Our Team
At Curiex, we believe that deep site relationships, operational excellence, and scientific integrity are the foundations of transformative clinical research.
Our leadership team is more than seasoned executives — they are long-time collaborators who share a unified mission: to run smarter, patient-centric trials. Many have partnered with founder Eric Hayashi for years, collectively shaping the evolution of the SMO / integrated site network model around the world.
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ehayashi@curiex.co Renton, WA Office
Eric is a pioneer of the Site Management Organization (SMO) industry with three decades of experience founding and scaling leading clinical research services companies. He was a founder in multiple SMOs including Advanced Research Management, the Alliance for Multispecialty Research, MDS Pharma Services SMO, Radiant Research, and Curiex. As president and CEO, Eric previously built LabConnect—an innovative central lab—from startup to $50 million and 270 employees. Prior, he continuously served on the three-person executive team that grew Radiant Research from startup to 1,000 employees across 54 wholly-owned sites. In his spare time, Eric served as an instructor for more than 20 years in the University of Washington’s clinical trials master’s and certificate programs. He holds a BA from Whitman College and an MBA from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Eric lives in Seattle and Whidbey Island with his wife and two children and enjoys creating and growing things including kids, dinners, gardens, and businesses.
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jsiegel@curiex.co Renton, WA Office
Jonathan brings more than 15 years of financial leadership in life sciences and healthcare, with experience in capital raises, M&A diligence, financial integration, commercial banking, asset purchase and divestiture, senior and subordinated debt, and equity capital. Jonathan served as CFO for LabConnect from 2013 to 2017 and has consulted for Curiex since its inception in 2019. Jonathan holds a BA and MBA from the Booth School, University of Chicago. He lives in Seattle with his wife and two children and enjoys coaching, playing soccer and hockey, and competing in trivia competitions.
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dvanderyacht@curiex.co Renton, WA Office
As a CPA and CMA, Dave combines deep technical accounting skills with real operational insight into clinical site networks. He has been central to deploying cost controls, compliance protocols, and scalable systems as Curiex expands. Dave has more than thirty years of experience in a variety of healthcare and multi-site work environments with a focus on financial statement preparation, month-end closing processes, ERP migration, and team leadership. He holds a BA in business administration and accounting from the University of Washington. In his spare time, Dave enjoys bicycling, cooking and traveling.
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tablin@curiex.co Chicago, IL Office
Todd is a seasoned clinical research executive with nearly three decades of experience building, scaling, and leading high‑performing clinical trial organizations. He has built , grown, and transformed research sites, site networks, and participant recruitment enterprises, consistently advancing operational excellence and expanding access to clinical research. Previously, Todd was founding CEO of Cedar Health Research, where he architected and launched a de novo multi‑specialty research site and patient network built on a novel AI/ML/LLM‑driven community partnership model. Under his leadership, Cedar established partnerships with more than 125 practices representing 500+ physicians and 1.8 million patients, secured over 90 study awards, and earned the 2023 SCRS Site Patient Recruitment Innovation Award. Earlier in his career, Todd held senior leadership roles at Ora, Acurian (AES/PPD/Thermo Fisher), Synexus/Radiant Research, and multiple independent research sites, where he oversaw hundreds of clinical trials, managed large global teams, and built site networks and operational infrastructures that drove sustained growth. He has also served as adjunct faculty in clinical trial coordination, contributing to workforce development in the research community. Todd holds an MBA from Florida International University and a BBA in Marketing from the University of Miami.
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dbarragan@curiex.co Seattle, WA Office
Dominique directs Western region operations for Curiex. She has overseen recruitment strategies, site performance, and quality in women’s health and vaccine research. Dominique joined Curiex near its inception. Prior to Curiex, she served as executive director for one of Curiex’s network sites, Seattle Clinical Research Center. At SCRC she held multiple roles including participant recruiter, clinical research coordinator, and executive director. She holds BS in physiology from Seattle Pacific University and a Master’s in Cultural Studies at the University of Washington, where her capstone project focused on racial and socioeconomic health disparities and inequity. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband, son, and rescue dog Ernie.
