Spanning two and a half decades, Sylvia’s career has always focused on where the rigor of science and the power of human connection intersect.

With international clinical research experience, and expertise that includes ethical/regulatory research review, clinical trial workforce training and capacity building, and study coordination, management and oversight, Sylvia’s current efforts push to make clinical research more understandable and accessible to patients, participants, and caregivers.

Sylvia leads initiatives on health literacy in clinical research, including the first-of-its-kind, plain language Clinical Research Glossary, and a competency framework that introduces patient partnership as a critical component of research design, conduct, and reporting. Returning results and data to participants is currently a priority project that is gaining increasing attention and momentum.

Sylvia earned a Master of Public Health degree in Global Health from Boston University School of Public Health (2008) and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Toronto (2001).