Emory National Primate Center
Meet the Team
Maureen Thompson
Assistant Director
Contact Information
Email: mthomp2@emory.edu
Phone: 404-727-8012
Biography
Maureen is an Associate Director of Environmental Health and Safety Office (EHSO) and the Safety Officer for the Emory National Primate Research Center. Maureen joined the Emory University EHSO team in September 1998. She has been responsible for the Environmental Health and Safety Program at the Emory National Primate Research Center where she provides guidance and oversight for regulatory compliance, environmental health and safety programs and training, safety inspections, risk assessments, and investigations related to employee injuries and exposures. Maureen is a member of the Emory University Institutional Biosafety and Research Safety Committees and represents the EHSO on the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. Maureen began her professional career working as a Neonatal Nurse at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. At Children's Healthcare of Atlanta her professional interests shifted to workplace and occupational safety where she was the Safety Officer for ten years, gaining valuable experience in healthcare health and safety. For more than 25 years, Maureen has worked in the field of occupational health and safety where she has been instrumental in developing and implementing policies and procedures to support a safe and healthy work place. Maureen received her Bachelor's degree in Nursing from Widener University in Pennsylvania. She is a Certified Occupational Health Nurse and a Registered Biosafety Professional. Maureen received the Emory University Award of Distinction in 2005 and was a graduate of the Woodruff Leadership Academy in 2008.
Tracey Fountain
Training and Compliance Coordinator
Contact Information
Email: tracey.fountain@emory.edu
Office: 404-727-1305
Biography
Ms. Fountain is the Training and Compliance Coordinator (TCC) for the EPC Safety Office. Ms. Fountain joined the EPC in 2012; she previously worked in Emory EHSO, Environmental Compliance for 5 years and for 7 years at EPC in a non-human primate neurophysiology lab. She is the Co-Chair of the EPC Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) Committee, participates with the EPC Safety Committee, and collaborates with the Emory EHSO. Her responsibilities include monitoring and maintaining employee compliance with required training programs, managing the Quality Assurance (QA) program, conducting on-going QA monitoring events, and oversight for Center-wide SOPs. She is responsible for compiling the results of these programs and reporting to the EPC Safety Committee. She has a Bachelor of Science in Anthropology and Human Biology from Emory University as well as a Master's in Public Health from Emory's Rollins School of Public Health.
Joy Eberhardt
Administrative Assistant
Contact Information
Email: joyinette.eberhardt@emory.edu
Phone: 404-727-9318
Biography
Ms. Eberhardt joined EPC in 2017 as the Administrative Assistant with 13 years of experience, 9 of those years working in healthcare. She is responsible for managing the new employee health assessments and clearances, EPC OHS IACUC, as well as the Center's tuberculosis (TB) and serum banking programs. She provides administrative support to the EPC Safety Office and is responsible for monitoring the office's budget and ordering personal protective equipment. Ms. Eberhardt is also responsible for scheduling occupational health appointments, trainings, and meetings.
Kalpana Patel
Containment Manager
Contact Information
Email: kalpana.patel@emory.edu
Phone: 404-727-1377
Biography
Ms. Patel has been the EPC Containment Manager (CM) since 2014. Ms. Patel previously managed the EPC Virology Core/Microbiology and Immunology for 15 years; during which time, she developed the current Virology testing procedures and managed two of the BSL-3 facilities as well as the radiation room. She is responsible for the operation, training, monitoring and annual maintenance of (4) BSL-3 facilities and (2) ABSL-3 facilities, and the MPTP suite. Ms. Patel collaborates with the EHSO Research Safety Office to prepare for APHIS/USDA and CDC permit inspections. Kalpana has a Bachelor of Science in Molecular Biology from Georgia Institute of Technology and is a Registered Biosafety Professional with ABSA (American Biological Safety Association International). She is active with Southeastern Biological Safety Association (SEBSA) and served as president in 2021. She is also 2020 graduate of the Emerging Leaders at Emory Program.
Demario Banks
Lead Biohazard Waste Handling Specialist
Contact Information
Email: demario.banks@emory.edu
Office: 404-727-7773
Biography
Mr. Banks is the Biohazard Waste Handling Specialist, Lead. He joined the EPC Safety Office in 2017 and is responsible for collecting and packaging biohazard waste, conducting weekly eyewash station inspections and stocking personal protective equipment. Mr. Banks maintains regulatory documents for shipping of regulated medical waste.