Leadership

Elisabeth Rivera

Trial Excellence and Site Success

Elisabeth Rivera is an embodiment of operational mastery within the realm of clinical research site management. Her illustrious 17-year tenure is characterized by an unwavering dedication to excellence and innovation in site management and development. As an integral member of the Elixia Management Team, Elisabeth’s expertise is pivotal in sculpting the operational infrastructure of new clinical trial sites from the ground up.

Her forte lies in her profound ability to translate the complexities of clinical research into streamlined workflows and processes that foster growth and sustainability. Elisabeth’s nuanced understanding of the intricacies involved in launching research sites in uncharted territories has been instrumental to Elixia’s expansion strategy. Her hands-on approach ensures that even those new to the world of clinical research are seamlessly integrated into the fold, equipped with best practices that set them on a trajectory for success.

Responsible for architecting the operational backbone of each site, Elisabeth crafts a symphony of procedures that propel sites to mature rapidly and effectively. She is a strategic thinker, tailoring each workflow to enhance efficiency and ensure the delivery of high-quality data. Her comprehensive plans are not just blueprints but are living, breathing systems that adapt and thrive in the dynamic landscape of clinical trials.

Dalia Vrooman

Director of Patient Engagement and Inclusion

As Elixia’s esteemed Director of Patient Engagement and Inclusion, Dalia steers a cadre of engagement specialists with unparalleled expertise and passion. Her leadership is pivotal in scaling the heights of high-volume enrollment and championing patient diversity—a cornerstone in the realm of advanced clinical research.

At the heart of Elixia’s success is the imperative to cultivate enduring patient relationships and to stand as fervent advocates for patient welfare within our network. Under Dalia’s guidance, the Patient Engagement and Inclusion Team has become the embodiment of this mission. The team’s dedication to forging genuine connections with patients ensures Elixia not only reaches but serves individuals from the broadest spectrum of communities.

Dalia’s strategic vision extends beyond mere numbers; it is about enriching the patient journey, ensuring that all individuals, regardless of background, have access to advanced care options. The entire Patient Inclusion Panel focuses on balancing empathetic engagement with strategic outreach to tap into diverse patient populations that clinical research has historically overlooked.

The prowess of Elixia’s patient enrollment and retention owes much to Dalia’s revolutionary strategies and her team’s execution. Their work is marked by a deep respect for cultural nuances, a proactive stance on patient education, and a tireless pursuit of equality in healthcare advancement.

Elixia is redefining the standards of patient diversity in clinical trials—amplifying patient voices, expanding horizons for treatment access, and ensuring Elixia remains synonymous with excellence and inclusivity in patient care.

Isabel Castano

Head of Quality Assurance Division

With over two decades of experience in Regulatory Affairs, Isabel has become an invaluable member of the Elixia management team, where she spearheads the Quality Assurance Division with unparalleled dedication and skill.

Isabel’s journey in clinical trial conduct is marked by a deep understanding of the multifaceted regulatory landscape and a relentless commitment to upholding the highest standards of quality. Her meticulous approach and profound knowledge ensure that Elixia’s site network operates at the pinnacle of industry standards, reflecting her unwavering pursuit of excellence.

At the heart of Isabel’s work is a keen awareness of the constantly evolving processes in clinical research. This insight allows her to adeptly navigate the complexities of quality assurance, ensuring that Elixia not only meets but often surpasses regulatory requirements. Her leadership in this area is not just about maintaining standards; it’s about setting new benchmarks in quality and operational integrity.

Under Isabel’s guidance, the Quality Assurance Division at Elixia has become synonymous with meticulous oversight and strategic foresight. Her approach to quality assurance goes beyond routine checks; it’s an ongoing initiative to elevate every aspect of Elixia’s clinical trial operations. Her team, under her mentorship, is a group of highly trained professionals who share her passion for precision and excellence.

