Please describe your path from a laboratory professional to professor. How have your leadership experiences influenced your perspective on the role of emerging leaders in lab medicine?
My path from the bench to the classroom was driven by a strong interest in mentorship, quality improvement, and workforce development. Early in my clinical career, I was frequently asked to take on informal leadership roles—training new staff, supporting competency assessments, and contributing to quality and compliance initiatives. Those experiences made it clear that leadership in laboratory medicine does not begin with a title, but with accountability, communication, and advocacy for best practice. As a professor, I now see emerging leaders as individuals who must be developed intentionally and early, with exposure to decision-making, systems thinking, and professional identity formation alongside technical expertise.
You’ve taken on leadership roles relatively early in your career. What mindset or skill set do you believe is most essential for laboratory professionals who want to lead in their organizations?
The most essential mindset is viewing leadership as service rather than authority. Strong laboratory leaders are adaptable, data-driven, and willing to step into uncertainty while maintaining patient-centered priorities. Equally important are communication skills—being able to translate technical information to diverse stakeholders, manage conflict, and build trust across teams. Early career professionals who invest in self-awareness, continuous learning, and systems-level thinking are often best positioned to lead effectively, regardless of formal title.
You were part of a team that created the board game, “Escape the Lab,” a job aid to help medical laboratory leaders identify tasks and responsibilities that align with their team members’ individual interests and personal traits. Please tell us about it!
Escape the Lab was developed as a gamified tool based on an ASCP job aid tool (https://www.supportcdconelab.org/aligning-lab-team-resources/) created to help laboratory professionals identify where they best fit within the lab based on individual traits such as being introverted, extroverted, analytical, or detail-oriented. The game focuses on aligning strengths with roles rather than hierarchy, allowing teams to see how different personalities contribute to laboratory operations, problem-solving, and quality outcomes. Through interactive challenges and optional player roles, participants engage in strengths-based collaboration while navigating realistic lab scenarios. To see what the game is all about, the instruction guide outlines gameplay, lab roles, and how teams “match the strengths and solve the crisis” in order to Escape the Lab.
What trends in laboratory training do you believe will be most critical over the next 5–10 years?
Over the next decade, laboratory training must place greater emphasis on leadership development, informatics, and adaptability. While technical competence remains essential, laboratories increasingly need professionals who understand quality systems, data analytics, regulatory environments, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Experiential learning, simulation, and case-based instruction will continue to grow in importance, as will training that prepares professionals to navigate workforce shortages, automation, and evolving scopes of practice. Intentional succession planning and leadership pipelines will be critical for sustainability.
What advice do you give to early career laboratory professionals?
My advice is to be proactive in shaping your career. Seek mentors and find opportunities that suit the developmental stage you are at now. Build a strong foundation in quality, communication, and professionalism early on. Most importantly, remember that laboratory medicine is a people-centered profession—technical skill matters, but your ability to collaborate, teach, and advocate will define your long-term impact.
