Dr. April Zambelli-Weiner, Ph.D.
What excites you about bringing new medical technologies to the market?
I’m an entrepreneur at heart and highly motivated by helping people in solving complex problems. At this unique moment in time, we have a very dense, systems-level problem in healthcare – increasing costs without better outcomes. But with that, we have the opportunity to usher in a new era of healthcare in the US and I strongly believe technology is at the epicenter. Technology has the potential to make healthcare more impactful, sustainable, and more equitable.
In addition, I love the extremely entrepreneurial and innovative MedTech culture; it energizes me and our team. I feel a strong alignment to the mission and culture of MedTech. Many of these technologies are developed to address very niche-specific clinical needs for subgroups of the population. Helping underserved or under-represented subgroups of the population has always been a passion of mine and something I’ve been invested in from the early days of my career.
Tell us a little about your background and the types of people who have impacted you.
I was born and raised in Western Pennsylvania, north of Pittsburgh. Two of the people I admire most in the world are my parents. They are hard-working, family-focused, kind, and generous with their time and talents. My father started out in special education and had such a passion for helping the most vulnerable among us. They instilled in me a work ethic and drive to use my gifts to make the world a better place and a strong sense of humility, to seek to add value to others and to always learn and grow by being open and approachable. Growing up where I did with access to so many state parks and beautiful lakes and cascades gave me a deep love and appreciation for nature, something I carry with me to this day.
Tell us about your education, degrees, and other certifications you have received.
I am an epidemiologist by training. I have received my PhD in Human Genetics & Epidemiology from Johns Hopkins University and did my post-doc in Clinical Immunology at the School of Medicine. I hold an MPH in Epidemiology and Community Health from Saint Louis University, and a BA in Chemistry and English from Washington & Jefferson College. What many people don’t know about me is that I have a deep love for the arts, having studied romanticism and transcendentalism, and Renaissance art in Italy. Developing diverse interests has given me a more holistic approach to my work and the world, and has made me skilled at seeing connections that others may not.
What are the best skills you bring to your job?
I have been told that my best attribute is my passion and conviction for a new model of healthcare that puts people (patients and providers) at the center, enabled and empowered by technology. I am creative, disruptive, and not risk averse. Balancing that is my deep analytical expertise which means, at the core of our business, is data-driven decision making. We collect more business intelligence and analytics that most companies and we bring this expertise to our clients.
In addition, I find that most people aren’t fully aware of the depth and breadth of my healthcare and public research background. This deep “high collision” applied healthcare expertise means I understand data creation at every level of the healthcare ecosystem. I built TTi around this deep experiential understanding of data and research methods from “bench to bedside,” which makes us uniquely positioned to conduct studies and create evidence that can accelerate time from discovery to real-world impact, speeding time to adoption.
In a general sense, who or what has influenced you the most when it comes to how you approach your work?
My children, statistically speaking, they’re a unique bunch. Two of my children were born with rare musculoskeletal birth defects. Having undergone more than 15 surgeries by ages 16 and 12, I understand the burden of these events on patients, their families, and the healthcare system firsthand.
When my daughter was born with congenital constriction band syndrome (or amniotic band syndrome), I made a commitment to better understand what contributes to these birth defects. She led us to adopt our youngest son from China, who has the same birth defect. My children continue to grow and inspire me, my work, and the direction of the company – especially as it relates to helping vulnerable and underserved populations – the unheard voices of healthcare. They drive my passion for the work we do to accelerate adoption of high-value tech that can positively impact the lives of these groups.
What are the values that drive you?
Service – This call to serve others has guided every major decision in my life. It is my WHY and what drew me to public health, to adopt my son in China in 2010, and to start this company in 2011 with the goal of putting people at the center.
Spirit (Enthusiasm) – As transcendentalist Ralph Waldo Emerson (one of my favorite writers of all time) believed, “Enthusiasm is one of the most powerful engines of success. When you do a thing, do it with all your might. Put your whole soul into it. Stamp it with your own personality. Be active, be energetic, be enthusiastic and faithful, and you will accomplish your object. Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.” I wake up every day excited to do what I love and make a difference.
