Our Beginning
The National Association of CLIA Laboratory Directors (NACLD) was created to address the growing need for leadership development, collaboration, and peer support among CLIA laboratory directors across the country. Despite their vital role in maintaining the quality and regulatory integrity of clinical laboratories, many directors lacked access to dedicated resources, leadership training, and a shared professional community.
Recognizing these gaps, NACLD was co-founded in 2025 by Drs. Xiaoli Chen, Daniel Sabath, and Luis Gonzalez-Cuyar, experienced CLIA laboratory directors, with strong support from the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology at the University of Washington. Together, they envisioned a nationwide nonprofit platform that not only empowers current directors but also builds a pipeline of future leaders through mentorship, education, and shared experience. NACLD supports directors from both clinical pathology and anatomic pathology laboratories across a wide spectrum of practice settings.
Founders
Xiaoli Chen — Why I Helped Found NACLD
Throughout my years as a CLIA laboratory director, I have seen how much responsibility laboratory directors carry—from compliance and quality to operations and patient care—often without formal leadership training or a strong peer network. I helped found NACLD because I believe laboratory directors need a national community where we can learn from one another, share practical experience, develop as leaders, and support each other in this important work.
Daniel E. Sabath, MD, PhD
Luis F. Gonzalez-Cuyar, MD