A member of Avoca’s integrated consulting and Avoca Quality Consortium (AQC) workstreams, Emery Brandy manages projects across Avoca’s research, consulting services, and AQC offerings for pharmaceutical, biotech, and contract research organizations. Emery has more than 13 years of clinical research experience across Phase I–III trials in oncology, hematology, cardiology, rare disease, and medical devices. Emery began his clinical research career as a clinical trial assistant at a sponsor company, maintaining Trial Master File documentation and tracking trial supplies, case report forms, and clinical data flow. He then worked as a Clinical Research Associate at a CRO and later as a Senior Clinical Research Associate at a sponsor company. In those roles, he qualified sites and investigators, managed regulatory submissions, performed source data verification, and oversaw trials through closeout. As Senior Manager, Client Delivery at Avoca, Emery oversees project scope and timelines so they meet client expectations and regulatory requirements. He supports Quality Management System gap analyses, inspection readiness, quality tolerance limits, mock inspections, and site audits. He also coordinates cross-functional teams to make clinical trial programs faster and more reliable. Emery holds a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication, with a minor in Business Administration, from Savannah State University.

Gina DiCindio is a Member Engagement Programs Associate Director with AQC and has more than 20 years of experience supporting collaboration, research, and client engagement within the pharmaceutical and clinical research industry. In her current role, Gina coordinates and supports collaborative member programs, overseeing meeting planning, logistics, and engagement initiatives that help industry stakeholders connect, share best practices, and address common challenges.

Prior to assuming her current position, Gina progressed through multiple roles at Avoca, (a WCG Company) from Survey Specialist to Project Manager, leading industry research programs and facilitating workshops, advisory boards, and quality-focused collaborative initiatives. Her experience includes gathering and synthesizing client feedback for contract research organizations (CROs) and specialty service providers, supporting the development and publication of industry tools and best practices, and overseeing large-scale client relationship programs. Before joining Avoca, Gina held leadership positions in banking and training and operated her own small business. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from The College of New Jersey.

A member of Avoca’s integrated consulting and Avoca Quality Consortium workstreams, Kristen Bennett provides consulting services to top pharmaceutical, biotech, and contract research organizations, and oversees client deliverables, systems, and processes across Avoca.

Kristen has 15 years of clinical trial experience with expertise in clinical trial execution, process development, and strategic management. Her previous professional roles include project, data, and site management.

Kristen’s clinical research career began as a clinical research coordinator at a large academic oncology institution where she was responsible for the recruitment, intervention, data collection, laboratory, and data analysis for studies across multiple therapeutic areas. Kristen transitioned into a research supervisory role with the primary responsibility of developing and providing education, orientation, and continuing education programs relative to conducting research protocols. Kristen has also co-authored several scientific abstracts/poster presentations.

As project manager at various CROs, Kristen ensured operational excellence within the project management group across a portfolio of studies. She participated on the Steering Committee of each study to analyze trial progress and mitigate newly identified trial risks. She also developed and evaluated study performance metrics against agreed-upon budget deliverables and timelines. Additionally, Kristen managed and coordinated the efforts of cross-functional project teams to support milestone achievement while implementing continuous improvement activities for internal and external risk mitigation.

Kristen holds a bachelor’s degree in Biology from Kutztown University of Pennsylvania.

Karen Harvey has 25 years of experience in healthcare and in the clinical research industry. As the Senior Director of the Avoca Quality Consortium, Karen has a focus on building strong client relationships, content creation, and expanding client knowledge of Avoca solutions.

Prior to joining Avoca, Karen’s previous professional roles included work as a Registered Nurse and then diverse roles within the clinical research industry at the site level and at CROs in Quality Assurance and Quality Management Oversight with focus on Sponsor/CRO oversight and strategic relationships.

Talubezie Kasongo brings more than 15 years of experience building multi-stakeholder partnerships and driving ecosystem growth across global health and clinical development. As Senior Manager, Membership Growth for WCG’s Avoca Quality Consortium (AQC), she focuses on expanding engagement and advancing collaboration across the clinical research ecosystem.

Prior to joining WCG, Talubezie founded Elila Consulting, a firm focused on clinical research capacity building, site engagement, and expanding access to research opportunities in underrepresented regions. She also co-founded HybridWerx, a technology platform designed to improve real-time coordination among clinical trial stakeholders. Her experience includes supporting infectious disease surveillance initiatives for ECOWAS following the Ebola outbreak, conducting baseline studies for UNICEF, WHO, the World Bank, and USAID across Sub-Saharan Africa, and advising on digital health platforms that promote informed contraceptive decision-making.

Caryn Laermer is Head of Member Engagement for Avoca. She oversees strategies, initiatives, and communications; manages member engagement and recruitment; and plays an integral role in organizing Avoca Summits and AQC Member meetings.

Prior to joining Avoca in 2006, Caryn served as Vice President, Derivatives Group at Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette (now Credit Suisse), where she specialized in the sales and trading of stock options, foreign currency derivatives, and futures.