What expertise or real-world experiences do you bring that help you deliver value to your clients?
Technically speaking, I am expert in evidence and how the healthcare ecosystem uses it to make decisions… what type is best to answer a particular question; how likely existing evidence or studies are to provide actionable evidence; the strengths and limitations of evidence and evidence synthesis as it relates to informing policy and practice; and so on. Clients, whether they are providers, health systems, payers, or government agencies, come to us for this advice. What we give them is the optimal path – if this is what needs to be decided or demonstrated… here are the ways we can get there, and better yet – here is how we can get there faster and for less investment (cost-effective).
Strategically, I have helped bring to market and accelerate growth for hundreds of medical technology products including surgical instruments, capital equipment, diagnostics, precision medicine technologies, predictive algorithms and disease management apps, among many others across a wide range of indication areas and use cases. In a highly siloed, fragmented marketplace, the diversity of my (and our) experience is highly unique and highly valuable. Beyond that, I have had the opportunity to work on healthcare from so many different angles that I see connections and opportunities that others often don’t.
Describe your role at TTi. What values and special talents do you bring to the company?
As CEO my role is to set the strategic vision for the company and to be the primary ambassador of our mission, our WHY. I am also a strategic adviser to a small portfolio of clients and projects that align strongly with both my personal background and interests.
I am motivated by two things: leaving the world better than I found it and helping people. I am not interested in perpetuating an industry of research (and I know some will say this is counter to my own interests, but it’s the truth.) I’m interested in disrupting inertia, challenging the status quo, and helping high-impact technologies that have a real opportunity to address health disparities and to deliver high ROI care to more patients, faster. While you will definitely find me talking about this on podcasts or other platforms, what I’m most proud of is that our team is actually doing it, in the trenches, making it happen.
How would you describe the workplace culture and atmosphere at TTi?
TTi’s workplace and culture is dynamic, passionate, inclusive, and fosters camaraderie and a growth leadership mindset. Our team members are not afraid to take risks and make bets to propel growth, for ourselves and our clients. One thing that really makes us unique is that we never “phone it in” at TTi and we don’t shy away from challenges. We only take on clients and projects we believe in, where we are guaranteed scientific and professional autonomy, and we’re not afraid to push back on that. We like to say “we’re not going to let you do something stupid.” We are passionate about the power of technology to transform healthcare and when we believe in something we are dogged in our pursuit of it. One of our medtech CEO clients said he came to us because we were “gritty and actually gave a damn” and he had “total confidence we would get the job done.” I love that.
What has surprised you about working with TTi?
The growth that our organization has experienced in such a short amount of time – translating to millions of patient lives positively impacted by our engagements, which I credit to our team and, of course, our clients who are incredible innovators, entrepreneurs, and healthcare leaders. We’re a very different company looking to work with a very specific client. Our goal is always to find team members and clients who are almost cult-like in their belief in our WHY and will stand with us in pursuit of the same goal – they have exceeded my expectations! I am grateful for the chance to do the work we do with incredibly passionate, talented people who really are the game-changers, ushering in a new era of healthcare and making the world a better place for all, not just some.
Denise H. Underwood, PMP, ISO
What excites you about bringing new medical technologies to market?
The opportunity to help people gain access to technologies that improve their quality of life is a driver for me.
Tell us a little about your background, where you’re from, and about the types of people who have impacted you.
I was born and raised in the deep South, which has provided a fabric of family and friends that have enriched my life. The bulk of my adult life has been spent in the Atlanta, GA area where I raised my family. My time as MVP at Gartner created a global network of colleagues and friends that endure to this day. People that are committed to the outcome and have fun doing it are the ones I seek to be around.
What education, degrees, and other certifications have you received?
