Vanguard Laboratory brings together analytical chemists, microbiologists and laboratory specialists with backgrounds in pharmaceutical development, public-health testing, food science, environmental analysis and biomedical research. Based in Olympia, Washington, our team works across peptides, research chemicals, supplements, food and beverage products, and water. Our experience includes developing methods, investigating difficult samples and helping clients understand their results. The people below bring that experience to the work we do every day.
Our team practices Kaizen, or continuous improvement. We apply the scientific method to find areas to improve and waste to remove, and that thinking shapes all of our operations, from sample handling and logistics to quality management and the way we communicate with clients. We act on improvements whether they are small or large, and team members at every level of the organization are encouraged to find ways to improve their own work.
In practice that means small, steady changes: we look at how samples move through the lab, where time or material is lost, and where a report or a conversation could be clearer, then change it and see whether it helped.
Our team combines hands-on analytical experience with published research, commercial laboratory leadership and scientific training. Each person contributes a different part of the work, from choosing an appropriate method and preparing a sample to interpreting data and delivering a clear report.
Leadership · Scientific team · Client relations and operations
The people who set the lab’s direction, run its operations and manage its day-to-day work.
Dustin Newman is a chemist, microbiologist and Process Authority with a background in experimental cancer research, Dept of Defense projects and analytical investigations involving nationwide FDA recalls and fatalities. He holds graduate degrees in Microbiology and Chemistry, a foundation for his work developing analytical methods and investigating complex chemical and biological samples. His work has included detecting trace toxins and adulterants in complex products and developing methods to uncover what conventional testing could not adequately measure.
His published research explores genetically altered Salmonella, tumor-cell targeting and bacterial interactions, including a contribution to Methods in Molecular Biology on developing bacterial strains for cancer research.
Dustin has built laboratories, led ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation efforts and expanded analytical and microbiological testing across multiple industries. At Vanguard, he directs scientific work spanning peptides, research chemicals, supplements, food, environmental samples and drinking water. He is listed in the Association of Food and Drug Officials’ Food Processing Authorities Directory, with expertise in acidification, thermal processing, challenge studies and shelf-life evaluation.
Tori Johnson leads the operational side of Vanguard Laboratory, bringing scientific training, practical laboratory experience and a direct approach to getting complicated work done. She oversees sample management, workflow planning, team coordination, quality documentation and report delivery, keeping clients and laboratory staff connected throughout each project.
Before Vanguard, Tori served as an analyst and Operations Manager at the Institute of Food Safety & Defense. Her experience at the bench informs her leadership, giving her an understanding of the technical demands behind a testing request. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Animal Sciences with an emphasis in Chemistry from South Dakota State University.
Beyond the laboratory, Tori has built a respected reputation as a horse trainer and accomplished barrel racer. Her work with horses calls for patience, close observation and decisive judgment under pressure. She brings those same qualities to Vanguard, pairing high expectations with the practical experience to help her team meet them.
Chelsey Weatherill leads Vanguard’s laboratory team with the technical depth of an experienced chemist and the practical judgment of a hands-on laboratory leader. She plays a central role in organizing analysis, supporting scientists, and setting a high standard for how work is done. Her leadership brings clear direction to a busy laboratory while helping individual team members develop their skills and confidence.
Before joining Vanguard, Chelsey served as an Analytical Chemist III and Metals Department Manager at Eurofins. Her experience includes analytical methods, calibration, equipment maintenance and laboratory supervision. She also served as Laboratory Operations Manager at The Evergreen State College, giving her experience across both commercial testing and academic laboratory environments.
Chelsey earned her Bachelor of Science at Evergreen, with an academic background in microbiology and chemistry. Her leadership is grounded in technical understanding, accountability and support for her team.
Chemists, microbiologists and analysts who run the testing and report the results.
Victoria Reddin is a key technical resource at Vanguard, where her primary focus is peptide and small-molecule analysis. She brings experience in analytical instrumentation, method development and data review, supported by a background in laboratory supervision. Her technical knowledge and sound judgment make her an invaluable member of Vanguard’s scientific team.
