Impactful collaborations with distinguished industry experts help drive the strategic direction of our company.
With more than three decades of experience both as an active member of the angel investment community and in research and development, Edward Whitehorne brings a diverse blend of financial acumen, investment experience and technical expertise to the FHI Clinical Board of Directors.
An experienced investor with in-depth expertise in informatics, research and development, Mr. Whitehorne joined the FHI 360 Board of Directors in 2000, served as Vice Chair and became Chair in 2014, before retiring from the FHI Board in 2018. Mr. Whitehorne also previously served as Chair of FHI 360’s Executive Committee. He was a founder of Clinical Research International and a founding member of the Atlantis Group and TriState Investment Groups II, III and IV and served on their executive committees.
From 1999 to 2013, Mr. Whitehorne was a member of the Board of Directors of Novella Clinical, Inc., a leader in oncology and medical device clinical trials. In 2013, he led the sale of Novella to Quintiles, Inc. He also serves as a trustee of the FHI Foundation and chairs its investment committee.
Dr. Tessie San Martin brings extensive experience in both human development and humanitarian response to the role of Chief Executive Officer of FHI 360. A vocal advocate for gender equality, she has dedicated her career to creating a better and more just world for people everywhere.
Prior to joining FHI 360, San Martin was CEO and President of Plan International USA, an international development and humanitarian organization that partners with adolescent girls and children around the world to overcome oppression and gender inequality.
Previously, San Martin served as group vice president at Abt Associates, a consulting company providing research and technical assistance expertise on a wide range of social and economic policy issues, and as director for the Operations Group of the World Bank’s Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA).
She has more than 30 years of experience working as an executive in the public and private sectors, bilateral and multilateral development agencies and academia, focusing especially on economic growth and political reform. She has been a forceful advocate for aid effectiveness, serving as co-chair of the Modernizing Foreign Assistance Network (MFAN) and a board member of Friends of Publish What You Fund, which supports greater aid transparency, and InterAction, which convenes U.S.-based nongovernmental organizations working to eliminate extreme poverty and strengthen human rights and citizen participation.
San Martin has been published in media such as The New York Times and The Washington Post. She has a doctorate in political economy and government from Harvard University, a master’s degree in public administration from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and a bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service.
Greg Connors served as Senior Vice President, Corporate Development at Quintiles during a 24-year career there. He has a track record of more than 30 years of driving corporate growth through merger, acquisition, divestiture and capital markets strategies and transactions. Prior to joining Quintiles, Mr. Connors served as a Senior Manager at EY, an Associate at Chemical Bank and an engineer at IBM. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Pennsylvania State University and a master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Chicago.
In addition to serving on the FHI Clinical Board of Directors, Albert J. Siemens, PhD has served on the FHI Foundation’s Board of Trustees since May of 2014 and was elected as its Chair in November 2014. He joined FHI 360 in 1983 with responsibility for the organization’s Clinical Trials Division. In 1998, Dr. Siemens was appointed Chief Executive Officer, a position he held until retirement on May 1, 2014.
In 1986, as Vice President of Research, Siemens was instrumental in the formation of Clinical Research International (CRI), an affiliate of FHI 360 that provided research services to pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device companies. He was President of CRI until the company was acquired by ClinTrials Research in late 1990. As Executive Vice President of ClinTrials Research from 1991 through 1997, he was responsible for international corporate expansion and business development. He was elected to the Board of Directors of FHI 360 in 1997 and as Chair of the Board in 2006. He was also CEO of PharmaLinkFHI (renamed Novella Clinical) from 1999 until 2008 and, thereafter, Chairman of the Board until 2013, when the company was acquired by Quintiles, Inc.
Dr. Siemens’ career in medicinal product development began at Pfizer, Inc., where he was responsible for clinical studies of cardiovascular, antibiotic, anti-inflammatory and psychotropic agents in domestic and international divisions of the company.
Dr. Siemens holds BSc (Pharmacy) and MS degrees from the University of Manitoba, and a PhD in Pharmacology from the University of Toronto. He is a member of the American Society of Clinical Pharmacology and other professional associations and has published on a range of subjects including the drug development process, drug metabolism, drug interactions, drug tolerance, membrane pharmacology and contraceptive evaluation.
Our team of seasoned industry veterans can anticipate your study challenges and proactively seek solutions.