I am a life-long learner. My college education was lengthy – almost 10 years – as I had family responsibilities. I completed my BS at the University of Alabama in 1993. While I was working on my college diploma, I completed my studies at the Fellow, Life Management Institute (FMLI) with distinction. I also completed my ISO 9000 Auditor training in 1995, and have been a certified PMP since 2011. My current IT certifications include Business Intelligence, SCRUM, and Agile development.
In a general sense, who or what has influenced you the most when it comes to how you approach your work?
My parents provided a strong internal compass to be accountable for my actions. My time at Equifax and Gartner increased my ability to make better executive decisions. The time spent on self-reflection and coaching others is incredibly rewarding, especially when it pays off with a success for that person. Learn to make decisions – increase your ability to make better decisions by continuing to learn and engage with others.
What are the values that drive you?
Commitment, generosity, teamwork, honesty, and simplicity.
What expertise or real-world experiences do you bring that help you deliver value to your clients?
Where do I begin? Forty years of experience in corporate America and within the Federal government has provided a wealth of experiences for me to draw upon. The ability to analyze a situation and problem solve to uncover viable options that move the project or team forward to the goal is one of my most translatable skills.
Describe your role at TTi. What values and special talents do you bring to our company?
My role as Chief Operations Officer is to ensure that our business strategy is soundly and successfully executed. This role uses every bit of my skillset to align individual leadership performance to corporate priorities. My background in market launching of research agendas and technology-based products maps well to our clients market access buying journey. My business savviness gained through years as a corporate executive with companies such as Equifax and as a management consultant at Gartner has provided a deep understanding of business decisions and how they are made.
How would you describe the workplace culture and atmosphere at TTi?
It is real. People really care about each other, really work hard, and really laugh hard – a lot.
What has surprised you about working with TTi?
I knew I would like to work with TTi – I just did not know how much I would enjoy it.
Dr. Daniel J. Weiner
What excites you about bringing new medical technologies to the market?
Nothing energizes me more than being able to solve a problem, especially those which have an impact on people’s health.
Tell us a little about your background, experience, and the types of people who have impacted you.
I’m from the New York metro area. My immediate family, and their health issues, have been tremendously impacted for the better by MedTech. Watching them have to rely on innovative new products that were not even around 20 years ago shows me the importance of what we do on a daily basis. It’s very personal for me, not an abstract idea.
Tell us about your education, degrees, and other certifications you have received.
I am a chiropractor by training with over 20 years of involvement in clinical health and research. I’ve had extensive experience as a primary care provider, primarily in musculoskeletal conditions, bringing evidence gaps and developing translational tools including analysis and interpretation of the evidence base.
I have a Doctor of Chiropractic degree from Logan University in St. Louis and a BA in Psychology from Washington & Jefferson College.
In a general sense, who or what has influenced you the most when it comes to how you approach your work?
My kids have had the most influence on how I approach my work. Dealing with rare birth defects, 10’s of surgeries and reliance on medical technologies really shows you how MedTech is impacting lives. Getting new technologies in the hands of those patients who need it has made a huge difference for my kids – and drives me professionally to help others.
What are the values that drive you?
I hope to be able to help others the way my own family has been helped. I became a clinician so that I could help others to live their best life.
What expertise or real-world experiences do you bring that help you deliver value to your clients?
I’ve had extensive experience as a primary care provider, primarily in musculoskeletal conditions, bridging evidence gaps and developing translational tools including analysis and interpretation of the evidence base. My training as a clinician allows me to impact beyond the data.
Describe your role at TTi. What values and special talents do you bring to our company?
I direct all the administrative functions of the company. I also provide clinical insight as a senior advisor on both Federal and commercial projects.
How would you describe the workplace culture and atmosphere at TTi?
Our culture is one of growth and mutual respect. It is really about getting the best result for the client, without the worry of who takes credit. You are more likely to see people pushing credit on to others, rather than accepting it, which is amazing to me.
What has surprised you about working with TTi?
I’m continually surprised at the amount of people we are able to help. Getting one great technology to market can help millions of people – more than I could ever hope to help as a clinician. The amount and such varied types of technologies that are out there is also amazing, and something most people probably never know or think about.
