The Community. Advancement. Recruitment. Engagement. (CARE) Steering Committee recently completed its second year of bringing staff from across the Wadsworth Center together to develop and execute initiatives that strengthen the laboratory's workforce.
The Steering Committee began with 23 staff representing areas across the Center and has continued to grow, with 25 members participating in its second year. The committee's activities have focused on all aspects of the central CARE mission: Build community, advance careers, promote recruitments, and engage people.
Recent activities include:
- Professional development: Piloted Wadsworth Perspectives, a career-development lunch seminar open to all staff, and launched a peer training series on artificial intelligence and machine learning for scientists involved in reviewing emerging clinical laboratory technologies.
- Outreach: Continued engagement with local schools and colleges through nine outreach sessions, developed reusable outreach resources, and hosted a pilot Wadsworth Friends and Family Speaker Series that featured five presenters. Represented Wadsworth Center at the Albany Tulip Festival for the second consecutive year.
- Staff recognition: Recognized Wadsworth Center Security staff at an all-hands meeting, hosted “Poppin’ with Applause” recognition events, and developed a proposal for a broader peer recognition program.
- Center-wide connection and community service: Hosted the second annual Wadsworth Center Picnic, bringing staff and their families together outside the workplace. Continued Wadsworth Walkers, providing opportunities for staff to connect during lunchtime walks, along with a monthly steps challenge. Participated in the Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Capital Region 5K Family Fun Day. And, organized six volunteer opportunities at the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York to give back to the Capital Region.
The Steering Committee's work has also attracted attention beyond Wadsworth Center. Its approach to engaging staff at scale was featured in the Association of Public Health Laboratories' Lab Matters journal and presented as one of CARE's key developmental initiatives to the Lab Leaders of Today Alumni group.
The Steering Committee demonstrates how staff-led initiatives can complement formal organizational programs and create opportunities for employees to contribute to the Wadsworth Center community in meaningful ways. Through CARE, we are re-building our laboratory workforce to continue serving communities across the state of New York for decades to come.
You can read the full Lab Matters article here: https://aphl.org/our-publications/stories/lab-matters-magazine/article/summer-2026/engaging-staff-at-scale--wadsworth-center-s-care-steering-committee