Biographical Sketches - Nominees for the TNI Board of Directors

Jump to candidates:
Stephen Arms
Daniel Lashbrook
Judith R. Morgan
Scott Siders
Alfredo Sotomayor

Jordan Adelson, Ph.D.
George E. Detsis
Lara Phelps


Stephen Arms
Environmental Laboratory Certification Program Administrator
Florida Department of Health
Jacksonville, Florida

Mr. Arms has nearly 30 years of managerial and analytical experience in the environmental testing field. His background combines 13 years of analytical and supervisory work in the Florida drinking water primacy laboratory with 19 years as the administrator of the Environmental Laboratory Certification Program (ELCP). Mr. Arms worked closely with the state environmental regulatory agency, FDEP, to help ensure that programmatic needs are being met by having competent certified laboratories perform the testing upon which environmental decisions are made. As ELCP Administrator, Mr. Arms was responsible for oversight of the program�s Quality System and day-to-day operations. He was responsible for ensuring that all employees are trained, competent and knowledgeable in the standards for accreditation and their application as they relate to each individual�s job functions. He periodically evaluated the effectiveness of the Quality System and made adjustments to policies and procedures as necessary. Active in the National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Conference (NELAC) meetings since 1997, he served on the NELAP Accrediting Authority Committee and was chairperson of the NELAC Standards Review Committee. Also active in INELA, he was a member of the Accreditation Body and Implementation Support Committees as well as the Board of Directors. He participated on the Partnership Planning Team and Transition Board and is now Past Chair of the TNI Board of Directors and chair of the TNI Advocacy Committee. Mr. Arms holds a BS degree in Chemistry from the University of Florida.

Daniel Lashbrook
Laboratory Director
Energy Laboratories Inc.

Mr. Lashbrook is responsible for the direction, administration, and operation of the Casper, Wyoming Laboratory. He has 12 years of experience in environmental laboratory testing including extensive experience in GC/MS and LC/MSMS testing. He is a member of the TNI Non-Governmental Body Recognition Committee. Mr. Lashbrook received a BS in Science from the University of North Florida.

Judith R. Morgan
VP, Chief Compliance and Training Officer
Pace Analytical - Corporate

Ms. Morgan has been active in TNI for many years, has over 27 years of experience in environmental analyses and is currently responsible for the implementation and oversight of corporate programs for compliance related to Quality Assurance, Safety, Ethics and Confidentiality, Training, and Waste Minimization. In her role as Chief Compliance and Training Officer she is responsible for the Quality System, initiating and overseeing audits, reviewing/initiating corrective measures (when necessary), ensuring compliance with numerous national/international standards and assessing overall program performance against established objectives. She is currently a member of the TNI Board of Directors, presently chairs the TNI LASEC and TNRC, and is a full member of the PT Expert Committee. Pace Analytical fully supports her active participation in all TNI efforts. Prior to moving to Pace, she was Chief Regulatory Officer for ESC Lab Sciences in Mt. Juliet, TN. Ms. Morgan received a B.S. degree in Chemistry from Austin Peay State University and earned an M.S. degree in Analytical Chemistry from Western Kentucky University. Additionally, Ms. Morgan has completed research focused on environmental analysis at Vanderbilt University. In addition to TNI, she is also active in ACIL's Environmental Sciences Section and is a member of several professional organizations including the American Chemical Society, American Society for Quality, American Public Health Association, and the Society for Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry.

Scott Siders
Director of Quality Assurance
PDC Laboratories, Inc. Peoria, Illinois

Over 35 years experience in the environmental field, both in the private sector (Chemist, Project Manager and Quality Assurance Manager) and with the USEPA's Superfund Analytical Services and Illinois EPA. Currently the Director of Quality Assurance for PDC Laboratories, Inc. in Peoria, Illinois. While at Illinois EPA performed over 160 NELAP (ISO 17025 based) assessments. Was engaged in all aspects of the laboratory accreditation program at the Illinois EPA. Prior to serving as a Laboratory Accreditation Officer, was for thirteen years the DOL�s Divisional Quality Assurance Officer managing the Quality Assurance Program for a network of four state environmental laboratories. Coordinated the activities of the QAO at each state laboratory. While the Divisional QAO, he also served on the Illinois EPA's Quality Systems Committee. Has a B.A. Degree in Chemistry and Biology, with Graduate School level coursework in Environmental Studies.

Directly involved with the National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (NELAP) since 1995, serving as the Chair of the NELAC Quality Systems Committee and the Performance-Based Measurement Systems (PBMS) Subcommittee. Served as a member of the NELAC Board of Director and involved in NELAC�s transition to The NELAC Institute (TNI). From 2006-2015 Scott was the Illinois EPA�s representative on the NELAP Accreditation Council. Presently serves as an elected member on the TNI Board of Directors and the TNI Chemistry Expert Committee.