Fernanda Nusbaum
What excites you about bringing new medical technologies to the market?
The most important thing about bringing new medical technologies to market is the improvement to quality of life, but also seeing how they improve efficiency and quality of care overall.
In a general sense, who or what has influenced you the most when it comes to how you approach your work?
I care about everything I do and that comes from my upbringing. I was always taught that regardless of what you do, you need to do it with care, integrity, and give it your all.
What are the values that drive you?
Integrity, commitment, loyalty, and reliability.
Describe your role at TTi. What values and special talents do you bring to our company?
I wear many hats within the organization. One of the most important values I bring is being customer-centric, engaging team members, and enhancing our culture. I make sure both my internal and external clients are happy.
How would you describe the workplace culture and atmosphere at TTi?
I love the people I work with! They are highly intelligent folks with a big heart and always open to learning new things. As for our atmosphere, TTi gives me the flexibility to balance work and life, which is very important to me – and to all of us. Our environment is welcoming and very family-like. We are free to speak our minds and our feedback is never dismissed.
Sara Schroers
Tell us a little about your background, education, and experience.
I grew up in the Mid-Atlantic area. I love the change of seasons this area brings. I’ve worked in the healthcare industry for the past 30 years.
What types of people have impacted you?
I find inspiration in the people who can take a personal negative life event and make something good from it – that saves another the negative impact, and brings the knowledge that hope abounds in all situations. I appreciate people who can see beyond themselves and operate from a “how may I make a difference in your day today?” aspect.
Who or what has influenced you the most when it comes to how you approach your work?
Integrity – it is the foundation of personal responsibility.
What are the values that drive you?
Integrity, honesty, kindness, and generosity.
What expertise or real world experiences do you bring that help you deliver value to your clients?
My clients are our team members. I know how great it is to welcome a new team member. My goal is to ensure our team knows their value and encourage them to fulfill their career goals to the betterment of our team as a whole, and our clients.
Describe your role at TTi. What Values and special talents do you bring to our company?
I tend to the details and tasks that are at the heart of TTi – finance, human resources, payroll, benefits, insurance, facility management, regulation compliance, record keeping ,travel, and the like, and not forget the REALLY important things – coffee, creamer, Diet Coke, LaCroix and snacks.
How would you describe the workplace culture and atmosphere at TTi?
Unexpected. The office events we’ve had are out of the box thinking and bring lightheartedness to the day. I appreciate work anniversary and birthday shoutouts, and with a video of Dan and April singing, even better!
What has surprised you most about working with TTi?
I’ve worked in the healthcare industry since 1991, and being at TTi is the first time I understood the importance of public health and its role in saving lives and bringing sound health to society.
Case Zambelli
What excites you about bringing new medical technologies to the market?
TTi began with the idea of improving public health at both the population level and the “clipboard to bedside” level. I believe we’re continuing to improve on these efforts through our commercial market access services: our continued reinvention with customized solution while market and patient needs is very exciting! TTi’s client services continues to evolve as client needs change.
Tell us a little about your background and they types of people who have impacted you.
I’m originally from north of Pittsburgh, PA and have been married for nearly 15 years. I have 7-year-old twins: one boy and one girl. My family and friends are a constant reminder of why I’m in the public health business – it’s the truest form of serving others.
Tell us about your education, degrees, and other certifications you have received.
I have a BA In Journalism and Public Relations from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
Who or what has influenced you the most when it comes to how you approach your work?
Three people: My father, who was in education for 4+ decades and taught me how to work with all different personality types. My mother, who was a tax preparer for over 40 years who taught me how to work within a small business and how to be responsive. And, my sister who taught me how to shift and pivot while remaining service oriented.
How would you describe the workplace culture and atmosphere at TTi?
It’s a culture of work-life balance. We work hard, we play hard. There are times where in any small business you may have to wear multiple hats or roll up your sleeves to give clients what they want sooner than later. We’re a deadline-driven organization, but we know how to have some fun, too. Our mutual accountability and drive towards excellence – with a few laughs mixed in – are what bind us together.
