Melissa Duong

About Melissa Duong

The laboratory is a complex space within an interconnected healthcare ecosystem. As laboratory personnel step into management roles, it becomes essential to advocate for the lab and integrate diagnostic expertise with systems-level thinking. One way to achieve this is through effective communication, including the use of “code switching” – the deliberate adaptation of language to suit different audiences in order to explain complex ideas, apply business concepts, promote change, and build stakeholder buy-in.

At the 2025 Labvine Laboratory Management Seasonal School, I presented this concept to a global audience of laboratory professionals. Most laboratory leaders are considered “expert leaders,” bringing together three key strengths: technical knowledge, industry knowledge, and leadership capability. Of these, leadership is the area where many require deliberate development, given the lack of formal training opportunities. By strengthening leadership communication, laboratory leaders can better align teams, reinforce social messages, improve engagement, and foster resilience – bridging the purpose gap within their organizations. Through conference teaching and mentorship, I aim to help raise these skills across the laboratory community.

Positioning the laboratory effectively also requires a broad set of tools – not only to meet business goals but also to elevate awareness of the profession itself. Recently, I served as a next-generation panelist at the Women in Quality event, where I shared strategies for implementing process improvement in laboratories, especially when faced with resistance to change.

Currently, I serve as Associate Director of Anatomic Pathology at Penn Medicine Chester County. I also hold leadership roles including Chair-Elect of the American Society for Quality (ASQ) Philadelphia Section, Chair of the American Association of Pathologists’ Assistants (AAPA) Administration Committee, and Board Member of RSVP Volunteers. In addition, I am pursuing an MBA and have earned ASQ certification as a Six Sigma Green Belt.

These diverse experiences provide me with multiple perspectives on leadership, communication, and process improvement. My goal is to guide the laboratory toward sustainable excellence by developing leaders who not only manage tasks, but also advocate for the profession, inspire their teams, and drive lasting progress across health care.