Exciting news! AABB’s Professional Engagement Program will be showcasing all of the great work our members do for AABB and the world at large.
Our PEP
Volunteer Spotlight will consist of a short Q&A with one of our members published each month in AABB News. Our members play an integral role here at AABB and we want to share their accomplishments.
Member Highlights can be any volunteer accomplishment directly involved with AABB and will change as new highlights are added. These highlights may range from publications, committee work, webinars and everything in between!
We are currently soliciting names of individuals to showcase for the coming year in either our Volunteer Spotlight or a Member Highlight capacities. If you or a fellow AABB member are interested, please email us at PEP@aabb.org.
Director, Blood Depot Sigonella, U.S. Naval Hospital Sigonella, Italy
7 years
Active: AABB 2027 eLearning Committee eCast; AABB Assessor
Participated: AABB 2026 eLearning Committee eCast; AABB Mentoring Program
Participating in AABB committees and activities is driven by the unique opportunity to bridge combat-tested innovations with civilian standards, ensuring that life-saving advancements like whole blood and cryopreserved products benefit both the warfighter and the public. Active engagement allows me to keep the Armed Services Blood Program globally compliant and operationally ready, while fostering the joint interoperability and clinical expertise required to sustain a resilient blood supply from garrison to the tactical edge. Above all, it provides a deeply rewarding platform to pay it forward, sharing lessons learned and mentoring the next generation of transfusion specialists to sustain our vital mission long into the future.
Being an AABB member has bridged the gap between military operational necessity and civilian clinical standards, directly impacting my professional work by keeping my practice at the leading edge of transfusion science. Access to AABB’s gold-standard research and collaborative committees has allowed me to bring best practices back to the laboratory, optimizing our protocol safety and quality assurance. Furthermore, the mentorship and professional network I have built through the association have been invaluable, giving me a platform to not only refine my own clinical leadership but to actively mentor the next generation of military and civilian medical laboratory specialists.
Through my experiences with AABB, I've learned that the most impactful solutions in transfusion medicine are born from collaboration between the military and civilian sectors. I've seen how sharing our distinct operational challenges and lessons learned drives innovation that benefits everyone. More importantly, I've learned the true value of community, no matter how austere or advanced our respective environments are, our shared dedication to advancing the science and saving lives remains exactly the same.
My biggest piece of advice is to simply raise your hand and dive in. Don't let the incredible depth of expertise in the room intimidate you; instead, view it as a welcoming environment to learn and contribute your unique perspective. Start by volunteering for a committee or joining a subsection that aligns with your daily mission or passions. Finally, embrace the networking opportunities, share your experiences confidently, and always look for ways to pay it forward, mentoring the next generation is one of the most rewarding parts of being an AABB member.
Athens
For more information email
PEP@aabb.org.
4550 Montgomery Avenue
Suite 700, North Tower
Bethesda, MD 20814
301.907.6977