Dolly Rivera

VP of Site Network Advancement

With a stellar career spanning over a quarter-century in the domain of high-complexity clinical trials, Dolly Rivera stands as a distinguished authority in the realm of clinical research. Her illustrious journey is marked by over 400 successfully led clinical trials, a testament to her profound expertise and unwavering dedication.

Dolly’s approach to clinical research goes beyond the meticulous execution of trials; she has an intrinsic passion for cultivating the next generation of clinical leaders. Her commitment to mentorship has been instrumental in assembling and grooming a dynamic team of young professionals. These emerging leaders are Dolly’s protégés, each embodying her tenacity and strategic acumen, poised to continue her legacy of excellence.

Under Dolly’s astute mentorship, this cadre of young talent is being shaped into a formidable force capable of driving innovation and success across Elixia’s growing network. Her ability to impart wisdom and nurture leadership ensures that Elixia’s vision for expansion is not just realized but done so with an emphasis on quality and longevity.

As Elixia sets its sights on constructing De Novo research sites, it is Dolly’s rich experience that becomes the cornerstone of this ambitious endeavor. Her strategic foresight is pivotal in establishing facilities that reflect the resilience and adaptability required in the fast-paced world of clinical trials.

Sahil Mehta

VP of Strategic Operations

As the VP of Strategic Operations at Elixia, Sahil has cultivated a reputation for orchestrating complex processes that propel Elixia into a realm of success that is years ahead of the competition.

Exercising Elixia’s forward thinking approach, Sahil was at the vanguard during the global pandemic, managing a specially developed team to enroll over twenty times the number of patients than any other network worldwide.
Post Pandemic, Under his stewardship, Elixia not only maintained its global authority but expanded its reach, simultaneously driving multiple sites for various sponsors across a gamut of trials. His approach—synchronous, methodical, and unfailingly innovative—has ensured Elixia’s consistent delivery of results that resonate throughout the industry.

Sahil embodies the disruptive spirit that is the hallmark of Elixia. His deep understanding of business from the ground up, paired with an innate ability to manage complex operational matrices, makes him a force that not only drives the company forward but also reshapes the entire clinical trial landscape.

His contribution to Elixia is not merely in terms of strategy and operations; it is the delivery of a bold vision that ensures Elixia is always a leap ahead of the curve.

Sam Searcy

Chief Commercial Officer

As Chief Commercial Officer, Sam Searcy is a cornerstone of Elixia’s strategic leadership, bringing an invaluable global network of leading pharmaceutical and contract research organizations to the table. His role is not just about connection, but about alignment – tactically coupling Elixia’s areas of therapeutic expertise with the appropriate organizations within the clinical trials landscape.

Elixia thrives on a disruptive and strategic operating model, a model that is considerably propelled by Sam’s relentless efforts. His unique ability to tap into key opinion leadership perspectives on the rapidly evolving clinical trials landscape equips Elixia with a strategic edge in efficiency and foresight. Sam’s role is instrumental in ensuring Elixia continues to offer first-in-class services and innovative opportunities to stakeholders in the drug development process.

Sam carries with him an ethos of operational excellence and innovation, a mindset born out of his extensive experience in the clinical trials industry. He has consistently demonstrated success in optimizing processes, making him an invaluable asset to Elixia as we forge strategic partnerships with top-tier pharmaceutical companies worldwide.

Sam Searcy’s dynamic leadership and strategic acumen are pivotal in Elixia’s mission to redefine the clinical trial landscape. His contributions embody Elixia’s collective ambition to continually push the boundaries of clinical research, and his drive and determination are integral to Elixia’s pursuit of excellence and our impact on patients across the globe.

Jennifer L. Yevoli

General Counsel

As General Counsel, Jennifer advises Elixia on a wide range of corporate, regulatory, contracting, and business issues and heads compliance and corporate integrity efforts across the organization.

