22nd Annual AFQAM Training Conference, Dallas, TX

The 22nd Annual AFQAM Training Conference will be held in Dallas, TX on October 17-20, 2023 at the Dallas/Addison Marriott Quorum by the Galleria (room rate $164/night). Information on conferences beyond 2023 can be found on the Training Opportunities page. Conference details and registration are posted in the late spring of each year.

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Registration Information

Attendance Cost	Member (after 9/16/2023)	Non-Member (after 9/16/2023)
In-Person	$400 ($450)	$450 ($500)
Virtual*	$300 ($350)	$350 ($400)

*For Virtual Attendees: There will be a curated Live Stream Presentation provided

Note: Attendance to Breakout Sessions limited for virtual attendees

The following Breakout Sessions will be live-streamed:

8:00am – 10:00am, Risk Management with David Feist (ANAB)
10:30am – 12:30pm, Measurement Traceability and Measurement Uncertainty with Laurel Farrell
2:00pm – 4:00pm, Measure Quality Effectively to Drive Excellence with Aimee Grimaldi
4:00pm – 5:30pm, The Rest of the Iceberg: Assessment Logistics with Sara Walker

Registration refunds will be applied according to the following schedule:

Accommodation and Travel

Accommodation

Dallas/Addison Marriott Quorum by the Galleria
14901 Dallas Parkway
Dallas, TX 75254
972-661-2800

Please use the link above to reserve your room in order to obtain the group rate of $164/night. The last day to book to obtain this rate is September 25, 2023.

Special room rates effective from Sunday, October 15, 2023 through Saturday, October 21, 2023.

Travel

From Dallas-Forth Worth (DFW) Airport, THIS LINK will take you to available ground transportation options to and from the airport and the hotel.
– As of July 3, 2023, Lyft estimate was $35-42 one-way.
From Dallas Love Field (DAL) Airport, THIS LINK will take you to available ground transportation options to and from the airport and the hotel.
– As of July 3, 2023, Lyft estimate was $15-18 one-way.

Registration

REGISTRATION HAS CLOSED FOR THE YEAR. SEE YOU NEXT YEAR IN DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA!

REGISTER FOR THE CONFERENCE HERE

REGISTER FOR THE EVENING EVENT HERE

If paying by invoice, please put the attendee(s)’ name in the Description box when prompted.

 

Conference Agenda

Monday, October 16th – Pre-conference Workshops

Time	Topic	Speaker	Cost	Register
8:00am – 4:00pm	Implementing an Effective Nonconforming Work Program	Tim Osborne, A2LA Workplace Training	$295	Register
9:00am – 12:00pm	Employing your LIMS/FIMS to Support Your ISO 17025 Accreditation including a Demo of the LabVantage Forensic Navigator	Robin MacDonald, LabVantage	Free	Register
9:00am – 1:00pm	An Introduction to Forensic Lean Six Sigma	Mahindra Varma	$245	Register
1:00pm – 4:30pm	Performing a Gap Analysis	David Feist, ANAB	$125	Register
3:00pm – 4:30pm	The Art of Quality: Mastering Ideagen’s Qualtrax Dynamic QMS	Scott Renkes, Qualtrax	Free	Register
6:00pm – 8:00pm	Registration		Hospitality Suite

Tuesday, October 17th – General Session

Time	Topic	Speaker
6:00am – 8:30am	Registration and Breakfast Provided
8:00am – 9:00am	Opening Speaker – Why do I do this to Myself Again?	Peter Stout
9:00am – 9:30am	Quality Toolbox – Bites 1 and 2; iAuditor and OneNote	Ranee Ho and Alicia Otto
9:30am – 10:15am	Investigating Employee Performance Nonconformities	Michal Pierce
10:15 – 10:20am 10:20 – 10:45am	Vendor Presentation by JusticeTrax Morning Break with Vendors
10:45am – 11:15am	Developing a Quality Section and Culture	Brady Mills
11:15am – 11:45am	Measuring Quality	Ingrid Dearmore
11:45am – 12:00pm	Calibration Certification from Manufacturers	Neal Schrode
12:00 – 12:15pm 12:15 – 1:15pm 1:15 – 1:30pm	Vendor Presentation by LabVantage Lunch Provided Vendor Presentation by Bruker
1:30pm – 2:30pm	Accrediting Body Updates	Patti Williams and Brittany Rollison
2:30pm – 3:30pm	Quality from Another Perspective – Toyota Production Systems	Michele Thomas
3:30 – 3:40pm 3:40 – 4:00pm 4:00 – 4:10pm 4:10 – 4:25pm	Vendor Presentation by CTS Afternoon Break with Vendors Vendor Presentation by HealthRFID Vendor Presentation by Ron Smith & Associates
4:25pm – 5:10pm	Independent Forensic Laboratory	Peter Stout
6:00pm – 10:00pm	Evening Event at the Frontiers of Flight Museum	Sponsored by CTS

