The Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, or APIC, announced that Susan A. Dolan, RN, MS, CIC, hospital epidemiologist at Children’s Hospital Colorado, will serve as the organization’s president in 2016.

“We are pleased that Susan Dolan will lead our association,” Katrina Crist, MBA, CAE, APIC chief executive officer, said in a press release. “Ms. Dolan has served APIC in numerous capacities, including president of the APIC Mile High (Colorado) chapter, chair of APIC’s Public Policy Committee, senior adviser to APIC’s Regulatory Review Panel, and as an APIC Board of Directors member. Her experience, knowledge, and passion for infection prevention position her well to lead APIC and to advance APIC’s mission of creating a safer world through the prevention of infection.”

During her 20-year career, Dolan authored more than 30 peer-reviewed publications and abstracts on various topics such as pediatric neurosurgical shunt infections, prevention of central line-associated bloodstream infections in specialty populations, pediatric Clostridium difficile, injection safety, public policy and infection control in anesthesia. She worked with both local and national infection prevention groups and has made several contributions in infection control, including the development of Colorado’s first health care-associated infection reporting bill in 2006, according to the release. During an outbreak investigation, Dolan discovered that contaminated alcohol prep pads were the source of infection, which resulted in an international recall and changes in industry standards. Her investigative work earned her a Group Recognition Award from the FDA Office of Regulatory Affairs in 2012.

Dolan earned numerous other awards and honors including APIC Hero of Infection Prevention Award in 2006, APIC President’s Distinguished Service Award in 2012 and the 2012 SHEA Advanced Practice Infection Preventionist Award. She also received the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment’s first Infection Prevention Champion Award in 2011, the Colorado Nightingale Luminary Award in 2012, and various awards and recognitions from Children’s Hospital Colorado.