People & Places

AALAS’s New Hires

Kieya Dionne Griffith

I’m Kieya Dionne Griffith, the new Executive Administrative Assistant for AALAS. I recently joined the team in August 2022. My role here is to manage and support the administrative needs of the Board of Trustees and sub-committees. I also function as the Human Resources Manager for the AALAS Staff. I’m originally from Compton, California. I attended the University of California at Irvine where I was a Social Science Major. At the time, my aspiration was to go into politics/city government. I would later become engaged in non-profit work that would make an impression on me to focus on the human interest and assets of a positive human condition. That would shape the career pursuits and volunteer engagements that followed. Some of my volunteer affiliations are the Women’s Foundation for Greater Memphis, the National Civil Rights Museum, Power Ministries, TN Disciples Women Ministry, and TN Disciples of Christ Lay Pastor.

Sarah Maxwell

My name is Sarah Maxwell, and I joined AALAS as the Meeting Planner for the Meetings & Financial Services department. I completed my B.S.Ed in Health Promotion & Lifestyle Management at the University of Memphis and worked as an Event Manager at a country club for several years following graduation. I joined the AALAS team back in 2018, but moved to Birmingham, AL shortly after for my husband’s new job. I continued to work as an Event Manager at a museum there until we made the decision to move back to the Memphis area earlier this year. I was thrilled when I saw a position was becoming available at AALAS! My role here is to plan and coordinate details of AALAS meetings and events, such as committee meetings, ILAM, and pieces of the National Meeting. Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my husband, our three dogs, and our friends and family.

My name is Lisa Lissner, and I joined AALAS as a Membership Assistant in the Membership Department. I previously attended the University of Memphis as a biology major. While a student, I worked at the University of Tennessee Department of Physiology and Biophysics as a Lab Assistant, in which I assisted in testing and care of our valued laboratory research animals. Later, I attended Methodist Hospital’s Laboratory Liaison Technician Program and received certification as a phlebotomist. After several years of working in hospitals and doctor's offices, I decided to switch gears. I started a career at FedEx Express in export clearance and attended Southwest Community College and received a technical certificate in Customs Brokerage. After 23 years of service at FedEx, I decided to retire. After my retirement, I attended Tech 901 and completed an IT Foundations course, as well as completed and received a CompTIA Project+ certification. Outside of work, I enjoy kayaking, hiking, antiquing, and gardening. I also volunteer and serve as a board member of a non-profit, A Betor Way, and I volunteer at Lisieux Community. Any free time I have left, I enjoy spending time with friends and family, especially my three grandchildren.

Sheldon Williams

My name is Sheldon Williams, and I joined AALAS as a Membership Assistant working in the Professional Services Department. I am currently completing my Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication with a concentration in Public Relations at Louisiana State University Online. Once graduated with my BA I want to continue my education by attending law school. Other than working at AALAS and school, I enjoy spending time with family, reading about politics, and exploring new places in Memphis.

ClearH2O has recently been named as one of the 2022 Best Places to Work in Maine. Known for its leadership and innovation in manufacturing essential animal nutrition supplements and diets, ClearH2O’s products are used by veterinarians and animal care professionals around the world to advance animal health and welfare while improving medical research and livestock production.

Commenting on making the 2022 Best Places to Work in Maine list, the company’s president, Kathie Dioli, states, ‘I believe this award acknowledges the great work environment and team we have built at ClearH2O. The work we do is meaningful, having a direct impact on improving the lives of animals and mankind. We place a high standard on personal character, integrity, and performance expectations while offering a fast-paced, collaborative, and collegial work environment. We love what we do, knowing that we’re making a difference in the world…And, we have fun doing it, too’, says Kathie.

The awards program was created in 2006 and is a project of the Society for Human Resource Management - Maine State Council (MESHRM) and Best Companies Group. Partners endorsing the program include: Mainebiz, the Maine State Chamber of Commerce and Maine HR Convention.

