Executive Management Team
Alice A. Jackson, R.N.
Chief Executive Officer
Co-Founder, Lifetree Clinical Research®
With 20 years of clinical research experience and a comprehensive understanding of pharmaceutical formulation, Ms Jackson has applied her RN practice and clinical research development towards establishing herself as a leader in the international biopharmaceutical development industry.
Ms. Jackson has actively directed and executed over 500 Phase I-III research protocols. Ms. Jackson has combined her leadership and clinical talents to excel in the professional realm of clinical trial research focused primarily in analgesia. Her broad experience encompasses every aspect of the clinical research process. She advanced from Study Coordination and Project Management at a small site in Salt Lake City to become Senior Director of Clinical Site Operations for a large out-of state CRO. While Senior Director, Ms. Jackson contributed significantly to the developed of the acute post-operative bunionectomy model. Her contributions to the post-operative bunionectomy model are now recognized worldwide as the standard for acute pain drug development.
In 2003, Ms. Jackson joined forces with Lynn R. Webster, MD to found Lifetree Clinical Research®. As President and Chief Executive Officer, Ms. Jackson has directed Lifetree through impressive expansions, earning the company a spot on Utah Business Magazine’s Fast 50, highlighting Lifetree as one of the 50 fastest growing companies in Utah along with a selection by Inc. magazine as one of the nation’s top 5,000 fastest growing companies. Through extraordinary leadership, Ms Jackson has established Lifetree as the most highly-respected clinical research organization in the Mountain West Region.
Ms. Jackson’s accolades continue as she has been included in the distinguished list of Utah Business Magazine’s ’30 Women to Watch’, an honor highlighting her dynamic direction and passion towards her job and Lifetree Clinical Research as a whole. Ms Jackson was President of the Salt Lake City Chapter of ACRP in 2004, growing the chapter from infancy. She facilitated top regulatory and FDA speakers to educate other research professional within the community. Recently, Ms Jackson was asked to serve on the Utah Technology Council’s Life Science Advisory Council. Ms Jackson is also a member of the American Pain Society, American Society for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, and the Association of Clinical Research Professionals.
Ms. Jackson’s uncompromising drive for excellence and quality research will undoubtedly promise to build Lifetree’s propensity in forging new frontiers within the fast paced international biopharmaceutical industry. Showing perseverance, tenacity, and dedicated business acumen Ms. Jackson is a proven leader, guiding Lifetree Clinical Research.
Lynn R. Webster, MD, FACPM, FASAM
Medical Director and Founder, Lifetree Clinical Research® & Pain Clinic
Director-At-Large for the American Academy of Pain Medicine
Dr. Lynn Webster is co-founder and chief medical director of Lifetree Clinical Research®. His research interests are diverse. He is keenly interested in working with industry to develop safer and more effective therapies for chronic pain and addiction. He is a leading researcher in exploring the relationship of medications and sleep, with particular interest in analgesic-induced sleep-disordered breathing.
Dr. Webster is board certified in anesthesiology and pain medicine and is also certified in addiction medicine. He earned his doctorate of medicine from the University of Nebraska Medical Center and completed his residency in the University of Utah Medical Center’s department of anesthesiology.
He lectures extensively on the subject of preventing opioid abuse and criminal diversion in chronic pain patients, and has authored numerous scientific abstracts, journal articles, textbook chapters, and a book entitled Avoiding Opioid Abuse While Managing Pain: A Guide for Practitioners. This book was written for clinicians as a guide to sort out the clinical, regulatory, and ethical issues associated with the prescribing of opioid analgesics. It includes step-by-step protocols for assessing patients for the risk of opioid abuse as well as for legally protecting the opioid prescriber. Dr. Webster is co-editor of Pain Medicine's section on opioids, substance abuse, and addiction and serves as a reviewer for numerous peer-reviewed journals. He was the Interventional Therapies section editor for Practical Pain Management for 2006 and 2007.
