develop consensus standards for use by TNI's programs. This group has a support role in assisting other programs with activities such as guidance and standards interpretation.
fosters the generation of data of known and documented quality is through the National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program, or NELAP. The purpose of this program is to establish and implement a program for the accreditation of environmental laboratories.
is to establish and maintain a national PT program to support TNI’s National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program, and other activities.
Field Activities Program (NEFAP) Executive Committee is to establish and implement an accreditation program for field sampling and measurement organizations (FSMOs).
Audit Sample Program is to develop consensus standards for the manufacture and analysis of audit samples for source emission testing.
on a variety of topics of interest to the environmental measurement community. TNI also hosts two regularly scheduled meetings per year, typically in January and August. Both are a week long and involve open meetings of TNI committees as well as training courses and other special sessions.Biographical Sketches - Nominees for the TNI Board of Directors
Jump to candidates:
Jack Farrell
Myron Gunsalus
Scott Siders
David Speis
Jordan Adelson, Ph.D.
George E. Detsis
Lara Phelps
Jack Farrell
Senior Environmental Analyst and President
Analytical Excellence, Inc.
Altamonte Springs, Florida
Mr. Farrell is a recognized leader in the Environmental Testing and Measurement Industry; having earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biological Sciences and� a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry. He has over 30 years of experience in laboratory operations, quality assurance and assessing laboratories for compliance with regulations and accreditation standards. Mr. Farrell is Senior Environmental Analyst and President of Analytical Excellence, Inc. (AEX), an independent, strictly confidential consulting and education firm specializing in environmental laboratory operations, quality systems, data integrity, and matters concerning the generation of analytical data to support effective compliance decision-making and aspects of litigation.� Mr. Farrell is active in a number of Industry activities and professional associations. He is a past Director of the International Association of Environmental Testing Laboratories (IAETL), past chair of IAETL’s committee on National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation, member of the� ACIL’s Environmental Sciences Section executive committee, a distinguished member of Who’s Who Worldwide, a member of ASQC, an ACS member, and a past member of the editorial advisory board of Environmental Laboratory Washington Report. Mr. Farrell has been involved in national accreditation activities since 1984 and an active participant in NELAC since its inception. He was a member of the NELAC Accrediting Authority committee for 5 years, is currently a member of TNI’s Technical Assistance Committee, chairs the TNI Assessment Forum and is a current TNI Director.� Mr. Farrell was appointed to the Environmental Laboratory Advisory Board (ELAB), a federal advisory committee to the USEPA, in 2008 representing The NELAC Institute. Mr. Farrell is a NATA trained ISO9000 series lead assessor, A2LA trained environmental lead assessor, trained and qualified NELAC laboratory assessor, an instructor for the pilot NELAC basic assessor training course and an trained as an affiliate instructor for the Institute for Global Ethics.�
Myron Gunsalus
Director of Laboratory Services
Kansas Department of Health and Environment
Topeka, Kansas
Myron Gunsalus has over 20 years experience in the environmental laboratory industry, including 10 years� service as local or regional quality assurance manager in commercial laboratories, 5 years� service as a laboratory manager of an environmental laboratory (5 branches), 3 years� service in various roles within the environmental community including contract management, production group supervisor, bench analyst, etc., and 2 years� as program manager for the Kansas environmental laboratory certification program. He is currently the Director of Laboratory Services for the State of Kansas, which oversees both laboratory operations of the state laboratory but also multiple certification programs.
Scott Siders
Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
Springfield, Illinois
Scott D. Siders has over 30 years experience in the environmental field, both in the private sector (as a Chemist, Project Manager and Quality Assurance Manager) and with the USEPA and Illinois EPA. Scott currently is a Laboratory Accreditation Officer for the Division of Laboratories (DOL), Illinois EPA and has performed approximately 140 NELAP (ISO 17025 based) on-site assessments. Prior to serving as a Laboratory Accreditation Officer, he was the DOL’s Divisional Quality Assurance Officer for thirteen years. Scott has a B.A. Degree in Chemistry and Biology. Scott has been 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. Additionally, Scott was elected a member of the NELAC Board of Directors and was directly involved in NELAC’s transition to TNI. Since 2006, Scott has been the Illinois EPA’s representative on TNI NELAP Accreditation Council. Scott has been trained as a NELAP Accreditation Body (AB) evaluator and has participated in NELAP AB evaluations. Scott has been invited to speak numerous times at the national and state level on topics ranging from Preparing for a NELAP/ISO 17025 Audit, Performing Internal Audits, Data Integrity and many other topics. He has extensive experience and knowledge of environmental testing laboratories and regulatory programs.
David Speis
President of Environmental Services Division
QC Laboratories
Southampton, Pennsylvania
Mr. Speis oversees day to day operations of the Southampton, PA facility and satellite operations in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware.� Includes responsibility for all functions supporting laboratory operations for the Environmental Services Division.� Previously he served as Vice President and Laboratory Director for Accutest Laboratory where he managed the analytical and technical operations of the Accutest New Jersey facility. His experience in environmental chemistry includes eleven (11) years with USEPA Region II as a bench chemist conducting the analysis of organic pollutants using sophisticated instrumentation.� He has extensive senior staff and management experience in commercial environmental laboratories including technical operations, quality assurance, business development, and facility general management.� Mr. Speis served on the Editorial Advisory Board of Environmental Testing and Analysis and on the board of the International Association of Environmental Testing Laboratories (IAETL). He assisted in developing the initial framework for National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation while a member of the IAETL board.� He served as the secretary of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s Environmental Laboratory Advisory Committee and as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Institute for National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation.� He is currently Treasurer of the Board of Directors of TNI, a member of the Executive Committee for ACIL’s Environmental Sciences Section and a member of the USEPA’s Environmental Laboratory Advisory Board (ELAB � a Federal advisory committee).� He has published numerous articles on various topics in environmental chemistry and business management of commercial laboratory operations and is a frequent presenter at national conferences and forums.
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.
