Terry Burgess Assessor of the Year Award

Terry Burgess Assessor of the Year

After serving in the U.S. Air Force and industry, Terry Burgess joined ANAB as an assessor and later became an Accreditation Manager for ANAB’s calibration program. She retired from ANAB following a recurring cancer diagnosis in 2016, and passed away later that year. During her time with ANAB, she was a trusted colleague and friend to the ANAB team, and always went above and beyond to exceed expectations. Burgess exemplified teamwork, going the extra mile, customer service, professional advancement, creativity and innovation, performance excellence, leadership skills, and commitment.

In 2017, ANAB established the Terry Burgess Assessor of the Year Award in honor of Ms. Burgess. This award recognizes the outstanding service by ANAB contract assessors.

Nominations for Assessor of the Year can be accepted here from customers, assessors, employees, and other stakeholders.

Past Recipients

Rena’ Bass, a management systems and validation/verification assessor, was the recipient of ANAB’s seventh annual Terry Burgess Assessor of the Year Award. Bass began working with ANAB when we were Registrar Accreditation Board (RAB), joining our organization when we launched our second ISO program for Management Systems Accreditation, ISO 14001, in 1996. Before joining ANAB, Bass graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry, and worked as an analytical laboratory assistant, a toxicologist assistant, a scientist, and a consultant in the environmental engineering industry. Embracing ESG, before ESG was cool. Read more about Rena’ here.

Tondala Bausano, forensic assessor, was the recipient of ANAB’s sixth annual Terry Burgess Assessor of the Year Award. Tondala began her exceptional 20+ year career in the Philadelphia Police Department, Office of Forensic Science, as a forensic scientist, then ascended through multiple positions including laboratory supervisor, laboratory manager, quality assurance manager, and then assistant director of scientific services. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in chemistry from Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania.

Rob Dye is an assessor for ANAB’s management systems programs and was the fifth recipient of the Terry Burgess Assessor of the Year Award. Because of Dye’s firsthand experience with a CAB and knowledge from a range of industries; he has been a perfect fit as an accreditation assessor. Read more about Rob Dye here.

James Dilanni was an assessor for ANAB’s personnel certification accreditation program (CAP) and was the fourth recipient of the Terry Burgess Assessor of the Year Award. DiIanni started his career as a contract assessor in 2013, bringing an impressive array of experience from his senior-level roles in both public- and private-sector credentialing programs. Read more about James Dilanni here.

Stephen Dale was an assessor for ANAB’s laboratory accreditation program and was the third recipient of the Terry Burgess Assessor of the Year Award. Following the honor of awarding Stephen as ANAB’s 2019 award recipient, he passed away in early 2022. We remember Steve as an amazing assessor and man, he is missed tremendously. Read more about Stephen Dale here.

Deedra Hughes is an assessor for ANAB’s forensics programs and was the second recipient of the Terry Burgess Assessor of the Year Award. Hughes, who has been a contract assessor with ANAB since 2010, was recognized for her exceptional professionalism, dedication, and customer service in providing assessment for accreditation of forensic testing agencies. Read more about Deedra Hughes here.

Steve Holladay is an assessor for ANAB’s management systems programs and was the first recipient of the Terry Burgess Assessor of the Year Award. Holladay has been instrumental to the growth and development of ANAB through the years, and has dedicated many hours, including volunteer hours, to help the company become what it is today. Read more about Steve Holladay here.