Rob King brings more than 30 years of clinical research industry experience to his role as FHI Clinical’s Chief Executive Officer. King has extensive experience in global clinical operations and executive leadership, with a professional and academic focus in quality management and compliance.
King has contributed to consistent double-digit growth at his last four organizations, and he is experienced in leading the acquisition and integration of global CRO and biotech companies. Prior to joining FHI Clinical, he held the position of COO at Asklepios Biopharmacetical, Inc (AskBio), a gene therapy biotech. While there, he oversaw corporate growth, fundraising, integrations and facility expansion to allow for development of six adeno-associated virus (AAV) investigational products.
King also held the position of COO at Novella Clinical (now IQVIA Biotech), an oncology and medical device-focused global CRO. At Novella, he was responsible for global operations and client delivery across 1,500 staff and 52 countries. Prior to joining Novella, King was COO at Health Decisions, a CRO focused on women’s health. At Health Decisions, he oversaw global operations and served as project director for the clinical and statistical coordinating center for the National Institutes of Health-sponsored Contraceptive Clinical Network.
King served for seven years as an Adjunct Professor at Campbell University, lecturing in clinical research, and he continues to serve on the Durham Technical Community College Clinical Trials Research Advisory Committee.
King holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and is certified in nonprofit management from Duke University.
Claudia Christian has over 30 years’ experience in the execution of global clinical programs. Christian has held multiple positions from fieldwork to executive leadership in biotech, pharma and both large and niche CROs across all phases and multiple indications. She has broad experience managing industry-, government- and grant-funded portfolios.
Christian has successfully participated in executive ownership programs through mergers & acquisitions (M&A) and has a passion for corporate growth targeting challenging international markets with a focus on accessible and sustainable improvements in resource-constrained settings.
Prior to joining FHI Clinical, she served as Vice President, Global Operations for a niche CRO where she was instrumental in developing the commercial pipeline, tripling the book of business in less than 3 years, and completing due diligence and sale well ahead of planned timelines.
In her capacity as the Chief Commercial Officer, Claudia is responsible for our strategic commercial and business expansion objectives. She leads the effort to strengthen the awareness of the FHI Clinical value proposition through innovation, data driven analysis, and reinforcing our growth trajectory while amplifying our impact. Christian serves as a Company Level Officer (CLO) as designated by and at the discretion of the Board. Additionally, she functions as the principal advisor to the President & CEO, offering guidance on all matters pertaining to strategic commercial affairs.
With more than twenty years of experience in clinical research monitoring and management, Ghiorghis Belai serves as FHI Clinical’s Vice President, Global Strategy. In this role, Belai is responsible for managing FHI Clinical’s relationships with sponsors and sites, and he works on project feasibility to ensure optimal implementation of trials.
Belai previously served as Director of Clinical Operations for FHI 360, where he managed the clinical research unit based in Nairobi, Kenya, while supervising and mentoring the FHI 360 Africa Regional Clinical Research Unit. In this role, Belai was responsible for reviewing study protocols, coordinating study implementation of multi-center and multi-country trials in Africa, and ensuring that studies adhered to protocol requirements and applicable regulations and guidelines.
With a background in clinical research, Belai has also worked as a clinical research associate for PharmaNet Development Group, Inc., and PPD, where he participated in multiple multi-center clinical research studies, assisted with project data clinical review and management, and presented at investigator meetings for assigned studies. In addition, Belai monitored sites according to applicable standard operating procedures and Food and Drug Administration guidelines and reviewed case report forms for adherence to protocol requirements.
Belai holds a bachelor’s degree in Clinical Laboratory Science from the University of Louisiana at Monroe and a master’s degree in Clinical Research from the University of Liverpool.
Abraham Van Wyk brings more than 15 years of clinical research industry experience to his role as FHI Clinical’s Chief Financial Officer. Abraham previously served as the CEO of Triclinium Clinical Development (TCD) Global, where he executed the company’s acquisition by FHI Clinical.
While managing the TCD Group of companies, van Wyk led the M&A strategy, which included the acquisition of HeXor (now Value in Research), a health economics and outcomes research company, as well as being the co-founder of an eClinical solutions company (now NuvoteQ) and establishing TCD Global as a full-service CRO specializing in infectious disease and vaccine research across sub-Saharan Africa. The TCD Group of companies was sold to EOH (JSE Listed Group).
