Jean Kundert, 2012 U.S. Recipient

Jean Kundert, B.S., RLATG, is the 2012 U.S. recipient of the AAALAC International Technician Fellowship Award. Jean is the Facility Manager for the Animal Resources Center at Montana State University where she manages and coordinates the daily operation of central and satellite laboratory animal facilities, including those requiring high bio-containment (biosafety level two or three). Along with membership in National AALAS, Jean is a founding member of the Northern Rocky Mountain Branch of the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science. She has written extensively on the subject of hepatocytes, and her work has appeared in publications including Hepatology, Genesis and the American Journal of Reproductive Immunology. Jean is a graduate of Montana State University, and has advanced training in embryo transfer and cryopreservation, and BSL-3 Science and Safety.

Mark Gardiner, 2011 U.K. Recipient

Mark Gardiner, MIAT, RAnTech, is the 2011 U.K. recipient of the AAALAC International Technician Fellowship Award. Mark is the Training, Facility and Resource Manager for the Mary Lyon Centre, MRC Harwell, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus in Oxfordshire. Prior to this role, he served as the MLC's Biological Services Manager. He is also an active member of the MRC Biological Services group where he has developed new training for technicians and worked to standardize mouse welfare terminology to ensure consistent care and welfare needs are met when discussing welfare requirements around the world. Mark has presented at national and international meetings on his training initiatives and authored numerous articles on animal welfare. He received his Higher National Certificate along with an Outstanding Achievement Award from the City of Westminster College, and has completed advanced training in managing quality systems, health and safety, and teacher training. He has also been instrumental in the MLC achieving the ISO 9001:2008 certificate in quality management. (Read more about Mark's experience.)

Jennifer N. Camacho, 2011 U.S. Recipient

Jennifer Camacho, LVT, RLATG, is the 2011 U.S. recipient of the AAALAC International Technician Fellowship Award. Jennifer is the Environmental Enrichment Program Manager for the Center for Comparative Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, MA. Prior to this role, she served as a veterinary technician in both laboratory animal facilities and in small animal veterinary practice. Jennifer's work and research interests include the use of innovative technologies to take an evidence-based approach towards environmental enrichment. Jennifer is a graduate of the State University of New York (SUNY) College of Technology in Delhi, NY. She has authored and coauthored many articles and presentations on a range of topics related to animal enrichment and behavior management for publications and organizations including the Journal of the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS). Jennifer is the organizer of the Innovative Environmental Enrichment Symposium, a satellite symposia to the National AALAS meeting.

Laura Foster, 2010 U.K. recipient

Laura Foster, HNC, MIAT, R.An.Tech, is the 2010 U.K. recipient of the AAALAC International Technician Fellowship Award. Foster is a Senior Animal Technician and has worked for the same company since 1998 when she started her career as a Youth Trainee.

In 2008 Foster joined an Oncology discovery team conducting drug efficacy studies using imuno compromised mice and rats. She is also working toward a degree in Applied Biological Sciences at Manchester Metropolitan University where she is formulating a practical project titled, “The effect of circadian rhythm on the efficacy and tolerability of anti cancer drugs." (Read more about Laura's experience.)

Carolyn Malinowski, 2010 U.S. recipient

Carolyn Malinowski, M.S. CPIA, CMAR, RLATG, is the 2010 U.S. recipient of the AAALAC International Technician Fellowship Award. Since 2005, Malinowski has served as the Manager of Quality Assurance and Training for the Center for Comparative Medicine at Northwestern University where she's responsible for developing and implementing all animal-related training events for 1500+ researchers and 110 employees. Prior to that she was an Animal Care Specialist for the United States Army. Malinowski also served in the Peace Corps as a science teacher in Zimbabwe, and as an Animal Handler at the Denver Zoo. She is an active member of the Chicago Branch of AALAS (American Association for Laboratory Animal Science), the Laboratory Animal Management Association (LAMA), the Laboratory Animal Welfare Training Exchange, and Public Responsibility in Medicine and Research. She earned an M.S. in Biology from Northeastern Illinois University, and a B.S. in Zoology from Northern Arizona University. (Read more about Carolyn's experience.)

Carol Fox, 2009 U.K. recipient

Carol Fox, FIAT, RAnTech, is the 2009 U.K. recipient of the AAALAC International Technician Fellowship Award. Fox is the Quality & Training Coordinator for Pfizer Global R&D - Comparative Medicine, and also works for The Learning Curve where she provides training and personal development for scientists, animal technicians and support staff. Prior to these positions she was an Area Supervisor for Pfizer R&D Animal Resources, and as a Unit Supervisor and Senior Technician for the Wellcome Foundation. From the moment she started her career as a Junior Animal Technician at Kings College, Fox has viewed her job as a "dedication, passion and career." She is a member of IAT and has served on the organization's Council as a Continuing Professional Development Officer, and for 12 years on its Certification Examination Board. (Read more about Carol's experience.)

