Susan Flappan, MT, CIH

11020 W 122nd Street     Overland Park, Kansas 66213     (913) 322-2237           fax: (866) 576-2719

 

EducationAL BACKGROUND:

Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois.  Bachelor of Science in Medical Technology, 1977.

Central Missouri State University, Warrensburg, Missouri.  Masters of Science in Industrial Hygiene, August, 1994. 

 

WORK Experience:

December 1999 to present.  INDOOR AIR QUALITY/  INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE CONSULTANT;  MOLD SPORE ANALYST

FLAPPAN CONSULTING, INC., Overland Park, Kansas.

Independent consultant conducting indoor air quality assessments for residences, schools and businesses.  Company owns laboratory performing environmental fungal analysis using microscopy.  Additionally talks given to public health organizations regarding indoor air quality, allergens and fungi. Also performs industrial hygiene surveys (noise measurements, environmental chemical surveys, etc.).  Company sells a do-it-yourself mold test kit (MOLDetect) on the Internet and through WW Grainger catalog.

 

April 1997 to December 1999.  INDOOR AIR QUALITY CONSULTANT

CHILDREN’S MERCY HOSPITAL, ALLERGY SECTION, Kansas City, Missouri.

Design, implement and coordinate all aspects of an indoor air quality program in the homes, schools or offices of asthmatic or allergic individuals.  Collect air and bulk samples, perform microscopic lab analysis, write reports summarizing the data and interpretation of findings, and make cost-effective recommendations to remediate problem areas identified.

 

October 1994 to April 1996.  INDUSTRIAL HYGIENIST. 

DS Industries, Shawnee, Ks.  (diversified businesses with print shop, environmental lab, remediation, medical waste service, recycling, rock processing, weld shop, body & paint shop, mechanic and tire shop)

Duties included: a) air and noise monitoring surveys, including indoor air quality testing; b) writing safety programs; c) investigating community or employee health-related complaints; d) managing employee medical records; e) making recommendations to reduce or eliminate health or safety hazards (engineering controls); f) keeping Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) books current; g) designing safe protocols for confined space entry; h) researching information pertaining to health and safety issues; i) training employees about safety and health hazards on the job.

 

September 1978 to October 1992. MEDICAL TECHNOLOGIST

Physicians Reference Laboratory/St. Joseph Hosp., Kansas City, Missouri

Prime Health Central Laboratory, Kansas City, Missouri.

University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas.

Medical Technologist for 15 years at reference, hospital and research laboratories.  Experienced in diagnostic procedures from all sections of the clinical lab (Microbiology, Hematology, Chemistry, Immunology, Blood Bank, Urinalysis, RIA, and Research).  Applied technical knowledge to analyze and interpret laboratory data.

 

HONORS:

Publications:

Infant Pulmonary Hemorrhage in a Suburban Home with Water Damage and Mold (Stachybotrys atra), Susan Flappan, J Portnoy, P Jones, C Barnes. Environmental Health Perspectives, November 1999.

 

Improved Asthma Control Following Remediation of Environmental Stachybotrys Contamination, CM Miller, SM Flappan, JM Portnoy. Pulmonary Reviews, April 1999.

 

A Procedure For Evaluation of The Indoor Environment, Portnoy J., Flappan S., Barnes C. Aerobiologia 17 (1) p.43-48 March 2001

 

Media interviews (television/ newspaper):

·         Discovery Health Channel, "Diagnosis Unknown: Home Invasion", March '03

·         Channel 5 Chicago “Home Sick Home”, series regarding Stachybotrys and IPH, Feb ‘00.

·         KC Star Newspaper, July 4, 1999, Mystery illnesses linked to a water-loving fungus:  See http://www.kcstar.com/item/pages/home.pat,local/3773a9dc.703,.html

·         Dateline NBC, Conquering Indoor Allergies”, June 15, ‘99

 

Presentations given:

·         “The Millionaire Dollar House—A Case Study”, Pan American Aerobiology Assn, San Diego, August 2011

·         “Tape Lift Samples to Screen for Mold”, Pan American Aerobiology Assn, KCMO, July 2009

·         "Mold Matters", AHSI, Lenexa, Kansas, September 2008

·         “Mold Matters”, Missouri Environmental Health Assn Conference, Osage Beach, Mo., October 2005

·          “Sampling, Analysis, and Data Interpretation,” Mid America AIHA Mold Seminar, KCK, Nov. ‘02.

·         “The Fungus Among Us”, NARI (Nat’l Assn of Remodeling Industry), KC, Mo., July 2002.

