Alliance for Clinical Research Excellence and Safety (ACRES) president and CEO, Dr. Greg Koski, has announced the appointment of Sara Monday as vice president for Site Development and Support. Monday becomes the newest member of the ACRES Executive Office, assuming responsibility for integrating systems initiatives related to advancing the interests of clinical research sites worldwide. 

Monday brings to ACRES leadership team more than 30 years of clinical research management and human resources experience, most recently serving for 10 years as chief operating officer of the Metroplex Clinical Research Center in Dallas, Texas. Prior to joining Metroplex, she was co-founder of Carolinas Research Associates, a premier clinical research site in Charlotte, North Carolina, recently acquired by PMG Research. Monday has been a long-time, active member of the Association of Clinical Research Professionals and is also leading the Management and Administration Domain Team of the Global Standards for Excellence Working Party as part of ACRES Site Accreditation Standards Initiative.   

In her new role, Monday will help to coordinate several ongoing ACRES initiatives, including the development of standards for accreditation of clinical research sites, the development of a robust process for real-time dynamic accreditation, expansion of the ACRES global network of high-performing sites, and the roll-out of products and services pledged by ACRES Strategic Allies. These pledges are valued at more than $140 million and support professionalism, performance and sustainability of sites as part of a shared, collaborative global network system. A major priority for Monday, together with ACRES Chief Technology Officer, Bob Stewart, will be driving the universal adoption and implementation of innovative technologies to support site communications, connectivity and performance.  

Monday's appointment is part of an ongoing evolution and development of ACRES global leadership team as ACRES expands its collaborative systems-focused initiatives. Together with Al O. Pacino, ACRES vice-president for Collaborative Network Development and Sandor Kerpel-Fronius, recently appointed vice-president for Global Network Development, Monday will work to expand access to and participation in Blue Cloud, ACRES universal collaborative network interface, to enhance connectivity, productivity and professionalism of affiliated sites globally.  

"This is an exciting opportunity for me, and the timing is perfect," said Monday of her new position. "With the development of standards and processes for recognizing and rewarding high-performing sites well underway, ACRES is now very well positioned to reach out to sites and provide products and services to help them become more productive and sustainable. For too long, we have treated sites as a commodity, rather than as the essential engine of clinical trial execution. I look forward to working with established site networks, like ACRES allies KoNECT and BRANY, and other organizations that recognize the critical importance of understanding and responding to the needs of sites from a systems perspective, including sponsors, CROs, regulators and professional organizations."  

Al Pacino, who is also president and founder of ACRES strategic ally HealthCarePoint and developer of ACRES Blue Cloud, reinforced Monday's enthusiasm. "We have worked very hard to obtain pledges of products and services from our many allies, and the stage is now set for putting them to good use to help sites be more productive and professional, and we can use the Blue Cloud to make it all happen—it is exciting to see this come to fruition."