Dr Carolyn Lyons Miller is a PhD Scientist, Certified Medical Technologist, and successful leader with numerous notable achievements and scientific publications. Over 23 years of service in the United States Air Force in various leadership roles, to include Laboratory Director, Chief Executive Officer, and faculty member at the U.S. Air Force Academy and the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU Military Medical School). Retired in 2008 having earned the rank of Colonel and subsequently became a Department of the Army civilian supervisor at the Army’s Public Health Lab. From there successfully stood up first-ever Core Lab at the Audie Murphy VA Medical Center then served as Core Lab Manager at the Brooke Army Medical Center’s Core, Emergency Department, and Reference Chemistry Labs prior to federal civilian retirement in 2017. Currently serving as Adjunct Faculty at San Antonio College, and Lead Faculty Area Chair at the University of Phoenix, San Antonio campus.

Education

Certification Program for Medical Technology

MT (ASCP) and NCA (CLS)

08/1985

Wilford Hall Medical Center San Antonio, Texas

Ph.D. Doctorate (Microbiology)

10/1984

Rutgers University New Brunswick, New Jersey

M.S. Master of Science (Biology)

12/1979

Alabama A&M University Huntsville, Alabama

B.S. Bachelor of Science (Biology)

06/1977

University of Alabama Birmingham, Alabama

Experience

PROFESSIONAL WORK EXPERIENCE:

07/24/09 – PRESENT Faculty, University of Phoenix, San Antonio Ground Campus, College of Humanities and Sciences, San Antonio, TX

Lead Faculty Area Chair (LFAC) in the College of Humanities and Sciences, University of Phoenix. Charged, as faculty, with marrying academic knowledge and theories to the work place by bringing practical experience to the classroom. As LFAC evaluated, and mentored faculty. Evaluated student written and oral communication skills, provided feedback on works submitted and oral presentations. Used the online system for student evaluation and written feedback. Made provisions when faculty did not, or could not, arrive to instruct as scheduled. Earned 9.7-9.9, with a total of 10 possible, on Student End-of-Course Surveys for all courses taught compared to 8.5-8.8 for all other faculty.

06/17/12 – 02/10/2017 Manager, Core Laboratory, Emergency Department Laboratory, and Reference Chemistry Lab; San Antonio Military Medical Center; Brooke Army Medical Center, San Antonio Military Medical Center, Joint Base San Antonio, Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, TX

Served as civilian manager and deputy to the military Chief, Core, Reference, and Emergency Department Labs. Managed several projects to ensure the fully implemented Core Lab philosophy for efficiencies in operation. Employed metrics to evaluate and report performance and ensure quality. Guided timely and accurate patient sample analyses for over 1.2 million samples from military hospitals worldwide, as well as inpatients and outpatients at the Brooke Army Medical Center Hospital (now the San Antonio Military Medical Center). Updated technology to provide the most reliable test results to physicians for patient treatment. Ensured exceptional working relationships with our clients (our patients), and our internal customers (the physicians, nurses and physician assistants) who needed our patient lab test results in order to treat. I was the manager for each of the core and emergency hospital lab areas.

01/02/11 – 06/16/12 Supervisory Manager, Core Laboratory, Pathology and Medical Lab Services, Audie Murphy Medical Center, VA Hospital San Antonio TX

Served as manager, supervisor, and leader of the first-ever Core Lab at the Audie Murphy VA Hospital. Guided patient sample analyses in the hematology, chemistry, and specialty lab areas that were combined to realize efficiencies as a core laboratory. Ensured exceptional working relationships with our clients (our patients), and our internal customers (the physicians, nurses and physician assistants) who needed our patient lab test results in order to treat. I evaluated and presented to Department leadership the physician’s requests for new lab tests. Maintained exceptionally positive relationships with all staffs to ensure quality. Used the 26+ years of experience as a medical technologist certified by the American Society for Clinical Pathologists (ASCP) and over 34 years of experience as a research scientist as well as people leadership skills garnered in the military. Core lab philosophy required personnel to be trained in Chemistry and Hematology so staff could be assigned, as dictated by workload, in either chemistry or hematology; thus staff performed as generalists but possessed skills of a specialist. Employed metrics to evaluate and report performance and ensure quality.

