Thomas Tempske, J.D. Villanova ‘72
Orlando, FL
April 21, 2025
A message for students preparing to graduate:
As you are getting near graduation and constantly contemplating What you are going to do with the rest of your life, I think it’s terrible when pressure is put on seniors by those who love them to “make a decision”. I’d like to offer you a different perspective: it’s OK if you haven’t settled on a career path by now, and it’s OK if you don’t figure it out for a few years, or even if you never develop a “plan”. Opportunities can come your way that you never envisioned – amazing and wondrous opportunities, that one day you may think to yourself, “Wow, and they pay me to do this work!!!???” I think that to have an interesting life, always work hard at whatever it is you do, and look for and be open to opportunities that may come your way. Also, always be studying and increasing your knowledge and sharpening your mind. As Luis Pasteur said, “Chance favors the prepared mind.” Knowledge IS power, and you can be surprised what doors your own knowledge can open…
And one last thing – find a sport or physical activity (tennis, swimming, or …?) that you really enjoy and that you can do for the rest of your life. Some sports are harder on your body than others, so pick one that you can do for the rest of your life. That way when you’re in your 70’s and even beyond you’re not dragging your tired body around like a burden, but you say to your pals, “Hey, what a beautiful day, let’s do 18 holes and then have some lunch.” All the luck in the world, Wildcats, go out into the world and shine!
Bio
1964 - 1968: Graduated St. John’s Military Academy, Chatsworth, CA
June 1972: Graduated Villanova Prep
August 1972- August 1976: Enlisted in U.S. Coast Guard
· Boot camp U.S. Coast Guard Training Center, Alameda CA; Played drums for the Coast Guard band, parades every Saturday & Sunday in Northern California during nine weeks of basic training.
· Base security detachment, U.S. Coast Guard Training Center, Petaluma, CA. Assistant Chief Master-At-Arms
August 1976: Honorable Discharge from USCG
August 1976-June 1980: Microbiology major, Sonoma State University. Graduated “With Honors” and “With Distinction”.
January,1982: Graduated 50 week “Clinical Laboratory Scientist” (“CLS”) clinical internship, passed California licensing exam as a Clinical Laboratory Scientist (“CLS”).
August 1978 – October,1988: Employed by Central Pathology Laboratory, Santa Rosa, CA. as staff CLS (all laboratory specialties) and specialist in clinical and forensic toxicology.
October 1988 – November 2000:
· Part-time staff CLS at various laboratories in Sonoma and Marin counties
· Contract consultant, Bio-Rad Laboratories, Hercules, CA. in clinical and forensic toxicology analytical methods development, pharmacology of drugs of abuse and therapeutic drugs, laboratory instrument computer programming, pharmacology database developer.
1994-1995: CLIA Expert, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Care Finance Administration (Now “Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services”). Performed medical laboratory inspections and certified compliance with federal medical laboratory regulations (“CLIA”) under a contract with the agency.
1995-1997: Master’s Degree program, San Francisco State University “Center For Advanced Medical Technology”. Studied molecular diagnostics, emerging viral infections, and the molecular biology of HIV and Human Retroviruses.
2000-2012: California Department of Public Health, Laboratory Field Services Branch.
· Clinical Laboratory Examiner
· Specialist in biologics laboratory inspections, including blood banks, eye banks, skin banks, stem cell banks, IVF labs (In-Vitro Fertilization), bone marrow banks and bio-engineered tissue among others.
· Program Manager, “Clinical Laboratory Complaints and Regulatory Compliance” for the State of California
2001-2012: Consumer Safety Officer, U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Issued FDA Identification to do joint investigations on FDA teams as a representative of the California Department of Public Health when laboratory/tissue bank rules and regulations may have been violated.
2012: Retired from CDPH.
April 2009, April 2018: Keynote Speaker, “International Quality Control In The Clinical Laboratory”, on genetic engineering and laboratory bioethics, Tehran, Iran.
2013: Published, “Current California Clinical Laboratory Laws”, “An essential reference of current California clinical laboratory laws, including new laws taking effect in January 2013. This book provides an easily accessible, comprehensive, single source of current law for lab directors, lab managers, hospital compliance officers, and lab supervisors. Updated periodically to keep abreast of changes in California statutes and regulations affecting clinical laboratories. While California clinical lab laws are primarily found in the California Business and Professions Code and Title 17 of the California Code of Regulations, this book also contains current and newly enacted laws that the authors feel may be of interest to clinical laboratories that are found in other codes as well.” Find on Amazon.com
2013: Published “California Biologics Laws: Stem Cells, IVF, Transplantation, and Blood Banks”. “"California Biologics Laws" is a comprehensive and reliable source of the current laws regulating biologics laboratories in California. "Biologics" includes stem cells, cadaveric transplant tissue, gametes and embryos used in assisted reproduction technologies and blood and blood components used in transfusions. California laws addressing stem cells and research involving stem cells and human subjects is emphasized, as research in this complex field is increasing rapidly in the search to understand and apply these cells to curing disease. We at LabSci Associates believe that the "first step" to effective compliance is to know what the laws are, and hope that this book is a useful contribution to the laboratory community to aid them in their compliance efforts.” Find it on Amazon.com.
2012: Founded “Laboratory Sciences Associates, Inc.” (http://labsci.net/clinical-labs/).
From my website: “LabSci Associates have over thirty years’ experience as state and federal laboratory examiners and investigators, and are available to help you prepare for an upcoming inspection, and help with developing a POC (Plan of Correction) that will be acceptable to the inspecting agency, whether it is a state or federal agency or the CAP. Having inspected and approved plans of correction for over a thousand laboratories as government regulatory authorities, we know from experience what policies, procedures, and practices inspectors want to see in place in your lab, and we can help you develop systems that will meet regulatory requirements.
2015-present: Active in the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary. Currently flying as air crew on marine observation patrols, fisheries patrols, search and rescue missions, logistical support, and writing “policies and procedures” documents formalizing Coast Guard Auxiliary requirements when flying missions under orders issued by Coast Guard Air Station Savannah and Coast Guard Air Station Borinquen (Puerto Rico).
2016-2018: Medical laboratory sciences teaching contracts in Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait.