Neal A. Patel

Chief Executive Officer

Neal Patel is a healthcare and biotechnology entrepreneur in both the Pharmaceutical and Biomedical marketplace. Neal founded his first clinical diagnostics company, at the age of 23. Armed with a passion for enhancing the accessibility to healthcare for disparate communities, Patel launched a private R&D Laboratory, responsible for engineering disruptive, cost-effective diagnostic tests focused on several cardiovascular indications. Over the next 3 years, Patel had developed one of the largest dedicated Cardiology networks for molecular diagnostics and clinical research on the east coast.

Maximizing the power of strategic foresight, Patel began developing a crossover network between Cardiology and Nephrology and in 2018 Elixia was born. Elixia’s Cardio-Renal Network became the largest dedicated footprint for clinical trials in the Southeast and is currently the fastest growing clinical trials footprint within the Cardio-Renal specialty in North America.

Under his leadership, Elixia’s total enterprise value has more than quadrupled, the number of employees tripled and the company has received numerous accolades for its work across several therapeutic focuses. Elixia’s mission is to redevelop the landscape in which clinical trials have been conducted over the last 50 years and deliver a new environment where Clinical Trial Rollout, Conduct, and Management can occur at breakneck pace with an unparalleled level of quality.

Jim F. Crissy

Chief Operating Officer

In his role of Chief Operating Officer for Elixia, Jim Crissy brings extensive industry and clinical trial management experience to the executive team. He provides strategic direction and operational oversight to a diverse and unique system of logistics that reflect the disruptive nature of Elixia’s forward approach to clinical trials.

Prior to joining Elixia in January 2019, Crissy served as COO of a company specialized in conducting Phase I-IV End Stage Renal Disease Trials. During this time, Crissy organized and managed a team that became well recognized as one of the top performing units on the East Coast in the Nephrology space. With over 18 years of experience operating in clinical trial management, Crissy has garnered a unique understanding of the evolution of clinical trial operating models – which accelerates Elixia’s ability to not only stay innovative and agile in the execution of novel workflows and trial management, but continue to challenge traditional trial management best practices.

Harry Alcorn

Chief Scientific Officer

Dr. Harry Alcorn is an integral part of the Elixia team, adding a rich tapestry of both scientific acumen and operational insight borne of over two decades of industry experience. Harry’s unique capability to seamlessly integrate operational strategy with a scientific approach is key to maintaining Elixia’s reputation as a forward-thinking, innovative, and reproducible trial management organization.

Serving as the head of operations in the Early Phase Clinical Trials Division of Elixia, Harry’s leadership is essential in driving our unique position as the only niche-focused clinical trials company conducting Phase I-IV trials. His profound expertise is instrumental in maintaining the company’s commitment to excellence, reliability, and innovation.

Harry joined Elixia in 2023, bringing with him a mission to create a comprehensive ecosystem of clinical trial services offered to the industry. Guided by this vision, he has been at the helm of the Phase I Division, overseeing a range of initiatives and ensuring the delivery of top-tier services.

Under Harry’s stewardship, Elixia continues to disrupt the clinical trial landscape, setting new standards and paving the way for future advancements. His unwavering dedication to improving patient outcomes, coupled with a deep commitment to scientific rigor, perfectly mirrors Elixia’s ethos.

Harry’s robust experience, passion for innovation, and strategic leadership are pivotal in Elixia’s pursuit to revolutionize the way clinical trials are conducted. His work is not just a testament to his individual expertise, but also a reflection of the collective drive of Elixia to make a profound impact on the lives of patients across the globe.

Why Elixia?

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ELIXIA CLINICAL EXCELLENCE CENTER

Phase I Unit

Rare Hepatorenal Disease

Sleep Studies

Cardio-Renal Network

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Leadership

Our executive team

Neal A. Patel

Jim F. Crissy

Sam Searcy

Harry Alcorn

Jennifer L. Yevoli

Management Team

Sahil Mehta

Dalia Vrooman

Dolly Rivera

Isabel Castano

Elisabeth Rivera

UNCONVENTIONAL. RESTLESS. DISRUPTIVE.

Neal Patel

Do it right. Do it smart. Do it again.

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