Community Outreach

Co-Founder of Diversity Alliance for Science in 2008

In response to a drive drug development pipeline, Diversity Alliance for Science (DA4S) was born. DA4S believes that diversity fuels scientific innovation. Its primary mission is to identify and develop diverse suppliers in the clinical and scientific industry.

DA4S is a 501©3, non-profit organization that aims to foster relationships between diverse businesses (minority, women, disabled, small disadvantaged, HUBZone, woman-owned, small, veteran, service disabled veteran, and lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender) and government agencies, pharmaceutical firms, bio tech companies and academic medical centers. Their goal to collaborate on best practices to foster inclusion of diverse businesses in clinical trials, scientific research and development that result in medicines and therapeutics that fight diseases.

Podcast by GSK, A10, and Diversity Alliance for Science

It supports owned diverse businesses in the following and/or related areas;

• Clinical research
• Clinical trials
• Analytical services
• Drug Packaging
• Printing/labeling
• Bar code
• Biotechnology support services
• Virology services
• Drug analysis or assay
• Central laboratories
• Clinical data management
• Stability testing
• Animal Studies
• Biomarkers analysis
• Chemical synthesis
• Biology services
• Pharmacokinetic services
• DNA/RNA extraction
• IRBs( Independent Review Boards)
• Medicinal chemistry
• Patient recruitment
• Drug discovery and related services

DA4S has an annual conference held in May, and assembles a select number of high-level life science executives, representing Fortune 500 healthcare organizations and some of the best diverse suppliers in the world. This intimate forum has proven beneficial in forging more one-on-one networking opportunities, resulting in identifying diverse suppliers qualified to bid and win projects; procurement representatives being able to integrate niche new suppliers within their supply chain; and industry knowledge exchange.

Board of Directors

Merck & Co., Inc.

Jackie LaJoie
President

ATen Clinical Trials

Leah Brown, JD
Vice President

Pfizer, Inc.

Charles Calvert
Treasurer

Liberty IRB

Cheryl Talaber
Financial Secretary

Henry Schein, Inc.

Susan Vassallo
Secretary

Anaclim, LLC

Alfonso J. Alanis, M.D
Board Member

Bright Pharmaceutical Services, Inc.

Alison Macpherson
Board Member

Merck & Co., Inc.

Sally Macaluso
Board Member

Eli Lilly & Company

Nancy Jones
Board Member

GlaxoSmithKline

Sylvester Wilkins
Board Member

Minority Business Enterprise Center (MBEC)

Lorraine Kelsey
Board Member

Novartis Pharmaceutical Corporation

Sheri Shafir
Board Member

The DA4S and A10 believe that DIVERSITY is the Engine to Scientific Innovation!