·         “Accurate Mold Evaluation by Air and Surface Sampling”, AIHCE Conference, San Diego, CA, June ‘02

·         “Indoor Air and Mold”, Missouri Milk, Food & Environmental Health Conference, Columbia, Mo., Ap 02.

·         “Indoor Air and Stachybotrys”, Missouri Environmental Health Assn Conference, Ozarks, Missouri, Oct. ‘01

·         Mold and Mildew in Indoor Environments - Why the big fuzz and what should we do about it?” American Public Health Association, Boston, Nov. ’00.

·         “IAQ: Asthma and Allergen Control”, US EPA and U. of Tulsa, May ‘00, KCMO.

·         “Sampling Indoor Environments of Asthmatics”, EPA Annual Regional Meeting, Dec. ’99, KCKS.

·         “Sampling Indoor Environments of Asthmatics”, American Public Health Assn, Nov 99, Chicago, Ill.

·         “IAQ in the Home: Impact on Allergies, Asthma and Health”, Leadbusters Healthy Homes, Sept. ’99.

·         Technical Session: “IAQ Testing in Residences”, AIHA Conference, Toronto, Canada, June 1999

·         “Assessment & Abatement of Fungal Allergens”, American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (AAAAI) Annual Meeting, March ‘99, Orlando, Fla.

·          “Allergen Assessments in Asthmatic Patients’ Homes”, KC Allergy Society, Nov ‘98.

·         “Home Allergen and Respiratory Irritant Assessment”, Cox Medical, Springfield, Mo., May ‘98.

·         “Environmental Controls for Allergies”, Stormont-Vail Health Center, Topeka, Kansas, May ‘98.

·         “Health Effects of Microbials”, Mid-America Chapter, AIHA, October 1997.

 

Professional organization (AIHA MID America) offices held:

·         AIHA Mid-America Secretary 2009-2010

·         AIHA Mid-America President-elect 2010- 2011

·         AIHA Mid-America President 2011-2012

 

aDDITIONAL tRAINING:

·         6th International “Bioaerosols, Fungi, Bacteria, Mycotoxins and Human Health”, Saratoga Springs, Sept. 2011

·         Pan-American Aerobiology Conference, San Diego, CA, August 2011

·         Healthcare Environmental Management course and certification, August 2006

·         IESO Mold Inspector Course, Olathe, Kansas, September ‘05

·         Pan-American Aerobiology: a) Workshops “Basidiospores”, “Zygospores”, “Ascospores”,  and “Artifact/non-biological particle identification”; b) Symposium “The Mathematics of Spore Counting for IAQ”, June ‘04

·         5th International Conference on “Bioaerosols, Fungi, Bacteria, Mycotoxins and Human Health”, Saratoga Springs, Sept ‘03.

·         “Indoor Air Quality: Advanced Fungal Spore Identification”, McCrone Research Institute, Chicago, April ‘02

·         “Intermediate Mold Identification”, sponsored by the PAAA, Boston, July ‘01

·         “Managing Molds to Protect People”, KCMO, June ‘01

·         Pan-American Aerobiology Conference and course “Microscopic Identification of Nonbiologicals”, Albany, June ‘00

·         National Science Foundation, “Indoor Air Health Conference”, Denver, May ‘99

·         National Science Foundation Workshops: “Tracer Gas Analysis” & “Ventilation Strategies”, Denver, May ‘99

·         Pan-American Aerobiology Conference and Workshop “Mycology of the Air”, Tucson, Ariz., May ’99

·         American Industrial Hygiene Conferences and Expositions:      

-         May ’10, Denver, Colorado; May ’06, Chicago, Illinois; June ’02, San Diego, California; June ’99, Toronto, Canada; May ’98, Atlanta, Georgia; May '97, Dallas, Texas; May '95, Kansas City, Missouri; May '94, Anaheim, California

·         Asbestos Inspector Certification, November 1997

·         EPA seminars: “Bioaerosols” and “Carbon Monoxide”, September 1997

·         “Indoor Air Quality and HVAC” home study course (J. Burton), December 1996

·         “Indoor Air Quality Solutions", from TSI, November 1995

·         Indoor Air Quality Symposium, "Resolving the Ambiguities", May '94, CA

·         EPA 40-hour Safety/ Health Training, May 1994 (HAZWOPER); 8 hour refresher ’95, ’96

 

PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATIONS:

§  Pan American Aerobiology Association Spore Trap Analyst I, June 2005- present

§  American Board of Industrial Hygiene, Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH), October 1998- present

§  American Society of Clinical Pathologists (ASCP) Registry, 1978- present