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Brent has more than 30 years of experience in health law with a practice focused on regulatory compliance and health care transactions. Brent was a partner at Davis Wright Tremaine based in Seattle from 2001 through 2019 and currently works with the firm in a consulting capacity. His work with Site Management Organizations (SMOs) began in 1998, working together with Eric Hayashi representing Radiant Research in acquisitions. He has served as primary outside counsel to Curiex since its inception in 2019. Brent has represented hospitals, medical groups, medical device companies and others across industries in structuring, acquiring, and merging business enterprises; contracting with vendors and service providers; developing corporate governance and legal compliance policies; developing accountable care organizations, bundled payment arrangements, and other population health management structures; and conducting compliance investigations. Brent also assists his clients with structuring joint ventures for the provision of ancillary services, service line co-management, and other collaborative endeavors. Brent has an AB in Economics from Harvard College and a JD from the University of North Carolina School of Law with high honors, where he was Publication Editor of the North Carolina Law Review and Order of the Coif.
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semerald@curiex.co Renton, WA Office
Shann, a Seattle native, boasts more than two decades of experience in clinical research. As Director, Business Development, Shann is the main liaison for sponsors and CROs looking for trial sites for biopharmaceutical and device clinical trials aligned with Curiex’s mission of advancing health options, breakthroughs for humanity and compassionate care. Shann joined Curiex near its inception and prior to Curiex, she served as a Clinical Research Coordinator for twenty years and later Clinical Research Administrator for one of Curiex’s network sites, Seattle Clinical Research Center. Shann is a Certified Clinical Research Coordinator (CCRC), Certified Medical Assistant (MA-C), Certified Bone Density Technologist (CBDT), and Registered X-Ray Technician. She is a graduate from Concorde Career Institute in San Diego. In her leisure time, she enjoys yoga, pilates, and rollerblading.
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dhammond@curiex.co Renton, WA Office
Dave provides direction to Curiex’s quality systems, GCP compliance, audit readiness, CAPA frameworks, and continuous improvement across all sites. With more than a 30 years in clinical quality and regulatory operations, Dave maintains deep institutional memory through his long-standing working relationship with Eric as a co-instructor in the University of Washington Masters and Certificate programs in clinical trials for more than two decades. In addition to Curiex, Dave serves as Associate Professor in the School of Pharmacy at the University of Washington focusing on Biomedical Regulatory Affairs and Clinical Research and Director of the BRAMS (Biomedical Regulatory Affairs MS) program and is the chair of an institutional review board, and serves as a consultant to several biotechnology companies, providing guidance on regulatory strategy, clinical trial design and operations, and compliance with the FDA and other regulatory bodies around the world. Dave holds a Regulatory Affairs Certification in Medical Devices (RAC), the Certified IRB Professional (CIP), the Certified Clinical Research Professional (CCRP) and a number of other industry certifications. He currently serves on the board of the Organization of Regulatory and Clinical Associates (ORCA) and was the inaugural recipient of the Martha Feldman Award for service and education to the regulatory community. He is also an alumnus of the UW BRAMS program.
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jkoh@curiex.co Renton, WA Office
Jay has dual credentials in pharmacy and business with a PharmD and MBA. With over a decade of healthcare experience, Jay joined Curiex near its inception to oversee site acquisitions, and site harmonization as the head of Corporate Development. Prior to Curiex, Jay was a Pharmacy Director at Family Health Centers overseeing pharmacy operations at two pharmacies and medication logistics at nine medical/dental sites. His responsibilities included pharmacy business expansion, standardization across multiple sites, and process improvements. With the emphasis in quality, he worked closely with regulatory bodies such as the State Board of Pharmacy, DEA, the Joint Commission and HRSA. Prior to that role, he was a clinical operations manager at Genesis Healthcare (GENNQ) where his responsibilities included oversight of the Joint Commission reporting, performance measurement, and quality improvement. Jay also worked at Amazon (AMZN) as a pharmacist. Jay earned his MBA with an emphasis in health services administration from Eastern Washington University and his Doctor of Pharmacy from Ohio Northern University. Jay's hobbies include playing soccer, and traveling.
