Chief Operating Officer & VP of Research and Development

I grew up in State College, Pennsylvania, and come from a family of dentists (and serious flossers).  From an early age I knew that, although flossing was important, my passion lay elsewhere.  I went to Juniata College for my undergraduate degree and did my graduate work at Syracuse University.  When I wasn’t studying cognitive aging and neuroscience, I was busy enjoying the NY ski slopes and ice skating rinks.  After several years in St. Louis doing post-doctoral work at Washington University and becoming one of the Red Bird faithful, I took my first job as an Assistant Professor of Psychology at UNC-Wilmington. I loved the teaching, research, and mentorship aspects of my role, but hated grading papers and grant writing.

Later, I transitioned into the pharmaceutical industry and began working at Wyeth as a research statistician in their Neurosciences group.  After a few years doing sample size estimation and delivering p-values, I longed to do more.  I always knew I wanted to work in a scientific discipline that had a direct impact on human lives.  I set my sights on regulatory affairs and that is where I found my true passion.  At two mid-sized CROs, I led regulatory submissions projects, set regulatory strategies, and mentored regulatory affairs, medical writing, and biometrics expert teams under me.  These experiences led me to want to work exclusively with small to mid-sized pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical, and device companies where the science is cutting-edge, and the regulatory strategies are innovative.  I joined Facet Life Sciences, Inc., (formerly Virtual Regulatory Solutions, Inc.) in 2012.  I finally found my niche!  Working at Facet Life Sciences satisfies my scientific mind, allows me to teach and mentor, and to help companies bring cutting-edge, valuable products to patients in need.

My passion for research, critical thinking, and tenacity are assets I bring to propel regulated development forward.  Many of my clients and colleagues would say that I have a very direct communication style that sets me apart.  However, I believe my greatest leadership quality is empowering my scientific, business, and regulatory colleagues to challenge the status quo.  I strive to foster an open environment where creativity and risk-taking are encouraged, where hard work and innovation are rewarded, and where the sum is greater than the individual parts.

At Facet, I could not be happier leading a team of expert scientists and industry leaders who help their clients progress their programs in smart, innovative, and cost-effective ways.  I believe it is important for us to get behind every company and product on which we work.  In my opinion, the highest compliment we can receive from our clients is that they feel that we are “one of their own”.  Still, there is no greater satisfaction than when we hear that a product we helped bring to market has improved the life of a patient.

When I am not working, I love hiking with my husband and 2 coonhound rescue dogs, practicing my stained glass crafting skills, or driving my Jeep on the trails in north-central Pennsylvania.  I picked up the hobby of stained glass from both my mother and father who made many suncatchers, panels, and even crafted Tiffany-style lamps.  I hope to be as accomplished at the art as they were.  According to my 3 kids, I have mastered the art of making the best banana bread (my recipe is a secret!) and potato salad, although I continue to perfect my vanilla cake recipe with just the right frosting to make your teeth sing.  My two top bucket list items are to see the northern lights and to hike the Appalachian Trail!