ACRP Board of Trustees
CHAIR
Mo Ali is a digital evangelist and head of reporting, insights, and analytics at Astellas Pharmaceuticals. Previously, he served in roles with increasing responsibilities at Medable, GSK Pharmaceuticals, Boehringer Ingelheim, J&J, Novartis, and Roche. He is focused on the creation and execution of strategic programs which aim to serve the needs of patients by creating a digital footprint and platform that would enrich their overall clinical experience. As an advocate for the democratization of clinical research and access for patients, he believes that the tripod of clinical research involves the patient, sites, and sponsors, and each leg must aid in the delivery of the experience. He is also an experienced public speaker and has held key consortium or lead roles in many industry efforts, including the Decentralized Trials and Research Alliance, TransCelerate BioPharma, IEEE, CTTI, PhRMA, and more. Throughout his career he has worked from the site to the sponsor, enabling him to understand not just the process issues and struggles, but also the overall business exchange and changes that must occur between the two stakeholders to ensure success as a collaborative partnership. His experience in digital transformation and technological investments allows him insight into bringing this more to the forefront of clinical research for all the stakeholders. He is passionate about bringing the human element to our modern technological world—“After all, what is technology if it can’t connect to the most basic need in all of us, augmenting our human connection?”
VICE CHAIR
Catherine Gregor, MBA, CCRP, CCRC, is a transformational leader and business advisor with close to two decades of experience in clinical research. She currently serves as the Chief Clinical Trial Officer for Florence Healthcare, a software company focused on enabling sponsors, contract research organizations, and sites to do their best work. Catherine has worked in a myriad of therapeutic areas, including wound care, cardiology, pulmonary, immunology, and oncology. She is a subject matter expert and key opinion leader on patient-centric, decentralized, and hybrid trial design. Catherine has had the pleasure of conducting trials in both academic and community practices, including serving as the Director of Clinical Research Administration for the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center. Additionally, Catherine is continually working to better the clinical trials industry through her role as the Chair of Florence’s Site Enablement League and her participation on the board of the Association of Clinical Research Organizations (ACRO), in the Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP) Partners Advancing the Clinical Research Workforce initiative, and with the Clinical Trials Transformation Initiative (CTTI). Catherine has an MA from Loyola University Chicago and an MBA from Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn. She is certified by both ACRP and SoCRA as a clinical research professional and volunteers as a mentor in her spare time.
IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR
Christina Brennan, MD, MBA, CCRC, FACRP has devoted her career to clinical research and currently serves as Northwell Health’s senior vice president of clinical research. Committed to the advancement of science and medicine, Christina has more than 26 years of extensive clinical research experience, including more than 21 years in clinical research management roles. She received the Christine Pierre Clinical Trials Lifetime Achievement award in 2023 for the Clinical Trials Europe. She is on the Board of Trustees for the Association of Clinical Research Professionals and the Steering Committee liaison to the Executive Committee of the Clinical Trials Transformation Initiative (CTTI) in partnership with Duke University and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and on the Advisory Board for Florence Healthcare. She also sits on the Oncology Advisory Board and Technology Site Advocacy Group with the Society for Clinical Research Sites (SCRS). She is also an active member of Women in Bio and the American College of Healthcare Executives. Christina also has authored chapters in textbooks, coauthored many manuscripts and abstracts, presented at numerous scientific and research meetings, and developed a clinical trial budget course for the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI Program). She is an adjunct professor at Yeshiva University and CUNY York College, teaching graduate students on clinical trials.
