2026 ELAP Symposium Brings Environmental Laboratory Professionals Together in Brea, California
The International Accreditation Service (IAS) hosted the 2026 ELAP Symposium on September 24, 2026, at the Embassy Suites North Orange County in Brea, California. The event brought together environmental laboratory professionals, accreditation experts, assessors, and industry representatives for a day of technical presentations, panel discussions, and interactive learning focused on the evolving needs of environmental laboratories.
The symposium featured a keynote presentation by Jerry Parr, Executive Director of The NELAC Institute, on anticipated changes to the 2016 TNI Laboratory Accreditation Standard. The program also included remarks from Duncan Millar of IAS and Michael Head of the Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (ELAP), highlighting the importance of partnership and collaboration in supporting laboratory quality and accreditation.
Practical approaches to laboratory quality systems were a key focus of the program. Tony Francis, IAS instructor and assessor, presented guidance on developing effective corrective action plans, while Jacques Anikadjian, founder and CEO of PLCY AI, explored the responsible use of artificial intelligence in environmental laboratories, including privacy, traceability, and human oversight. Sushmitha Reddy, Manager of Laboratories at the Inland Empire Utilities Agency, discussed how laboratory data can be used beyond regulatory compliance to address real-world water quality challenges.
The symposium also provided opportunities for participants to share experiences and perspectives through two panel discussions. The “Meet the Lab Managers” panel, moderated by Duncan Millar, featured Sushmitha Reddy, Prem Parmar, and Alexander Chieh. The “Meet the Assessors” panel, moderated by Harry Makam, brought together Tony Francis, Heather Tohinaka, and Michael Hintz to discuss assessment-related topics and perspectives.
Additional presentations addressed emerging technologies and tools for laboratory operations, the importance of laboratory branding, and preparation for California ELAP’s transition to Standard Methods, 24th Edition. Speakers included Alexander Chieh, Laboratory Supervisor for the City of San José; Burr Brown, Managing Director of Crystalbrooke International Inc.; and Heather Tohinaka, ELAP/TNI Program Manager, Technical, IAS. The program concluded with an interactive ELAP Trivia Jeopardy game led by Michael Hintz, ELAP assessor at IAS.
Through its combination of technical guidance, industry expertise, and peer-to-peer discussion, the 2026 ELAP Symposium provided a forum for environmental laboratory professionals to examine accreditation developments, explore emerging technologies, and exchange practical insights for strengthening laboratory quality systems. The event underscored the value of collaboration and continued professional development in supporting reliable environmental testing and maintaining confidence in laboratory results.
