Steering Committee

YPrime

Shawn Blackburn leads YPrime’s efforts on future technology solutions in the eClinical space. With a background in systems architecture and information management, Shawn has built a reputation for helping companies discover insights about future opportunities by bringing together siloed information in a meaningful context to support strategic decision-making.

Since co-founding YPrime in 2006, Shawn has led the Company’s growth from a two-person consulting firm to a global organization that focuses on evolving technologies to help accelerate development timelines, simplify process complexity, and improve data quality across the clinical development continuum.

Prior to YPrime, Shawn had a long career as a technology consultant for Cephalon and Parexel. While at Cephalon, he was instrumental in the company’s development of applications to improve clinical trial workflow and provide deeper visibility into clinical trial performance.

Endo

“It is a one of a kind conference…..a gathering of people on a mission to make a difference!”

In her over 25 years of experience, Rosalie “Rosie” Filling has transformed R&D operations in every company she has worked for, developing clear-cut strategies to help advance clinical trials with high-quality operational execution and scientific excellence. Rosie’s main focus at all times is on the end users—the patients.

Rosie has established herself as a powerful thought leader within the companies she has worked and the industry overall. For the past six years, she has been invited by John Hopkins University to speak to their Ph.D. candidates about careers within the pharmaceutical industry. Over the course of her career, Rosie has also been an active contributor to many FDA applications, each indicating a significant milestone in the process of obtaining regulatory approval for a pharmaceutical product.

ACRO

“Bringing together a small group of thought leaders and decision makers, the Gathering is distinguished by superb production values and a shared problem-solving orientation within a collegial and fun setting. This is a meeting that aims to do something – and often succeeds!”

Following a career as a clinical psychologist, Doug Peddicord came to Capitol Hill as an American Association for the Advancement of Science Congressional fellow in 1994-1995.

With policy expertise in the conduct and regulatory oversight of clinical trials, he has served as the Executive Director of the Association of Clinical Research Organizations (ACRO) since its founding in 2001.

As the global trade organization for clinical research and clinical technology companies, ACRO represents the clinical development industry to regulators in the US, Europe, and around the world.

ProofPilot

“The best produced, most innovative, and productive gathering for change makers in clinical research”

Trained as a neuroscientist, Rohit Nambisan is a product executive with experience leading product development organizations in pharma, medical devices, personalized medicine, health IT, healthcare data and analytics, and AI.

Prior to co-founding and leading Lokavant, Rohit was most recently the Head of Digital Product at Roivant and the Head of Product at Prognos Health. Rohit holds an M.S in Management and Engineering from MIT, an M.A. in Neuroscience from Boston University, and a B.A in Cognitive Neuroscience from UC Berkeley

HealthX Ventures

"Every aspect of the Gathering is highly orchestrated...from start to finish, participants are engaged in a seamlessly executed program.”

Laura has spent nearly two decades in health care: from Epic, to Forte then Advarra, and now at HealthX Ventures. She’s personally led 7 new software product launches, with six wins, and one loss. 

Just this year she’s reviewed 2,000 companies and gone deeper with 45 in her portfolio – from pre-revenue to unicorns. She knows something about ventures that succeed…and those that don’t. 

Novartis

"The opportunity for deep networking across a great mix of broad topics (main stage talks), emerging solutions (Whale Tank), and sustainable innovation (Dive Teams).”

Bill is all in on innovating the way clinical trials work for the benefit of patients worldwide. For the past several years he has led the Digital Data Flow initiative at the pharmaceutical industry consortium, TransCelerate. 

Recognizing the foundational nature of clinical trial protocols, this work is centered removing analog inefficiencies by building transformative industry-wide interoperability through the development and adoption of digital protocol standards in collaboration with CDISC.

GSK

Christina M. Fawcett is a Digital Engagement and Implementation Manager at GSK. She has over 20 years of experience in developing and overseeing clinical trials in numerous phases and therapeutic areas.

In her current role, she is responsible for the strategy and embedment of innovative digital solutions within GSK’s global clinical operations portfolio. Before this position, she worked at various levels within CROs, most recently leading the Decentralized Clinical Trial Operations team at PRA Health Sciences to develop and enable DCT protocols for various sponsors, including a first-of-its-kind fully decentralized Phase IIIb interventional trial. Christina is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP).

