The Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP) is proud to welcome its new class of 2026 Fellows. Recognized with the FACRP designation for their contributions to ACRP and to the clinical research industry, each member has demonstrated commitment to advancing the profession by sharing his or her experiences and mentoring others in the field.
“It’s a pleasure to start the year off by welcoming such distinguished new members to this esteemed group,” said Susan Landis, CEO of ACRP. “Selection as an ACRP Fellow is reserved for thought leaders in the clinical research enterprise who have shared their time and talents generously through efforts to enhance the workforce and to deliver the highest levels of clinical trial quality in service to participants and the healthcare industry.”
Meet the members of the ACRP Fellows class of 2026:
Leslie Byatt, MSML, MBA, CCRC, PMP, FACRP, is the Director of Clinical Trials Operations at the University of New Mexico Hospitals (UNMH). She has been a leader in the clinical research space for more than 30 years, having worked in the industry as a clinical research coordinator, as a community outpatient site manager, and as a global site liaison in Panama City, Panama, and at the UNM Cancer Center, where she served as the New Mexico Minority NCORP grant administrator and the study activation/regulatory operations manager. She has the pleasure of collaborating with private practices, public hospitals, and academic sites across the state of New Mexico and the U.S. to facilitate change in the clinical research industry, and is passionate about diversity in clinical trials, specifically from minority and underserved populations in rural New Mexico. Among other activities, she has served on the Ethnic Minority Populations in Cancer Clinical Trials steering group for the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and participated as a panelist at the 2019 “State of Cancer Care in America: Closing the Rural Cancer Care Gap” event in Washington D.C. She has also contributed to several publications and abstracts related to clinical trial operations and clinical trial diversity; participated in “The Next Phase” podcast, which focused on clinical trial access in rural America; and contributed to ASCO as a member of its Clinical Research Committee, to the Association of American Cancer Institutes as a Steering Committee member, and to ACRP as a member of the Board of Trustees since 2023. She currently resides in Cedar Crest, N.M.
Jessica Fritter, DHSc, MACPR, ACRP-CP, FACRP, is an Associate Clinical Professor with The Ohio State University’s (OSU’s) College of Nursing and Director of its Master of Clinical Research, Clinical Research Management Graduate Certificate, and Clinical Trials Sciences Undergraduate Certificate programs. She is Co-Director of Workforce Development at OSU’s Clinical Translational Science Institute and Faculty Director of the Multisite Trial Coordinating Center. She has managed multimillion-dollar research infrastructures and clinical trial budgets along with oversight of regulatory affairs, clinical research training, compliance, business operations, clinical trial management systems, feasibility, and program management. As a leader in clinical research workforce development, she directs national and local initiatives that enhance education, training, and professional identity within the field, and participates in related working groups for the Association of Clinical Translational Science focused on team science and workforce retention, resulting in publications and national presentations. She is committed to early talent development, having co-founded the Next STEPP Clinical Research Summer Camp for high school students and contributed to national recognition of clinical research careers. She holds leadership roles in the Consortium of Academic Programs in Clinical Research and ACRP, and is a board member of the Association of Graduate Regulatory Educators. She also leads a national study on the impact of academic training on certification outcomes, and has presented at major conferences and mentored numerous professionals, supporting the next generation of clinical research leaders.
Risa Ramsey, PhD, EMBA, RN, CCRC, FACRP, is a nationally respected clinical research executive with more than 35 years of experience in building, leading, and sustaining complex clinical research programs and infrastructures in academic and healthcare settings. She currently serves as the Chief Research Officer at the Raphael Institute in Eads, Tenn., a nonprofit organization dedicated to research and education to advance transformational medicine and personalized treatments for unusual, rare, or complex diseases. She recently retired from her duties as an Associate Professor and Executive Director of the Clinical Trials Unit at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC). Earlier in her career at UTHSC, she served as Nurse Director and senior research leader for a Maternal-Fetal Medicine research program. She also served as the Site Coordinator for the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development’s Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units Network. She has contributed to approximately 240 peer-reviewed publications and has served as Principal Investigator or Co-Investigator on numerous federal and industry-funded clinical trials. As an active and longstanding member of ACRP, she has served as the President of the former ACRP Midsouth Chapter and trained and mentored clinical research professionals, trainees, and medical students. Her designation as an ACRP Fellow reflects her enduring impact on the profession, her commitment to excellence, and her dedication to advancing clinical research practice.
