Elizabeth (Libby) Barksdale, PhD, is the Senior Director of Regulatory Affairs and Scientific Policy for LUNGevity Foundation. In her role she guides the development and execution of LUNGevity’s regulatory strategy as well as the organization’s Transforming Clinical Trials Initiative, a multi-stakeholder effort to streamline clinical trials and make them more patient-centric.
Previously, Libby served as the Assistant Director for Regulatory Science and Policy at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), where she led efforts aimed at increasing understanding of the regulatory ecosystem and enhancing the development of oncology products. Before joining the AACR, she was with the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, where she focused on policies related to clinical research and biomedical research training.
Libby received her BS in Biology from Hope College and PhD in Molecular Medicine from The George Washington University. She sought out experiences in science policy while conducting postdoctoral research at the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.
Brian McMahon is the founder of SparkCures and a four-time cancer caregiver. The search for clinical trials is personal for him, because his mother was diagnosed with multiple myeloma. She received a poor prognosis due to genetic factors and a late diagnosis. Within three weeks, she was enrolled in a clinical trial. Participating in the trial gave his family two additional years with his mother that his doctors never thought would be possible. Since then, he’s cared for family members and friends who were diagnosed with cancer. As a caregiver, he’s had clinical trial conversations with doctors for the University of Arkansas to Dana-Farber and a half-dozen hospitals in between. He’s used dozens of advocacy groups and websites to search for clinical trials—and he knows how difficult it is to find them, to understand them and to have the conversations. He also knows there is a better way to help patients and caregiver understand and discover eligible clinical trials.
Elsa LaVita has grown her patient advocacy career rooted in rare disease and oncology. Elsa is the Director of Patient Advocacy at MorphoSys where she is responsible for ensuring the patient perspective is integrated into the development and commercialization of the company’s cancer medicines. She acts as the bridge between the company and patient communities. Elsa holds an MBA from Boston University and a BS from Cornell University.
Experienced Clinical Quality Assurance with a demonstrated history of working in the pharmaceuticals industry. Skilled in Oncology trials, Endocrinology, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Quality Assurance, Audits, CAPA & GCP compliance. Strong quality assurance professional with a Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) focused in Health/Health Care Administration/Management from Ashford University.
Mr Murcar has worked in the CRO industry for 25 years, primarily managing proposal and contract development. He has a particular background in the development of Phase II/III budgeting tools. For the last five years he has worked in biotech helping to facilitate the selection and financial management of CROs related to oncology and infectious disease studies.
Colleen has worked in Clinical Data Management since 1989 working at biotech, pharma and CROs. She has held roles ranging from data processing to data programming to data management. She has been responsible for the implementation and maintenance of global Data Management strategy for both clinical trials and programs. Provided day to day leadership support for Data project management, medical coding, data systems and quality, and is accountable for overall project delivery. Participated in clinical and corporate project team interactions on the development of internal data management processes, cross-departmental procedures. Defined, maintained, and updated metrics and other performance measurements, as well as review of external vendor procedures to ensure compliance with corporate expectations.
Clinical research professional with over 25 years in the biotech/pharma industry. Educated in organizational development and change management and enjoys using both work experience and education to help individuals, teams, and organizations become better versions of themselves. Skilled in cross functional training, process improvement and management, communication, and collaboration.
: Irisaida Mendez is a seasoned multicultural communications expert with a unique ability to weave compelling narratives that transcend geographic boundaries. She is passionate about raising awareness for global issues through highlighting acculturation and modeling methods that bridge language and cultural divides. Her expertise in multicultural communications and crisis management makes her a leading figure in impactful transmedia projects, seamlessly integrating quantitative and qualitative research. Her contributions span a diverse range of fields, from clinical trial development and end-of-life care to microbusiness empowerment and global training initiatives.
Her storytelling work has taken her impact to Ghana, Ethiopia, Haiti, Colombia, Puerto Rico, Albania, and South Korea, where she has used her skills to amplify the voices of marginalized communities and advocate for social change.
Under Univision Foundation, Irisaida spearheaded a trauma-informed parenting campaign in Spanish, providing crucial support to families navigating the difficult aftermath of disasters like Hurricanes Helene and Milton and the LA Fires. This initiative helped families cope with the emotional challenges of these devastating events. Also, La fuerza STEM, a multi-platform edutainment initiative designed to empower caregivers to cultivate a love for science in children, has earned widespread recognition. This project, which garnered multiple awards including an Emmy Award and a Silver Anthem Award, inspires the next generation of STEM leaders by providing a multigenerational approach to informal science.
Having navigated her own journey as a Stage 4 cancer survivor who is now NED (no evidence of disease), Irisaida is a sought-after Patient Advocate speaker, using her powerful voice to empower others and advocate for their needs at state and national conferences. Her ability to craft and share impactful narratives, born from personal experience, has earned her widespread recognition.
Dr. Markus Vallaster currently serves as the Vice President and Head of Clinical Development at Affini-T Therapeutics, Inc. an immune-oncology company focused on TCR T cell therapies that target oncogenic driver mutations such as KRAS and TP53 in patients with solid cancers. Prior to joining Affini-T, he held clinical development positions of increasing responsibility at major pharmaceutical companies. Dr. Vallaster’s expertise lies in stem cell transplant, cell therapies, and hemato-oncology.
