Academy Board of Trustees

CHAIR
Robert O’Connor, CCRA, ACRP-CP, FACRP, is a senior clinical scientist in The Procter & Gamble Company’s Baby, Feminine, and Family Care BioSciences Department. He has a BA in Biology from Drew University in New Jersey and a master’s degree in Biology from The University of Cincinnati. Before joining Procter & Gamble, Rob worked as a clinical research associate at ClinTrials in Nashville, TN., and at Kendle Research Associates in Cincinnati, OH. He joined Procter & Gamble in 1994 and worked for several years as a clinical researcher in the OTC medicine division before moving to the Paper Division. In his current role as a Clinical Scientist, Rob is responsible for protocol development, study design and management, and post-study activities for Pampers diapers and baby wipes. In addition, he is responsible for IRB review, FDA compliance, and monitoring of the safety of study subjects. He has served as the Principal Investigator on over 50 clinical studies.  Rob’s research has been published in numerous peer-reviewed journals. He is a Fellow of the Association of Clinical Research Professionals. He is a recognized expert in Bio-Instrumental skin measurements and has served as an internal Procter & Gamble IRB member, as well as an adjunct Professor at the University of Cincinnati.

VICE CHAIR
Dee Tilley, RN, CGRN, CCRC, ACRP-MDP, ACRP-PM, FARCP, is a clinical research nurse for Bon Secours Mercy Health St. Vincent Medical Center. She has 24 years of research experience in Phase I-IV clinical trials, with a special interest in infectious disease, gastroenterology, and rare diseases. She obtained her CCRC certification in 2006, her ACRP-MDP subspecialty designation in 2019, and her ACRP-PM subspecialty designation in 2021. Dee received an associate degree in Nursing from the University of Toledo. She first became involved with ACRP by writing items for the CCRC exam in 2013, served as a committee member for the CCRC exam from 2014 to 2020 (including time as the committee Chair from 2018 to 2020), and participated in the creation of the ACRP-MDP exam. She is also certified with the Society of Gastrointestinal Nurses (SGNA) since 1991, was the founding president of the Maumee Bay Chapter of SGNA, and initiated the annual Gut-Together educational conference. She is dedicated to the process and oversight of ACRP.

IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR
Steven Ziemba, PhD, MBA, CIP, CCRC, CPI, ACRP PM, FACRP, is the Lead IRB Reviewer and Assistant Professor in Healthcare Administration for Northcentral University, an accredited and nationally regarded online university.  He is also the founder and principal of Research Site Consult, LLC, a consulting business for healthcare organizations involved or interested in clinical research.  Mr. Ziemba holds several graduate degrees and professional designations, including a PhD in Healthcare Administration, MS in Biomedical Science and MBA with a concentration in Pharmaceutical Industry Studies.  Additionally, he is certified as a Clinical Research Coordinator (CCRC) and Principal Investigator (CPI), a Certified IRB Professional (CIP), Fellow of the Association of Clinical Research Professionals (FACRP) and Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE).  In addition to his work, Mr. Ziemba is an active volunteer of the Association of Clinical Research Professionals, working with the association as it strives to enhance the quality of clinical research.  Among other activities, he has served on the association’s Board of Trustees, including as its 2016 Chair.

PUBLIC MEMBER
Kristin Smedley has dedicated her life to changing people’s perceptions of blindness after her two sons were each diagnosed with a rare blindness at four months of age. In 2011, she launched a mission to fund research and resources for children living with rare eye disease. In less than eight years, the Curing Retinal Blindness Foundation raised more than $1 million and achieved the first legislation in U.S. history to be submitted in Braille—legislation that advocates for better resources for blind and visually impaired Americans. Kristin testified at the FDA on behalf of the first gene therapy for an inherited disease, Luxturna, and was named the Pennsylvania Ambassador for the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD). In 2021, she founded ThrivingBlindAcademy.org to guide individuals and families living with blindness and to end the education and unemployment crisis for the blind community. Kristin is known for her constant collaborations and partnerships to drive an entire field to progress. She is the 2019 recipient of the Global Genes Champion of Hope Award and has been voted the 2017, 2018, and 2019 Power Person of Bucks County, Pa.

