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Creative Testing Solutions
TEMPE, AZ · EIN 271120123 · Form 990 · FY2022 · NTEE M99 · Public Safety & Disaster Relief · Very Large (>$50M) · www.mycts.org
revenue
$438.8M
expenses
$396.7M
net assets
$114.8M
employees
958
volunteers
11
program ratio
94%
mission · from form 990

TO PROVIDE EXCEPTIONAL CUSTOMIZED LABORATORY TESTING SERVICES TO SUPPORT THE HOSPITALS AND OTHER HEALTHCARE ORGANIZATIONS WITH THEIR LIFE SAVING MISSIONS.

profile · synthesized from sources

Creative Testing Solutions is a nonprofit organization that operates laboratories for infectious disease testing of blood and plasma donations. It serves healthcare partners by ensuring the safety of blood and plasma-derived products for transfusion and therapeutic use. CTS also conducts research and development in transfusion medicine and cellular therapies.

irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2022

what they reported doing

Program narrative the organization filed with the IRS. Ordered by program spending.

  1. #1 primary $2.29M
    RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT THE CTS RESEARCH PROGRAM IS DEDICATED TO ADVANCING BLOOD SAFETY AND EVIDENCE-BASED TRANSFUSION PRACTICES THROUGH SCEINTIFIC RESEARCH. THE CTS RESEARCH PROGRAM FOCUSES ON THE DEVELOPMENT AND/OR EVALUATION OF NEW BLOOD DONOR SCREENING TECHNOLOGIES WHICH SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVE AND PROMOTE BLOOD SAFETY IN THE AREAS OF INFECTIOUS DISEASE, IMMUNOLOGY, MOLECULAR DIAGNOSTICS, AND EPIDEMIOLOGY. ADDITIONALLY, THE CTS RESEARCH PROGRAM SERVES AS THE FOCUS FOR A MULTI-INSTITUTIONAL CONSORTIUM WHICH COLLECTS AND INTEGRATES TESTING DATA FROM APPROXIMATELY 75% OF THE US BLOOD SUPPLY FOR THE PURPOSE OF NATIONAL HAEMOVIGILANCE, HORIZON SCANNING FOR EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES RELEVANT TO BLOOD SAFETY, AND PROVIDING CRITICAL INFORMATION FOR THE EVALUATION OF BEST PRACTICES IN TRANSFUSION MEDICINE, THE PROMOTION OF DONOR HEALTH, AND THE IMPROVEMENT OF TRANSFUSION RECIPIENT OUTCOMES.
named programs · 7 · from sources

what they call their work

Blood Donor Testing
High-volume laboratory testing of blood donations for infectious disease markers and screening tests required by FDA and other regulatory bodies
Blood Donor Testing Services
Provides infectious disease marker and screening tests for blood donations using FDA licensed test kits and reagents, ensuring the safety of the blood supply.
CTS Research Consortium
Collaborative research initiative with Vitalant Research Institute, Carter BloodCare, OneBlood, ITxM, New York Blood Center, and Bloodworks Northwest
Plasma Testing
Full spectrum testing for source plasma and recovered plasma partners, including NAT, viral marker, and ancillary testing
Plasma Testing Services
Offers comprehensive testing profiles for source plasma and recovered plasma, including NAT, viral marker, and ancillary testing.
Research & Development
Supports clinical trials and research studies in transfusion medicine and cellular therapies; collaborates with healthcare partners and research institutions
Special Testing Laboratory
Phoenix-based lab performing confirmatory, supplemental, and non-donation testing including for eye, tissue, organ, cord blood, and pediatric stem cell donors
activities · 4 groups

what they do

  • High-Volume Donor Infectious Disease Testing 22 activities
    • Conduct specialized donor testing in Phoenix laboratory
      Maintains a dedicated research and special testing laboratory in Phoenix that performs confirmatory, supplemental, donor re-entry, and follow-up testing, including specialized assays for HAV, Parvo B19, Babesia, and Zika under investigational and licensed settings.
    • Ensure regulatory compliance and laboratory accreditation
      Maintains FDA registration and current CLIA certification for all laboratories, with additional accreditations from AABB, EU, and multiple state licenses, ensuring adherence to national and international standards.
    • Expansion and transition of pathogen testing programs
      Transitioned all six laboratories to licensed Zika testing and all five to licensed pooled Babesia testing, and implemented investigational Dengue and Babesia microti antibody testing in response to partner needs and endemic threats.
    • High-Volume Donor Testing Laboratory Operations
      Operates multiple high-volume donor testing laboratories across the United States, located near major metropolitan airports, to screen blood and plasma donations for infectious disease markers and other required tests. These laboratories maintain FDA registration and current certifications including CLIA, AABB, and EU, and process millions of samples annually.
    • Infectious Disease Marker Testing for Blood and Plasma Donations
      Tests blood and plasma donation samples for infectious disease markers and screening tests required by the FDA and other regulatory bodies, including routine screening for eye, tissue, and organ donors, pediatric stem cell collections, cord blood, and other cellular therapy donations. This includes 5 NAT, viral marker, and ancillary testing for source and recovered plasma partners, as well as licensed pooled Babesia and Zika testing.
    • Launch and scale source plasma testing services
      Launched source plasma testing as a new business line, providing NAT, viral marker, and ancillary testing services for major plasma fractionators, including processing 4.9 million plasma samples in 2016.
    • Maintain laboratory accreditations and regulatory compliance
      Ensures all laboratories maintain FDA registration and current certifications for CLIA, AABB, EU, and multiple state licenses, adhering to required regulatory standards.
    • Maintain regulatory compliance and laboratory certifications
      All laboratories maintain FDA registration and current CLIA certification, with additional accreditations from AABB, EU, and multiple state licenses, ensuring compliance with national and international standards for donor testing.
    • National infectious disease screening for blood donations
      Performs FDA-mandated infectious disease marker screening on blood donor samples nationwide, including implementation of licensed Zika and Babesia testing across all laboratories, as well as specialized testing for Dengue and SARS-CoV-2 to support convalescent plasma programs.
    • Operate high-volume donor testing laboratories
      Operates seven high-volume donor testing laboratories across multiple states (North Carolina, Texas, Tennessee, Arizona, Missouri, Florida) located near major metropolitan airports, providing infectious disease marker and screening tests for blood and plasma donations.
    • Operate high-volume donor testing laboratories
      Operates six high-volume donor testing laboratories in Charlotte, Dallas, Phoenix, St. Louis, Tampa, and Memphis, with facilities strategically located near major metropolitan airports to support rapid sample processing. These laboratories conduct routine infectious disease screening for blood and plasma donors as required by the FDA and other regulatory bodies.
    • Operate high-volume donor testing laboratories
      Operates six high-volume donor testing laboratories in Charlotte, Dallas, Phoenix, St. Louis, Tampa, San Marcos, Austin, and Memphis, located near major metropolitan airports, providing FDA-compliant infectious disease screening for blood and plasma donations. These facilities serve as core testing hubs for national blood and plasma donation programs.
    • Operating Donor Testing Laboratories
      Operates seven high-volume donor testing laboratories across multiple states (North Carolina, Texas, Tennessee, Arizona, Missouri, and Florida) located near major metropolitan airports, maintaining FDA registration and current certifications for CLIA, AABB, EU, and multiple state licenses.
    • Operation of high-volume donor testing laboratories
      Operates six high-volume donor testing laboratories in Charlotte, Dallas, Phoenix, St. Louis, Tampa, San Marcos, Austin, and Memphis, located near major metropolitan airports, providing FDA-compliant infectious disease screening for blood, plasma, and other donations. These facilities serve as core testing hubs for national blood and plasma donation programs.
    • Operation of high-volume donor testing laboratories
      Operates six high-volume donor testing laboratories in Charlotte, Dallas, Phoenix, St. Louis, Tampa, and Memphis, strategically located near major metropolitan airports to support nationwide blood and plasma donor testing. These facilities conduct routine infectious disease screening for blood and plasma donations in compliance with FDA, CLIA, AABB, EU, and state regulatory requirements.
    • Plasma Testing Services
      Provides comprehensive testing services for source plasma and recovered plasma partners, including 5 NAT, viral marker, and ancillary testing, and has launched source plasma testing as a new business line.
    • Provide comprehensive infectious disease testing for blood and plasma
      Conducts routine and licensed screening for infectious disease markers—including NAT, viral markers, Zika, Babesia, and Dengue—on blood and source plasma donations in compliance with FDA and regulatory requirements. Implemented universal Zika testing and transitioned to licensed pooled Babesia and individual Zika testing across all laboratories.