Have been an invited speaker and trainer numerous times at national (Pittcon, EPA QA Conf and NEMC, WEF) and state conferences on topics ranging from: How to Be an Effective QA Manager, Preparing for NELAP/ISO 17025 Audits, Performing Internal Audits, Data Integrity, Continuous Improvement, Regulatory and Methodology Updates, and Laboratory Accreditation. Has extensive experience and knowledge of quality assurance, federal and state regulatory programs, and laboratory operations.

Alfredo Sotomayor
Laboratory Manager
Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Mr. Sotomayor manages the Central Laboratory of the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD), the largest municipal laboratory in the state of Wisconsin. He oversees all of the laboratory�s environmental testing services, which include water, waste, and biosolids for regulatory compliance and process control. The laboratory is accredited under NELAP, and is certified by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) and the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture Trade and Consumer Protection. Prior to joining the MMSD, Mr. Sotomayor had a long and distinguished career with the WDNR as a Senior Audit Chemist with the Laboratory Certification and Registration Program and an Advanced Water Supply Specialist. He serves as Chair of the TNI Policy Committee, is a member of the TNI Board of Directors, and is the Institute�s Secretary. Mr. Sotomayor has a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Columbia University in the City of New York.

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Jordan Adelson, Ph.D.
Chair
DoD Environmental Data Quality Workgroup
Goose Creek, SC

Dr. Adelson has a Ph.D. in environmental analytical chemistry, and currently serves as the Director of the Navy's Laboratory Quality and Accreditation Office and as the Chair of the DoD Environmental Data Quality Workgroup (EDQW). As Chair of the EDQW Dr. Adelson has oversight of the DoD Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (DoD ELAP). In addition to the DoD ELAP, the EDQW, which includes representatives from all of the DoD Components, develops and recommends DoD policy with respect to environmental sampling and testing operations. Its primary goals are to: promote the generation of environmental data of known and documented quality; develop and recommend DoD policy affecting environmental sampling and testing operations; facilitate a coordinated response to legislative and regulatory issues; and coordinate the exchange of technology and best management practices within DoD. Dr. Adelson has been with working with the Navy for over 10 years. Prior working with the Navy Dr. Adelson worked for the New York City Department of Environmental Protection.

George E. Detsis
Manager, Analytical Services Program
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Health, Safety and Security
Washington, D.C.

Mr. Detsis has served the past twelve (12) years as the U.S. Department of Energy�s (DOE), Manager for the Analytical Services Program (ASP). The Program encompasses cost-effective consolidated audits of analytical environmental laboratories and commercial radiological/hazardous waste vendor facilities, quality assurance proficiency testing of domestic and international laboratories, and field environmental data sample collection strategies and training. All three ASP component elements are in support of DOE field missions and interests with focus on managing risk and liability reductions, ensuring defensible environmental data and proper waste disposition. Mr. Detsis has served as the DOE�s representative to The NELAC Institute (TNI) for the past seven (7) years (ex-officio member), has served on several of its committees and delivered various presentations. He has promoted the incorporation of federal policies and practices into national consensus standards. He is also a member of the Intergovernmental Data Quality Task Force working to improve the consistency and quality of field project plans. His public service career spans thirty-seven (37) years, beginning as a legislative assistant on Capitol Hill, and other federal positions with the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service and Bureau of Land Management. After three decades, he continues to be actively engaged in officiating men�s collegiate and high school basketball. He holds a B.S. in Natural Resource Management from the University of Maryland, and a M.S. in Environmental Sciences from the University of Washington (Seattle).

Lara Phelps
US Environmental Protection Agency, Office of the Science Advisor

Lara Phelps is the Senior Advisor for Measurement, Modeling, Monitoring, and Laboratory Science Issues with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the Office of the Science Advisor (OSA). In over 18 years with the EPA, she has served in various positions and roles within the Office of Air and Radiation and the Office of Research and Development before joining the OSA staff. Over her years of government service, she has gained expertise in a wide range of areas from budgeting and program planning to innovative strategies and technologies. At present, she is not only an advisor for science issues, but is serving as the Director of the Forum on Environmental Measurements, Director for the Council on Regulatory Environmental Modeling, Designated Federal Official for the Environmental Laboratory Advisory Board, and Quality Assurance Manager for OSA. As a native of North Carolina, Lara elected to do her Bachelor�s and Master�s work in Statistics at North Carolina State University with a minor in Mathematics. She has received numerous honors including four bronze medals and service recognition in support of the Nation�s response to the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. Lara is also involved in several professional organizations such as The NELC Institute (TNI), the Source Evaluation Society, and the Air and Waste Management Association to list a few.