Ms. Laermer graduated from Tufts University with a BA in Economics. She is a member of Omicron Delta Epsilon, Economics Honor Society and holds an MBA in Finance from New York University.

Lisa McKay is Director of Document Management for the Avoca Quality Consortium (AQC), where she leads the development and management of industry resources, tools, templates, and thought leadership content.. She oversees the creation of AQC deliverables and Knowledge Center resources, ensuring they remain relevant, practical, and aligned with evolving regulatory expectations and industry needs.

Over more than two decades with Avoca and the AQC, Lisa has held a broad range of leadership roles supporting both research and industry collaboration initiatives. Her extensive experience spans content strategy, knowledge management, member engagement, and the development of resources that help organizations strengthen quality, compliance, and operational excellence across the clinical trial lifecycle.

Prior to joining Avoca, Lisa held executive leadership positions in marketing and business planning, working with entrepreneurial organizations and advising emerging technology companies as an independent consultant and mentor. Earlier in her career, she also gained hands-on scientific research experience focused on developing therapies for complex neurological diseases.

Lisa holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Bowling Green State University and an MBA from the University of Connecticut.

Virginie Malthet is Product Manager for the Avoca Quality Consortium (AQC) Knowledge Center, where she oversees the AQC Knowledge Center platform, and many technical components that support the AQC’s programs and member experience.

With more than 25 years of experience in information technology, project management, product development, and business operations, Virginie has held leadership roles spanning software engineering, technical support, PMO management, portfolio governance, and IT relationship management. Her career includes extensive experience at BNP Paribas, in Paris, France.

Virginie holds an MS in Information Technology from La Sorbonne University in France. She brings a unique combination of technical expertise, strategic thinking, and customer-focused innovation to the continued evolution of the AQC Knowledge Center.

Jenny Martin brings over 30 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry, with expertise in EU and UK GxP regulations, guidance, and regulatory intelligence. Her career began with 12 years in GLP and GCP environments within the industry, followed by 15 years at the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). There, she progressed from GCP Inspector to Lead Senior Inspector and ultimately Operations Manager, overseeing inspection teams and risk-based inspection programmes.

Whilst working at the MHRA, Jennifer contributed to development of the MHRA GCP Guide, EU Clinical Trials Regulation (CTR), the UK Medicines & Medical Devices Act 2021, and guidance related to Exiting the EU and COVID-19 regulatory flexibilities. She has collaborated with global authorities including the EMA and FDA, co-presenting at international fora and piloting the EMA/FDA joint inspection programme and the UK Innovative Licensing & Access Pathway. She also supported the development of remote GCP inspections during the pandemic to accelerate vaccine approvals.

After returning to industry as a Director of Quality, Jennifer focused on implementing pragmatic, proportionate GxP compliance and inspection readiness, for innovative products, trial designs, and technologies.

Jennifer is a seasoned auditor and inspector, with a strong track record in regulatory intelligence, quality impact assessments, and continuous improvement. Her approach is grounded in real-world experience, offering clients strategic insight and practical solutions.

For 30 years, Jonathan has held roles across pharmaceutical sponsors and consulting/advisory services. His breadth of experiences and accountabilities crosses Good Clinical Practice, Quality, clinical development, medical affairs, intellectual property strategy, portfolio management, business development and pharmaceutical sciences.

From 2020-2026 Jonathan was the founder and lead for ZS’s GCP Quality, Operations and Risk Management practice, working with dozens of sponsors to drive innovative approaches to clinical development, RBQM and quality. His organization was independently recognized by IDC marketplace as a leader in their field. From 2014 through the end of 2019, Jonathan was the Global Head of Clinical Development Quality Performance and Risk Management at Pfizer where his responsibilities included developing, monitoring, modeling, and predicting the Pfizer GCP Quality Management System, leading the analysis of Pfizer’s Clinical Trial Quality Performance, and ensuring clinical trial quality risk management was built into all trials. His responsibilities included the development portfolio, GCP processes, vendors and sites. From 1998-2002 Jonathan was the Clinical Director for Lipitor responsible for phase IIIB and IV trials as well as medical affairs functions. From 2002-2007 he held leadership roles in strategic groups with accountability for Pfizer’s intellectual property portfolio and pharmaceutical sciences process oversight. In 2009 Jonathan joined Amarin as the Head of Intellectual Property and Portfolio Strategy and was a key member of the team that raised $70M USD in 2009 to fund Amarin’s Phase III cardiovascular program, leading to the approval of Vascepa.

Jonathan is an author of many publications including Transcelerate’s key papers entitled “Quality Risk Management Framework: Guidance for Successful Implementation of Risk Management in Clinical Development” and a contributing author on, “Quality Tolerance Limits: Framework for Successful Implementation in Clinical Development.” Jonathan has multiple additional peer reviewed publications and is an inventor on eight patents.

Jonathan earned his PhD and MS at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and his M.A. from Binghamton University.