What has surprised you most about working with TTi?
How different, yet how similar our technical and corporate staff are. It’s been a pleasant surprise to see people from all backgrounds come together for the sake of public health – we all share the human element in our approach to our clients’ projects – all that are part of a noble cause.
Dr. Robert Bauserman, Ph.D.
What excites you about bringing new medical technologies to market?
At TTi, it’s work that genuinely meaningful because you know people are going to be positively impacted by what you do. Helping bring innovative devices to market by showing clinical and economic value, or demonstrating the effectiveness and value of health interventions, helps people lead healthier and longer lives. That’s really satisfying.
Tell us a little about your background and the types of people who have impacted you.
I’m from the Washington, DC area. The museums and monuments helped shape my early years by feeding a love of knowledge and learning in all areas. My elementary years at Montessori school really helped stimulate intellectual curiosity as well, and my family taught me a lot of positive values for life, including always trying to do my best. I’ve always been impacted by people who are teachers and can show me new ways of looking at or doing things.
What are the best skills you bring to your job?
A wide array of research skills, attention to detail and planning, and comfort in speaking with clients and really hearing what their needs are. To be a successful health researcher you need to have not just knowledge of research methods, but the ability and patience to really listen to the client and understand what they need to accomplish. Then it’s up to you to work with them to determine the best way to get there.
In a general sense, who or what has influenced you the most when it comes to how you approach your work?
My first bosses in the field, Drs. Solomon and Tomoyasu at the Maryland Department of Health, helped me transition into health research when the field and environment were new to me. Today, it’s Dr. April Zambelli-Weiner, the CEO at TTi. Her philosophy for the company is incredibly positive, and her approach to working with her staff, encouraging everyone to mutually support each other in their teams, and to learn and grow from mistakes and obstacles, rather than be discouraged or frustrated, is great.
What are the values that drive you?
Respect of others, help others, be dependable. TTi gives me the chance to do all of those through its mission if promoting health and well-being, as we work to help companies make new medical devices available to the public.
What expertise or real-world experiences do you bring that help you deliver value to your clients?
Initially my training in research methods, statistics, and psychology led me to work as an evaluation researcher for HIV prevention programs for the State of Maryland. There are a lot of health behaviors related to infection and outcomes, not just for HIV but many other illnesses. From there it was a matter of expanding my experience and horizons to include clinical outcomes, health economics, and more. Working at TTi lets me put it all together doing a variety of research related to medical devices and health outcomes for many clients.
Describe your role at TTi. What values and special talents do you bring to our company?
I’m a senior scientist, so I play a lot of different roles. From project management, to designing study protocols and statistical analysis plans, to crafting deliverables, and to proposing technical solutions for clients, I’ve found there’s a lot I can do for this team. I think the combination of wide-ranging research experience and practical experience in presenting, teaching and writing enables me to readily lead both client interactions and project tasks.
How would you describe the workplace culture and atmosphere at TTi?
What stands out the most are the incredible teamwork and dedication of my colleagues. The TTi team is mutually supportive in so many ways, and that’s definitely not always present at every workplace. I think we all desire to put our best into each project and make sure it reflects well on our teammates, not just us individually.
Michelle Zahn
Tell us a little about your background, education, and experience.
I’m a native Marylander, born and raised in the DC area before moving to the Baltimore area in 2001. I have an AA in Sociology and a BS in Digital Media & Web Technology, although my love for learning across multiple disciplines never stops. I have over a decade of experience in digital marketing, web & graphic design, and visual media.
My husband, Jason, and I have been married for 13 years and are proud parents of two kids – Jackson & Avery. Most of our free time is spent outdoors with our family.
What types of people have impacted you?
The most inspiring people to me are those who are constantly looking to make the world a better place and never stop learning. From experts who approach their own work with a sense of wonder and acknowledge the vast amount still to be learned to the individuals working making big impacts in their community through small acts of kindness, there’s no shortage of inspiration around us.
What excites you about bringing new medical technologies to the market?