04/27/09 – 01/01/11 Supervisory Manager, Microbiology Laboratory, DoD Food Analysis and Diagnostic Laboratory, San Antonio, Texas

Supervised employees in routine and special diagnostic food microbiology lab procedures. Guided the evaluation of food, beverages, and water consumed by military members worldwide to ensure items free of food borne contaminants and/or intentional biological sabotage. Managed the routine evaluation of Commissary items, and investigated food borne illnesses and food and water complaints from troops and DoD beneficiaries to determine causative agent(s) for reported symptoms and illnesses. Employed metrics to evaluate performance and ensure ISO 9000 compliance with the international standards on quality management and quality assurance.

07/01/2005 – 10/01/08 Director, Chemical, Biological, Nuclear and Clinical Surveillance Laboratory, Air Force Institute for Operational Health (AFIOH), Brooks City Base, San Antonio, TX

Led 170 staff in three unique labs performing clinical, chemical, environmental, occupational, toxicological, radiological, epidemiological, serological, and immunology tests. Provided staff-level guidance on human resource management functions associated with classification of positions in the GS and NSPS system for both technical and non-technical employees. Performed broad spectrum of direct health care clinical testing to include unique clinical testing (global flu analyses, TB, HIV, hepatitis, etc.); radiological analyses on patient specimens, chemical analyses of shrapnel removed from wounded warriors, serum biomarker analyses for chemical hazardous exposures, etc. Managed the education, training, and deployment of troops for Force Health Protection and surveillance. Evaluated techniques, and equipment for transition to AF, other DoD labs and the civilian sector. As the Commander equivalent, heard weekly briefings on metrics for each Division within the Directorate. As a military member, served as the face to the community (our customers and stakeholders). Daily communicated and ensured the organization maintained positive working relationships with the American citizens, to include the local San Antonio community, and the military communities of peers and sister services. Developed and initiated policies and procedures for improved job performance.

04/01/2005 – 07/01/2005 375th Airlift Wing Director of Staff and Wing Inspector General, 375th Airlift Wing, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois

Managed and led over 200 wing support staff and over 5,000 personnel. As Inspector General counseled and sought to resolve personnel complaints. Provided first line of defense for units that lacked cohesion and needed intervention for success. Interpersonal skills required to effect actions across the Wing.

08/2002 – 04/2005 Pathology Flight Commander and Deputy Squadron Commander, 375th Medical Group, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois

Led over 54 personnel in diagnostic blood bank, blood donor center operations, microbiology, hematology, chemistry, immunology, and urinalysis. Beta test site for new equipment, and procedures. Trained over 400 personnel annually.

01/2003 – 05/2003 DEPLOYED Chief, Laboratory Services, 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, Expeditionary Medical Group, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, Southwest Asia

Led and performed diagnostic testing in blood bank, microbiology, hematology, chemistry, and urinalysis. Collected blood donations, shipped tissue samples back to the U.S. Executed lab operations according to US accreditation standards in a deployed setting under field and wartime conditions.

04/1999 – 08/2002 Vice President, Recruitment and Diversity Affairs, Adjunct Faculty, Microbiology Department, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD

Managed comprehensive recruitment and retention programs for the only military medical school. Advised the Surgeon Generals of the Army, Navy, Air Force and Public Health Service on medical student recruitment. Adjunct Assistant Professor--instructed first year medical students; faculty liaison.

06/1995 – 04/1999 Executive Officer to the Commander, Commander, and Director of Quality Assurance, Associate Professor, Wilford Hall Medical Center, Lackland AFB, TX and Brooks Air Force Base Texas

Managed Quality Assurance/Quality Improvement for the hospital lab and ancillary services. Ensured adherence to accreditation standards. Led and managed clinical and aerospace research dedicated to improving US capabilities and warrior survival rates. As Commander, commanded over 2100 enlisted troops. As Executive Officer helped manage over 4,000 personnel and $514 million budget.

06/1989 – 06/1995 Faculty, Associate Professor and Course Director, and Executive Officer, United States Air Force Academy, Department of Biology, Colorado Springs, CO, US

Taught undergraduate biology courses at the US Air Force Academy. Managed undergraduate microbiology courses as the course director. As Executive Officer to the Dean of the Faculty, helped manage key staff activities with 880 personnel across 26 staff functions.