TREASURER
R’Kes Starling, RPh, MBA, is the former CEO and Founder of Reveles, Inc., a digital health company pioneering representation in clinical discovery. Through decentralized clinical trial approaches, R’Kes has been on the forefront of health equity in clinical research. He has more than 21 years of experience providing high-touch pharmacy services, clinical reach operations, specialty drug distribution, and clinical management to patients with rare and complex diseases such as chronic kidney disease, cancer, hemophilia, and cystic fibrosis. Prior to founding Reveles, R’Kes headed up the Specialty Pharmacy and Clinical Research Service businesses at McKesson, which comprised two separate business units of an oncology-focused specialty pharmacy and the “central depot” that provides investigational product distribution, accountability, and storage for the US Oncology Network. He oversaw a multidisciplinary clinical research team involved in more than 130 active oncology-focused clinical trials and was responsible for delivering more than 50,000 annual shipments of investigational products, laboratory kits, and clinical supplies to the US Oncology Network sites across the United States. Prior to McKesson, as the Vice President of Operations, he oversaw eight Home Infusion specialty pharmacies in six states with Coram CVS Specialty Infusion Services, which has translated into his in-depth experience and knowledge of providing direct-to-patient care for thousands of patients on commercialized medications with complex and rare diseases in their homes. Prior to Coram, he held various management roles with DaVita, Inc., a Fortune 500 Dialysis services provider, and worked in retail pharmacy operations management at Walmart, Sam’s Club, and Target Stores. Additionally, he consulted and worked collaboratively with more than 38 biopharmaceutical companies on pre-launch to commercialization development, launch strategies, and patient access programs for new specialty pharmaceutical therapies. R’Kes received his Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy from Purdue University and his Executive MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.
PUBLIC MEMBER
Toni Willis, MD, FAAPMR, is a board-certified Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Physician with 21 years of experience serving as the Medical Director of the Methodist Dallas Medical Center Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit and Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of the Mid-Cities in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. She has experience in medical staff leadership, managing rehabilitation hospital operations, providing effective patient care and post-acute care discharge planning, and fostering superior organization-wide healthcare delivery. She is also a 13-year survivor of triple-negative breast cancer who participated in a clinical trial during her initial treatment. After retiring, she became a Hear My Voice Patient Advocate for Living Beyond Breast Cancer, serving as a panelist/moderator on several webinars and in-person conferences to educate breast cancer patients about resources and various issues related to breast cancer survivorship. She also focuses on clinical research advocacy and encourages patient participation in clinical trials. She is a Consumer Reviewer for the Breast Cancer Research Program and a member of Guiding Researchers and Advocates to Scientific Research Partnerships. As the Board of Trustees’ Public Member, she will provide both physician and patient/consumer perspectives regarding the benefits of clinical research.
Suheila Abdul-Karrim, MICR CSci, RQAP-GCP, CCRA, ACRP-MDP, FACRP, is an independent clinical research consultant providing services and training to pharmaceutical industry sponsors, contract research organizations, clinical investigators, and clinical research associates (CRAs). Based in South Africa, she has a post-graduate degree in science from the University of Witwatersrand and more than 29 years of clinical trials experience as a CRA, clinical research manager, GCP trainer, and auditor. She travels extensively to train investigators, site staff, and CRAs on ICH-GCP principles and best practices, and conducts monitoring and auditing activities in Africa, Asia, India, the Americas, and Europe. An advocate for diversity in clinical research, she lectures part-time to students and is passionate about continuous learning. She has presented at local and international conferences and has various publications. She has maintained her CCRA Certification since 2000 and has served ACRP as an item writer, Chair of the Training and Development Committee, leader of a GCP interest group, and Editorial Advisor to the Clinical Researcher journal. She is currently active on the ACRP Content Committee and the Fellows Advisory Panel. She also is qualified as a Chartered Scientist in the United Kingdom and is a Registered Quality Assurance Professional (RQAP) in Good Clinical Practices.
Lora Black, RN, MPH, OCN, ACRP-CP, is Vice President of Clinical Research at Sanford Health, overseeing enterprise-wide research operations and initiatives, including international cancer research collaborations. She was instrumental in the development of Sanford Health’s Early Phase Clinical Trials Program and formalized its Decentralized Clinical Trials (DCT) Program, advancing innovation and expanding access to clinical trials across the Sanford footprint. She currently leads a team conducting more than 250 ongoing clinical trials and studies across seven performance sites. With more than 20 years of experience in healthcare and clinical research, Lora brings expertise in trial design, protocol development, regulatory compliance, and site-level operational best practices. She began her career as a bedside nurse in medical oncology before transitioning to clinical research in 2006, serving in nearly every departmental role as Sanford’s centralized clinical trials office was established. Her leadership reflects a strong commitment to improving clinical trial access and outcomes for historically underserved populations, and she actively shapes national research and health policy through service on multiple committees focused on access in clinical research. Lora holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Sioux Falls and a Master of Public Health from Creighton University. She is an Oncology Certified Nurse and ACRP Certified Professional. In addition to her administrative role, she serves as an Assistant Professor at the University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine.
