by Brianna Crandall — June 10, 2022 — The Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC), a Division of ISSA, recently announced that Dr. Deborah Birx, world-renowned medical physician, infectious disease expert and diplomat, will be the keynote speaker at the GBAC Symposium on Air Considerations, August 16-17, at the Hyatt Regency Chicago. The inaugural GBAC Symposium will bring together scientists and industry thought leaders to share innovations and best practices for improving indoor air quality in nonhealthcare settings.
GBAC Senior Director Michael Diamond stated:
The GBAC Symposium is our next step in driving innovation and advancement to make our world safer. This event will bring together environmental safety and infectious disease experts such as Dr. Birx and organizations to discuss real solutions for public health concerns.
Dr. Deborah Birx is an internationally admired medical physician and expert on HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases who served as a special representative for global health diplomacy. Most recently, Birx served on the White House Coronavirus Task Force from March 2020 to January 2021. Her three-decade-long career has focused on HIV/AIDS immunology, vaccine research and global health.
As the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator for U.S. Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump, Birx oversaw the implementation of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the largest commitment by any nation to combat a single disease in history, notes GBAC. She also oversaw U.S. government engagement with the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria. Serving as the U.S. Special Representative for Global Health Diplomacy, she aligned the U.S. government’s diplomacy with foreign assistance programs that address global health challenges and accelerate progress toward achieving an AIDS-free generation; ending preventable child and maternal deaths; and preventing, detecting and responding to infectious disease threats.
The event will also include a presentation from Dr. John McKeon, medical entrepreneur and CEO of Allergy Standards Ltd (ASL), an international standards and certification body. As the founder of ASL, McKeon leads a portfolio of patent and trademark applications, licensing agreements, and equity investments. In addition to involvement in several successful healthcare-related ventures, McKeon is an Adjunct Professor in the Centre for Practice and Healthcare Innovation and a decorated doctor and expert in life sciences, biotechnology, and healthcare business.
The GBAC Symposium speaker lineup also features Poppy Co-CEO Elizabeth (EC) Caley; environmental and architectural engineering expert Mark Hernandez, Ph.D.; environmental infection prevention expert John LaRochelle; infectious disease scientist John Lowe, Ph.D.; biorisk expert Dr. Paul Meechan; GBAC Executive Director Patricia Olinger; and Biorisk International Executive Director Stefan Wagener, Ph.D. These thought leaders will share insights and strategies for improving indoor air quality in schools, offices, restaurants, gyms, and other nonhealthcare settings during a pandemic and beyond.
Visit the GBAC Symposium website to register. ISSA members receive a discount.
Composed of international leaders in the field of microbial-pathogenic threat analysis, mitigation, response and recovery, GBAC provides training, guidance, accreditation, certification, crisis management assistance and leadership to government, commercial, and private entities looking to mitigate, quickly address, and/or recover from biological threats and real-time crises. The organization’s services include biorisk management program assessment and training, infectious disease and biological material response and remediation, the GBAC STAR Facility and Service Accreditation Programs, training and certification of individuals, and consulting for building owners and facility managers.
With more than 10,500 members — including distributors, manufacturers, manufacturer representatives, wholesalers, building service contractors, in-house service providers, residential cleaners, and associated service members — ISSA is a worldwide trade association for the cleaning industry. The association is committed to changing the way the world views cleaning by providing its members with the business tools they need to promote cleaning as an investment in human health, the environment, and an improved bottom line. Headquartered in Rosemont, IL, USA, the association has regional offices in Milan, Italy; Whitby, Canada; Parramatta, Australia; Seoul, South Korea; and Shanghai, China.
