is a member of the Manitoba Association of Architects, Royal Architectural Institute of Canada, and an International Associate Member of the American Institute of Architects. Larry also volunteers his time with Architects Without Borders on a variety of local and international projects in developing countries.

Larry has been with Smith Carter for nearly twelve years. In 2003 he relocated to Smith Carter’s Atlanta office to join the contract administration team for the new Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratory at the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, Georgia. Through his experience on the CDC project and direct participation as design team member on a variety of high containment laboratories across the United States including the Animal Health Research Center redevelopment at the University of Georgia, the NIH Integrated Research Facility in Fort Detrick, Maryland and the National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratory at Boston University, Larry has been able to assemble a wealth of containment coordination and constructability knowledge that he is ready to share with you in order to make your lives just a little easier.
In 2007, Larry completed work on the NIAID Rocky Mountain Laboratories Integrated Research Facility in Hamilton, Montana where he was responsible for high containment design detailing, design document review, site reviews and contract administration activities including a two year term on site as resident contract administrator. He also participated in the architectural commissioning activities. Upon his return to Smith Carter’s Winnipeg office, Larry assumed a similar role on the InterVac Laboratory Project at the University of Saskatchewan which will be complete later this year.

R. Chris Williams

BSc (1988) Biology/ERS, MSc (1991) Watershed Ecosystems (in Aquatic Toxicology) from Trent University, Peterborough, ON.

Worked as departmental demonstrator/technician in Environmental and Resources Studies Program at Trent University before being appointed as the Science Facilities Manager, RSO, BSO, LSO in the Office of the Assoc. Dean Science.