From Central Office
Meet the new members of the Young Professionals Council
Late last year - we conducted interviews for new members of the Young Professional Council. After careful consideration, we selected 5 new members, get to know them a little better below!
Zainab Harb - Eastern Mediterranean
Zainab is an American board certified clinical and anatomic pathologist based in Bahrain. She is currently finishing her fellowship in blood banking and transfusion medicine in the United States. She obtained her medical degree from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland - Medical University of Bahrain. She is interested in Cellular Therapies, Therapeutic Apheresis and Hemotherapy. She is an active member of many pathology societies including Association for the Advancements of Blood and Biotherapies (AABB), College of American Pathologists (CAP), American Society of Clinical Pathology (ASCP), American Society for Apheresis (ASFA), United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology (USCAP) and European Society of Pathology (ESP). She is actively involved in research and academics and is very passionate about teaching pathology to medical students, residents as well as laboratory technicians.
Maria Roussakis - Western Pacific
Maria graduated with a Bachelor of Health Science in Medical Laboratory Science from the University of Ontario Institute of Technology, and a Master of Science in Health Science Education from McMaster University. She has worked in clinical laboratories in both Canada and Australia. She currently works as a Lecturer in Transfusion Science and Haematology within the Medical Laboratory Science program at the University of Southern Queensland. Maria is passionate about improving clinical transfusion practice as a member of the Australian & New Zealand Society of Blood Transfusion (ANZSBT) Clinical Transfusion Practice committee. She is also engaged in several Working Parties within the ISBT, and is committed to advancing the field through education and practice.
Paula Janica M. Montañano - Western Pacific
Paula Janica M. Montañano is a Science Research Specialist at the Department of Health’s Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM), working within the Pathology Department’s Transfusion Transmissible Infections–National Reference Laboratory in the Philippines. Her role focuses on ensuring the safety of blood transfusions through confirmatory testing for transfusion-transmissible infections (TTIs). She also facilitates HIV and TTI proficiency training, supports the External Quality Assessment Scheme, and conducts research. Passionate about advancing blood safety, Paula is dedicated to improving research and practices that enhance the quality and safety of blood donations.
Poojan Joshi - North America
Poojan Joshi is a research assistant at Canadian Blood Services and a Master’s candidate in applied social psychology at the University of Guelph. Under the mentorship of Drs. Jennie Haw and Kelly Holloway, she is developing expertise in donation studies and qualitative methodologies. Poojan has contributed to several donation-focused projects, including Addressing Systemic Barriers to Donation for South Asian Communities and Genetic Sequencing of Blood Donors: Donors’ Views. Poojan is passionate about raising awareness of the importance of social science in transfusion medicine, fostering international knowledge-sharing collaborations, and addressing global challenges and inequities in blood donation.
Tayler Van Denakker - North America
Tayler is a board-certified transfusion medicine physician and hematopathologist based in New York, USA. After completing medical school, she specialized in pathology, completing subspecialty fellowship training in hematopathology at Weill-Cornell Medical Center in 2021 and in transfusion medicine at The Johns Hopkins Hospital in 2022. She currently holds a position as assistant professor at The Mount Sinai Hospital. Her interest in transfusion medicine stems from its significant clinical impact on diverse patient populations, particularly through blood transfusion and cellular therapy. Tayler’s clinical and research focus centers on the management of sickle cell disease with an interest in the role of cellular and gene therapies. She is also deeply committed to advancing blood safety through hemovigilance, with a goal of ensuring equitable access to safe blood, globally. Driven by a deep passion for connecting people, Tayler strives to empower individuals and teams by fostering collaboration and creating opportunities for growth and improvement within the field of transfusion medicine. Outside of medicine, Tayler has a passion for adventure. She loves to travel and explore new destinations, cultures, and languages. She also enjoys spending time outdoors – hiking and running allows her to stay connected with nature. Although, when she isn’t on the move, she finds balance and solace in a good book.
