Debra Kieler, recently retired from SWTC, receives the “Peter A. Shult Award”

Debra Kieler, a recently retired medical technologist at Southwest Health and an adjunct Medical Laboratory Technician instructor at Southwest Wisconsin Technical College, was presented with the 2026 Peter A. Shult Award from the Wisconsin Clinical Laboratory Network on April 7. 

The award recognizes active participation, exceptional service, and outstanding promotion of clinical laboratory science, honoring her career of more than 47 years. Kieler began her medical laboratory career in 1977 after graduating from UW-Platteville, and over four decades, she observed major technological changes in the field, moving from handwritten paper charts and manual testing to advanced automation and electronic medical records.

Kieler grew up near Cuba City, Wisconsin, and began her medical laboratory career shortly after

graduating from UW-Platteville in 1977. She completed her clinical internship in Dubuque, Iowa and started working full time the Monday after graduation.

Reflecting on her decades-long career, Kieler said one quote especially captures what the award means to her: “Be proud of the work you have done, the person you are and the difference you have made.”