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. She has 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 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 US to facilitate change in the clinical research industry. Leslie is passionate about diversity in clinical trials, specifically minority and underserved populations in rural New Mexico. She had the opportunity to serve on the ASCO Ethnic Minority Populations in Cancer Clinical Trials steering group and participate as a panelist at the 2019 “State of Cancer Care in America: Closing the Rural Cancer Care Gap” event in Washington D.C. Leslie has contributed to several publications and abstracts related to clinical trial operations and clinical trial diversity, and participated in “The Next Phase” podcast, which focused on clinical trial access in rural America. She has also made contributions to the American Society of Clinical Oncology 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 received her BA from the University of New Mexico and has a master’s degree in management and leadership as well an MBA. Leslie currently resides in Cedar Crest, NM.
Noelle Gaskill, MBA, ACRP-CP, is a research executive with over 25 years of experience spanning clinical sites, biotech, and pharma, known for her groundbreaking work in patient recruitment. She began her career as a clinical research coordinator before advancing to leadership roles, including running an NIH center and US Oncology Research. Throughout her career, Noelle has led large-scale research organizations and spearheaded innovative patient recruitment strategies, including “just-in-time” models and AI-driven patient matching. Driven by a desire to reduce site burden, Noelle transitioned into the clinical research tech space and later to biotech. Today, Noelle leads the TIME Research Network, where she continues her mission to bring novel therapeutics to patients, ensuring access to care close to home for all. Certified by ACRP since 2017, Noelle has actively contributed to the organization, serving for years as a speaker and as a former chair of the Nominations Committee.
Tiffany Taylor Mayo, MD, CPI, is a board-certified dermatologist and tenured Associate Professor of Dermatology at The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). She received an undergraduate and master’s degree in chemistry from Tuskegee University. Dr. Mayo earned her medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, held an internship in Internal Medicine from McGaw Northwester Medical Center in Chicago, Ill., and received Dermatology training at The University of Alabama at Birmingham. Her clinical interests include skin of color, hair and scalp disorders, and hidradenitis suppurativa. At UAB, she leads the Ethnic Skin and Hair Clinic and is Director of the Dermatology Clinical Research Unit. In addition to her clinical duties, Dr. Mayo serves on several committees related to medical student education, mentors undergraduate and medical students, and is actively involved in medical societies committed to expanding diversity in dermatology
Natalia Elias Calles Nirushan, BSHS, MPH, DrPH Student, has a passion for clinical research inspired by how the work of a single research site can create global impact. It is a reminder that every research team’s contribution is vital, and that work happening in one location today becomes the medicine that transforms lives worldwide tomorrow. This understanding of research’s far-reaching impact shapes everything she does. With more than 14 years of progressive leadership in clinical research, Natalia has dedicated her career to elevating standards, fostering excellence, and championing professional growth across global research sites and organizations. As Director of Clinical Research at TMC Health, she advances the mission of providing exceptional, compassionate care and collaborates with healthcare centers, academic institutions, research sponsors, and partners worldwide. Throughout her career she has prioritized rigorous ethical standards, regulatory compliance, and workforce development. Her commitment extends to mentoring emerging professionals, launching community-based research initiatives, and developing programs that address health disparities in vulnerable populations. Growing up on family farms, Natalia witnessed the transformative power of research firsthand. Her grandfather’s agricultural research collaborations, which contributed to Nobel Peace Prize–winning work, helped feed millions across the globe from a single research site. Similarly, her family’s participation in pioneering cardiac clinical trials advanced lifesaving therapies now used worldwide. These experiences taught her that research conducted with integrity and purpose transforms lives—a foundation that has come full circle in her current work with leading-edge therapies and reinforces the essential role of collaboration in advancing medicine and public health. Natalia believes that when clinical research professionals work together with integrity and purpose, they build the foundation needed to positively impact medicine and public health for all.
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.
SECRETARY, NON-VOTING
Susan P. Landis joined ACRP as Executive Director in June 2021. Landis brings to ACRP more than 25 years of experience in organizational leadership, including as Vice President, Quintiles, where she helped build and lead a global clinical research engagement group. Most recently, Landis served for 6 years as Head of Strategic Engagement & Communications at Duke Clinical Research Institute, where she led external and internal marketing for the world’s largest academic research organization.