Cryogenic Supply Chain Risk Management During Storage and Transportation of Reproductive Material

Erica J. Behnke, Ph.D., HCLD (ABB), Director of the Assisted Reproductive Technology Laboratories at the Institute for Reproductive Health

Erica J. Behnke, Ph.D., HCLD (ABB), is the director of the assisted reproductive technology laboratories at the Institute for Reproductive Health. She earned her Master of Science and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Minnesota in reproductive physiology, following a Bachelor of Science degree in animal husbandry from Michigan State University.

Behnke has directed reproductive laboratories in Cincinnati since 1987. She has also served as off-site director for several other laboratories located in Charleston, W.Va.; Jupiter, Fla.; Cincinnati and Cleveland.

Behnke is board-certified as a high-complexity clinical laboratory director by the American Board of Bioanalysis. Behnke has presented numerous roundtable sessions and postgraduate courses and currently serves on the SART Executive Council as liaison to the College of American Pathologists. Serving as a laboratory inspector since 1994, Behnke was appointed as commissioner for the Reproductive Laboratory Accreditation Program for CAP in 1999. She is also a member of the CAP Reproductive Medicine Resource Committee. Professional memberships include the American Society of Reproductive Medicine, the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology and the American Association of Bioanalysts.

Don Fish, Biorepository Operations Director, California Cryobank

Don Fish is the biorepository operations director at California Cryobank, responsible for the ongoing global program management of cold supply chain logistics of reproductive and stem cell tissue. Fish is experienced in overseeing operations to support organizational growth through strategic planning, metric analysis and process improvement based on Lean Six Sigma principles. His specialties include: program management, global operations management, logistics and supply chain management, process improvement, product development, cross-functional team leadership, strategic planning, metric analysis, P&L management, inventory management, manufacturing and regulatory requirement management.

Kimball O. Pomeroy, Ph.D., HCLD, Scientific Director, The World Egg Bank

Kimball O. Pomeroy is a clinical embryologist who has directed several clinical laboratories throughout the United States. He has served as a member of the SART Executive Board, chair of the Reproductive Laboratory Technician’s Group and chair of the College of Reproductive Biology. He is a founding member of both the Regulatory Task Force and the Southwest Embryologist Summit. Pomeroy was a molecular biologist who collaborated with Dr. Glen Evans on the Human Genome Project (chromosome 11), working in transgenics. He has coauthored numerous papers, mostly dealing with the detection of embryo toxins and cryopreservation. Recently, he has coauthored several papers on the risks of cross-contamination of microbes during storage of tissue in liquid nitrogen. Pomeroy has worked as a consultant for several projects in Mexico, Nepal, China, Bolivia and the Bahamas.

Mark W. Sawicki, Ph.D., Chief Commercial Officer, Cryoport

Mark W. Sawicki, Ph.D., is chief commercial officer of Cryoport, a provider of end-to-end cold chain logistics solutions to the life sciences industry. Sawicki, who has more than 15 years of experience in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, holds a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from the State University of New York at Buffalo and a Ph.D. in biochemistry from the State University of New York at Buffalo, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. He also received graduate training at the Hauptman Woodard Medical Research Institute. Sawicki has authored a dozen scientific publications in drug discovery with a focus on oncology and immunology.

Mitchel C. Schiewe, MS, Ph.D., HCLD, Lab Director, Ovation Fertility

Mitchel C. Schiewe, MS, Ph.D., HCLD, is a comparative reproductive physiologist with diverse laboratory, domestic and wildlife animal experiences. He has published articles on the topic of embryo and sperm cryopreservation since 1985 and was fortunate to be mentored by Bill Rall, Ph.D. Not only did he learn about vitrification during its early experimental phases, producing the first vitrified lambs in 1988 (Dissertation, 1989), he also gained knowledge about fundamental cryobiological principles and cryostorage practices. The goal in the 1980s was to develop practical cryopreservation methods that could be effectively applied under field conditions without electricity. Schiewe matriculated into human assisted reproductive technology (ART) in 1992, where he has been instrumental in developing and applying today’s ART. Schiewe was the founding chairman responsible for the formation of the Society for Reproductive Biologists and Technologists/American Society for Reproductive Medicine. He is devoted to professional service and teaching.

Shannon Curiel, Director of Sales, Reproductive Medicine, Cryoport (WEBINAR MODERATOR)

Shannon Curiel is director of sales, reproductive medicine (IVF), at Cryoport. Curiel launched her career in sales and logistics when she joined FedEx, starting a 20-year adventure in logistics management — one that included complex sales and the coordination of medical and nonmedical shipments worldwide. At Cryoport, Curiel identified the unique needs of fertility clinics and their patients for worldwide cryogenic shipping. For the past six years, she has worked with clinics and patients, focusing on building advanced cryogenic logistics solutions and specializing in cold chain management. She is deeply involved in the end-to-end logistics for shipping IVF domestically and internationally. Curiel holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas.