Connecticut State The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station

Kitty Prapayotin-Riveros

Quality Manager, Agricultural Research Technician II

Department of Analytical Chemistry

The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES)

123 Huntington Street,

New Haven, Connecticut, 06511

Email: Kitty.Prapayotin-Riveros@ct.gov

Voice: 203-974-8488

Quality Assurance Manager, Analytical Chemistry Department

As Quality Assurance Manager at CAES, I work closely with the Department Head and the CAES Director to develop, implement, and continuously strengthen the Quality Management System (QMS) in alignment with ISO/IEC 17025:2017 standards. I oversee all quality, technical, and administrative functions, ensuring ongoing accreditation through the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA) and driving continuous improvement.

Areas of Expertise:

  • Quality management, method validation, data integrity, and ISO/IEC 17025:2017 compliance
  • Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS) design and administration
  • Regulatory collaboration with FDA programs under FSMA and related initiatives

Key Achievements:

  • Established and maintained a robust document control and quality assurance system aligned with ISO/IEC 17025:2017
  • Designed and implemented the Analytical Chemistry Central Database (ACCD), a fully integrated LIMS supporting:
    • Document control and training/competency tracking
    • Sample database and chain-of-custody management
    • Equipment calibration and maintenance logs
    • Corrective and preventive actions (CAPA) and continual improvement programs
    • Supplier qualification, purchasing records, and proficiency testing
  • Led the laboratory’s successful transition from ISO/IEC 17025:2005 to 2017, translating risk-based requirements into practical laboratory operations
  • Expanded the laboratory’s scope of accreditation to include PFAS, ICP-MS elemental analysis, mycotoxins, pesticide residues, animal feed proximate analysis, and cannabinoid testing
  • Actively supports FDA electronic data exchange, ensuring accurate, traceable, and compliant reporting

CAES Career:

  • Agricultural Research Technician II, Quality Manager, Analytical Chemistry Department, Feb 2011–Present
  • Agricultural Research Technician I, Environmental Science Department, May 2008–Feb 2011

Licenses & Certifications:

  • ISO/IEC 17025:2005 Lead Assessor, ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board (2013)
  • Introduction to Measurement Uncertainty, A2LA (2012)
  • ISO/IEC 17025 and Accreditation Course, A2LA (2012)

Education:

  • B.Sc., Chemical Engineering, Chulalongkorn University (1995–1999)
  • M.S., Biomolecular Sciences (Molecular Biology focus), Central Connecticut State University (CCSU), 2006–2008

Publications

  • Cahill, M.S., Arsenault, A., Bui, T.H., Zuverza-Mena, N., Bharadwaj, A., Prapayotin-Riveros, K., Dimkpa, C.O. (2024). Copper stimulation of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) production in hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) is copper-type, dose, and cultivar-dependent. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 72, 13, 6921–6930.
  • Arsenault, T. L., Prapayotin-Riveros, K., Ammirata, M. A., White, J. C., & Dimkpa, C. O. (2024). Compliance testing of hemp cultivars for total delta-9 THC and total CBD using gas chromatography with flame ionization detection. Plants, 13(519). https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13040519
  • Vossbrinck, C. R., Prapayotin-Riveros, K., White, J. C., Marko, M. D., & Bugbee, G. J. (2010). Isolation of microsatellite markers for the watermilfoil weevil Euhrychiopsis lecontei. Molecular Ecology Resources, 10(6), 1106–1108.