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knoble@curiex.co Renton, WA Office
Kirsten manages budgeting, pricing, contract negotiations, and site/sponsor agreements across Curiex’s network. She has been with Curiex and its platform site, Rainier Clinical Research Center for more than 23 years, developing streamlined contracting tools, budgeting methodologies, and alignment systems that support speed, transparency, and sponsor confidence. In her spare time, Kirsten enjoys time with her husband and daughter exploring Washington state’s many treasures.
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krooney@curiex.co Renton, WA Office
Kristy “Indi” Rooney is a seasoned senior marketing leader with a proven track record of driving growth, brand evolution, and lead generation across healthcare, biotech, SaaS, and nonprofit sectors. With deep expertise in integrated marketing, digital strategy, and team leadership, she has led transformative initiatives at organizations such as Concord Technologies, National Purchasing Partners, and GE Healthcare. Indi teaches marketing and business courses as an adjunct faculty member at Green River College. Known for her ability to scale marketing impact with limited resources, Indi blends innovation with execution, delivering measurable results in fast-paced and evolving industries. She holds a BA in journalism from Webster University and a master’s in marketing from USC. She resides in Maple Valley, WA with her husband and two children, who regularly have her cheering from the stands at their various sporting events.
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awaldow@curiex.co Renton, WA Office
Amy leads Curiex’s human capital strategy, talent development, and culture. Joining Curiex at its inception, Amy has delivered HR frameworks supporting growth, retention, and operational excellence helping to define the company’s mission-focused culture. Passionate about continuous growth and innovation, Amy is dedicated to fostering collaborative, high performing teams. Prior to Curiex, Amy served as a senior project manager for 19 years at CompuCom, an IT consultancy. Amy holds a BA degree in business administration, anthropology and psychology from Washington State University. Amy enjoys spending time with family, any sports activity on the water, gardening and following Seattle’s multitude of professional sports teams.
Medical Directors
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Endocrinology
Dr. Frances "Fran" Broyles is a board-certified endocrinologist with more than 30 years of clinical leadership and patient care experience in Seattle. She earned her medical degree from the University of Florida and completed her internal medicine residency in Dallas, where she served as Chief Medical Resident. She then completed a fellowship in endocrinology and metabolism at the University of Washington. For more than three decades, she maintained a thriving clinical practice at Swedish Medical Center and has been repeatedly recognized as one of Seattle’s Top Doctors in Endocrinology. Throughout her career, Dr. Broyles has held numerous system-wide leadership roles, including Medical Director of the Neuroendocrinology and Pituitary Program at the Swedish Neuroscience Institute and Medical Director of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Nutrition for the Swedish Health System. She also served as Clinical Lead for the inpatient glycemic management program, the outpatient Diabetes Pathway, and the Healthy Weight Initiative for Swedish and Providence, and she played an integral role in developing the Osteoporosis Program at Minor & James and Swedish. Her clinical and research interests span diabetes, obesity, lipid disorders, osteoporosis, thyroid disease, women’s hormonal health, pituitary conditions, and adrenal disorders. She is passionate about education and continues to serve as a Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Washington. She has authored multiple peer-reviewed publications and presented at clinical and educational conferences throughout her career. Outside of medicine, Dr. Broyles enjoys reading fiction, hiking, yoga, and spending time with her husband, two daughters, and three grandchildren, often getting delightfully lost in play.
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Cardiology
Dr. Stephen “Steve” Halpern is a board-certified cardiologist in Santa Rosa, California. Dr. Halpern received his medical degree at Georgetown University School of Medicine and did his cardiology fellowship at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, after which he served on the full-time staff as Assistant Professor of Medicine before relocating to Santa Rosa to start a private practice in 1981. He is board certified in internal medicine and in the subspecialty of cardiovascular disease, is a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology, and was Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine and Family Practice at University of California San Francisco before relinquishing his teaching obligations. He has authored several peer-reviewed publications including in the American Journal of Cardiology. Dr. Halpern has served as principal investigator for more than 250 studies since 1992 in the areas of cardiology, dermatology, endocrinology, gastroenterology, infectious disease, neurology, pulmonology, urology and women’s health and was formerly a medical director for Synexus (formerly Radiant Research).