Dr. Webster co-founded LifeSource, a non-profit foundation established in 2006 to educate physicians, patients and communities on health issues (with an emphasis on pain-related, scientific and social issues), as well as to fund and conduct research to discover new solutions and hope for improved life. LifeSource’s first project is entitled “Zero Unintentional Deaths." The campaign was developed to educate physicians, chronic pain sufferers and all communities about the increasingly serious issue of unintentional overdose deaths relating to methadone and other prescription medications, and it aims to eliminate unintentional overdoses from prescribed methadone. His medical expertise has contributed to national news stories addressing the dangers of methadone and other prescription medications, including ABC News’ 20/20 program on Friday, September 22, 2006, and Court TV’s Catherine Crier Live on Wednesday, September 27, 2006.
Dr. Webster is currently on the board of directors for the American Academy of Pain Medicine and was instrumental in launching the Utah chapter. This organization seeks to achieve high medical standards, improve access to pain care and educate all interested parties about the many pain-related scientific and social issues.
Robert A. Medve, MD
Science and Regulatory Consultant
Dr. Medve earned his doctorate of medicine at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and he completed his residency in the anesthesia department at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. Dr. Medve has also completed a pain management fellowship at Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo New York and served on the staff at the Children’s Hospital of Buffalo.
Dr. Medve has held senior positions at Metaphore Pharmaceuticals, Johnson & Johnson and Knoll Pharmaceutical Company. He has experience in the planning and implementation of pre-clinical and clinical development programs, directing formulation development process, and serving as FDA liaison; he has also developed and managed post-marketing programs, negotiated product labeling, and developed promotional materials.
Dr. Medve has significant experience with regulatory issues related to pharmaceutical development in the US and Europe. He has filed numerous INDs, SNDAs and NDAs for new molecules, line extensions, combination products, modified-release formulations, and additional indications. He has met with FDA advisory boards and has a long history of cooperative and collegial relationships with the FDA. He has frequently served as a primary spokesperson for sponsors at FDA meetings.
Dr. Medve is also a pioneer and recognized expert in pediatric drug development.
Dr. Medve will be responsible for consulting with Lifetree Clinical Research® biopharmaceutical partners as they begin to map out their drug development plans for new pain medications. His over ten years’ hands-on experience in the development of analgesic drugs, many of which are now on the market worldwide, will be an asset to Lifetree’s clients in all stages of development.
Brad Bath, PhD
Vice President, Operations
Dr. Bath is the Vice President of Operations at Lifetree Clinical Research™, overseeing the both Clinical Trials Management and Clinical Site Operations departments. He holds a Doctorate Degree in Chemistry and has 15 years of experience in drug delivery/formulation and Phase 1-4 drug development with biologics as well as small molecule. He retains the distinction of first authorship of ten scientific articles published in professional journals as well as one book chapter, and continually focuses on innovative, efficient ways to develop drugs and optimize value to our clients.
The depth of Dr. Bath's clinical knowledge, and his talent for applying this understanding to clinical research, supports Lifetree's ongoing commitment to our clients to consult and bring optimal value to their products through innovative protocol design and consultations. His proven expertise in building first-rate Project Management methodologies and managing high-performing global drug development teams is leveraged at Lifetree to deliver robustly-planned, quality-driven clinical projects to our clients.
Sean Kotrady, CCRC, CCRP
Director, Quality Control, GCP Compliance
As the Director of Quality Control and Good Clinical Practice Compliance, Ms Kotrady provides Lifetree Clinical Research ® with direction, support, and assistance in all activities regarding FDA regulations, ICH Guidelines, E6, OSHA, HIPPA Regulations and Lifetree Clinical Research ® internal SOPs, Guidelines, and Policies.