Ken Pyle, 2009 U.S. recipient

Ken Pyle, RLATG, is the 2009 U.S. recipient of the AAALAC International Technician Fellowship Award. Pyle has served as Associate Professor of Veterinary Science Technology at State University of New York (SUNY) College of Technology in Delhi, New York, since 1992. He currently teaches courses in research animal technology, applied research animal techniques, breeding colony management and courses related to primatology. Pyle has been teaching since 1975 and has received numerous national awards including the AALAS Garvey and Collins Awards. He is a long-time, active AALAS member and has served on a variety of committees and in various leadership positions since joining National AALAS in 1973. Pyle earned degrees in veterinary technology and biology from SUNY and Fairleigh Dickinson University (respectively). (Read more about Ken's experience.)

Pete C. Willan, 2008 U.K. recipient

Pete C. Willan, DMS, MIAT, R.AnTech, was selected as the 2008 U.K. recipient of the AAALAC International Technician Fellowship Award. Willan is the Division Manager for the Division of Biomedical Services at the University of Leicester, where he is responsible for managing all aspects of animal care and use programs on multiple campuses serving more than 150 research associates. He is also an Ad Hoc Specialist for AAALAC International and has served as a Council Member for the Institute of Animal Technology (IAT) and the AALAS International Relations Committee. Willan is also the site owner and coordinator of the U.K. Animal Welfare & Management Discussion Group, and is active on the National Centre for Replacement, Refinement & Reduction (NC3Rs). (Read more about Pete's experience.)

Julia A. Granowski, 2008 U.S. recipient

Julia A. Granowski, RLATG, was selected as the 2008 U.S. recipient of the AAALAC International Technician Fellowship Award. Granowski is Facility Manager for the National Jewish Medical & Research Center in Colorado, where she is responsible for the physical plant and coordinating investigator projects, as well as assisting in budgetary and hiring decisions. She is active in the Mile High AALAS Branch, and has served as president, vice president and board member. Granowski earned a degree in Animal Technology from Colorado Springs Mountain College, and received her RLATG designation in September 2001.

Gary Childs, 2007 U.K. recipient

Gary Childs, B.Sc. (Hons), FIAT, RAnTech, was selected as the 2007 U.K. recipient of the AAALAC International Technician Fellowship Award. Childs is the Animal Technician Site Manager for the Imperial College London, where he is responsible for managing all aspects of animal care and use programs on multiple campuses serving more than 250 scientists. He is also active in the Institute of Animal Technology (IAT) and currently serves on both the IAT Board of Education and Board of Moderators. Childs received a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Technology from Middlesex University, and a Diploma in Management from Imperial College of London/London School of Economics.

Cynthia Kloster, 2007 U.S. recipient

Cynthia Kloster, RLATG, was selected as the 2007 U.S. recipient of the AAALAC International Technician Fellowship Award. Kloster is the Assistant Director of the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, LA., where she is responsible for a 37,600 square-foot AAALAC-accredited animal facility, oversees all employee training, and manages a $705K+ budget. She is also active in national and local AALAS, and served a term as president of the Louisiana Branch AALAS in 2004-2005. Kloster studied Animal Technology at Michigan State and earned her B.S. in Business Administration from Louisiana State University.

Kate Heath, 2006 U.K. recipient

Kate Heath, F.I.A.T., RAnTech, was selected as the 2006 U.K. recipient of the AAALAC International Technician Fellowship Award. Heath is Toxicology Support Manager for GlaxoSmithKline Research and Development Ltd., and has worked in the field of animal technology for more than 30 years. She is very active in IAT and has served as the organization’s Beckenham Branch Chair, helping to grow the branch to one of the largest and most admired in the U.K. Heath also plays a lead role in GlaxoSmithKline’s Liaison Group, reaching out to students by leading facility tours and participating in debates on the use of animals in medical research.

Michele Courtney, 2006 U.S. recipient

Michele (Shelly) Courtney, RVT, LATG, CMAR, was selected as the first U.S. recipient of the AAALAC International Technician Fellowship Award. Courtney, an Associate Scientist for Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research & Development, has served the laboratory animal science community for 22 years—20 of them for Johnson & Johnson companies. During that time she has been actively involved in her local AALAS branch, including serving a term as president. Courtney has developed water monitoring as well as rodent and rabbit enrichment programs, and led the design and implementation of a new rodent facility.

Cathy Godfrey, 2005 U.K. recipient

Cathy Godfrey, FIAT, RAnTech, was the first U.K. recipient of the AAALAC International Technician Fellowship Award. Cathy is Technical Manager of the Biomedical Services Unit at the University of Sheffield, one of the U.K.’s leading universities. In this position she’s responsible for 14 technical staff, training, and ensuring that her department meets the highest possible standards and budgetary targets. Cathy has 33 years experience working in biomedical research programs involving all of the common species of laboratory animals. In addition to her professional duties, Cathy is an active member of the Institute of Animal Technology (IAT) and has served on its Council for more than 20 years.