Before joining Vanguard, Victoria served as Specialty Metals Supervisor at Eurofins, working with ICP-MS/MS and cold-vapor atomic fluorescence. Her responsibilities included training staff, reviewing analytical data, developing methods and supporting quality control. That experience gives her a perspective extending from the details of an individual analysis to the people and processes behind it.
Victoria holds a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science from the University of Washington Tacoma.
Clay Renshaw specializes in the chemistry of peptides, with research examining how molecular structure controls bacterial communication. As first author of a study in ACS Chemical Biology, he investigated the structural features that allow Streptococcus sinensis signaling peptides to activate or inhibit their receptors. His experience spans peptide synthesis, purification, mass-spectrometry characterization and protein biochemistry.
Clay holds a PhD in Chemistry from the University of Nevada, Reno, and a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. His research background adds depth to Vanguard’s understanding of peptide identity, structure and biological activity.
Steve Lund’s career spans peptide research, quantitative method development and the analytical instruments that make those measurements possible. At Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, his work included peptide synthesis, HPLC purity testing and MALDI mass spectrometry. At Weyerhaeuser, he developed methods for profiling proteins and metabolites in complex biological samples.
Steve also worked as a field service specialist at Waters Corporation, installing, repairing and qualifying analytical instruments and training customers in their operation. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Washington State University. His experience gives Vanguard practical depth in both analytical methods and instrument troubleshooting.
Isabelle Tihista brings biotechnology research and assay-development experience to Vanguard’s microbiology team. She is the primary analyst for bacterial testing of food and water and also performs endotoxin and sterility testing for peptide samples.
Before Vanguard, Isabelle worked in Pfizer’s potency assay development group, antibody discovery at Seagen and immunology research at Kineta, where her work included flow cytometry and ELISA. She coauthored published research on KVA12123, an antibody targeting the VISTA immune checkpoint. Isabelle earned her bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Science at the University of Washington, where she investigated the disease-causing mechanisms of Porphyromonas gingivalis.
Isabelle enjoys baking and gardening, hiking and backpacking in warmer weather, and skiing, ice-skating, or playing video games with her husband during the winter.
Katie Sobota brings public-health laboratory experience and a strong foundation in microbiology to Vanguard’s scientific team. Her background includes BSL-3 laboratory work, bioterrorism preparedness and whole-genome sequencing, giving her experience in environments where careful technique, reliable procedures and accurate interpretation are essential.
Before joining Vanguard, Katie worked as a microbiologist at the Washington State Department of Health and as a laboratory assistant in cancer diagnostics at PhenoPath. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Microbiology from East Tennessee State University.
At Vanguard, Katie contributes to the laboratory’s microbiological testing, applying that experience to careful sample handling and the evaluation of microbial results. Her public-health perspective strengthens the team’s ability to investigate contamination concerns and provide dependable information to clients.
Marina Humphrey brings pharmaceutical-development experience and the discipline of GMP laboratory testing to Vanguard’s analytical chemistry team. At Serán BioScience, she performed assay, impurity, dissolution, identity and content-uniformity testing for oral dosage forms, alongside stability studies, method bridging and technical reporting.
Her instrumentation experience includes HPLC, UHPLC, Karl Fischer analysis and troubleshooting. Marina holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from the University of Oregon and is continuing graduate study in analytical chemistry.
Jake Pfeil applies his background in chromatography and food-science research to Vanguard’s analytical testing, with much of his current work focused on HPLC. His experience also includes sample preparation and digestion for ICP-MS metals analysis of supplements, drinking water and wastewater.
His background at Oregon State University includes graduate research and a faculty research role investigating the chemical composition and digestibility of hazelnut skins. That work included HPLC, GC and analytical method development.
Cassie Bailey is an analytical chemist whose environmental-chemistry research informs a broad testing role at Vanguard. As an undergraduate at the University of North Carolina Asheville, she used EPA Method 533 to investigate PFAS contamination in surface water. She graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and went on to earn a Master of Science in Chemistry from Washington State University.
At Vanguard, Cassie’s work includes endotoxin, purity, quantity, heavy-metals and trifluoroacetic acid testing. She also handles water analyses and testing that supports process-authority evaluations, applying her chemistry training across a wide range of samples and testing questions.
