Medidata’s Jackie Kent Named 2022 Association of Clinical Research Organizations (ACRO) Chair

Kent Leads Association’s 20th Anniversary Celebration, Noting Achievements in Transforming, Accelerating, and Expanding Diversity in Clinical Trials

May 26, 2022— Medidata Chief Customer Officer Jackie Kent was named the 2022 chair of the Association of Clinical Research Organizations (ACRO) and led the organization’s 20th anniversary celebration event in Washington, DC. Medidata, a Dassault Systèmes company, is the first technology company to lead the ACRO board.

“Medidata broke new ground when it joined ACRO, and our support and involvement in the organization has grown to be an integral part of its efforts,” said Kent. “I am proud to represent the tremendous partnerships between technology companies and CROs. We are emerging from a global pandemic stronger, smarter, and even more adept at using innovative technologies like decentralized clinical trials for the benefit of patients of all backgrounds.”

ACRO advocates as the collective voice of the innovative clinical research industry to regulators and policymakers, educating stakeholders and shaping policies that foster efficient, effective, and safe conduct of clinical research. The organization’s efforts are fundamental to Medidata’s belief in fostering trusted partnerships between industry and regulatory authorities to ensure patients can benefit from the processes and technologies that accelerate the development of new medicines.

ACRO Executive Director Doug Peddicord added: “Over the past 20 years, the contributions from both CROs and clinical trial technology providers have increased exponentially. Technology organizations, which now make up half of ACRO membership, serve as key participants in drug development, leaders in patient centricity, and drivers of the digital transformation of clinical trials. Not only is Jackie the first ACRO Chair from a technology company, but her longstanding and influential engagement with other key stakeholders makes her a wonderful leader for a new era in ACRO’s representation of innovators in clinical development.”

Kent brings 30 years of leadership positions across the clinical development spectrum to her role as ACRO chair, including leadership roles at Eli Lilly, positions on the Leadership Council of the Society for Clinical Research Sites, and on the Board of Circuit Clinical.

Medidata’s involvement in ACRO started in 2015 when Glen de Vries, Medidata founder, and Ari Feldman, senior vice president of Global Compliance and Strategy, brought new ideas and technology tools to support the organization’s mission of safe, ethical, high-quality medical research. Feldman, now in his second year as ACRO treasurer, is joined by a dozen other Medidata employees serving on various committees, who are helping to shape policies and communications including RBQM (risk-based quality management), the COVID-19 response, decentralized clinical trials, and global data protection and privacy.

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