Laboratory
Cynthia L. O’Malley – Manager/Laboratory Services
412.788.1300 x 180, comalley@kta.com
Cindy O’Malley is the Laboratory Services Manager for KTA where she has been employed for 15 years. In this position, she directs all efforts to provide paint, corrosion and material testing services including coatings research, paint failure investigations and compositional analysis. Under Cindy’s supervision, scientists, chemists and research & development specialists provide clients with independent analyses of coatings problems and advance the industry’s understanding of the performance characteristics of protective coatings and abrasive media. Cindy is an SSPC Certified Protective Coatings Specialist and a regular lecturer on the application of analytical chemistry to paint and coating failures, and also on physical testing methods. She has worked on hundreds of coating failure analysis projects in addition to conducting/supervising numerous product testing programs. She also routinely provides technical support to the KTA’s consulting staff. Cindy holds a B.S. from Pennsylvania State University and is a member of KTA’s Fundraising and HealthierYou wellness committees.| Read full bio
Valerie D. Sherbondy – Senior Chemist
412.788.1300 x 183, vsherbondy@kta.com
Valerie Sherbondy is a Senior Chemist for KTA where she has been employed for 20 years. She is an SSPC Certified Protective Coatings Specialist and has worked on hundreds of coating failure analysis projects in addition to conducting and supervising numerous product testing programs. Val routinely provides technical support to the KTA Pittsburgh consulting staff, as well as to all of the region offices. She also serves as the Laboratory Quality Assurance Officer, overseeing the A2LA and NELEC accreditations of the laboratory. Val is a member of the American Chemical Society, the SSPC: Society for Protective Coatings, and the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). She is also a committee chair for NACE International and an instructor for a variety of KTA-offered training seminars. Val is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh with a B.S. in Chemistry and Business and a member of KTA’s Employee Recognition and HealthierYou Wellness committees. | Read full bio
Julie A. Glover – Chemical Technician
412.788.1300 x 205, jglover@kta.com
Julie Glover is a Chemical Technician in KTA’s Analytical Laboratory where she has been employed for 5 years. In this position, duties include testing of coatings to verify compliance with the specifications (ASTM and various other methods), and the performance of analytical testing to determine the cause of coating failures. Instrumentation utilized includes microscopes (optical and scanning electron) spectrometers, chromatographs, and various wet bench methods. Previous experience includes Undergraduate Research involving the synthesis and characterization of new classes of macrocyclic ligands, synthesized electronic and steric modifications to known macrocycles as well as serving as a laboratory technician for a sewage treatment plant and the U.S. Army Reserve. She has a B.S. in Chemistry from the Pennsylvania State University, The Behrend College in Erie, PA.
Christina M. Stewart – Chemist
412.788.1300 x 239, cstewart@kta.com
Chrissy Stewart is a Chemist in KTA’s Analytical Laboratory where she has been employed for over 4 years. In this position, Chrissy is responsible for the testing of coatings to determine conformance to specifications (using ASTM and various other standard test methods), and analytical testing to determine the cause of coating failures. Instrumentation utilized includes microscopes (optical and scanning electron) spectrometers, chromatographs, and various wet bench methods. Chrissy was promoted to Chemist after sixteen (16) months as a Chemical Technician. Since her promotion, she has worked on numerous coating failure investigations, in addition to conducting and coordinating complex product testing programs. She routinely provides technical support to the KTA coatings consulting staff. Chrissy is a member of the American Chemical Society, the Federation of Societies for Coatings Technology (FSCT), ASTM International, and SSPC: The Society for Protective Coatings. She has a B.S. in Chemistry from Mercyhurst College.
Melissa A. Swogger – Chemical Technician
412.788.1300 x 230, mswogger@kta.com
Melissa Swogger is a Chemical Technician in KTA’s Laboratory where she has been employed for 4 years. In this position, Melissa’s duties include testing of coatings to verify compliance with the specifications (ASTM and various other methods), and the performance of analytical testing to determine the cause of coating failures. Instrumentation utilized includes microscopes (optical and scanning electron) spectrometers, chromatographs, and various wet bench methods. Prior to joining KTA, Melissa was a Laboratory Technician for Calgon Corporation’s Carbon Testing Group. She has a B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Pittsburgh.
Cheryl L. Roberts – Senior Chemist/QA Coordinator
412788.1300 x 209, croberts@kta.com
Cheryl Roberts recently joined the KTA Laboratory as a Senior Chemist/QA Coordinator. In this position, she is responsible for conducting and supervising product testing programs, providing technical support to the consulting staff, and assisting the Laboratory Quality Assurance officer with maintaining the A2LA and NELEC accreditations of the laboratory. Prior to joining KTA, Cheryl was a Chemistry Laboratory Instructor for Duquesne University and a Physics teacher at Trinity High School. Other past positions include serving as an Engineer I in Exploratory Research for PPG Industries where she supervised and provided engineering support for a polymerization pilot plant and serving as a Process Engineer in the Bulk Manufacturing Division for Eli Lilly and Company. Cheryl has a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh and a Masters in Chemical Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University.
Carly M. McGee – Materials & Physical Testing Laboratory Supervisor
412.788.1300 x 181, cmcgee@kta.com
Carly McGee is the Materials & Physical Testing Laboratory Supervisor for KTA where she has been employed for 11 years. In this position, Carly is responsible facility operations and testing of paints including preparation of test specimens, physical and analytical testing, and preparation of reports. Carly is an SSPC Certified Protective Coatings Specialist, American Concrete Institute Certified Concrete Field Testing Technician Grade 1, a member of ASTM Committee G01 (Corrosion of Metals), and a member of the Research Council for Structural Connections. She has over eleven years experience in coatings analysis (including materials testing and failure analysis). Carly also has experience with copper refining analysis; the manufacturing and analysis of petroleum distillates; infrared spectroscopy, inductively-coupled plasma-atomic emissions spectroscopy, gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy; scanning electron microscopy; corrosion testing methods; statistical design of experiments and analysis of data; testing and evaluations according to ASTM, ISO, and military specifications; and calibration of accelerated exposure equipment. She has a B.S. in Chemistry from Grove City College.
Stanford (Bud) Galloway – Abrasives/Painting Technician
412.788.1300 x 185, bgalloway@kta.com
Bud Galloway is an Abrasives/Painting Technician in KTA’s Materials & Physical Testing Laboratory. In this position, he performs inspection, testing, and documentation for various test panel projects involving conventional and airless spray applications. He also assists with demonstration activities involving KTA’s blast booth for clients as part of KTA’s coatings inspection training. An employee of KTA for over 28 years, Bud is a NACE International Certified Coatings Inspector Level 3 (Peer Review). In addition to working on laboratory projects, Bud has served as a coatings inspector on numerous industrial coatings inspection assignments throughout his years of service.
Chad S. Quatman – Commodity Technician/Coatings Applicator
412.788.1300 x 209, cquatman@kta.com
Chad Quatman recently joined the KTA Laboratory as a Laboratory Technician/Coatings Applicator. In this position, he is responsible for performing inspection, testing, and documentation for various test panel projects involving conventional and airless spray applications. Prior to joining KTA, Chad served as a Laboratory Technician in the Coatings Group at Bayer Material Science performing such duties as mixing formulations, spraying applications, operating high and low intensity curing equipment, and performing tests and recording data results. Chad received an Occupational Associate Degree in Specialized Technology from Bidwell Training Center, Inc. through their Chemical Laboratory Technician Program and is currently working towards a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management from the University of Phoenix. He is a member of the Western PA Technician Affiliate Group of the American Chemical Society.
