Initially intending to achieve a medical degree, Rebecca R. Anderson was inspired to a career in medical technology during her undergraduate studies at the University of Minnesota. First earning a Bachelor of Science in chemistry in 2000, she went on to complete additional coursework for a Bachelor of Science in clinical laboratory science and medical technology in 2001. Having always been a person who was drawn to puzzles, she enjoys the ability clinical lab work gives her to do hands on work diagnosing patients. She began her career as a medical technologist with Allina Health in 2001 and later achieved certification as a specialist in blood banking technology. Between 2007 to 2014, Ms. Anderson worked with the Memorial Blood Centers, first as a clinical lab scientist in the immunohematology reference laboratory and then as a technical specialist for quality and development with the lab.
In 2014, Ms. Anderson joined Immucor, a company that manufactures reagents for transfusions and transplants as well as blood testing products, as the assistant manager for red cell testing. She rose to the position of manager for sourcing and operations support in 2015 and senior manager for biologics procurement in 2017. Since 2021, she has served as the associate director for biologics procurement, a role in which she is responsible for procuring the necessary red blood cells, platelets and plasma samples that are needed for the manufacture of various products. Specific duties of hers include managing their donor centers, doing research and development for new products, and working with the marketing team to create educational materials for everyone from laboratory personnel to the executive management team.
Having accomplished much over the course of her career, Ms. Anderson has had a wide range of professional highlights. Finding it incredibly gratifying to work with donors and ensure the safe transfer of rare blood to patients who need it, she also fondly recalls the massive transfusion protocols she managed for the Memorial Blood Centers as well as the work she did identifying rare antibodies. Outside of her primary responsibilities, she maintains professional affiliation with both the American Society for Clinical Pathology and the Association for the Advancement of Blood & Biotherapies in order to keep abreast of new developments in her field. Ms. Anderson has also had the opportunity to give a poster presentation at an industry conference and an article of hers was published in Transfusion, the journal of the Association for the Advancement of Blood & Biotherapies.
Ms. Anderson has made a name for herself for her expert level of knowledge in all aspects of the blood bank industry, having worked in hospitals, donor centers and manufacturing. This range has left her with a strong understanding of how all the different parts of the industry connect and how each individual piece works. Continually motivated by the knowledge that someone is waiting for and relying on the work that she does, Ms. Anderson intends to continue progressing in the fields of blood banking and laboratory science. She currently has plans to further her education either through on-the-job training or additional coursework to earn a master’s degree. Passionate about what she does, Ms. Anderson hopes to leave a legacy as someone knowledgeable, understanding and approachable, who is always willing to hear all sides of the story.
Throughout her career, Ms. Anderson has been incredibly grateful for the support of her friends and family, who encouraged to take risks and pursue the changes she wanted in her life, which has been especially important to her as a single parent. She is particularly proud that one of her daughters is following her into the health care field and pursuing a major in child psychology. Active in her community, she is a regular contributor to a variety of charities, including the American Cancer Society and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, and has volunteered her time to Feed My Starving Children as well. To young and aspiring professionals, Ms. Anderson would advise them to find something that they are passionate about and fight for it.