The Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL) announced on June 4 at their annual meeting in Pasadena, Calif., that State Hygienic Laboratory Director Michael Pentella and Director Emeritus Christopher Atchison received its Lifetime Achievement Award.

Michael Pentella

Pentella and Atchison share the 2018 award for their contributions to the advancement of laboratory science and public health leadership, and for positively influencing public health policy.

“I’m pleased, honored and humbled to receive the award and to join past recipients who I have admired and respected,” Pentella said. “A very special thank you to those who nominated me, to the APHL Board and APHL staff. It is my pleasure and privilege to work with all of you who are so dedicated. I’m very glad that in 2002 I took the opportunity and left the hospital clinical lab to join the public health lab community, where I found great people doing great things collaboratively.”

Pentella was named interim SHL director in January and permanent director in March. Atchison served as SHL director from 2007 until he retired in January 2017.

“During my 33 years in public health practice I have come to deeply appreciate the dedication and creativity of those in the field who work 24/7 to identify and address threats to our health,” Atchison said. “None do this so well as those in the lab. Too often working without recognition and funding, the members of APHL nonetheless are pushing the horizons of science and technology to find new ways of identifying the agents of disease and environmental risk. It is vital work and I am honored to have been part of your community.”

Christopher Atchison

APHL works to strengthen laboratory systems serving the public’s health in the United States and globally. It represents state and local governmental health laboratories in the United States. Its members monitor, detect and respond to health threats.