    • Provide comprehensive infectious disease testing for diverse donor types
      Performs FDA-mandated screening for blood, plasma, tissue, eye, organ, cord blood, and cellular therapy donors, including testing for viral markers (NAT, antibody), Dengue, Zika, and Babesia microti, supporting both routine donor safety and convalescent plasma initiatives.
    • Provide comprehensive testing for source and recovered plasma
      Offers comprehensive testing services for source plasma and recovered plasma partners, including 5 NAT, viral marker, and ancillary testing, supporting the identification of positive units for convalescent plasma production.
    • Regulatory-compliant infectious disease screening
      Performs FDA-mandated infectious disease marker screening for blood and plasma donations across all laboratories, maintaining FDA registration, CLIA certification, AABB accreditation, EU compliance, and multiple state licenses to ensure regulatory adherence.
    • Source and recovered plasma testing services
      Provides comprehensive testing for source plasma and recovered plasma partners, including nucleic acid testing (NAT), viral marker screening, and ancillary tests, supporting one of the largest plasma fractionators in the industry.
    • Source plasma and recovered plasma testing services
      Provides comprehensive testing services for source plasma and recovered plasma partners, including nucleic acid testing (NAT), viral marker screening, and ancillary tests. Launched source plasma testing as a dedicated business line serving major plasma fractionators.
  • Pandemic Pathogen Testing & Research 12 activities
    • Conduct and support infectious disease research
      Participates in clinical trials and research studies in transfusion medicine and cellular therapies, supports research through sample provision and innovative testing via a Phoenix-based R&D department, and contributes data on blood safety related to donor deferral policies such as those for men who have sex with men (MSM).
    • Conduct and support research in transfusion medicine
      Contributes to research publications, participates in and supports clinical trials and research studies in transfusion medicine and cellular therapies, and provides critical data on blood supply safety, including through a Phoenix-based research and development department and the CTS Research Consortium.
    • Lead collaborative research initiatives
      Established the CTS Research Consortium with multiple blood centers to support infectious disease research and generate data for hypothesis-driven studies, contributing to six research publications in 2025.
    • Publication and dissemination of research findings
      Contributed to six research publications in 2025, including peer-reviewed work on spike and nucleocapsid antibody responses following SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination, supporting convalescent plasma research.
    • Research Consortium Management
      Established and manages the CTS Research Consortium with multiple blood centers to support infectious disease research and generate data for future hypothesis-based studies.
    • Research and Development
      Supports research through sample provision and innovative testing via a Phoenix-based research and development department, and established the CTS Research Consortium with multiple blood centers to support infectious disease research.
    • Research and Development
      Conducts and supports research in transfusion medicine and cellular therapies, including contributing to publications, participating in clinical trials, providing critical data on blood supply safety, and operating a Phoenix-based research and development department.
    • Research and data generation in transfusion medicine
      Participates in clinical trials and research studies in transfusion medicine and cellular therapies, contributes to peer-reviewed publications, and provides critical data on blood supply safety—particularly related to policy changes such as MSM donor deferrals—through the CTS Research Consortium and internal research initiatives.
    • Research and development through specialized laboratory operations
      Supports research via a Phoenix-based research and development department that conducts innovative testing and provides research samples, including confirmatory and follow-up testing for HAV and Parvo B19, and supports development of new testing protocols.
    • Research support and data generation in transfusion medicine
      Supports clinical trials and research in transfusion medicine and cellular therapies through sample provision, innovative testing, and data generation, including contributions to studies on SARS-CoV-2 antibody dynamics and infectious disease surveillance.
    • Support infectious disease and transfusion medicine research
      Contributes to peer-reviewed research, participates in clinical trials, and supports hypothesis-driven studies through data generation and sample provision, including research on SARS-CoV-2 antibody dynamics and donor deferral policy impacts on blood safety.
    • Transfusion Medicine and Cellular Therapy Research
      Participates in and supports clinical trials and research studies in transfusion medicine and cellular therapies, including contributing to research publications and providing critical data on blood supply safety following changes to donor deferral policies.
  • Diagnostic Platform & Laboratory Integration 12 activities
    • Deploy integrated laboratory information systems
      Implemented a unified laboratory information system across all six CTS laboratories as part of a Business Continuity Plan, improving data integration, operational resilience, and service reliability.
    • Expand and integrate laboratory operations through partnerships and mergers
      Assumed operational responsibility for Grifols’ three testing facilities in 2022 and merged with three Red Cross laboratories, expanding national testing capacity and integrating new sites into the CTS network.
    • Implement and optimize laboratory testing platforms
      Transitioned all laboratories to advanced testing platforms, including the Ortho VIP and VITROS® systems, and completed viral marker assay conversions in Dallas, Phoenix, and Tampa, achieving operational efficiency and cost savings for healthcare partners.
    • Implement and scale advanced laboratory testing platforms
      Deploys and transitions to advanced diagnostic platforms such as Ortho VIP and VITROS® across all laboratories, achieving regulatory compliance, cost savings, and improved testing capacity for infectious diseases including Zika, Babesia, and SARS-CoV-2.
    • Implement and upgrade laboratory technology and systems
      Implements and transitions to new viral marker testing platforms (e.g., Ortho VIP, VITROS®), completes viral marker assay conversions, and unifies laboratory information systems across all facilities to enhance operational efficiency and achieve cost savings.
    • Implement unified laboratory information systems
      Deployed a standardized laboratory information system across all six CTS laboratories as part of a Business Continuity Plan to enhance data integrity, interoperability, and operational resilience.
    • Implementation of advanced diagnostic testing platforms
      Implements and transitions to advanced diagnostic platforms including the Ortho VIP and VITROS® systems for viral marker and COVID-19 screening, and has converted assays across multiple laboratories to improve efficiency and support convalescent plasma programs.
    • Laboratory System Implementation and Conversion
      Implements and converts laboratory testing platforms and information systems, including the Ortho VIP viral marker testing platform, the Ortho Clinical Diagnostics VITROS® testing platform for COVID-19 screening, and a unified laboratory information system across all laboratories, achieving cost savings for healthcare partners.
    • Laboratory System Integration and Expansion
      Implements unified laboratory information systems, merges with other testing laboratories to expand operations, and completes viral marker assay conversions to achieve cost savings for healthcare partners.
    • Laboratory systems and operational capacity enhancements
      Implements unified laboratory information systems, completes viral marker assay conversions, and integrates newly acquired laboratories to improve operational continuity, efficiency, and cost savings across the national testing network.
    • Laboratory systems integration and operational capacity building
      Enhanced operational resilience and efficiency by implementing a unified laboratory information system across all six laboratories and completing the integration of three former Red Cross testing facilities into CTS operations.
    • Operational Expansion through Acquisition
      Expands operations by assuming responsibility for and merging with other testing facilities, such as Grifols' three testing facilities and three Red Cross testing laboratories.
  • Uncategorized 8 activities
    • Conduct specialized donor testing
      Operates a special testing laboratory in Phoenix that conducts confirmatory, supplemental, donor re-entry, donor follow-up testing, and routine screening for eye, tissue, organ, pediatric stem cell, cord blood, and other cellular therapy donations, including specific tests for HAV, Parvo B19, Babesia, Zika, and Dengue.
    • Conduct specialized donor testing services
      Operates a specialized laboratory in Phoenix for confirmatory, supplemental, donor re-entry, and follow-up testing, including HAV and Parvo B19 testing. Also performs testing for eye, tissue, organ, pediatric stem cell, cord blood, and cellular therapy donations with limited sample volumes.
    • Implementation of New Testing Platforms and Assays
      Implements and transitions to new testing platforms and assays for various infectious diseases, including Ortho VIP viral marker testing, licensed pooled Babesia testing, licensed Zika testing, COVID-19 screening for convalescent plasma, and Dengue testing.
    • Specialized Donor Testing
      Conducts specialized testing for eye, tissue, and organ donors, as well as pediatric stem cell collections, cord blood, and other cellular therapy donations. This includes confirmatory, supplemental, donor re-entry, and donor follow-up testing, often with limited sample volumes.
    • Specialized Testing Services
      Operates a special testing laboratory in Phoenix that conducts confirmatory, supplemental, donor re-entry, and donor follow-up testing, including HAV and Parvo B19 testing.
    • Specialty testing for tissue, organ, and cellular therapy donors
      Conducts specialized testing for eye, tissue, organ, pediatric stem cell, cord blood, and other cellular therapy donations through a dedicated laboratory department in Phoenix, including confirmatory, supplemental, donor re-entry, and follow-up testing, particularly for low-volume samples.
    • Specialty testing for tissue, organ, and cellular therapy donors
      Conducts specialized testing for eye, tissue, and organ donors, as well as pediatric stem cell collections, cord blood, and other cellular therapy donations with limited sample volume through a dedicated laboratory department in Phoenix and other specialty lab operations.
    • Support convalescent plasma and pandemic response testing
      Implemented Ortho VITROS® platform in Tampa to screen blood donors for COVID-19 antibodies, supporting identification of convalescent plasma units. Contributed to research on SARS-CoV-2 antibody dynamics to inform convalescent plasma use during the pandemic.
financials · form 990 · fy2022
revenue
Total revenue$438.77M
Contributions & grants$00%
Program service revenue$436.45M99%
Investment income$2.33M1%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$396.70M
Program expenses94%
Admin / overhead6%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$87.18M
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$202.65M
Cash$22.83M
Investments$26.98M
Liabilities$87.82M
Net assets$114.83M
Liquid reserves1.5 mo
2 years on record · 2020–2022 · YoY revenue +8.2%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2022

who runs it

paid leadership · 16
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
SALLY CAGLIOTI PRESIDENT/CEO 45 $936K
EUGENE ROBERTSON PHD VP, CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER 45 $635K
TANYA PERRY CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER 45 $582K
PHILIP WILLIAMSON PHD VP, CHIEF SCIENTIFIC OFFICER 45 $541K
Elizabeth Davis VP, Human Resources 45 $308K
Dustin Schodt VP, OPERATIONS (UNTIL 10/2022) 45 $283K
NANCY HAUBERT VP, PLASMA TESTING OPERATIONS 45 $281K
Sheryl Cyrus Director, Operations 45 $281K
SUBHASH PARAMESWARAN SR DIR, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY 45 $272K
JANE HIPPISLEY DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS II 45 $266K
AUDREY LOVE DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS II 45 $256K
Leilani Palmer VP, Operations 45 $255K
Daniel Houghton Director, Operations 45 $250K
Chad Westhoven VP, Quality 45 $231K
BHAVI SHAH GENERAL COUNSEL/ASST SECRETARY 8 $184K
JEFFREY MODELL CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER 45 $75K
board members · 9
  • ALLAN GOLDBERG — DIRECTOR
  • BRIAN HAMIL — DIRECTOR/CHAIR
  • CHRIS HROUDA — DIRECTOR
  • CRAIG MENDELSOHN — DIRECTOR
  • DAVID GREEN — DIRECTOR
  • GEORGE SCHOLL — DIRECTOR
  • KATHLEEN S PUSHOR — DIRECTOR
  • KATHY WALDMAN — DIRECTOR
  • NORMA SUTTON — DIRECTOR/SECRETARY-TREASURER
relationships · 17

who they work with

  • American Red Cross Partner — Owner organization and source of board members
  • Bloodworks Northwest Partner — Collaborates with CTS in the CTS Research Consortium to support infectious disease research.
  • Carter BloodCare Partner — Collaborates with CTS in the CTS Research Consortium to support infectious disease research.
  • FDA Government — Regulatory body with which CTS complies and responds to guidance changes, including EUA updates and withdrawal of ZIKV testing requirements.
  • Food and Drug Administration Government — Regulatory body for which CTS conducts required infectious disease marker and screening tests on blood and plasma donations.
  • Grifols Partner — Partner organization with which CTS assumed operations of three testing facilities on April 1, 2022.
  • IPFA Network — CTS is a member organization of IPFA, an organization dedicated to the safety of the world’s blood and plasma supply.
  • IPFA/PEI Partner — Participated in the IPFA/PEI 31st International Workshop in Heidelberg, Germany.
  • ITxM Partner — Collaborates with CTS in the CTS Research Consortium to support infectious disease research.
  • International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT) Partner — Collaborates with ISBT's Big Data Working Party to advance data availability in transfusion medicine.
  • New York Blood Center Partner — Collaborates with CTS in the CTS Research Consortium to support infectious disease research.
  • OneBlood Partner — Collaborates with CTS in the CTS Research Consortium to support infectious disease research.
  • OneBlood Partner — Owner organization and source of board members
  • Vitalant Partner — Owner organization and source of board members
  • Vitalant Research Institute Partner — Collaborates with CTS in the CTS Research Consortium to support infectious disease research.
  • healthcare partners Partner — Collaborates with healthcare partners on clinical trials and research studies.
  • over 100 healthcare entities Partner — Healthcare partners with whom CTS collaborates to provide laboratory testing services.