Abraham previously held the position of Managing Director of Africa at Cytespace Research (acquired by Premier Research). Prior to that position, Abraham established the East African region for Quintiles (now IQVIA) and managed the East and West African operations as Regional Head.
Abraham serves on the board of several biotech, medical device and medtech companies, including AMR-focused Bugworks; Burl Concepts, a medical device company; and NuvoteQ, an eClinical solutions company, among others.
Abraham holds a bachelor’s degree in medical sciences and a bachelor’s (Hons) degree in cellular biology from the University of Pretoria, in addition to an MBA from the University of South Africa.
Meet some of our dedicated, passionate team members to hear how they’re helping to advance our shared mission of developing life-saving vaccines and medicines.
Anine Ungerer, Associate Director, Human Resources, began her career in law in 2014, after her graduation from the University of Pretoria in South Africa. She completed a six-week rotation at the deeds and local municipality offices to support drafting purchase agreements and transfer documents but quickly realized that the slow pace of the office was not for her.
“It was a risky move in a country with an unemployment rate of 24% at that time, but I still consider this one of the best career decisions I have ever made,” Ungerer said.
She joined a family law firm soon after. There, Ungerer worked closely with several divorce, domestic violence, maintenance, contact and care cases. She said, “The experience opened my eyes to see a different world in comparison to the stable and loving one I grew up in. I helped a father gain contact rights with his children. I supported a woman, my own age, to divorce after being married for less than two years and saw that a mother isn’t always the best caregiver for a child.”
From her time at the firm, Ungerer was also able to develop skills she hadn’t applied to her professional life yet.
“From the experience, I learned of empathy’s vital role not just in everyday life but also in the workplace. It is important to be able to take a step back, observe, listen, hear and understand the needs of others, their thoughts and their challenges. By doing this, you can achieve more mutually satisfactory outcomes,” she said.
In March 2015, Ungerer joined a boutique law firm that introduced her to Triclinium Clinical Development (TCD). She gained several key lessons in leadership from her time there.
“The partners at this law firm introduced me to the corporate world and international trade, and they taught me how to navigate the politics between internal and external stakeholders, the duties of a director and the company’s best interest. I will always remain thankful for the opportunity to work for them,” she said.
In November 2015, Ungerer was admitted as an Attorney of the High Court of South Africa and began working for TCD as an external legal advisor. Two years later, when the HR Manager at TCD retired, Ungerer took over the role part-time.
“By the end of 2020, I became a non-practicing attorney and joined TCD permanently as HR and Legal Manager,” said Ungerer.
Ungerer found herself working outside of areas pertinent to law and HR at TCD. “In 2016, I began working with the Business Development and Project Management departments of TCD to support them in negotiating service agreements with their clients,” she said.
The experience drove Ungerer to collaborate closely with current FHI Clinical leaders, such as Leonard Herbst, Global Head, Clinical Affairs; Marlie Smit, Senior Director, Clinical Operations; Sanchia Theron, Global Head, Medical Affairs; and Fiona Storer, Director, Clinical Operations.
She spoke highly of the lessons she learned from each leader: “They became my mentors and taught me how to navigate language barriers during global contract negotiations,” she said. “They taught me how to diplomatically defuse a bomb when project milestones or deliverables were delayed and contract extensions or revisions were needed.”
As Ungerer became more involved in the inner workings of TCD’s clinical trials, she learned how to best approach unfamiliar topics and tools.
“I remember feeling completely overwhelmed by complicated Excel sheets and figures on screens — there were so many sheets, and everything was linked!” she said. “That experience taught me not to be afraid to ask questions or make mistakes and to always ask people to share their screen if you do not understand! Just by watching them navigate through the document and seeing the formulas in the cells, I realized what I didn’t know and sought out opportunities to develop my skills.”
Ungerer became familiar with the regulatory nature of the clinical research industry and quickly built detail-oriented skills to learn how to approach clinical research guidelines and tools.
“None of the law firms where I worked previously had any form of standard operating procedure (SOP) whatsoever, and TCD had an SOP for everything! From working with Linda Duursema, Director, Quality Assurance, and her QA and Training Team, I better understood the clinical research industry, GCP compliance, data protection and requirements of auditors and inspectors. They taught me to work with tracked changes and mark-ups in documents and the meaning of paying attention to detail,” she said.
While Ungerer was able to gain and hone multiple skills from her application of law to the clinical research industry, she also felt the loss that comes with a position in HR. Throughout 2019-2021, Ungerer led HR at TCD through several company-wide structural changes.
