Susie Thomson appointed chair of Professional Background Screening Association

The new appointments were made official on 27 September at the PBSA’s Annual Conference, held in Arlington, Texas, an event that brought 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 customer success at PeopleCheck Ltd, has been appointed chair of the PBSA Board, succeeding Katie Hartley. Thomson brings more than 30 years’ worth of experience gained in the UK’s background screening sector and, indeed, has played a significant role in the development and growth of the profession. 

“It’s a tremendous honour to take on the role of chair at what is such an important time for the PBSA and the wider background screening profession,” explained Thomson. “The industry is evolving rapidly, driven by new technology, changing regulation and increasing expectations from employers and candidates alike.”

Thomson added: “The PBSA has an incredibly important role to play in bringing our industry together, sharing knowledge and Best Practice and ensuring that our members have the guidance and support they need to navigate the change roadmap. I’m particularly keen to continue building the PBSA’s international reach and strengthening the voice of our members across all of the regions in which we operate.”

Director members

The 2026-2027 PBSA Board also welcomes new director members Dave Cole (head of regulatory compliance at Zinc Work Limited), Alice Quinones (counsel at Lex11), Kevin Horval (senior strategic accounts manager at Equifax) and Matt O’Connor (vice-president of 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 two newest members from the Europe and Africa region. Dave Cole brings nearly 25 years of global background screening experience and has worked with industry regulators, Government departments and national security advisors, as well as screening providers across the UK.

Alice Quinones is a New York and Paris-qualified business lawyer specialising in privacy and Artificial Intelligence (AI)-centred regulation and is a past chair of the PBSA’s Europe and Africa Council.

Global Councils 

Alongside the Board appointments, the PBSA has announced new leadership for its global councils (including the Europe and Africa Council), duly reflecting the Trade 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 and 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.

Lacoste will be joined by Caroline Smith (deputy general counsel at HireRight), who has been appointed chair elect of the Europe and Africa Council. Smith has worked within the background screening industry since 2008 and oversees legal and compliance matters across the EMEA, APAC and LATAM for HireRight.

The new Council leadership comes as the 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.

Important step

Melissa Sorenson, executive director of the PBSA, said: “These appointments represent another important step in the PBSA’s continued development as a truly global Trade Association. Susie has been an enormously influential figure within the background screening profession for many years now, and her experience, energy and understanding of the industry make her exceptionally well placed to lead the Board through its next chapter.”

Sorenson continued: “I would also like to thank Katie Hartley for her leadership and commitment during her tenure as chair, in addition to Will Hoggarth for the contributions he has made in leading our Europe and Africa Council. Both Kate and Will have played an important role in strengthening the PBSA and creating the foundations upon which we can continue to build.”

Further, Sorenson noted: “Europe and Africa remain important growth regions for the PBSA. 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 particularly strong leadership team in place to continue the momentum we’ve established and further strengthen the value the PBSA delivers to members around the world.”

The new leadership team will continue the PBSA’s focus on supporting the background screening profession through education, advocacy and recommended industry practices, while also addressing emerging challenges including AI, identity verification, fraud, data privacy and increasingly complex regulatory requirements across jurisdictions.

Founded back in 2003, the PBSA represents more than 800 member companies worldwide, providing accreditation, education, advocacy and resources in order to promote excellence in background screening practices across employment and tenancy markets.

*Further information concerning the PBSA is available online at www.thepbsa.org