The Professional Background Screening Association (PBSA), the global trade association representing the background screening industry, has announced its new Board and global Council leadership for 2026/27 as the Association continues to build on its growing presence and momentum across Europe and Africa.
The appointments were made official on September 27th at the PBSA Annual Conference, held in Arlington, Texas, bringing together background screening professionals from across the world to discuss the regulatory, technological and operational issues shaping the future of the industry.
Susie Thomson, Director of Client Success at PeopleCheck Ltd, has been appointed Chair of the PBSA Board, succeeding Katie Hartley. Thomson brings more than 30 years’ experience in the UK background screening sector and has played a significant role in the development and growth of the profession.
“It is a tremendous honour to take on the role of Chair at such an important time for PBSA and the wider background screening profession” said Thomson of the appointment“. The industry is evolving rapidly, driven by new technology, changing regulation and increasing expectations from employers and candidates alike. PBSA has an incredibly important role to play in bringing our industry together, sharing knowledge and best practice and ensuring our members have the guidance and support they need to navigate that change. I’m particularly keen to continue building PBSA’s international reach and strengthening the voice of our members across all the regions in which we operate.”
The 2026/27 PBSA Board also welcomes new director members Dave Cole, Head of Regulatory Compliance at Zinc Work Limited; Alice Quinones, Counsel at Lex11;Kevin Horval, Sr. Strategic Accounts Manager at Equifax; and Matt O’Connor, VP Operations at First Advantage. The new directors join current board members Katie Hartley (Immediate Past Chair), Andy Hellman (Incoming Chair), Kellie O’Shea (Secretary Treasurer), Melissa Foiles, Kathleen Nottingham, Bobby Shank, Marc Bourne, Jamie Pelchat, and Chetan Desai.
The PBSA board and leadership intentionally sets out to represent its global membership with its 2 newest members from the Europe & Africa region - Cole brings nearly 25 years of global background screening experience and has worked with industry regulators, government departments and national security advisers, as well as screening providers across the UK. Quinones is a New York and Paris-qualified business lawyer specialising in privacy and AI regulation and is a past chair of PBSA’s Europe & Africa Council. Alongside the Board appointments, PBSA has announced new leadership for its global councils including the Europe & Africa Council, reflecting the association’s continued investment in and growing momentum across the region.
Sally Lacoste, International Account Manager at Verifdiploma, has been appointed Chair of the Europe & Africa Council, succeeding Will Hoggarth. Based in France, Lacoste works with organisations on global credential verification and has developed extensive knowledge of cross-border education and verification processes. She will be joined by Caroline Smith, Deputy General Counsel at HireRight, who has been appointed Chair Elect of the Europe & Africa Council. Smith has worked within the background screening industry since 2008 and oversees legal and compliance matters across EMEA, APAC and LATAM for HireRight.
The new Council leadership comes as PBSA continues to strengthen its presence across Europe and Africa, expanding member engagement, education, thought leadership and advocacy in markets where regulatory requirements and attitudes towards background screening continue to evolve.
Melissa Sorenson, Executive Director of PBSA, said “These appointments represent another important step in PBSA’s continued development as a truly global association. Susie has been an enormously influential figure within the background screening profession for many years, and her experience, energy and understanding of the industry make her exceptionally well placed to lead the Board through its next chapter.”
Sorenson goes on to say, “I would also like to thank Katie Hartley for her leadership and commitment during her tenure as Chair, and Will Hoggarth for the contributions he has made in leading our Europe & Africa Council. Both have played an important role in strengthening PBSA and creating the foundations upon which we can continue to build. Europe and Africa remain important growth regions for PBSA, and Sally and Caroline bring a wealth of international, regulatory and industry experience to the Council. Together with Susie and our new Board Directors, we have a strong leadership team in place to continue the momentum we have established and further strengthen the value PBSA delivers to members around the world.”
The new leadership team will continue PBSA’s focus on supporting the background screening profession through education, advocacy and recommended industry practices, while addressing emerging challenges including artificial intelligence, identity verification, fraud, data privacy and increasingly complex regulatory requirements across jurisdictions.
Founded in 2003, PBSA represents more than 800 member companies worldwide, providing accreditation, education, advocacy and resources to promote excellence in background screening practices across employment and tenancy markets.
For more information about PBSA visit https://www.thepbsa.org/
