Interactive Panel Discussion

Thor Rollins is a certified microbiologist and specializes in the selection and conduct of in vitro and in vivo biocompatibility tests. He actively speaks on biocompatibility related topics through Nelson Labs’ external seminars, webinars, and tradeshows. He presented on biocompatibility at the American College of Toxicology annual meeting in 2013 and has published many articles on biocompatibility topics.

He is a participating member on all Association for Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) TC 194 and 10993 ISO committees and plays an active role along with the FDA and regulatory committees developing standards, discussing biocompatibility methods, and voting on changes to those standards. As one of a select group of experts in the industry, Thor’s participation on the committees offers him insight on industry changes and helps prepare clients for changes in testing.

Aaron DeMent has been working in the sterilization industry for over 30 years, including over two decades with Sterigenics, where he currently serves as an Executive Advisor. In this role, Aaron provides strategic guidance to the organization, acts as an executive sponsor for key initiatives, and represents Sterigenics across industry forums. As a member of the Sterigenics executive team, he is committed to developing future leaders and dedicates a significant amount of time to mentoring the next generation of company and industry leaders.

Aaron’s background spans his vast experiences in Medical Device, Pharmaceutical, and the Biologic sectors, with deep expertise in sterilization technologies. Having worked with both manufacturers and contract service providers, his experience covers all major aspects of sterilization operations, quality, technology, and regulatory alignment. He is a recognized contributor at industry events through presentations, panel participation, and committee work. Additionally, he has been a co-author on multiple published studies examining the impact of various sterilization modalities on pharmaceutical products.

Prior to his current position, he has held a variety of leadership and technical roles, including VP of Sterilization Technologies, VP of Global Quality Assurance, General Manager, Quality Assurance Manager, R&D Principal Sterilization Scientist, Sterilization Manager, Corporate Training Manager, and QA/Sterilization Consultant. Aaron received his B.S. in Zoology from California State University at Long Beach, and has also obtained his ISO 13485 Lead Auditor certification, Radiation Safety Officer training, 40-hour OSHA Hazardous Waste training, and Six Sigma Green Belt certification, along with numerous other industry-specific programs.

Amina Rahmoune is a Laboratory Operations Manager for Sterility Assurance at Nelson Labs. With a background in healthcare and a degree in Biotechnology and Molecular Biology, she brings extensive experience in sterility testing, contamination control, quality systems, and regulatory compliance. Amina serves as a subject matter expert in sterility assurance, supporting method development, validation, cleanroom and isolator operations, and inspection readiness activities. Her work focuses on advancing sterility testing practices, strengthening contamination risk management, and supporting product release to help ensure patient safety.

Beau Woods is the founder and CEO of Stratigos Security, which specializes in medical device cybersecurity assessments. He has over 20 years of experience, focused on cyber safety for connected technology such as healthcare and medical devices. Beau advanced healthcare cybersecurity as an Entrepreneur in Residence at the FDA, Senior Advisor with CISA, and advising Congress and the White House on healthcare cybersecurity. In addition, Beau wrote I Am The Cavalry’s Hippocratic Oath for Connected Medical Devices, launched the medical device testing lab at DEF CON (the world’s largest cybersecurity conference), and co-founded CyberMed Summit.