KathrynWangsness

About Kathryn Wangsness

Kathryn Wangsness, MHA, is the Assistant Bureau Chief for the Bureau of State Laboratory Services (ASPHL) at the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS). Kathryn has been part of the ADHS team since 1997 working as a scientist, certification officer, office chief and now bureau chief over the Offices of Chemistry, Laboratory Licensure and Certification, and Support Services and Operations. She earned her Masters of Health Administration from the University of Phoenix and her Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry with an emphasis in Biochemistry from Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona. Kathryn joined ADHS in 1997 as a chemist analyzing water samples for inorganic parameters. In 2001, she accepted a position as a Blood Alcohol consultant, which lasted two years, and concurrently as a Federal/State Laboratory Licensure Surveyor in the Office of Laboratory Services. She is an approved EPA certification officer for inspecting inorganics, organics, and microbiology compliance testing in drinking water laboratories. In 2006, she accepted the position of quality assurance manager. In 2008, Kathryn became the Office Chief for the Office of Laboratory Services. She is an alumnus of the APHL Emerging Leader Program and participates in the Emerging Leader Alumni Network (ELAN). She has been trained in continuous quality improvement strategies such as Lean and Six Sigma. She has assisted the laboratory in becoming ISO/IEC 17025 accredited for food and forensic testing. Kathryn is an active participant in APHL and has served as a member of the Laboratory Systems and Standards Committee from 2021 to present, as a member and as chair the last three years, of the Environmental Laboratory Science Committee from 2009 to 2021, as Chair of the Governmental Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Subcommittee from 2009 to 2016, has participated in numerous workgroups, Co-chaired the Public Health Laboratory Competencies workgroups for surveillance and communication from 2012 to 2014, and chaired the Data Acceptance Workgroup.