RPN Leadership Committee
Through the collective expertise and experience of its members, the RPN Leadership Committee helps guide the continued development and functioning of the RPN, and advises on and guides development of initiatives to provide support and networking opportunities for Research Professionals (RPs) employed by BMC and BU Medical Campus.
RPN Leadership Committee members are drawn from the pool of RPN members across BMC and BU Medical Campus and agree to take on a leadership role within the RPN. The committee is composed of 10-14 individuals with the goal of having a diversity of representation on the Leadership Committee, by role, experience, department/section and institution. There is no “term limit,” but it is preferable for members to contribute for a minimum of 2 years.
For more on the RPN Leadership Committee, see the RPN Leadership Committee Charter.
Are you interested in being on the RPN Leadership Committee?
If this sounds like something you would be interested in, we want to know! Please complete the brief survey here to express your interest and tell us a bit more about you. We will review submissions every 6 months and as needed when we have openings on our Leadership Committee.
Meet the RPN Leadership Committee!
Kalifa Alexander, MPH
IRB Regulatory Coordinator, Section of Pediatric Infectious Diseases
Kalifa is the IRB Regulatory Coordinator for the Pedi ID department. She works with Dr. Barnett and an AMAZING team! Her research career started in 2015 at the University of Louisville in the Infectious Disease dept as a research assistant on HIV clinical trials. She then moved on to work with the Ryan White Program as the Outreach Coordinator where she gained a deeper understanding of day to day life of those diagnosed with HIV. Before working at BMC she was a research protocol analyst at Emory University for the IRB.
Two of Kalifa’s favorite things to do are cook and travel! She loves food and new places! Currently she documents her cooking on her Instagram page (@KookingwithKalillc) and her favorite dish to make is stuffed salmon, mac and cheese with a roasted veggie medley.
Sreevardhan Alluri, MPH, CCRC
Clinical Research Manager, Department of Ophthalmology
Sree Alluri is the Clinical Research Manager for the Ophthalmology Department at BMC. He is a Master’s in Public Health Graduate with over 7 years of clinical experience before joining BMC in Jan ’22. He oversees recruiting, training, and project onboarding of all incoming research staff for the Ophthalmology department. He supervises the entirety of the clinical research project lifecycle from feasibility assessments to project closeouts. In addition to his active research team members, he also mentors undergraduate and Medical students with regulatory and data collection support for student-led chart review studies. Apart from being a motivated research professional at BMC, Sree is now a proud dad of a beautiful daughter born in Oct ’23.
Nike Asupoto
Clinical Research Coordinator II, BMC Clinical Research Network
Nike Asupoto serves as the Clinical Research Coordinator for the Clinical Research Network at BMC. Nike is responsible for overseeing clinical trials from startup to site activation and close out, primary data reporting, preparing for external and internal audits and ensuring study compliance with the IRB.
Nike joined the CRN in October of 2022 and with over 3 years of clinical research experience she ensures the quality of clinical trials by overseeing the day to day operations of the team and completing study associated activities through collaboration and communication.
Nike is currently pursuing a Masters of Public Health degree from Tufts University with a concentration in Population Health Promotion. In her spare time she loves to read, bake and go for hikes.
Carly Bridden, MA, MPH
Senior Research Director, Clinical Addiction Research and Education Unit
Carly Bridden is a Senior Research Director in the Clinical Addiction Research and Education Unit at Boston Medical Center where she has worked in addiction research management and administration since 2003. She has experience managing multi-site federally-funded research studies and directing large-scale research collaboratives. Currently, Carly is the Project Director of the HEALing Communities Study site in Massachusetts, which is a multi-site trial aimed at reducing opioid related overdose.
Ridiane Denis, MD, BS, RN
Director of Clinical Research and Operations-General Clinical Research Unit (GCRU)
Ridiane Denis, a highly accomplished medical professional with over two decades of experience. She is a multilingual expert, fluent in English, Spanish, French, and Haitian Kreyol. Since 1998, Ridiane has made significant contributions to the medical field. For the past decade, she has served as the Director of Clinical Research and Operations at a prestigious school of medicine.Ridiane’s career has been marked by diverse roles, including supervisory positions in adult and pediatric intensive care units, and pediatric oncology. Her expertise extends to clinical research, homecare, community health and education. Ridiane is dedicated to nurturing the next generation of medical professionals. She collaborates with various agencies and institutions to offer mentorship and exposure to high school students, non-English speakers, and first-generation college students in the medical and research fields. She also plays a crucial role in reintegrating adults into the workforce by providing them with essential skills and connecting them with potential employers. She empowers individuals with the knowledge needed to make informed decisions about their health. Ridiane’s most cherished roles are as a life partner and mother to four remarkable children. Her dedication to her family, along with her professional achievements, reflects her personal and professional success.
