At the OpenELIS Foundation, the work is powered by a team of passionate individuals dedicated to advancing public health through innovative technology.
This month, we're excited to give you a peek into the lives and minds of some of the people who make our foundation thrive. Each team member brings unique experiences, skills, and personalities to the table, shaping the work we do and the impact we have. We asked each team member how long they’ve been with the foundation and what part of their job they enjoy most.
As a fun little insight into the team members, we asked them to answer one of the following: If you can have lunch with anyone from history, who would it be and why? What's your favorite colour? Which animal do you feel most connected to?
Let's meet Gary, Diane, Mike, Heather, Christina, Jessie and Shondra!
Gary: The Pioneer with a Vision
Gary isn’t just a part of the OpenELIS Foundation, he’s the visionary who helped create it back in 2010. Over the years, Gary has played a pivotal role in shaping the organization: from organizing the business plan to collaborating with clients and exploring new technologies to understand what will best benefit the community.
Gary finds great joy in the OpenElis team meetings. He explains that this is “where ideas flow freely, and problems are solved collaboratively.” His admiration for the Wright brothers reflects his own approach to work: a willingness to explore new frontiers and take calculated risks. Gary explains that he feels connected to a white-tailed deer fawn because of their curious and cautious creature.
Diane: The Code Enthusiast
For two years and counting, Diane has been the coder behind the products that see the light of day, at OpenELIS. She explains that her work on the clinical web portal and instrument interface has been both challenging and rewarding, and her love for “heads-down” coding is evident in everything she does. Diane’s favorite task? You guessed it, yes, it’s coding! It's where she finds her flow, much like the quiet, independent spirit of a cat. She’s at her best when she’s deep in the code, creating solutions that make a difference.
Mike: Task by Task
You’ve heard the saying “An elephant is eaten one bite at a time?” This makes me think of Mike. Mike joined the OpenELIS Foundation just a year ago, and in that short time, he’s already made a significant impact. He comments that he can’t pinpoint one project as a standout, Mike takes pride in the daily grind. He further explains that it's the day by day that builds a product “which is fundamentally about servicing public health needs more efficiently, accurately, and effectively.”
Mike explains that tasks, to him, feels like something he should do: and thus the answer to what his favorite task is refactoring code or doing dishes. And, who would he have lunch with from history? None other than Marie Curie, a trailblazer who, like Mike’s favorite animal, the axolotl, thrived in adversity and never stopped evolving.
And, fun fact, did you know that the axolotl can regrow both limbs and internal organs?
Heather: Crafting Solutions
Heather, a new addition to the OpenELIS Foundation, has only been with the team for a few weeks but she’s already eager to make her mark. Heather says that she is most excited about developing an engaging and informative training program that clients will enjoy.
Heather explains that she is at her best in tasks that allow her to be creative, solve problems, and make a positive impact on clients. If given the chance to have lunch with anyone from history, she’d choose Julia Child: “not just for the incredible food, but to hear fascinating stories from her time as a spy.” Heather further explains that her favorite color is Caribbean Sea blue, a hue that reminds her of something she loves deeply.
Christina: From Data to Agile Tools
Christina has been with the OpenELIS Foundation for nearly four years. and has played a key role in setting up essential tools and methodologies, such as Jira, Confluence, and Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe). Working remotely, Christina explains, has placed new value for her on the daily standup meetings as a way to stay connected with her team members. Christina further says that she can’t identify one aspect of the job, as she thrives on the variety of her job, whether it’s diving into data, comparing code in GitHub, or setting up new tools and processes.
She says that she’s also proud of the collaboration with the Iowa development team on major projects like the Test Definition Redesign. If she could have lunch with anyone from history, it would be Walt Disney, whose creativity and innovation have always inspired her. And her favorite color? Purple.
Jessie: A Scientist at Heart
As we’re working on this blog, Jessie celebrated her three year anniversary with the foundation. Jessie is a powerhouse of knowledge and experience, particularly in the areas of inventory and instrument interface projects. Her background as a self-proclaimed “lab rat” with over 19 years of experience has fueled her passion for making life easier for laboratorians: a mission she’s dedicated to with every project she tackles.
Jessie explains that her favorite part of the day is working one-on-one with clients, gathering requirements and documenting processes to ensure our solutions meet their needs. Her choice of Mr. Wizard as her historical lunch companion reflects her lifelong love of science and learning. Jessica explains that she connects to cats and is ‘human’ to her four beloved cats: Tango, Fizzgig, Oscar, and Momma Cat.
Shondra: Crafting Solutions
Shondra has been a vital part of the OpenELIS Foundation since March 2021, serving as the Manager of Implementation and Training. Like both Jessica and Diane, Shondra is particularly proud of her contributions to expanding the Inventory module and enhancing the OpenELIS Web Portal, allowing submitters to order clinical tests more efficiently.
Shondra explains the favorite aspect of her work is collaborating closely with clients, both new and existing, to understand their processes and help them achieve their lab goals. Moving to the lighter side, Shondra says that if she can have lunch with anyone from history, it would be the comedic duo Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau: “I admire their exceptional acting and hilarious on-screen chemistry.” Shondra’s favorite colors are blue and yellow, reflecting her bright and cheerful personality.
Teamwork Makes the Dream Work
At OpenELIS, it’s not just the individual contributions that matter: it's how individuals come together as a team. Each member brings their unique perspective, skills, and energy to the table, creating a collaborative environment where innovation thrives. The strength, of this team, lies in the shared commitment to public health.