Inspiring the Next Generation: The Importance of Outreach in Lab Animal Science for Students

About this Webinar:

In this presentation, Ms. Kachellek will share her personal journey of becoming more involved in lab animal outreach and the steps she took to address significant gaps in education surrounding this important topic. Ms. Kachellek will also discuss the development of an educational program designed to engage students of various age groups, fostering a deeper understanding of lab animal science and ethics.

About our Presenter:

Andrea Kachellek, BS, RLATG, CMAR, is a Senior Supervisor in Comparative Medicine at AbbVie Inc., North Chicago, Illinois. Since joining AbbVie in 2017, Andrea has led a dedicated team of animal care technicians and overseen an animal facility supporting oncology and imaging research. Her career in laboratory animal science began in 2006 at the Medical College of Wisconsin, where she rose from animal care technician to trainer and supervisor.

Andrea brings deep expertise in managing germ free, barrier, and biocontainment (including ABSL-3) facilities, with a strong focus on staff training and developing innovative training materials, including becoming a certified Everything DiSC Practitioner. She is passionate about outreach within the laboratory animal science (LAS) community—a commitment that has grown since 2018. Andrea’s leadership and dedication have made a lasting impact on advancing standards, collaboration, and education in her field.