CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF
PUBLIC HEALTH LABORATORY DIRECTORS

Dr. Rachel Rees joined the Sonoma County Public Health Laboratory as Public Health Lab Director in January 2019.  Her previous directorship was at the Santa Cruz County Public Health Laboratory. Dr. Rees brings with her over 20 years of experience in clinical and public health laboratories throughout California. She has worked as a clinical laboratory scientist in the state of Michigan and in the country of Saudi Arabia.

Her motivation for transitioning to public health laboratory service was a desire to positively impact health outcomes at a population level. Her rich background in laboratory practices allows her to anticipate and plan for needs in supplies and staffing. She has been recognized consistently by peers for integrity, leadership, and staff mentorship. She lives locally and in her spare time, she enjoys growing heirloom tomatoes.

She earned her Doctor of Public Health and Master of Public Health at UC Berkeley through the LabAspire Program, performed her Clinical Lab Scientist coursework at CSU Bakersfield, and earned her B.S. in Biology from Humboldt State University. She also served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Guatemala’s Integrated Agriculture Program.

Hi, my name is Jeremy Corrigan. I was born and raised in Tok, Alaska, a small rural town where temperatures often would reach -70°F around Christmas. I came to California in 1999 to attend Humboldt State University. In 2004, I received my Bachelor’s of Science in Cellular and Molecular Biology with a minor in Chemistry. Following, I volunteered for the summer for the Child Family Heath International (CFHI) global health education program in South Africa. CFHI offered a hands-on experience with public health’s core mission and field experience in a global health internship. I then worked towards my California Public Health Microbiologist licensure in 2007 and was hired as a public health microbiologist at Sonoma County Public Health Laboratory where I worked for 3 years. In 2010, I returned to Humboldt State University to achieve my Master’s degree in Biology, completing my thesis, “Investigation of Spotted Fever Group Rickettsiain Dogs and Ticks in Northern California.”, I was subsequently hired as the Laboratory Manager, ELAP Director and Bioterrorism Coordinator for the Humboldt County Public Health Laboratory (HCPHL).

During my 11-year tenure as the Lab Manager at the HCPHL, I worked on a variety of projects and added several new services. I have a strong interest in molecular diagnostics and laboratory bioterrorism preparedness. I have developed several assay’s including a multi-plex Vibrio parahaemolyticus(Vp) PCR assay for detection of pathogenic Vp in oysters and microbial source tracking assays for monitoring recreational waterways. As part of the LabAspire program, I attended the University of South Florida’s online Doctorate of Public Health Laboratory Science and Practice program and completed my DrPH in May 2021 to be the first CA graduate of this new program. My doctoral project was titled, “Implementation of Microbial Source Tracking Methods in a Public Health Laboratory to Investigate Recreational Waterways” and was published in 2021. I also enjoy collaborating with others and have expertise in whole genome sequencing. I co-authored a publication with the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub titled, “Using Genomic Epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 to Support Contact Tracing and Public Health Surveillance in Rural Humboldt County, California.” I am an active member of CAPHLD and APHL; I have served on the training committee and currently serve as CAPHLD’s Comptroller. I am also a member of the program planning committee and APHL laboratory response network operational work group.

I have a wonderful wife, Alicia, who I have been with for 9 years. We have two energetic and loving boys; Jaxon who is 6 and Zayden who just turned 2. We also have two dogs, Charlie and Benji, and a cat who earned her name, Spaz. I enjoy hanging out with friends, traveling, chess, board games, watching movies and TV shows, playing poker, and most of all, spending time with family. I am a diehard Duke fan and will continue to support our favorite teams, the San Francisco Giants, 49ers and Golden State Warriors!

Dr. Lydia Mikhail is currently the interim Laboratory Director for Long Beach Public Health Laboratory.

After 33 years of employment at the Orange County Health Care Agency and the OC Public Health Laboratory (OCPHL), Lydia retired in March 2024 as the Assistant Laboratory Director. She earned her B.S. in Biology and Minor in Chemistry from California State University, Fullerton in 1990. She obtained her Public Health Microbiologist Certificate in 1992. Lydia has worked as a Laboratory Assistant, Certified Public Health Microbiologist, Supervising PH Microbiologist, Laboratory Manager and Assistant Laboratory Director at the OCPHL. Among the many accomplishments Lydia made in OCPHL, she served as the Alternate Responsible Official since 2002, contributed substantially to the PH laboratory workforce by participating in training over 200 PH Microbiology trainees and played an integral part in laboratory response to outbreaks caused by measles, influenza, Legionella, Salmonella, tuberculosis, Candida auris, SARS-COV-2 and other diseases of public health importance.

While working full time, she earned an MBA/Health Care Management in 2002 and a Master’s in Ethical Leadership in 2017. She also participated as a fellow in the California LabAspire program, completing her DrPH from University of South Florida, and obtaining her HCLD(ABB) certificate in 2022.  She is also an active member of APHL’s CLIA workgroup and the Public Health Preparedness and Response committee.

Lydia is passionate about public health, public health laboratory science and practice and laboratory ethics.

