From the labs in which we study emerging pathogens to the restaurants, hotels and hospitals where we eat, stay work and heal, Ecolab brings comprehensive, science-based solutions to promote good hygiene in our customers’ operations and help prevent the spread of disease.
Public Health & Hand Hygiene
Infection Prevention
Preventing the spread of infection in healthcare settings and creating sterile environments for pharmaceutical manufacturing processes requires scientific disinfection expertise, total decontamination solutions, and an emphasis on process, training and compliance measurement.
Karoline Sperling
Expertise: Clinical Healthcare Experience, Infection prevention, Public Health, Microbiology
Karoline Sperling is the professional clinical services manager at Ecolab. In her role, Ms. Sperling provides direction on generating clinical evidence, partnering with healthcare organizations, associations, and key opinion leaders, and incorporating best practices into Ecolab healthcare programs and solutions.
Ms. Sperling holds a Master of Public Health in Environmental Health and Bachelor of Science in Medical Technology from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. She has over 15 years of experience in infection prevention and control in a variety of patient care settings, such as acute, ambulatory, surgery, and behavioral health, as well as specialized patient populations like pediatrics, burn and home care.
Ms. Sperling is currently a member of AHE, APIC, AORN and SHEA. She has been board-certified in Infection Prevention and Control (CIC) since 2013 and has earned the Fellow of APIC designation.
Chris Berridge
Expertise: Bio-decontamination Solutions
Chris Berridge is a global technical consultant for Ecolab’s Life Sciences business. In his role, Berridge is the bio-decontamination specialist in Ecolab’s team of Global Technical Consultants where he is a technical subject matter expert on Ecolab’s Bioquell hydrogen peroxide vapor bio-decontamination technology, as well as Ecolab’s range of bio-decontamination products and services and their uses in the life sciences and healthcare markets.
Berridge has more than eight years of experience developing bio-decontamination solutions, including Ecolab’s Bioquell technology. He also has experience working in graded cleanrooms for pharmaceutical manufacturing as well as biosafety laboratories and biomedical facilities.
Berridge received a bachelor’s in biomedical sciences with honors from the University of Kent.
Andy Cooper, Ph.D.
Expertise: Microbiology, Infection Prevention Research, Innovation
Dr. Andy Cooper is senior vice president of Research, Development & Engineering (RD&E) for Ecolab’s Global Institutional and Specialty groups, serving a wide range of customers including hotels, restaurants, long-term care facilities, schools, commercial buildings, and grocery markets.
In this role, Dr. Cooper leads teams to develop innovation portfolios and to commercialize new solutions that create value for customers while sustainably growing Ecolab businesses.
Dr. Cooper joined Ecolab in 1998 and has been responsible for diverse innovation and customer support teams across Ecolab’s corporate technology, industrial, healthcare, life sciences and institutional groups. He is in the Ecolab Inventors Hall of Fame and gets his energy from seeing new products in the wild.
Dr. Cooper holds a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in microbiology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Ellie Wishart
Expertise: Hand Hygiene, Infection Prevention
Ellie Wishart is a microbiologist and infection control consultant at Ecolab. In her role, Wishart is responsible for building scientific data, real world evidence and clinical practices that support Ecolab’s programs and works to empower education and practical knowledge and best practices in infection prevention.
Wishart holds a degree in microbiology from University College in Dublin, Ireland.
John Hanlin, Ph.D.
Expertise: Food Safety. GMPS, Preventative Controls, Water Safety, Legionnaire's Disease
Dr. John Hanlin, vice president, Research, Development and Engineering (RD&E) for food safety, supporting Ecolab’s Global Food & Beverage division. He supports the Division’s food safety platforms and works extensively with Ecolab’s customers and account teams as a public health consultant. His subject matter expertise in GMP food safety and public health provides the foundation for both a divisional and enterprise-wide view of the world’s greatest challenges from infectious disease.
A major focus of his efforts centers on food and waterborne pathogens including Salmonella, Listeria and the bacteria that cause Legionnaires’ disease. Dr. Hanlin is highly engaged with leaders in food safety outside the company. He has built strong relationships with government agencies, academic partners and industry trade association groups.
During his tenure with Ecolab, Dr. Hanlin,
- Established Ecolab’s global public health platform.
- Enabled Nalco Water to be recognized by the U.S. CDC as a public/private partner.
- Delivered more than 200 customer and industry presentations in food safety and public health.
- Published articles on food safety, sanitation practices, Legionella and other waterborne pathogens.
Dr. Hanlin is a member of the International Association for Food Protection.
Dr. Hanlin received a bachelor’s degree in biology and microbiology from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, an MBA from Temple University and a Ph.D. in biology and microbiology from Syracuse University.
Expert Perspectives
A Case Study in Advancing Patient Room Cleaning
Public Health & Hand Hygiene
If the COVID-19 pandemic taught us anything, it is that public health and hand hygiene matters. It’s a visible solution that guests expect to see when they check in to a hotel or for a dinner reservation. And good hygiene practices and culture helps keep teams healthy during flu season and prevents the risk of exposure to germs in any environment.
Elaine Black, Ph.D.
Expertise: Public Health Policy, Food Safety, Microbiology, Disinfection
Dr. Elaine Black is director of food safety and public health for Ecolab. Dr. Black is a public health specialist and microbiologist who currently leads food safety and public health program and policy initiatives, which includes external engagement with key customers and professional organizations.
Formerly director of Agency Relations for Ecolab’s Regulatory team, Dr. Black has worked closely with the EPA on science-based policymaking in the areas of disinfection methodology, food safety, biofilm, Legionella and C. difficile.
Dr. Black received a bachelor’s degree in food science and a Ph.D. in food microbiology from University College Cork in Ireland.
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With unparalleled expertise and cutting-edge technology, we partner with customers to deliver world-class results and optimized operations. Contact us to learn how we can help you.
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Phone: +1-800-352-5326
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