This statewide survey and awards program was designed to identify, recognize and honor the best places of employment in Maine, benefiting the state's economy, its workforce and businesses. The 2022 Best Places to Work in Maine list is made up of 100 companies in three size categories: 34 small winners (15-49 U.S. employees), 45 medium winners (50-249 U.S. employees) and 21 large winners (250+ U.S. employees). Companies from across the state entered the two-part process to determine the Best Places to Work in Maine. The first part consisted of evaluating each nominated company's workplace policies, practices, and demographics. This part of the process was worth approximately 25% of the total evaluation. The second part consisted of an employee survey

2022 Best Places to Work in Maine

to measure the employee experience. This part of the process was worth approximately 75% of the total evaluation. The combined scores determined the top companies and the final rankings. Best Companies Group managed the overall registration and survey process in Maine and also analyzed the data and used their expertise to determine the final rankings.

ClearH2O will be recognized in the October 17th edition of Mainebiz where the rankings will be revealed for the first time.

For more information on ClearH2O, visit www.clearh2o.com or contact William T. Thomas at 207-245-6316.

For more information on the Best Places to Work in Maine program, visit www.BestPlacestoWorkME.com or contact Jackie Miller at 717-323-5237.

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The Top 3 Ways FlexFlow Enhances Ergonomics

As your global solutions provider, we know how important ergonomics are in the workplace. Ergonomic equipment can make or break the success of any operation. And this is especially true in lab animal science. Ergonomic equipment in lab animal research helps improve employee comfort, decrease stress, and increase productivity. ¹ Couldn’t we all benefit from a more ergonomic work environment?

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FlexFlow Helps Minimize Operator Errors

Operator errors happen, and people make mistakes. It’s only natural. But repeated errors leave operators feeling unsatisfied and stressed with their work. All of these can negatively impact their productivity, efficiency, and overall well-being.

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Allentown Professional Education Resources

It’s our privilege to provide the lab animal science community with monthly educational webinars and blog stories. Nearly 700 professionals across the globe attend our webinar series to connect and learn from laboratory animal experts. Some of our recent guest speakers include Hilton Klein, Karen Froberg-Fejko, David W. Brammer, and Jori K. Leszczynski. To get updates about our webinars and blogs, follow us on LinkedIn @Allentownllc.

FlexFlow Reduces Physical Strain and Stress

FlexFlow’s Compact Design and Flexibility Help Improve Workflow

An efficient and ergonomic lab animal work environment should include direct routes, with minimal distance to maneuver carts and racks, from sanitation stations to related operational areas, including bedding dispensers. ²

Utilizing FlexFlow in your facility could be an effective solution for improving organization and direction in your work environment. How? Well, FlexFlow is the most compact bedding dispenser in the industry. In half the footprint of other units, it maintains the same throughput capabilities. FlexFlow can immediately increase your floor space — creating more opportunities for improving workflow. Additionally, one or multiple units can be strategically placed within operational areas to enhance accessibility.

What’s more, FlexFlow’s side handles are removable. So, you can connect multiple units to increase throughput, depending on your facility’s needs. Simply remove the side panels and attach as many FlexFlow bedding dispensers as you need. Or you can position single units strategically in various locations for a more dynamic workflow, depending on the nature of your research.

Stress and strain in lab animal research may increase “injuries, errors, and worker fatigue.” ¹ Are you looking for new ways to reduce workplace injuries, errors, and fatigue in your facility? Introducing FlexFlow to your laboratory could help. By design, FlexFlow alleviates the strain on employees caused by manually distributing bedding to individual cages. Instead, employees can simply place cages under FlexFlow’s chute. Then, FlexFlow automatically dispenses the bedding for them, which helps minimize physical stress.

REFERENCES 1. Kerst, J. “An Ergonomics Process for the Care and Use of Research Animals.” ILAR Journal, vol. 44, no. 1, 2003, pp. 3–12., https://doi.org/10.1093/ilar.44.1.3. 2. Festing, Michael F. W., and Douglas G. Altman. “Guidelines for the Design and Statistical Analysis of Experiments Using Laboratory Animals.” OUP Academic, Oxford University Press, 1 Oct. 2002, https://academic.oup.com/ilarjournal/article/43/4/244/981872.