Association of Public Health Laboratories Awards Thomas E. Maxson Education, Training and Workforce Development Award to Renee Beckham

SEATTLE, WA--(Marketwire - May 23, 2012) - The Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL) awarded Renee Beckham, a program specialist at the Texas Department of State Health Services, the Thomas E. Maxson Education, Training and Workforce Development Award. The award was presented at a ceremony on Tuesday, May 22 during APHL's 2012 Annual Meeting and 6th Environmental Laboratory Conference in Seattle, Washington.

At the Laboratory Emergency Preparedness Branch, Ms. Beckman developed computer-based training with Texas' ten Laboratory Response Network (TxLRN-B) laboratories. After attending an APHL Sentinel Laboratory Wet Workshop Train-the-Trainer course, Ms. Beckham assumed responsibility for a new collaboration with TxLRN-B partners in hospital laboratories to raise awareness of biological threats. Ms. Beckham also has served as APHL state training coordinator, organizing laboratory-wide webinars.

"Renee Beckham understands that preparedness training requires mastery of information," said Scott J. Becker, MS, executive director, APHL, "and also nurturing of critical relationships within the community. She is astute and tireless."

The Association of Public Health Laboratories is a national nonprofit located in Silver Spring, MD, that is dedicated to working with members to strengthen governmental laboratories with a public health mandate. By promoting effective programs and public policy, APHL strives to provide public health laboratories with the resources and infrastructure needed to protect the health of US residents and to prevent and control disease globally.