About Us
Become A Part of Our Great Community
The Tennessee Association of Blood Banks, TABB was established in 1971 as a not-for-profit organization of blood bank and transfusion medicine professionals and other individuals working in this field. It was organized to provide a forum for exchanging ideas and information relating to all phases of blood banking, to promote high standards of service to the people of Tennessee and surrounding areas, and to provide guidance, education, publicity, information, and assistance to its members.
Our mission is to:
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Provide A Forum
Provide a forum for the exchange of ideas and information relating to blood banking and biotherapies.
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Promote The Establishment
Promote the establishment and observation of high standards of service.
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Provide Guidance
Provide guidance for education and the public
What We Do
Educate Prospective Students About Our Profession
Medical laboratory scientists save lives by performing testing on both blood collected from donors and on patient samples. Through their work, donors are tested for blood type and various infectious diseases. When patients need a blood transfusion, medical laboratory scientists perform the testing to find compatible units.
Encourage Networking and Collaborative Efforts
- Partnering throughout the state to share ideas and knowledge to help ensure best possible patient care. Live meetings help bond relationships across the state, allowing academic support in multiple areas of blood banking
- Partnering with manufacturers to promote innovative tools and supplies for the profession
- Partnering to promote blood donation to provide vital components to save lives
Our Collaborative Efforts Save Lives.
Organizing Annual Meetings
Provide Educational Opportunities
TABB is dedicated to promoting and providing continuing education opportunities in multiple areas of blood banking and transfusion medicine. We host conferences every year, usually in the spring and again in the fall. Both members and non-members are welcome to attend for professional development and access to multiple vendors. Here you can gain insight or enhance your knowledge of the evolving changes in the field both scientifically and politically.
Awards
Support Education Through Scholarship
The Clifford I. Argall scholarship was established in honor of Dr. Clifford I. Argall, who was one of the pioneers of the Tennessee Association of Blood Banks (TABB). He was very innovative and well-published. TABB awards $1000 annually to encourage and support students enrolled in certificate, undergraduate, and graduate degree programs in laboratory medicine. Applicants must not have completed their degree before the scholarship is awarded.
Each year TABB honors a person for rendering a significant and lasting contribution to blood banking in the state of Tennessee.
Awards
Lemuel W. Diggs Award
Lemuel Diggs attended Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine where he received his medical degree in 1925. He became a University of Tennessee in Memphis faculty member in 1929 and then became Director of Medical Laboratories. Diggs helped create the first blood bank in the South in 1938 in Memphis. This was only the fourth blood bank in the US. He also helped Danny Thomas create the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in 1962 in Memphis.
Each year TABB honors a person for rendering a significant and lasting contribution to blood banking in the state of Tennessee.
Grace Neitzer Memorial Lecture
Each year TABB honors the legacy of Grace Neitzer with a memorial lecture. Born in 1919, Neitzer was a widely known and respected specialist in and teacher of blood-banking. Neitzer completed a degree in medical laboratory technology and joined two pathologists to supervise a blood center in the Detroit area. She was in the first group of medical technologists to become a Specialist in Blood Banking. She worked on first edition of AABB’s (then American Association of Blood Banks) “Standards for Blood Banks and Transfusion Services” which is now in its 21st edition.
TABB Cares
Support Tennessee Communities
TABB Cares is an annual contribution program to aid a mission service center in the city hosting the conference. Contributions are provided to services such as area homeless shelters and food banks
Join Us In Supporting Our Blood Donation Centers
Donate blood and be the reason for someone’s existence.
- Tennessee Valley Region
- 2201 Charlotte Avenue,
- Nashville, TN 37203.
- Tennessee Valley Region
- 2201 Charlotte Avenue,
- Nashville, TN 37203.
Become A TABB Member
Get involved with our organization by becoming a registered member.
Join Us to Make A Difference In Our Communities Today!
Our members consist of physicians, scientists, technologists, administrators, students, donor recruiters, and personnel involved in all the various other aspects of blood banking, hospitals, and blood donor centers.
Meet Our
Board Of Directors
Jim Decker
Current President
CEO of MEDIC Regional Blood Center
Elizabeth Culler
Former President
Chief Medical Officer at Blood Assurance
Jennifer Price
Treasurer
Medical Technologist III
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
Gina Humphreys
Middle TN Rep
Director of Technical Services O- Blood Donor
Stephanie Reynolds
East TN Rep
m
Dr Eleanor Jator
Past President
Professor, Medical Laboratory Science APSU
Denise Burke
West TN Rep
Professor, Medical Laboratory Science APSU
Vonya Drinnon
Past President
m
Amanda Miller
West TN Rep
Professor, Medical Laboratory Science APSU
Dr Thomas Watkins
East TN Rep
Chief Medical Officer
Medic Regional Blood Center
Amanda Miller
West TN Rep
Professor, Medical Laboratory Science APSU
Vonya Drinnon
Past President
m
Lonna Monroe
TABB Position3
Day Jop Title 3
Melanie Wooten
Education coordinator
Day Jop Title 3
Natalie Donvanne
Middle TN Rep
Day Jop Title 3
Katie Cantrell
West TN Rep
Day Jop Tilte2
- 03/24-25/2023
- 8am - 5pm
- Embassy Suites Knoxville West, 9621 Parkside Drive, Knoxville, TN 37922