“The challenges I have faced as HR Manager have taught me as much as my mentors,” she said. “Facilitating changes, under the guidance of the shareholders and executive leadership, was the most strenuous part of my career on a personal and professional level, and I still regret the uncertainty, difficulties and anxiety our staff experienced as we and the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted their job security and stability in life,” Ungerer said.
“I promised myself that, going forward in my career, I would strive towards building a sustainable business that offers stability and security, and I will try to improve my ways every day to achieve this,” she said.
TCD was acquired by FHI Clinical in February 2022, and Ungerer worked closely with team leaders to integrate the organizations.
“That initial transition phase required long days and fighting deadlines, but by focusing on the strengths of the two organizations and how we can support each other, we were able to foster strong working relationships across the globe,” she said. “Although the time zone differences remain constantly challenging, I enjoy being part of this global team, as I feel motivated by the start of every new day in the different time zones as it brings new energy to the virtual worktable.”
In July 2022, Ungerer was promoted to Associate Director, Human Resources. She now leads a team of nine in four countries who manage FHI Clinical’s 430 employees in 13 countries.
“I love it. Every day brings new challenges and new opportunities to learn and grow. It’s not always easy, but I remain motivated and thankful as I know exceptional mentors surround me and I can reach out to senior leadership on Teams for support and guidance,” she said.
Ungerer is currently completing her master’s in business administration, which she plans to use to expand upon her experience in both law and HR.
The travel benefit was not the only reason she fell in love with her position, which migrated to FHI Clinical when Global Research Services spun off from FHI 360 in 2019. “Our organization can help people,” she said. “Some people who don’t have a salary, who work every day for a daily wage, don’t have the money to go to the hospital or check up. When they live in a rural area, it is not easy to come to the city. When our organization works in rural areas, we give them more of a chance,” she said.
This can be life-saving for some participants. “When we have them join our study, we have a screening process,” she said. “We test if they can join the study and use blood tests or urine tests to check their liver and renal function.
Sometimes, we can show participants conditions they might not have known they had.”
Palawooth is from a rural part of Thailand herself, which contributes to her interest and expertise in helping others located in similar areas. “I was born in the south of Thailand and lived there until I was 18 years old,” she said.
“Later, I attended Mahidol University in Bangkok, where I completed both my bachelor’s and master’s degrees in pharmaceutical technology.”
Because Palawooth graduated with her bachelor’s degree from a government-funded university, she was required to work at a government hospital for two years. She primarily worked in the manufacturing department. After three years at the hospital and in her second year of her master’s degree, another opportunity presented itself. “After attending my presentation on Thai herbal and industry, the Director of Research and Development Department at one of the top veterinary drug companies asked me to work with him. My supervisor told me to take it. So, I jumped into the private sector as a research pharmacist in 2005,” she said.
Fast forward to 2008, when Palawooth received the message from her friend about a job opening and began her career with FHI 360 as a clinical research associate (CRA): “This year will be my 14th year with the organization,” said Palawooth.
From her years of experience with FHI Clinical, Palawooth has cultivated a better understanding of the company’s mission and purpose. “We help people. We give them the chance to access public health resources,” she said. “We specialize in minority groups — money is still important, but we are able to prioritize helping people above that. Working here [at FHI Clinical] has given me a lot of opportunities that larger CROs cannot give.”
As Palawooth helps support FHI Clinical’s mission, the company also uplifts Palawooth to live the life she loves. “My passion is happiness, and I’ve almost reached my goal,” she said. “FHI Clinical gave me an opportunity — a chance to go back home and take care of my dogs, chickens and my land. FHI Clinical changed my life; they gave me a chance to go back to my hometown and take care of my dad, who just turned 80,” she said.
Based in North Carolina, Andy works hard to build lasting relationships with his colleagues and clients and strives to help make a difference with the projects he supports.
Andy has bachelor’s degrees in Biology and Exercise and Sport Science from the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill. During his time at UNC, he received the Carolina Research Scholar Award and a commendation for undergraduate research in biology. He was active with several organizations and had the opportunity to travel to remote parts of Panama to establish medical and dental clinics during his junior year.