Ms Kotrady has over 19 years of clinical research experience, beginning as a medical assistant and study coordinator. After advancing to a Site Manager, Ms Kotrady provided oversight of clinical operations, quality control, and administration, ensuring compliance, safety and quality of all site operations.. . Ms Kotrady has previously worked as Quality Assurance & Clinical Team Supervisor, ensuring all investigators, coordinators, and staff members were trained and compliant with ICH/GCP, HIPAA regulations, and corporate SOPs. Included in her accomplishments were the development and accuracy completion of study-related documents, oversight of IRB submissions, and coordination and support for sponsor and monitor visits. Ms. Kotrady is a certified member of ACRP and SoCRA. She joined Lifetree Clinical Research ® in 2007 as Senior In-House Clinical Research Associate. She has been responsible for the monitoring of clinical studies conducted on site, provided support for all IRB regulatory issues and ensured company compliance of SOPs and Guidelines. Ms. Kotrady has solid knowledge of FDA Regulations, HIPAA, and IHC/GCP regulations. In addition, Ms Kotrady has performed routine and “for cause” system audits per SOPs, provided quality control for drug preparation and accountability, and performed routine audits of Investigator Site Files.
As Director of Quality Control & GCP Compliance Ms Kotrady brings comprehensive clinical research experience and an impressive background in GCP compliance.
Kevin Jessing
Vice President,
Lifetree Bioanalytical Services
Mr. Jessing joined Lifetree Clinical Research® in April 2008 as Vice President of Bioanalytical Services. Mr. Jessing has his Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees in Biochemistry from the University of Texas at Austin.
Mr. Jessing has spent over 10 years in both contract and pharmaceutical research with an emphasis on pharmacokinetics, drug metabolism, and mass spectrometry. He has established and overseen laboratory efforts within small pharmaceutical companies to address Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, and Excretion (ADME) properties of compounds in Discovery Phase as well as Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) compliant bioanalytical laboratories built to manage clinical and pre-clinical sample analysis. Having spent a portion of his career in Applications and Sales, Mr. Jessing brings a deep understanding of the business process of serviced-based organizations within the biopharmaceutical industry.
In July 2007, Mr. Jessing founded Resonance Laboratories, LLC to provide a broad range of bioanalytical services to emerging pharmaceutical companies. In April 2008, Resonance Laboratories, LLC joined forces with Lifetree Clinical Research® to provide GLP and non-GLP Bioanalytical services to meet the needs of Lifetree’s expanding client base. Mr. Jessing’s background in both drug discovery and GLP bioanalysis positions him to anticipate potential bioanalytical
Scott Harper
Corporate Controller
Mr. Scott Harper joined Lifetree Clinical Research® in June 2006 as Lifetree Clinical Research’s Corporate Controller. Mr. Harper earned a B.A. in Accounting from Weber State University. He maintains a strong understanding of all Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) directives.
Prior to joining Lifetree Clinical Research® in 2006, Mr. Harper was a Senior Accountant in the Film Division of Destination Cinema, a subsidiary of National Geographic. While there, Mr. Harper managed the revenue accrual and expense processes, monitored and analyzed job costing details in accordance with established budgets and historical trends.
A results-driven, highly-effective communicator, Mr. Harper brings a proven track record of managing all aspects of Accounting and Finance. As Corporate Controller, Mr. Harper is a welcomed asset to the Executive Team at Lifetree Clinical Research®.
Bethany B. Jones, PharmD
Research Pharmacist
Dr. Jones joined Lifetree Clinical Research® in November of 2009 as our Clinical Research Pharmacist. After completing undergraduate work at the University of Memphis, Dr. Jones went on to receive her Doctorate of Pharmacy from the University of Southern Nevada. Ms Jones brings a broad scope of knowledge in the field of Pharmacy to Lifetree, having completed several advanced institutional and ambulatory rotations. Dr. Jones has aided in the advance of the pharmacy profession by providing continuing education and in-services to other members of the healthcare profession. Dr. Jones has had prior experience consulting for skilled nursing facilities, providing patient care in the retail setting, and also working in both pharmacology and medicinal chemistry labs throughout her education. Dr. Jones looks forward to providing pharmaceutical expertise for all Lifetree Clinical Research® Trials.