Sayali Dhamne, MPH
Senior Research Project Manager, Section of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine
Sayali Dhamne serves as a Senior Research Project Manager in the Section of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine at Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine. She is a professionally trained dentist and earned a Master of Public Health (MPH) from Boston University School of Public Health in 2021. She started as a Project Manager in 2021 and has been involved with Rheumatology clinical research ever since. Sayali oversees multiple research projects including clinical trials, investigator-initiated studies and NIH-funded R01 ancillary studies, notably within the renowned Framingham Heart Study and Jackson Heart Study. Her principal research interests lie in knee osteoarthritis, gout and lupus erythematosus. As a clinical research professional, she is dedicated to driving advancements in healthcare research and promoting health equity; and aspires to provide support to fellow members within the Research Professionals Network (RPN).
Denise Fine
Clinical Research Coordinator/Project Site Manager, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine and Computational Biomedicine
Denise Fine is a Clinical Research Coordinator and project site manager in the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine and Computational Biomedicine. She has been affiliated with Boston Medical Center for the past 35 years managing all aspects of clinical research in the department. She has coordinated numerous pivotal cardiovascular clinical research trials as well as assisted young investigators initiate research projects to help launch their research career.
Kara Magane, MS
Senior Director of Research Operations, Department of Health Law, Policy & Management
Kara Magane is Senior Director of Research Operations in the Department of Health Law, Policy & Management at the BU School of Public Health. In her role, Kara leads and oversees a large federally-funded research program of studies focused on substance use, substance use disorders, and HIV. Prior to her current role at BU, Kara worked as a clinical research manager at Boston Children’s Hospital where she managed studies focused on adolescent and young adult substance use. In her spare time, Kara enjoys water sports (swimming, kayaking, paddle boarding), and training her dog, Rusty!
Daniel Mompoint
Research Navigator, BU CTSI and GCRU
Daniel Mompoint embarked on Clinical Research at Boston University in 2017 following a transition from his interesting experience in international relations and subsequently in a Boston-based non-profit organization.
Daniel started his clinical experience in the BU Pulmonary Department as a Research Assistant and then Senior Research Assistant before joining the Clinical & Translational Science Institute in 2021.
During those formative years, he has honed his clinical skills coupled with his fluency in four (4) languages. Over time, Daniel has become a reliable resource person in providing investigators and their research teams with available resources that facilitate the entire spectrum of translational science, including useful insights on recruitment and best practices. Beyond offering regulatory assistance and operational support to multiple research protocols, lies his concern for the advocacy of the study participants whom he has strived to educate and protect for the sake of the latter and health research itself.
When Daniel is not at work, you may run into him hiking with his wife and Rai, their cute Shiba Inu. He also enjoys spending time with his daughter.
Athina Schmidt
Research Project Manager, Section of Infectious Diseases, Dept. of Medicine
Athina Schmidt is a Research Project Manager in the Infectious Disease Clinical Research Unit at Boston Medical Center. She is an alumna of Dartmouth College, where she majored in Psychology. At BMC she specializes in HIV research, with a special interest in HIV and aging. She joined BMC as a Research Assistant in February of 2020 and has had the opportunity to manage a wide variety of research projects in that time. She hopes the RPN leadership committee will continue to foster the connections and sense of community among the research teams at BU/BMC.
Anthony Shelton, RN, OCN
Senior Clinical Research Manager, Cancer & Hematology Clinical Research Program, in Section of Hematology & Medical Oncology
Anthony Shelton is the Senior Clinical Research Manager of the Cancer & Hematology Clinical Research Program, a member of the Section of Hematology & Medical Oncology, and BU-BMC Cancer Center since September 2020. The program covers Hematology/Oncology, Sickle Cell Disease Programs, AL Amyloidosis, and Stem Cell Transplantation/Car-T therapeutics. He has been in clinical research for over 20 years, starting as a research assistant in 2002 at BU in neurologic movement disorders, transitioning to a research associate in 2005 in the current program. He is a registered nurse by training and practice since 2009 and is an Oncology Certified Nurse. He is an avid musician, and has enjoyed singing in both a rhythm & blues band, as well as in groups singing sacred and other genres. He is committed to the advancement of research at BU/BMC and aiding research professionals in their careers.
Michael Stevenson, MS
Research Project Manager, Department of Neurology
Mike earned his MS in Experimental Social Psychology (studying social categorization and interpersonal communication), leaving his PhD program to pursue a career in a more applied research area. He worked for several years on a Parkinson’s disease social self-management study before joining the Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders Center at BMC in 2020. He spends much of his free time doing things associated with music, baseball, cooking, and his cat, James.
Sarah Thomson, MPH
Research Project Manager, Section of Infectious Diseases, Dept. of Medicine
Sarah Thomson is a Research Project Manager in the Section of Infectious Diseases at BMC. She graduated with her MPH in Epidemiology and Biostatistics, with a specialty in Infectious Diseases, from Boston University School of Public Health in 2022 and has been working with the Jacobson Research Group ever since. She previously coordinated a domestic COVID-19 research study with the group and is currently managing and collaborating on international tuberculosis (TB) and substance use R01s in South Africa, as well as domestic TB projects with the BMC TB Clinic. In her free time, you can find her singing co-lead vocals for the One Night Stands, a Boston-based cover band, performing with Boston-based a cappella group Sound Off, and trying new recipes in her tiny Brighton kitchen.
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For more information or questions, please contact us at crro@bu.edu