“I truly enjoy being part of finding a solution for clients with their development plans. Previously, there was a sponsor that was facing a unique situation and needed to move fast to meet its internal timelines. The client and I worked late into the evenings to coordinate documents, information and our calls together,” Andy said. Ultimately, the client decided to work with FHI Clinical on this project based on Andy’s ability to quickly assemble and provide a meaningful strategy for their next steps. During a call with larger teams, the contact specifically called out Andy’s work.
In a previous role, Andy led a strategic initiative to develop and foster a stronger relationship with a rare disease and pediatrics group. He partnered with a delivery expert to better understand the space, develop and share meaningful material with the team and drive new business. Andy said, “Through this experience, I had a chance to better understand the journey of patients in rare disease and pediatric trials as well as learn about the nuances of the space as they relate to study planning, operations and regulatory affairs.”
Outside of work, Andy loves running, cycling, being outdoors and spending time with friends and family. He enjoys cooking and has recently started to get more into coffee. His favorite coffee right now is the Joe Van Gogh Ethiopia Sidamo. He and his wife are both big supporters of the University of North Carolina Tar Heels.
“I have a non-traditional career path, which makes me interested in other people who have non-traditional paths,” Nathan McKinney, Associate Director, Proposal Management, said. “I’m interested in what people bring from different areas of their lives.”
McKinney began working for FHI 360 in 2016, after 10 years of proposal management work at RTI International, a nonprofit organization local to the Research Triangle. When Global Research Services (GRS) at FHI 360 began to transition to FHI Clinical, McKinney was contacted to be a part of the team. For McKinney, the answer came easily enough. “I liked a lot of the people that were forming FHI Clinical, so I joined them,” he said. The rest was history.
Today, McKinney finds himself in conversations with an array of FHI Clinical employees to find solutions to client questions and challenges. “That’s why I like working in Proposals. You have people who deeply understand clinical trials, infectious diseases and special populations. I’m fascinated by people who are experts in things. For me, it’s a chance to interact with new people,” he said.
McKinney recalls this interest in working with experts since his pursuit of a journalism degree at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina. “The dorm I was in housed the multidisciplinary department; most of the people I spent time with were inventing their majors,” he said. Thus, in true multidisciplinary fashion, McKinney graduated with a journalism degree with a focus in astrophysics in 2000. “Journalism and communications and such, it’s all a chance to interact with those people [experts] and learn something new,” he explained.
McKinney in Hawaii in 2001
After his graduation, McKinney’s first job came from a connection, a telescope operator, in Hawaii. McKinney wrote and managed communications for a website and newsletter at an observatory until 2002, when he moved back to North Carolina.
The observatory in Hawaii where McKinney worked in 2001
There, he was offered a job in the music industry. “Most people were focused on a music genre. There were a lot of country and folk bands, but every now and then, something would come in that was a bit surprising, which they would hand off to me,” he said. McKinney worked closely with Chuck D and Flavor Flav, American rappers who found popularity in the 1990s. They invited McKinney to attend the Billboard Music Awards when they were inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Rapper Flavor Flav (left) and McKinney (right) in 2006
However, McKinney knew the music industry’s pace was not for him. “It was exciting, but also draining — just a crazy life,” he said. That was when McKinney decided to switch gears and applied for a Proposal Manager position in North Carolina. Ironically, McKinney’s favorite parts of proposals work are similar to aspects of the music industry. “I like the challenges and frantic nature of proposals,” he said. “Every proposal is a bit of a puzzle. You have to figure out what makes FHI Clinical the right organization to do this work. I think I enjoy the thrill of it.”
However, proposal management comes with its own challenges. To McKinney, there’s always something to gain, even from a loss. “How do we put our best foot forward? What do we need, if not to win now, but in the future?” he said.
Watch this episode of The Huxley Morton Podcast to hear our COO Rob King talk about how the skills he learned as a law enforcement officer working in the hostage and drug department help him excel in the clinical research industry.
After 15 years as a project manager in the clinical trials industry, it’s obvious Daniel is passionate about his job.
As a senior clinical project manager for FHI Clinical, Daniel is the primary liaison between FHI Clinical project teams and study sponsors. As he says about his role, “In clinical trials, there’s no ordinary day. But one of the most important things you can do is stay organized. The first thing I do in the morning is plan my day. And then, as the day goes on, I constantly prioritize and reprioritize my tasks. I’m always replanning my day.”