Siftr

“To say that the Innovation Network is the best conference in the clinical development space does the gathering a huge disservice, it is the best conference in any industry I’ve ever attended."

Ian comes from a diverse background in public policy, business, and the arts. His first entrepreneurial experience was founding an experimental theatre company in Portland, Oregon in 2000. Though short-lived, he quickly learned how to build something out of nothing. Likewise, his public policy experiences have very much informed his business choices, including serving as Deputy Communications Director for Oregon’s Governor, advocating for end-of-life issues at Compassion & Choices, and engaging young voters at the Bus Project.

In 2020, Ian co-founded the health tech company Tryl, which provided patients a consumer-grade experience for clinical trials. After that company was acquired in 2023, Ian served as Chief Strategy Officer for YPrime. Ian is currently the CEO and co-founder of Siftr, the world’s first seamless personal inventory system.

YPrime

“The people, hands down. The format is built for real engagement, with candid conversations, meaningful connections, and cross-industry perspectives that leave you inspired, not just informed.”

As SVP, Marketing, Grazia Mohren leads the development and execution of comprehensive marketing strategies to drive growth for YPrime. With experience in both the commercial and clinical aspects of life sciences, Grazia has developed deep expertise in brand development, demand generation, and strategic sales initiatives.

Grazia’s career spans roles at tech companies, emerging startups, and CROs, including IQVIA, where she led marketing for multiple technology launches with a focus on high-touch customer-centric campaigns. Grazia’s passion for leveraging technology and partnerships to advance business outcomes has helped improve business performance and brand recognition through impactful, results-driven marketing strategies.

TG Therapeutics

“The people! This is literally a room full of the smartest people in the room.  It’s so inspiring to bring together so much wisdom and unrivaled caring for patients.”

Stacy Lamb is an avid outdoorswoman who spends her time hiking, rock climbing and kayaking. She loves traveling and getting to see places that few others go, as she’s willing to do the work to get there.  For example, lots of people go see the sites in Iceland, but few hike the 34+ mile Laugavegur trail. She’s also backpacked Havasupai Falls, which is a remote area in the bottom of the Grand Canyon outside of the park.

In her spare time, Stacy works in Clinical Supply Chain.  She’s recently joined TG Therapeutics as a Senior Manager, but she brings along over 20 years of experience in Supply and Logistics, and a background on Molecular Biology.

Hightower Clinical | Note to File Podcast

“Best conference in the sector”

Brad has worked at the site-level in clinical research for almost 15 years and is the former Executive Director of the Oklahoma Heart Hospital Research Foundation.

Brad has since started his own integrated site network, Hightower Clinical, and hosts the Note to File podcast – a podcast for clinical research sites.

Advarra

"Every aspect of the Gathering is highly orchestrated...from start to finish, participants are engaged in a seamlessly executed program.”

Christine Senn, PhD has worked in clinical research since 2005, starting as a Coordinator at the University of Vermont College of Medicine then for 16 years at Centricity Research, a site network with more than 40 clinical research sites in the U.S. and Canada.

Today she is delighted to serve the industry as SVP of Site-Sponsor Innovation at Advarra.

Dr. Senn holds her PhD in Psychology and has Masters degrees in both Clinical Psychology and in Advertising and Public Relations. She was the 2023 Chair of the Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP), is a proud ACRP Fellow (FACRP), and is double-certified as a Certified Clinical Research Coordinator (CCRC) and Certified Principal Investigator (CPI).

PicnicHealth

“It is an opportunity to come together as experts in our respective fields and brainstorm real, lasting solutions to some of the industry's biggest challenges. Participants show up as individuals who care about being better at their craft and creating experiences that are better for healthcare consumers. It's a refreshing reset during an often busy conference season.”

Lindsey is the Co-founder and Chief Momatologist for Rona’s FUN LAB, which advocates for factoring quality of life into the treatment equation for critically ill children.

As part of her work, Lindsey speaks around the country about how we can better balance the magic of science and the magic of living for our youngest patients based on her experience participating in research with her late daughter, Rona. Lindsey is a trained advocate for NMDP (formerly Be the Match) and sits on the Parent Advisory Board and Parent Hematology Oncology Advisory Council for Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital.

Lindsey leads patient engagement and recruitment for PicnicHealth and previously worked in research at Sano Genetics, Antidote Technologies, Columbia University, and Yale University.