Belinda Rivera, MLAS, MLS, LVT, CMAR

Belinda Rivera is a Lead Biosafety Professional for the UTMB International Biosafety Training Center. Her primary training courses include ABSL2, ABSL3 and ABSL4.

Belinda has 25+ years of experience in research working with a diversity of animal models. Her work experience includes cardiovascular and cancer research along with surgical and biosafety training in both private industry working and academia. Belinda has been mentored by a board-certified anesthesiologist, pathologist, and laboratory animal medicine veterinarians. She has performed a variety of procedures including animal care, injections, blood collections, anesthesia, instrumentation, data collection, monitoring, recovery, and necropsy. She also has experience in construction and management.

Belinda received her Bachelor of Animal Science degree from Angelo State University, her Associate of Applied Science degree in veterinary technology from Tomball College, a Master of Laboratory Animal Science and Master of Legal Studies from Drexel University. She is a licensed Veterinary Technician and is certified by the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS). Belinda has presented at AALAS, American Biosafety Association (ABSA), and CDC International Symposium on Biosafety conferences. She is a published author in the Journal of the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science, Comparative Medicine, International Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics, and Neoplasia.

Belinda is a member of the Texas Veterinary Medical Association, Texas Branch American Association for Laboratory Animal Science, Southern Biosafety Association, American Association for Laboratory Animal Science, and American Biological Safety Association.

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Corrie Ntiforo, MSPH, RBP

Corrie is a Biosafety Consultant at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) at Galveston, where her duties include select agent laboratories, high and maximum containment facilities, BSL4 Biosafety Training Program and training of healthcare workers to work in hospital biocontainment units with patients infected with Emerging Infectious Diseases (EID). Corrie is HAZWOPER (40 hour) trained, certified as an IATA Dangerous Goods shipper, and trained in FEMA Incident Response.  She is also a voting member of the UTMB Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) and an advisor to the Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC).

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Thomas R. Shelite, MS, PhD

Dr. Shelite is a senior Biosafety Specialist for the UTMB International Biosafety Training Center at Galveston, TX; his primary training courses include BSL2 and BSL3. Thomas is the lead trainer for the theoretical ABSL2/BSL2 courses as well as the full BSL2 and BSL3 courses for UTMB.

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