It’s important to give updates to our clients on the progress of studies, so I have a lot of client meetings. For our full-service clients, I bring all the internal stakeholders together, like data management, buyer statistics, medical monitoring, pharmacovigilance and the regulatory departments. A lot of my job is liaising and bringing everyone together.
Daniel started in the clinical trials industry when a friend helped him get a job doing research assistant work. Within a few months, he was promoted to a clinical research assistant position. After about five years, he moved on for an opportunity to work on an HIV study in South Africa that required moving to Cape Town. “It was quite unique — a government-to-government program with some public health aspects, so it was something different — an opportunity I had to take!”
Daniel then joined Triclinium Clinical Development, where he was seconded to the Italian Ministry of Health for three and a half years. When the study and program completed, Daniel transitioned to a project manager position with Triclinium where he remained for 10 years until the organization was acquired by FHI Clinical.
Daniel highlighted the skills he hones daily as Clinical Project Manager, which often pertain to “Organizational skills! Planning your day, organizing the stakeholders. This isn’t something that comes naturally to a lot of people — it’s a skill you develop throughout your career,” he said.
Daniel elaborated on the qualities of a successful project manager, which help him work as efficiently as possible. “Being self-motivated is really important too. You don’t have someone looking over you, so you need to be really driven to make the project work. And good communication! You need to be able to liaise with and provide information to the correct stakeholders at the right time. In summary, project management is about providing quality results in the shortest time — within budget!”
One of the things Daniel really enjoys about his job is the many cultures with which he comes in contact. “I work with people from all over the world, and all those people have different cultures. You have to realize that people have slightly different ways of doing things. You just have to have mutual respect and treat people the way that you would want to be treated. I think that’s the best way to work within different cultures. For example, you can’t take offense if people are very ‘to the point’ in their emails. It could just be a cultural difference. You get to learn that a little as you go. That’s what makes this job fun!”
When asked about the challenges of his job, Daniel says, “Clinical trials aren’t a 9-to-5 job. I work with patients and have data coming in from around the world. Issues might come up that need to be dealt with immediately, as we have very strict timelines to meet. Thankfully, at FHI Clinical, we have people around the world that can cover in most cases, but it’s still one of the most challenging — but exciting — aspects of the role.”
With such a stressful role, we talked with Daniel about tactics he uses to recharge. “I enjoy gym classes. They’re fairly short, but it’s long enough for me to feel energized again.”
Daniel earned a Bachelor of Science degree in medical cell biology and physiology from the University of the Witwatersrand. Later, he completed a Bachelor of Science degree with honors in clinical and experimental pharmacology, also from the University of the Witwatersrand.
I love project management; I see myself being a project manager for a long time. I’m passionate about trials and passionate about public health. Every day is new, and it’s never boring. It’s a fast-paced industry, and it’s exciting. I’m not looking to climb the ranks in a company, but I like the idea of finding something I’m passionate about and continuing with that.
Stephanie Nono, Clinical Research Associate at FHI Clinical and based in Abidjan, the largest city of Côte d’Ivoire, starts her day off with site communication. “I reach out to the sites to gather information and log the data into Smartsheet, a tool we use for work collaboration. Once I connect with my team, I send the information to the sponsor.”
Currently, Stephanie is working on a feasibility project for a global COVID-19 study where she connects with potential sites to learn more about their resources, such as existing staff and equipment, the regulatory process and more.
In the field, you have to be very detail-oriented, whether it’s for the drug that the medical team is dispensing, the pharmacy or the freezer where the study specimens are stored.
“I am just happy to help people that I meet in the field, like our partners and site contacts. These people are often professors, medical doctors and nurses. I really enjoy our discussions because they offer me a new point of view.”
“We know how important it is to build trust with our site contacts, and we place value on remaining available and flexible to meet their needs. It’s all about collaboration, communication and close relationships.”
“My children and I spend most weekends exploring the area around Abidjan. We just get in the car and drive for maybe an hour to spend time at the beach, hiking, that kind of thing. I enjoy being with my family!”
It is a lot about the people that you work with and how they interact with systems. As the help desk, your role is to fix problems and give employees a sense that they have control over the system in front of them. It is human-focused. On a day-to-day basis, I primarily deal with the people and the interaction between the people and the machine.
“I have a passion for helping people in need, especially those who are sick or have a disability. While serving as a nurse, I realized that health care resources are often inadequate and grossly limited. I went into health care because of my own struggles and empathy for others, as well as the desire to help address resource challenges in the developing world,” said Victor Doolakeh Taryor.