Denise Lopez is currently the Laboratory Director at the Tulare County Public Health Laboratory (TCPHL). She earned her B.S. and M.S. degrees at Fresno State University and joined the TCPHL in 2006. As a certified Public Health Microbiologist, she has performed clinical testing in a wide variety of high-complexity infectious disease sub-specialties and has served as Bioterrorism Training Coordinator, Biosafety Officer, and Chemical Hygiene Officer. In 2011, she became Laboratory Manager, ELAP Director, and Responsible Official under CDC/FSAP. As a LabAspire Fellow, she earned a DrPH from University of South Florida and completed HCLD(ABB) certification in 2022. She has served on CAPHLD’s Program Planning Committee and Training Committee, as well as APHL’s Laboratory Systems and Standards Committee. She is a graduate of APHL’s Emerging Leader Program Cohort 7. She is a certified Lean Leader and contributes to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) on topics concerning laboratory quality. She is also currently serving on the Institutional Biosafety Committees at Fresno State and CSU Monterey Bay.

​Dr. Harmeet Kaur is the Laboratory director of San Joaquin County Public Health Laboratory since Oct 2019. She received her Ph.D. degree in Microbiology from PGIMER, India and has completed several Post-Doctoral fellowships in United States. She joined Placer County Public Health Laboratory (PHL) in 2014 as a Public Health Microbiologist (PHM) and was promoted to Senior PHM / Bioterrorism Coordinator position in 2015. She is also a graduate of Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL) Emerging Leaders Program Cohort 10. She joined LabAspire Assistant Laboratory Director fellowship program in 2017 while working at Placer County PHL. She further continued and completed the second year of LabAspire fellowship program at Sacramento county PHL (2018-19). In addition to PHM certification, she is an ASCP board certified California Clinical Microbiologist Scientist and American Board of Bioanalysts certified high complexity laboratory director.

Donna Ferguson has been the Laboratory Director for Monterey County Public Health Laboratory since May 2016. After receiving a B.S. in Microbiology with honors from California State University, Long Beach in 1986, Donna began her career as a Public Health Microbiologist (PHM) at Orange County Public Health Laboratory (OCPHL). In 1988, she worked at San Diego Public Health Laboratory as a PHM. In 1993, Donna received M.S. in Epidemiology from UCLA and worked at Metropolitan Water District of Southern California on waterborne pathogen detection methods and investigations at drinking water reservoirs. In 2002, she returned to OCPHL to supervise the Water Quality Laboratory and oversee Microbial Source Tracking (MST) related research projects. From 2007 - 2013, she worked as a research microbiologist at Southern California Coastal Water Project on MST studies. In 2009, she received a Lab Aspire fellowship at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health and in 2014, Donna graduated with honors with a doctoral degree in Environmental Health Sciences. Her dissertation studies included characterizing Enterococcus species using phenotypic and genotypic methods to assess potential sources of pollution to water and associated human health risks. In 2014, Donna worked at Placer County Public Health Laboratory as the Laboratory Supervisor and Bioterrorism Coordinator. In 2015, she became the Assistant Laboratory Director at Monterey County Public Health Laboratory.

Dr. Hallis began her career in the environmental chemistry side and transitioned to the public health laboratory field during her participation in the Lab Aspire Program at UCLA. She worked as a Public Health Microbiologist I/II at Orange County Public Health Laboratory for six years in the Bacteriology and virology/serology. In 2021, she joined San Diego County Public Health Laboraotry as a supervising Public Health Microbiologist where she relocated to the waters laboratory and launched ddPCR Beach water testing. Dr. Hallis was promoted to the Assistant Laboratory Director 2022 where she oversees Genomic Epidemiology/Sequencing, Waters, Lab support and PHM training program.

Jennie Vongvith is an Administrative Assistant III at the County of Los Angeles Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). With a positive and enthusiastic outlook, Jennie supervises a team of buyers in the DCFS Procurement Unit and hopes to contribute to the DCFS Materials Management Section’s mission of having the Best Procurement Unit in the County of Los Angeles.

Jennie received her Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature with a Minor in East Asian Languages at the University of California, Los Angeles in 2004. In 2007, she returned to academia to obtain her Masters in Business Administration at the University of Phoenix. After receiving her MBA, Jennie has been working in as a public servant for over ten years.

Jennie is an active member of CAPHLD, and she is proud to be able to assist California’s Laboratory Directors in educating and advocating new technologies and studies in Public Health Laboratories.

Brandon J. Bonin is currently the Laboratory Director for Santa Clara County Public Health Laboratory in San Jose, CA.  He earned his B.S in molecular biology from University of California, Riverside, M.S from the University of Florida, and his DrPH from the University of South Florida.  Brandon started his Public Health career in 2004 as a Public Health Microbiologist trainee at Santa Clara PHL, worked as a PHM, Sr PHM, and Asst Laboratory Director before promoting to Laboratory Director in January 2022.  Brandon was a LabAspire Fellow and also part of the Emerging Leaders Program Cohort 9 through the Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL).  Brandon is board certified by the American Board of Bioanalysis as a High Complexity Laboratory Director.  In a previous life, before Public Health, Brandon served in the Unites States Navy and fought forest fires with the Unites States Forest Service.