Frances Valencia-Shelton, PhD, D(ABMM), SM(ASCP)CM, is the Clinical Infectious Diagnostics Director for the Baptist Health System in Jacksonville, Florida. She serves on the American Society for Microbiology Laboratory Practices subcommittee, whose mission is to provide expert guidance on issues regulated by an external body or overseen by accrediting or standard-setting agencies, and which impact the science and technology of clinical and public health microbiology laboratory practice. Frances also is the current president of the Jacksonville area Microbiology Society (JAMS), whose mission is to promote higher standards in clinical laboratory science and microbiology research through continuing education.

Her interests include defining and utilizing clinical best-practices for testing and reporting, and optimizing current and new infectious diagnostic methodologies for patient-centered clinical testing through cost-effective measures. She is equally interested in learning with and educating others in the field of clinical microbiology.