08/1986 – 06/1989 Chief, Quality Control, Epidemiology Laboratory, School of Aerospace Medicine, Brooks Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas United States

Directed quality control and quality assurance programs in a multi-disciplined clinical reference laboratory. Ensured compliance with national and federal accreditation standards. Managed internal and external proficiency surveys to maintain the highest levels of quality worldwide.

VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES AND COMMUNITY SERVICE:

2006-Present Scientific Review Committee, Texas Science and Engineering Fair, UTSA TSEF, San Antonio, TX

Ensure students comply with rules and regulations governing good scientific research, especially research involving humans, vertebrate animals, microorganisms, and potentially hazardous chemical agents; enforced appropriate biosafety levels, and prior approval for use of animals and humans.

2006-Present Scientific Review Committee, Alamo Regional Academy of Science and Engineering, ARASE San Antonio, TX

Review science fair projects for compliance with international rules for good research and good laboratory practices. Rules ensure scientific investigators comply with requirements for human and animal research, research with hazardous biological and chemical agents, research with firearms, tobacco and alcohol, and research with hazardous activities and or equipment. Additionally researchers must document safety practices to ensure safe research practices.

SIGNIFICANT CAREER HONORS/AWARDS:

2014 Who’s Who in San Antonio

2011-2012 Army Achievement Medal for Civilian Service

2008 Meritorious Service Medal with five-oak leaf clusters

2006-2007 Who’s Who in America

2006 Who’s Who in the World

2004 Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with Gold Border

2004 AF Outstanding Unit Award with Valor Device

2004 National Defense Service Medal with one device

2003 Air Mobility Command Senior Laboratory Scientist of the Year

2002 Defense Meritorious Service Medal

2002 National Role Model Award, Washington DC

2001 Outstanding Tri-service Medical School Micro Lab Instructor

2000 Joint Meritorious Unit Award

1999 Best Research Poster-23rd Annual SAFMLS Washington DC

1993 Clements Outstanding Military Educator Award USAFA CO

1989 Air Force Commendation Medal

Publications

Miller, C. 2007. Continuing Education Units (CEU Credit Hours). Society Scope, Winter 2007, Vol 10, No. 1. Fairfax VA, pp19-21.

Miller, C. 2006. Continuing Education Units (CEU Credit Hours). Society Scope, Winter 2006, Vol 9, No. 1. Fairfax VA, pp13-15. [Winter 2005; Vol 8, No. 1, pp6-8]

Sandlin, DE, Yakely, MR, Seely, GE, Bird, DM, Miller, CL, Holland, PJ. 1993. Harnessing the Resources of Space in the Recovery of Potable Water from Wastewater by Lyophilization (Freeze-Drying). Proceedings of the 23rd International Conference on Environmental Systems, Detroit MI.

Holland, PJ, Miller, CL, Bird, DM, Yung, JE, and Sandlin, DE. 1992. Recovering Potable Water from Wastewater in Space Platforms by Lyophilization. SAE Technical Paper Series 921323, 22nd Int’l Conference on Environmental Systems, Seattle WA, ISSN 0148-7191, pp 1-9.

Holland, PJ, Bird, DM, and Miller, CL. 1992. Extraction of Potable Water from Urine for Space Applications. Space 92, Proceedings of the Third International Conference. Vol II: 1680.

Yung, JE, Miller, CL, and Holland, PJ. 1992. Microbial Analysis of Water Extracted from Urine. Space 92, Proceedings of the Third International Conference. Vol III: 109.

Sandlin, DE, Holland, PJ, Bird, DM, and Miller, CL. 1992. Recovery of Potable Water from Wastewater. Space 92, Proceedings of the Third International Conference. Vol III: 101.

Wians, FH, Miller, CL, Heald, JJ, and Clark H. 1988. Evaluation of a Direct Spectrophotometric Procedure for Quantitating Plasma, Hemoglobin. Laboratory Medicine 19 (3): 151-155.

Lyons, C, Katz, S, and Bartha, R. 1985. Persistence and Mutagenic Potential of Herbicide-Derived Aniline Residues in Pond Water. Bull. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 35: 696-703.

Lyons, C, Katz, S, and Bartha, R. 1985. Fate of Herbicide-Derived Aniline Residues During Ensilage. Bull. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 35: 704-710.

Lyons, C, Katz, S, and Bartha, R. 1984. Rates and Mechanisms of Aniline Elimination from Aquatic Systems. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 48: 491-496.