Taryor is the FHI Clinical site manager for the Partnership for Research on Vaccines and Infectious Diseases in Liberia (PREVAIL) team at the John F. Kennedy Medical Center in Monrovia, Liberia.
The PREVAIL research network was established in 2014 by the Liberian Ministry of Health and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to foster international relationships to help end the 2014-2015 Ebola epidemic. Originally, the network focused on clinical research for Ebola therapeutics and vaccines. Efforts have since shifted to a long-term network that researches many other diseases of public health importance in Liberia. Today, the PREVAIL network is governed by multiple, global organizations and has active studies for Ebola, HIV, malaria and COVID-19.
As the site manager for PREVAIL, Taryor responds to operations requests, including queries from the University of Minnesota Data Management Center regarding study-related issues and operational performance issues. He also holds daily meetings with his staff and disbursement administrator to evaluate challenges and verify and approve daily financial disbursement records.
FHI Clinical has supported the PREVAIL research network since its inception in 2014, and we expanded our role to full operational management in September 2020. We provide experienced oversight, facilitate the execution and contractual requirements of all in-country logistics, and help sustain the ability of the network’s research-ready sites to conduct high-quality studies in collaboration with sponsors and research teams
“My days are full of competing priorities. My job is managing people who contribute scientific knowledge towards the fight against various infectious diseases of public health importance. I like that what I do helps people. Nursing gave me a lot of courage, and I’m naturally a nurturer. Both of these attributes are a good basis for sound leadership.”
Taryor began his career as a nurse. He received a diploma in nursing and went on to pursue an undergraduate degree in nursing from Cuttington University in Suakoko, Bong County, Liberia. To continue his education, he earned a graduate certificate in health policy and administration, with an emphasis in hospital administration, from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and later received his master’s in public administration from the Cuttington University Graduate School and Professional Studies in Liberia.
School is so liberating! It unleashes your hidden potential and channels it into something tangible and actionable. From all my studies, I’ve gotten a much deeper understanding of real-world issues that are confronting people today.
Anyone wishing to pursue a career in health care or public administration should be really passionate about serving. It helps to be passionate and keenly interested in organizing resources and meeting health care challenges throughout the world.
“I’ve always liked ideas and looking at things from different angles,” said T. Maccarthy Kpaan, also known as “Mac,” FHI Clinical human resources (HR) manager in Liberia for the Partnership for Research on Vaccines and Infectious Diseases in Liberia (PREVAIL) team.
According to Maccarthy, he looks forward to working with diverse groups of people and perspectives on various issues.
The PREVAIL research network was established in 2014 by the Liberian Ministry of Health and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to foster international relationships to help end the 2014-2015 Ebola epidemic. Originally, the network focused on clinical research for Ebola therapeutics and vaccines. Efforts have since shifted to a long-term network that researches many other diseases of public health importance in Liberia. Today, the PREVAIL network is governed by multiple, global organizations and has active studies for Ebola, HIV, malaria and COVID-19.
Maccarthy’s professional HR experience began in 2014.
“I spent most of my career providing HR leadership and support to the health sector in areas such as sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) projects, technical vocational education training projects, community health, urban health service delivery, capacity building and system development for a local civil society organization in Liberia,” he said.
He holds an undergraduate degree in management from the United Methodist University in Liberia in addition to several certificates and diplomas in project management, leadership and human resources. He is now in his final year of graduate school, pursuing a master’s in personnel administration.
A typical workday for Maccarthy includes responding to staff concerns, creating policy documents and templates and managing employee timesheets. He’s also in charge of recruitment processes. “This includes overseeing advertisements, selecting the interview panel, coordinating the scheduling of interviews, participating in interviewing candidates, checking references, negotiating offers and the orientation and onboarding of new hires,” he said. Despite the substantial workload, Maccarthy approaches his position with a balanced, positive outlook and recommends the same for anyone considering a career in HR.
Clear your mind of the stereotype that HR is a profession set aside only to hire or fire. Strive to build a more inclusive work environment, one that is full of knowledge sharing, team-friendly and culturally sensitive, where everyone has respect for diverse opinions and views. Place strong focus on equity, inclusion and diversity.
Maccarthy is passionate, not only for constantly improving human resources management but also for connecting talented individuals to a rewarding workplace.
