Site Connections

Where are you located? What geographical region(s) do you cover?
I live in the Southeast of North Carolina with my husband Joe, my dog Penny and my cat, Cuz! My role covers the globe in all aspects of project management

How long have you been working in the area of clinical research?
I’ve been in the industry for over 15 years, starting as a Paralegal before moving into a clinical project management role.

What is the best part of your job?
The best part of my role is the constant learning – there is always something new in the industry, and it’s exciting to be at the cutting edge of new treatments in development.

Are there specific demographics within your local patient population that make ophthalmology studies especially pertinent to your Site/location?
I live in an area that has a high population of older individuals.  I have met a lot of individuals with macular degeneration and I am seeing the struggles they go through.  It is very rewarding to be able to work on a study that may be able to help them in the future.

What has been an eye opener (pun intended!) in your work in ophthalmology?
Did anything surprise you about the patient population? The amount of individuals that struggle with macular degeneration has been ‘eye opening’.  I am currently working on a study with hundreds of older people.  It is astonishing to me the number of older individuals who want to participate in these trials to try and assist those that are younger and are struggling with the same issues.

Where are you located? What geographical region(s) do you cover?
I live in the North of Italy. My role covers mainly the EMEA and APAC regions as Project Manager on ophthalmology trials.

How long have you been working in the area of clinical research?
I’ve been in the industry for over 18 years, starting as Clinical Research Associate in a local CRO

What is the best part of your job?
The best part of my role is the constant learning about new treatments.

Are there specific demographics within your local patient population that make ophthalmology studies especially pertinent to your Site/location?
I’m currently working on two AML projects; it is interesting having the opportunity to contribute to the development of  treatments for a disease where no drugs are approved in EMEA region

What has been an eye opener (pun intended!) in your work in ophthalmology?
Did anything surprise you about the patient population? Ophthalmology clinical trials require specialty equipment and technical expertise. Planning phase and tailored approach to patient population is of utmost importance in managing this kind of trials.

Your name and job title?
Kelly Kewell, Senior Clinical Team Lead

Where are you located? What geographical region(s) do you cover?
I live in Southern Ontario, Canada with my husband and identical twin daughters, but my role spans the globe!

How long have you been working in the area of clinical research?
I started working in the research world back in early 2007, so 2024 will mark 17 years in the industry. I’ve held many roles, but my heart lies with Clinical Operations.

What is the best part of your job?
No two days are identical. I am constantly challenged, and therefore constantly learning. Not just related to research trends, but I have also learned so much over the years about different cultures and working conditions around the world.

Are there specific demographics within your local patient population that make ophthalmology studies especially pertinent to your Site/location?
Having relatives who suffer from the same disease we are currently studying means the impact of our work hits that much closer to home. Knowing that what I do each day may potentially lead to someone I know receiving more treatment options is an amazing feeling.

What has been an eye opener (pun intended!) in your work in ophthalmology?
Did anything surprise you about the patient population? I have been genuinely surprised at HOW far patients and their families are willing to travel to participate in ophthalmology research studies; sometimes this is upwards of 6-8 hours each way. Many patients require caregiver assistance to travel to the research site, and it is true testament to their dedication, as well as to the extremely strong relationships that our site teams have built with these patients.

Where are you located? What geographical region(s) do you cover?
My home is a small town in the mid of Germany, near Marburg. I live there together with my husband, my son (17) and daughter (16) and our two Italian Greyhounds. In my role I work on global study programs mainly in the EMEA and US regions.

How long have you been working in the area of clinical research?
In 2002 I started my clinical research journey as a trainee CRA and covered different positions as Clinical Team Lead and Project Manager over the past years. Since 3 years I am working as a Project Director on study programs in the Rare Disease and Ophthalmology area.

What is the best part of your job?
The best part on my job is to work with diverse teams, across functions insight and outside Fortrea. I like collaborating with different mentalities, idea and solution creators to build up a strong and positive team spirit causing a powerful working momentum.

Are there specific demographics within your local patient population that make ophthalmology studies especially pertinent to your Site/location?
Since I have been working on ophthalmology studies, I no longer take vision as granted! If what I do has a small contribution to improving lives, either for a large number of patients or only a small group suffered by a rare indication, I feel proud to be part of something that changes the world for the individual.

What has been an eye opener (pun intended!) in your work in ophthalmology? Did anything surprise you about the patient population?
I recently watched a public video of a patient who had significant visual impairments to learn more about the disease, and was more than impressed how this women, wife and mum of two kids manages her life.

Where are you located? What geographical region(s) do you cover?
I live in Raleigh, NC with my wife and 3 children. My role covers the globe in all aspects of clinical research.

How long have you been working in the area of clinical research?
I’ve been in the industry for over 18 years, starting as a Clinical Research Coordinator at a university, before moving into the CRO world 17 years ago.

What is the best part of your job?
The best part of my role is the constant learning – there is always something new in the industry, and it’s exciting to be at the cutting edge of new treatments in development.

Are there specific demographics within your local patient population that make ophthalmology studies especially pertinent to your Site/location?
As we age, we all experience a decline in visual function, knowing that I am working with therapeutically aligned companies that are dedicated to preserving vision for as long as possible is very rewarding.

What has been an eye opener (pun intended!) in your work in ophthalmology? Did anything surprise you about the patient population?
During COVID, seeing that patients, clinics and hospitals were all still very much engaged in the clinical research process, with appropriate precautions, was very fulfilling. We were all working extremely hard to keep things as normal as possible and see that patients were equally reciprocal kept us focused and kept our eyes on the goal.