Paula Smailes, DNP, RN, CCRP, ACRP-CP, FACRP, has been a registered nurse for almost 29 years and has been in the clinical research industry since 2003. She is currently the Principal Trainer for clinical research and use of the Epic electronic medical record system at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, and has spent the last 18 years as a Visiting Professor in the RN to BSN program with Chamberlain College of Nursing. Her volunteer service with ACRP began as the Secretary of the Greater Columbus Chapter of ACRP, followed by terms as Chapter Vice President and President. She has spent many years as an editorial advisor for ACRP’s peer-reviewed journal and contributed columns on topics related to academic medical centers and data management technology. She has also served on the ACRP Professional Development Committee, Nominating Committee, and Conference Advisory Working Group. In addition to her new status as an ACRP Fellow, she is an ACRP-Certified Professional, a Certified Clinical Research Professional with SoCRA, and board certified in Nursing Informatics by the American Nurses Credentialing Center. She lives in Columbus, Ohio.
Denise Snyder, MS, RD, LDN, FACRP, is a nationally recognized leader in clinical research operations and workforce development, currently serving as Associate Dean for Clinical Research at Duke University School of Medicine. With more than two decades of experience, she has been instrumental in transforming Duke’s clinical research infrastructure, including leading the rebranding and operational overhaul of the Clinical Research Support Office into the Office of Clinical Research. Her leadership has driven the implementation of enterprise-wide systems such as REDCap, Epic for Research (Maestro Care), OnCore, eRegulatory platforms, and championed improving research efficiency and quality. A passionate advocate for workforce advancement, she co-developed Duke’s Workforce Engagement and Resilience program and has published extensively on competency-based job frameworks. She serves on national committees, including ACRP’s Workforce Innovation Steering Committee and Partners Advancing the Clinical Research Workforce initiative, and is a frequent speaker at national conferences. Her collaborative and forward-thinking approach continues to shape the future of clinical research through innovation, inclusion, and operational excellence. As of January 1, she is a new member of the ACRP Board of Trustees.
Vivienne van de Walle, MD, PhD, CPI, ACRP-PM, ACRP-MDP, FACRP, is a physician specializing in clinical research and a certified clinical pharmacology and pharmaceutical medicine specialist. She is the founder of VivHo, a life science consultancy firm, and PT&R – Partner in Trials & Research, an independent research site based in the Netherlands. She is actively engaged in several professional organizations, including CISCRP, NVFG, ACRP, and SCRS, and was honored with the Christine K. Pierre Site Impact Award (2022) for her significant contributions to the global research community and the Clinical Excellence Award by Healixia (2025). She is a registered physician in both the Netherlands and Belgium, and has passed ACRP’s Certified Principal Investigator (CPI) exam (U.S.) and the QM-IAOCR certification (U.K.). In 2025, she was appointed to the Global Exam Committee for the CPI program with ACRP. Her professional focus includes the implementation of electronic clinical outcome assessment and artificial intelligence in clinical research. As a mentor, speaker, and thought leader, she is recognized for her patient-centric vision and her ability to connect people and ideas. With more than 25 years of experience, she is passionate about sharing her knowledge, inspiring others, and finding creative solutions to the challenges of modern clinical research.
Visit the ACRP website for information about ACRP Fellowship, to view the ACRP Fellows roster, and to apply for the 2027 Class of Fellows.
Edited by Gary Cramer