ACRP Board Liaison
Tiffany Mayo, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist and Associate Professor of Dermatology at The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). She received a BS and MS in Chemistry at Tuskegee University in Alabama and completed her MD at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, TX. She completed an internship in Internal Medicine at McGaw Northwestern Medical Center in Chicago, IL, and her Dermatology residency at UAB, where she is the Director of Dermatology Clinical Research and Department Vice Chair of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Her clinical interests include skin of color, hair and scalp disorders, and hidradenitis suppurativa. In addition to her clinical duties, she serves on multiple UAB School of Medicine committees and is active in multiple dermatology organizations. She also mentors undergraduate and medical students. She is a member of the American Academy of Dermatology, National Medical Association, Women’s Dermatologic Society, Skin of Color Society, and other dermatology organizations. She is also a recipient of the National Institutes of Health Diversity Supplement Grant and Teaching Award for Resident Education. When she is not working, she enjoys spending time with her three children and husband.

Calvin Brasor, CCRA, ACRP-PM, has monitored and managed trials since 2016, from study startup for oncology trials, to most recently supporting rare disease trial operations in the pediatric space as Senior Clinical Lead. As a site monitor, Calvin became CCRA certified in 2018, contributed to CCRA exam item writing, and obtained his ACRP-PM in 2019. Calvin has worked in CRO settings with projects ranging from operationalizing home care, to facilitating global trials from first-in-human through phase III. He has been a part of quality-minded teams who contributed to multiple approved therapies, and he has learned from highly engaged coordinators and PIs who care for unique populations. Calvin has a strong interest in applying new methods to deliver more impactful data for the development of cancer cures. He has contributed to trials involving radiopharmaceuticals and live biotherapeutic products. Calvin has experience refining standard operating procedures, writing study manuals, streamlining study protocol, training clinical teams, and managing vendors. Calvin graduated from American University with a BS in Health Promotion and a concentration in Biology.

Alisha Daniels, MD, MHA, CCRC, ACRP-PM, Executive Director, Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer Network, Washington University, a global natural history clinical study. She has nearly two decades of clinical research experience, including work as a clinical research assistant, research coordinator, project manager, and administrator on Phase I–IV studies, with a special interest in neurologic-based diseases in the disciplines of nephrology and oncology. She became certified as a CCRC in 2016 and obtained her specialty ACRP-PM designation in 2019. She has been a volunteer with the CCRC Global Exam Committee for ACRP since 2019 and is the committee chair for 2024. She has also served as a certification exam item writer and participated in a Job Analysis Task Force. She is enthusiastic to continue contributing to the ACRP mission and maintaining clinical research excellence.

Glenda Guest, BS, CCRA, RQAP-GCP, ACRP-MDP, FACRP, has an extensive background in clinical research, having worked as a monitor, project manager, data manager, database programmer, senior trainer, quality assurance auditor, and regulatory consultant since joining the clinical research profession in 1997. In 2017, she established her independent consultancy, Assured of Quality Consulting & Training, specializing in GCP site/sponsor, due diligence and other specialty auditing services, development of clinical quality management systems, mock FDA inspections, and advanced GCP and FDA Regulations training for professional training organizations and clients. She has been a long-time advocate and volunteer for ACRP from chapter leadership to committee service to serving on both the ACRP Association and Academy Boards of Trustees. Glenda has maintained her ACRP Certified Clinical Research Associate (CCRA) certification since 2002. She has also achieved the ACRP Medical Device Professional (ACRP-MDP) subspecialty designation, and is honored to be recognized as a Fellow of ACRP (FACRP). Glenda has also maintained her Society of Quality Assurance (SQA) status as a Registered Quality Assurance Professional – Good Clinical Practices since 2007.

Ramona Ramdeo, DNP, FNP-C, MBA, CCRC, CPI, is the Senior Director of Clinical Research for the Department of Medicine at Northwell Health. She has more than 25 years of drug and device clinical research experience and is a Family Nurse Practitioner who has functioned as a Principal Investigator, Sub-Investigator, clinical research coordinator, and co-author of pulmonary-related publications. With experience in clinical trials, patient registries, decentralized trials, controlled substance studies, and research grants,  she oversees clinical research for many of Northwell’s medical divisions, providing hands-on coordinator and investigator support and guidance for the safe and effective conduct of clinical research. She is an ACRP Certified Clinical Research Coordinator (CCRC) and Certified Principal Investigator (CPI), and a member of Northwell’s Clinical Trials Advisory Committee and Nursing Research and Evidence Based Practice Council. She served on ACRP’s Professional Ethics Committee from 2022-2024.

SECRETARY/TREASURER
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.