After 13 years of working in a hospital laboratory, I was offered a position in an environmental microbiology lab. Although I knew very little about mold at the time, it was the perfect opportunity to transition off second shift before my daughter started first grade.
Determined to excel, I began studying environmental microbiology in my spare time. One of the first books I read was about Sick Building Syndrome, and I could not put it down. The symptoms it described mirrored exactly what my children had been experiencing decreased immunity, sinus congestion, and persistent breathing issues. My four-year-old son was even scheduled for sinus surgery after an infection that refused to clear, even after 21 days on antibiotics.
Concerned and curious, I borrowed sampling supplies from the lab and began investigating our home.
Like many homeowners, I did not realize that crawlspaces and basements in Pennsylvania required dehumidifiers during the humid summer months. A small stain on the baseboard near the shower had been painted over several times, and occasionally a tiny mushroom would appear. When I entered our small, finished crawlspace with a flashlight and spore trap pump, I discovered a black pattern of growth about 18 inches up the drywall.
Laboratory analysis revealed it was primarily Stachybotrys along with other mold genera. Though they did not grow in culture, intact fruiting structures were visible under the microscope, clear evidence of active mold growth. When we removed the drywall between the crawlspace and shower wall, the wood studs behind it were soaked and had disintegrated into mush. The source was clear: water, food (drywall), and humidity, the perfect environment for mold to thrive.
That discovery explained why my children’s health always declined around the holidays when I utilized decorations stored in that space, including my tree. It had been our home making them sick. Yet despite the evidence, no doctor or allergist would believe it. One prominent allergist even told me, “I could put a bucket of Stachybotrys in front of you, and it wouldn’t make you sick unless you’re allergic to it.”
Fast forward 20 years, and that experience became my purpose. I wanted to be on the front lines, helping families, businesses, and communities uncover what is making them sick and guiding them toward recovery.
That is how Urgent Analytical, LLC was born, the first AIHA-LAP EMLAP accredited mobile microbiology laboratory in the United States.
My personal journey fuels my commitment to provide fast, reliable, and scientifically accurate results when they matter most. Whether helping facilities recover after a disaster, ensuring families return to safe homes, or getting businesses operational again, my mission remains the same: deliver quality results with compassion and integrity.