“Connecting people with life-changing career opportunities and helping this company attract and retain the best talent brings me so much motivation and fulfillment. I also have a great passion for sharing ideas; developing HR systems, practices, policies and procedures; and using data and analytics to drive information and decision making.”
Outside of work, Maccarthy enjoys spending time with his two daughters and stepson and playing the piano for his family and church. “I love spending time with my family. I also really enjoy sports and playing music,” he said.
Maccarthy reflected as he recently celebrated one year with FHI Clinical and PREVAIL: “Just waking up every morning knowing that I have that space, that place, that company (FHI Clinical-PREVAIL) that welcomes me and allows me to put out my full potential and feel respected motivates me very profoundly and deeply,” he said.
FHI Clinical has supported the PREVAIL research network since its inception in 2014, and we expanded our role to full operational management in September 2020. We provide experienced oversight, facilitate the execution and contractual requirements of all in-country logistics, and help sustain the ability of the network’s research-ready sites to conduct high-quality studies in collaboration with sponsors and research teams.
The daughter of two nurses, Dr. Kumblytee Johnson spent much of her childhood in hospitals, even occasionally going on rounds with her parents. One day, she overheard a female patient say she didn’t feel comfortable seeing a male doctor. Moved by the woman’s discomfort, she knew then that she wanted to be a doctor. She understood that female patients wanted and needed more women in healthcare.
Dr. Johnson joined the Partnership for Research on Vaccines and Infectious Diseases in Liberia (PREVAIL) team in September of 2015 and became an FHI Clinical employee through the partnership in September of 2020. She carries the responsibilities of many roles in addition to her role as a licensed Liberian medical doctor. Dr. Johnson offers insight, expertise and guidance to her colleagues on a daily basis as:
The PREVAIL research network was established in 2014 by the Liberian Ministry of Health and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to foster international relationships to help end the 2014-2015 Ebola epidemic. Originally, the network focused on clinical research for Ebola therapeutics and vaccines. Efforts have since shifted to a long-term network that researches many other diseases of public health importance in Liberia. Today, the PREVAIL network is governed by multiple, global organizations and has active studies for Ebola, HIV, malaria and COVID-19.
Dr. Johnson received her Doctor of Medicine degree from A.M. Dogliotti College of Medicine in Monrovia, Liberia. She also holds a Master of Science in public health with a concentration in epidemiology from Cuttington University, also in Monrovia, Liberia.
“As a researcher, I like that we try to answer mostly population questions by understanding the population’s disease burden around who is infected, how many people are infected, where (and in which community) it’s occurring, when it started and its nature. Because these fields are very important and difficult to separate, the step I took to become a site physician has given me additional skills and experiences,” she said.
FHI Clinical has supported the PREVAIL research network since its inception in 2014, and we expanded our role to full operational management in September 2020. We provide experienced oversight, facilitate the execution and contractual requirements of all in-country logistics, and help sustain the ability of the network’s research-ready sites to conduct high-quality studies in collaboration with sponsors and research teams.
Dr. Johnson strives to use these skills not only with every patient but also with her colleagues and staff. When the first COVID-19 wave hit Liberia in 2020, Dr. Johnson’s study staff were wary of moving forward with studies and participants for fear of catching or spreading the disease.
“My colleague and I helped develop an infection prevention and control training for our study staff, which made them confident to continue our studies without staff or subjects getting infected when we reopened the sites,” said Dr. Johnson.
The work she puts into supporting her team is reciprocated.
They [the study team] have good team spirit and are willing to go the extra mile anytime,” she said. “I am proud of the people I work with.
Motivated by tangible change in the lives of her patients, Dr. Johnson finds inspiration in seeing her work spark progress.
“It’s exciting to see research activities extending into institutions in Liberia whose results are published to help clinicians in treatment and preventive measures,” she said. “It’s motivating to see policy makers use the research results to make informed decisions and policies for the betterment of the country.”
As passionate as she once was when she realized she wanted to follow her parents’ footsteps in healthcare, Dr. Johnson doesn’t waver in the face of a challenge.
“My experiences have taught me that every career has challenges, but how you overcome those challenges determines your path,” she said.
When asked what she would advise aspiring clinical researchers, Dr. Johnson said, “Nothing is impossible if you believe in yourself, remain focused, work hard and never underestimate the potential you have when you set goals. With persistence, your dream will come true.”
Have questions or need more information? Reach out to our team—we’re here to help and eager to connect.
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