Nicole Cairns, MS

Ms. Cairns joined the Wadsworth Center in 2003 and spent much of her career supporting the Division of Environmental Health Sciences (DEHS) and its mission to protect public health through environmental monitoring, emergency response, and the production and validation of environmental proficiency testing (PT) samples. 

In her current role as Assistant Director of the Wadsworth Center, Ms. Cairns plays a critical role in shaping Center-wide polices, responding to inquiries received by the Center, reviewing and managing internal documents, and contributing to special projects. She also serves as a Project Manager for the planning and construction of the new Wadsworth Center Laboratory, a transformative initiative scheduled for completion in 2030 that will consolidate five existing sites into a single, state-of-the-art laboratory and administrative facility. 

With over 25 years of experience in the environmental laboratory industry, Ms. Cairns is widely recognized for her technical expertise and leadership. She is an active member of The NELAC Institute (TNI), a nationally respected consensus organization that develops standards for the accreditation of environmental testing laboratories, PT providers, and accrediting bodies. She serves on several technical expert committees, continuing to advance laboratory quality and integrity on a national level.