Founded in 2003, The Center for Information and Study on Clinical Research Participation (CISCRP) is a first-of-its-kind nonprofit organization dedicated to educating and informing the public, patients, medical/research communities, the media, and policy makers about clinical research participation and the role that each party plays as a participant in the process. CISCRP’s staff and board of advisors have highly diverse backgrounds - from the clinical research, healthcare and advocacy communities. CISCRP’s funding comes from a wide variety of sources including individual donors, government and research institutions, foundations and corporations.

CISCRP LEADERSHIP TEAM

Ken Getz, CISCRP's co-founder and Board Chair, is the founder and former CEO of CenterWatch. He is a well-known observer of the clinical research enterprise, an active presenter at conferences and meetings, and has published over 100 articles and chapters in peer-review journals and books. He is also the author of a nationally recognized book for patients and their advocates entitled Informed Consent: A Guide to the Risks and Benefits of Volunteering for Clinical Trials.

Diane Simmons, CISCRP’s President and CEO, has extensive experience in managing a nonprofit. For over ten years, she ran a $5 million United Way agency where she was responsible for the development and implementation of the agency’s strategic plan and she managed the functions of membership, marketing, programming, and finance. Prior to her involvement in running a nonprofit, she rose through the ranks of Citibank/Citigroup to Vice President of Management Development and Training, then Chief of Staff to the head of Citibank Visa/MasterCard, and then to Vice President of Citigroup Insurance Marketing generating $80 million business income annually.

CISCRP Board of Advisors

Diana L. Anderson, Ph.D.
President & CEO, D. Anderson & Company

Queta Bond, Ph.D.
President, Burroughs Wellcome Fund

Mr. Evan Brett
Vice President, Clinical Trials Media

Dr. Marylou Buyse
Executive Director, Massachusetts Association of Health Plans

Dr. Robert Califf
Director, Duke Clinical Research Institute

Dorothy Cirelli
Former Chief, NIH Patient Recruitment and Public Liaison Office

Dr. William Crowley
Professor of Medicine & Director of Clinical Research,

Massachusetts General Hospital

Peter DiBiaso, MHA
Director, Global Clinical Trial Recruitment, Shire Pharmaceuticals

Sarah Ebner, MBA, MPH
President, Investigator Support Services, Inc., and Director of Sales,
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Yolanda Fleming
Project IMPACT, National Medical Association

Dr. Jorge Guerra
Executive Director, Clinical Research Operations, Merck & Co., Inc

Lani Hashimoto
Executive Director, Specialized Site Services, i3 Research

Felix A. Khin-Maung-Gyi, Pharm. D.
CEO, Founder, Chesapeake Research Review, Inc.

Andrea Kalfoglou Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, University of Maryland

Dr. Greg Koski
Vice President, Ethics and Professional Conduct Massachusetts General Hospital

James Kremidas, Global Enrollment Optimization and Innovation
Eli Lilly & Co.

Mark Lacy
President & CEO, Benchmark Research

Christine Pierre, RN

President & CEO, Rx Trials, Inc.

Kay Ryan
Director of Clinical Research Operations, MGH Clinical Research Program

Bernard Schwetz DVM
Director, United States Office of Human Research Protection

Linda Strause Ph.D.
Executive Director, Oncology Clinical Operations, Vical Incorporated

Sharon Terry
President & CEO, Genetic Alliance

Katherine Waite
President, The Portico Group

Laura Watkins, Ph.D.
Principal, Dovetail Associates

Ms. Myrl Weinberg
President, National Health Council

Nancy Zeleniak
Global Head, Communication Services
PPD, Inc.