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Sleep Medicine
Dr. Teresa E. Jacobs is board certified in sleep medicine with a background in internal medicine, pulmonary disease, and critical care medicine. She has years of experience in all aspects of sleep medicine and has special interest in the intersection of sleep and metabolic medicine. She serves as the Medical Director of the Seattle Sleep Institute.
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Rheumatology
Dr. Alan Kivitz, MD, MACR is board certified in internal medicine with a subspecialty in rheumatology. He is President and Founder of the Altoona Arthritis and Osteoporosis Center in Duncansville, PA and President, Founder, and Medical Director of the Altoona Center for Clinical Research in Duncansville, PA. Dr. Kivitz earned his medical degree at the Albany Medical College in Albany, NY and an Internal Medicine internship at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, NY and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York, NY. He completed his residency at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and at North Shore University Hospital and a fellowship in Rheumatology at the Albany Medical College. Dr. Kivitz has served as principal investigator on more than 1,350 clinical trials and serves as a consultant for Aventis, Novartis, Eli Lilly, Pfizer, AbbVie and Grunenthal, authored more than 1,200 abstracts and publications, speaks globally and is a Master of the American College of Rheumatology.
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Dermatology
Dr. Sonja Krejci is a dermatologist that has practiced in Seattle since 1996. She is certified by the American Board of Dermatology. Dr. Krejci completed her medical education at the University of Washington and residencies in pediatrics and dermatology at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. She has practiced at Minor & James Medical, The Polyclinic, and Westside Dermatology. Dr. Krejci is currently an investigator on Phase II-IV clinical trials at Seattle Clinical Research Center in a variety of indications and oversees our dermatology studies as Principal Investigator.
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OB/GYN
Dr. Samuel “Sam” Lederman received his medical degree from the University of Miami Medical School and completed his residency training at the University of Colorado. He is board certified by the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, is a clinical instructor at the University of Miami School of Medicine, serves as a consultant for pharmaceutical companies developing new products in many specialties of medicine, and has lectured nationally and internationally. He currently serves as Chair of the Board of Trustees of HCA/JFK Medical Center, the largest hospital in Palm Beach County. Since 1999, Dr. Lederman has served as Principal Investigator on more than 400 clinical trials in the areas of women’s health, obesity, osteoporosis, hormone replacement, urinary incontinence, infectious disease, and many more. Altus Research, the site he founded, was successful in multiple pivotal projects involving thousands of patients. The work ultimately led to significant improvements and changes to national guidelines in the frequency and timing of cervical cytology testing. His site was also involved in the development and deployment of several COVID vaccines and is currently working on multiple studies for obesity and metabolic disease.
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Psychiatry
Dr. Bernardo Ng is a Mexicali native is certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology in General Psychiatry and in Psychosomatic Medicine, as well as by the Mexican Board of Psychiatry. He is also a distinguished fellow of the American Psychiatric Association. Dr Ng started his private practice in Imperial County in 1994. He became a Medical Doctor at the University of Nuevo Leon in 1987. After completing his year of social service in the city of Monterrey in 1988, he entered specialized training in Psychiatry in El Paso Texas in 1989 and continued in San Diego California in 1992. Dr. Ng is currently the principal investigator for Sun Valley Research Center, Inc. He completed a year of subspecialty training in Psychosomatic Medicine right before moving to Imperial County, California. He has served as chairman and member of the Physician Wellbeing and Bioethic committees at both local hospitals ECRMC and PMH. He is a consultant at various organizations and clinics. He is a member of the American Psychiatric Association, the Imperial County Medical Society, the San Diego Psychiatric Society and the American Medical Association.
