At the SoCal Sterile Processing Association (SPA) Chapter meeting on March 21, 2026, in Newport Beach, California, one message came through clearly: Leadership in sterile processing does not begin with a title. It begins with a voice.

In this special edition of Contagious Conversations, hosts Jill Holdsworth, MS, CIC, FAPIC, NREMT, CRCST, CHL, AL-CIP; and Brenna Doran, PhD, MA, ACC, CIC, AL-CIP, turned the microphone toward Tori Whitacre Martonicz, MA, lead editor of Infection Control Today®, following her presentation, “Leadership Beyond the Sterile Processing Department: Expanding Professional Influence and Patient Safety Impact.” The conversation reflected broader themes echoed throughout the event, where leaders across sterile processing, infection prevention, and industry highlighted mentorship, communication, and systems thinking as essential to advancing patient safety.

The event featured a diverse lineup of speakers, including Shahbaz Salehi, MD, MPH, MSHIA; Randalyn Harreld, CRCST, CIS, CER, CHL, CSPDT, CASSPT, CLS, AAS, FHSPA; Sharon Lashley, MS, MBA; Brian North; and Sarah B. Cruz, AS, CSPDT, CRCST, CHL, CIS, each addressing critical gaps in education, workflow, and system integration across sterile processing.

“The March conference was highly successful, with over 100 attendees from Greater Los Angeles to San Diego coming together for a full day of impactful learning, collaboration, and advancement of the sterile processing profession,” said Jaime Amaya, CRCST, president of the SoCal SPA Chapter, and the sterile processing manager, Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian, Newport Beach & Irvine.

To highlight their excellence, the chapter also recently won the Healthcare Sterile Processing Association (HSPA) Large Chapter of the Year award for 2026.

Leadership Starts Before the Title

For Whitacre Martonicz, the foundation of her presentation came from personal experience and observation. “Leadership is not a title,” she said. “It is a choice about whether you'll use your voice to make a difference.”

She described how her understanding of infection prevention and sterile processing did not come from job titles or hierarchy, but from individuals willing to share their knowledge publicly.

“The people that I was learning from were not necessarily the people with all the titles,” she explained. “It was always the person who had gone out beyond their comfort zone and given that information out.”

That insight shaped the core message of her talk: that writing, speaking, and sharing experiences are powerful tools for influence across health care systems.

Why Speaking Up Matters in SPD

Throughout the discussion, both hosts reinforced the need for leadership development within sterile processing.

Holdsworth emphasized the growing demand for these skills within the field. “They are probably one of the professions most hungry for leadership knowledge, and leadership training, and leadership discussions,” she said.

Whitacre Martonicz agreed, noting that many professionals hesitate not because they lack expertise, but because they lack confidence. “I've gotten messages… ‘I'd love to write an article… but I don't know how,’ or ‘I'd love to give a speech… but I don't know how to speak,’” she said. “All you have to do is try.”

Her advice was practical and accessible. Start small, build confidence locally, and expand outward. “Start in your own facility,” she said. “Even if it's just standing in front of your colleagues… or write a post… anything to get that conversation started.”

The Power of Everyday Expertise

A recurring theme throughout the panel was the value of everyday problem-solving in sterile processing.

Whitacre Martonicz highlighted how even simple observations can lead to broader improvements. “If you have that problem, I guarantee you that there's somebody else… [who's] having the same problem,” she said.

This perspective aligns closely with broader discussions at the event. Harreld’s session on fatigue and interruptions, Lashley’s focus on navigating IFUs, and North’s emphasis on technology and audits all reinforced the idea that small, consistent improvements drive system-level change.

Cruz, the president-elect of the national HSPA, echoed similar principles in her focus on quality systems, while Salehi’s presentation on mentorship underscored the importance of guidance and professional growth across career stages.

Overcoming Fear and Finding Your Voice

One of the most candid moments in the discussion centered on fear, particularly around writing and public speaking.

“I was surprised how many people were so terrified of writing,” Whitacre Martonicz said.

She encouraged attendees to reframe the process and lower the barrier to entry. “If you can't think of what to write… write that,” she said. “‘I don't know what to write, but I still have to write, so I will just write that I can’t think of what to write’ and so on… and then suddenly it's coming. It's kind of like the cork out of a bottle.”

Doran added another perspective on building confidence through intentional reflection. “What do I want them to walk away with? If I know the ending… I can back design it,” she said.

Together, these insights offered a practical roadmap for professionals looking to move from silent expertise to active leadership.

Writing as a Patient Safety Tool

Beyond professional development, Whitacre Martonicz framed communication as a direct pathway to improving patient outcomes. “If you don't have any words down… then I can't help you… and therefore [it cannot be] read by other people… and you saved the life of someone you never met,” she said.

That statement resonated as one of the most powerful takeaways of her session. Writing, presenting, and sharing knowledge are not just career-building activities. They are mechanisms for spreading best practices across facilities and improving care at scale.

Building a Culture of Contribution

The discussion closed with a call to action for sterile processing professionals to engage more actively in the broader infection prevention community.

“I want to know what's going on in your facility,” Whitacre Martonicz said. “What works? What doesn't work?”

She encouraged submissions across a wide range of topics, emphasizing that every question, observation, or improvement has value. “Send it in… we'll get that information,” she added.

Looking Ahead

The SoCal SPA will continue this momentum with two additional events in 2026: the Summer Symposium and Vendor Show on August 15 at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center, and the Late Summer Seminar and Vendor Show on September 26 in Riverside, California.

If the March conference is any indication, those events will continue to elevate the voices of sterile processing professionals who are ready to lead, not by title, but by action.

These are the speakers and topics for this conference:

Shahbaz Salehi, MD, MPH, MSHIA, the director of infection prevention and control at Foothill Regional Medical Center, Instructor at UCLA Extension. Topic: “The Power of a Mentor: My Journey From SPD to Medicine.”

Tori Whitacre Martonicz, MA, lead editor of Infection Control Today®. Topic: “Leadership beyond the Sterile Processing Department: Expanding Professional Influence and Patient Safety Impact.”

Randalyn Harreld: Clinical Education Manager (US), SteelcoBelmed. Topic: “Common Breakdowns caused by Fatigue, Interruptions, and Assumptions”

Sharon Lashley, Clinical Education for STERIS. Topic: “Lost in the IFU wilderness? Find your way today!”

Brian North, platform specialist—Ascendco Health. Topic: “Modernizing SPD: How Technology, Staffing, and Audits Must Evolve Together”

Sarah B. Cruz, Sterile Processing Program Instructor. Topic: “Clean, Sterile, and Streamlined: Quality Systems for Sterile Processing.”