Wednesday, October 18th – General Session

Time	Topic	Speaker
6:30am – 8:30am	Breakfast Provided
8:00am – 9:30am	The New Superior – A Better Way to Be The One in Charge	Keynote Speaker: John Collins
9:30am – 10:30am	All Things QAS	Sandy Shaffer and Lisa Grossweiller
10:30 – 10:45am 10:45 – 10:50am	Morning Break with Vendors Vendor Presentation by 2nd Logic
10:50am – 11:50am	Forensic Science Commissions	Lynn Garcia, Dr. Kathleen Corrado, and Laura Bryant
11:50am – 12:10pm	Quality ToolBox – Bites 3 and 4; Trello and Survey Results	Heather Johnson and Eva King
12:10 – 12:25pm 12:25 – 1:15pm 1:15 – 1:30pm	Vendor Presentation by PinPoint Testing Lunch Provided Vendor Presentation by Advanced Imaging Systems
1:30pm – 2:00pm	Genetic Genealogy	Dixie Peters
2:00pm – 2:30pm	OSAC Updates	Allison Getz
2:30pm – 3:00pm	AAFS Cooperative Checklists	Laurel Farrell
3:00 – 3:05pm 3:05pm – 3:30pm	Vendor Presentation by Pyrovio Afternoon Break with Vendors
3:30pm – 4:15pm	DNA Technical Leader Panel	Shannon Roberts and Stacy McDonald
4:15pm – 5:15pm 6:00pm – 9:00pm	AFQAM Business Meeting Vendor Reception

Thursday, October 19th – Breakout Sessions

Time	Session 1	Session 2	Session 3	Session 4
6:30am – 8:30am	Breakfast Provided
8:00am – 10:00am	Overview of a Blind Quality Control Program in a Forensic Laboratory, Jackie Moral and Callan Hundl	Risk Management, David Feist, ANAB	Measure Quality Effectively to Drive Excellence, Aimee Grimaldi	Validations and Performance Checks – Why, When, and How to do Them, Richard Remy
10:00am – 10:30am	Morning Break with Vendors
10:30am – 12:30pm	Overview of a a Blind Quality Control Program in a Forensic Laboratory, Jackie Moral and Callan Hundl	Risk Management, David Feist, ANAB	The Rest of the Iceberg: Assessment Logistics, Sara Walker	Metrological Traceability and Measurement Uncertainty, Laurel Farrell
12:30pm – 2:00pm	Lunch On Your Own
2:00pm – 4:00pm*	High Performing Quality Management Systems, Chris Krug and David Wright	Implementing a Management Training Program, Abby Schwaderer, Katrina Featherston, Aliece Watts	Measure Quality Effectively to Drive Excellence, Aimee Grimaldi	Metrological Traceability and Measurement Uncertainty, Laurel Farrell
*3:00pm – 3:30pm			Afternoon Break
4:00pm – 5:30pm			The Rest of the Iceberg: Assessment Logistics, Sara Walker	Insights into your Continuous Improvement Journey by Applying a Proven CI Maturity Model, Mahindra Nath Varma, Phil Berry

Friday, October 20th – General Session

Time	Topic	Speaker
6:00am – 8:00am	Breakfast On Your Own
8:00am – 9:00am	Performance Monitoring Panel	Cathy Nigra, Alicia Otto, and Aaron Koning
9:00am – 9:45am	Developing a Common Language for the Categorization, Investigation, and Disclosure of Quality Issues in Forensic Science	Anna Heavey
9:45am – 10:15am	Morning Break
10:15am – 10:45am	Quality Improvement	Burke Burnett
10:45am – 11:30am	The Impact of Leadership Style on the Implementation of an Effective CAPA Program	Mahindra Varma
11:30am – 12:30pm	QA Manager Success Stories	Multiple

Evening Event

Travel with us to an evening of exploration at the Frontiers of Flight Museum. Explore the story of flight with more the 40 air and space vehicles, 20 galleries, and over 35,000 historical artifacts. Enjoy a catered dinner overlooking the museum exhibits and time with your quality colleagues. Space is limited – get your first-class ticket now!