Outside the lab, Cassie can often be found picking up litter along hiking trails. She also enjoys reading, crafts, musical theater and time with her dog, Luna.
Frankie Wood-Henrickson’s background spans environmental research, analytical laboratory work and wetland monitoring. Frankie holds a Bachelor of Science in Integrated Chemistry and Environmental Science from The Evergreen State College, where her research focused on fatty-acid analysis of soil microbial communities.
That research included sample preparation, instrumental analysis and troubleshooting. Frankie also supported chemistry and biology teaching laboratories and performed wetland monitoring with the Washington State Department of Transportation, gaining experience with environmental samples in both field and laboratory settings.
Sam Montoya performs the majority of Vanguard’s ICP work and is a central contributor to the laboratory’s metals testing. Sam’s background combines laboratory instrumentation and sample preparation with environmental fieldwork. At The Evergreen State College, Sam trained undergraduate students in optical and scanning electron microscopy, including the preparation of samples for imaging.
As a wetland monitor with the Washington State Department of Transportation, Sam collected field data, analyzed results and prepared reports on restoration-site performance. This work developed practical experience in both laboratory-based imaging and field assessment, alongside the ability to explain technical methods to other scientists.
The people who answer your questions, receive and log your samples, and keep projects moving.
Kyle Libra pairs scientific training with experience helping clients navigate technical information and complex projects. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and Biochemistry from the University of Washington and a paralegal certificate from Edmonds College. In previous roles at Rowan TELS and Carta, his work included technical client communication, complex reporting and project coordination across specialist teams. At Vanguard, he applies that background to clear client conversations and careful documentation.
Erin brings biotechnology research experience to client communication at Vanguard. Previous work at Thermo Fisher Scientific and Enviral Tech included microbiology, qPCR and water analysis, providing a scientific foundation for conversations about laboratory testing. Erin has also collaborated with cross-functional teams and prepared technical reports for different audiences. That experience helps connect the details of laboratory science with the information clients need to understand their testing.
Nate Lange works in Sample Intake and Client Relations, drawing on a background in technical support and logistics. He holds an associate degree in Computer Support from Clark College and previously provided front-line help-desk support, documenting service requests, prioritizing inquiries and helping users resolve technical problems. His delivery logistics and warehouse experience adds practical knowledge of time-sensitive coordination, inventory accuracy and customer communication.
Lily Pendergrass coordinates laboratory sample intake and client systems at Vanguard. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Geosciences from Rutgers University, where she worked as an undergraduate research assistant and received undergraduate honors in geology. Her academic experience also includes graduate study in geosciences at Vanderbilt University. Lily’s scientific education and research background inform her work supporting laboratory samples and the systems clients use to work with Vanguard.
Heather Gisby brings a practical, detail-focused perspective to Vanguard’s quality assurance team, drawing on experience in regulatory affairs, project management, and hands-on technical work. Her background includes managing crews, schedules, purchasing and deliveries across complex construction projects, where careful planning and accountability are essential.
As a commercial diver, Heather maintained hydraulic, pneumatic and life-support equipment, work demanding close attention to procedures and equipment reliability. Her plant-science experience includes micropropagation, media preparation and nursery operations.
This varied background gives Heather an understanding of how procedures hold up in practice, a valuable perspective in supporting the quality of Vanguard’s laboratory work.
Olympic Analytical, LLC does business as Vanguard Laboratory.
Accredited by A2LA, certificate 6377.01,
Accredited laboratory, certificate C1070-26 (EPA lab code WA11070
Drinking water laboratory number 285.
Registered with the Department of Health for drugs and controlled substances. DRCS.FX.61343455
We also write Process Authority letters for acidified and low-acid foods.
Purity, quantity and identity, with endotoxin, sterility and heavy metals.
Raw materials and finished products, scoped and quoted per project.
Nutrition, contaminants, allergens, shelf life and brewing chemistry.
Drinking water, well and permit testing.
Purity and quantity, heavy metals and label claims.
Stability, microbiology and active ingredients for creams, lotions and serums.
Process reviews and letters for acidified and low-acid foods.
Pathogens, indicator and spoilage organisms, and environmental monitoring.
Questions about a sample, a method or which tests you need, call 360-967-7010 or email [email protected].