Seeing the impact new technologies can have on saving and improving lives across multiple indications gives so much hope for our future as humans. Being a part of something so big brings meaning and excitement to my work.
Describe your role at TTi. What values and special talents do you bring to our company?
I get to help share the great work of TTi with the healthcare community and the world. Through our marketing efforts, I get to learn about the healthcare and MedTech industry, think creatively outside the box, and author interesting content to like-minded people. Connecting people, even if mainly through digital platforms, to build community is at the core of my role here.
How would you describe the workplace culture and atmosphere at TTi?
My coworkers here are so supportive of each other, creating such a positive atmosphere to work. The collaboration between people and departments allows us all to have a holistic view of our company and gives us a common goal to work towards. The moral support, educational support, and teamwork make this one of the best places to work.
Avi Chopra
What excites you about bringing new medical technologies to the market?
Seeing technologies directly help patients.
Tell us a little about yourself and the types of people who have impacted you.
I grew up in India. My parents inspired me and instilled a sense of self-motivation. I enjoy learning something new and listening to other people’s experiences.
Tell us about your education, degrees, and other certifications you have received.
I received a PhD in Genetics and Genomics from the University of Connecticut. I’m also a Health Economics Fellow from the University of York.
What are the best skills you bring to your job?
I’m a task-oriented person that thrives working in a challenging environment. I love finding novel and tailored solutions in Health Economics & Outcomes Research (HEOR).
What expertise or real-world experiences do you bring that help you deliver value to your clients?
I bring over 10 years of experience in evaluating the evolving needs in healthcare, with expertise in developing value strategies across therapeutic areas in pharmaceuticals and medical devices. I have extensive experience developing US and ex-US economic models for oncology, infectious disease, rare diseases, nephrology, and neurology. My experience also spans into landscape assessment and gap assessment to support market access and commercial teams.
Jerrod Nelms, PhD, MPH
Jerrod Nelms, PhD, MPH is a proven leader in clinical research. Expert in epidemiology, biostatistics, and public health, Jerrod has a wealth of experience in proposal writing, clinical and epidemiological study design, institutional review board processes, protocol development and statistical analysis plan writing, data collection and management, statistical analysis and modeling, algorithm and metric development, and manuscript and abstract preparation.
Jerrod specializes in meta-analysis, longitudinal study designs, cohort, case-control, case-crossover, clinical trials, time-to-event, cross-sectional, and mixed methodologies (quantitative and qualitative hybrid analyses, as well as data mining, collection and synthesis of real-world evidence with particular emphasis in database studies (claims, EMR/EHR, etc.), and health economic modeling.
Jerrod holds a PhD in Epidemiology from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, MPH in Environmental Health from Western Kentucky University, and BS in Environmental Health Science from Western Kentucky University.
Christina Parrinello, PhD, MPH
What excites you about bringing new medical technologies to the market?
It’s always exciting and satisfying to work with a team on a shared goal. To think that you may have played a small part in ultimately improving someone’s health or quality of life is very powerful.
Tell us a little about yourself and the types of people who have impacted you.
I grew up in the Hudson Valley in New York and now live in Connecticut with my husband and our two children. Throughout my childhood, my educational career, and my professional life, I’ve had very strong female mentors. There is only so much time in the day, and I’ve learned from them how to prioritize the things that matter – both personally and professionally.
Tell us about your education, degrees, and other certifications you have received.
I have a BA in Biology and American Studies from Cornell University, an MPH in Epidemiology from Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, and a PhD in Cardiovascular Epidemiology from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
What are the best skills you bring to your job?
As a researcher, scientist, and advisor, I think it’s important to question everything and bring an outside perspective to the table. I review things critically and really enjoy creating an open and honest scientific dialogue. This back-and-forth is what enables the team to create a high-quality finished product.
In a general sense, who or what has influenced you the most when it comes to how you approach your work?
My parents have had the greatest impact on my approach to work. They taught me to work hard and to always do my best and care about my work.
What expertise or real-world experiences do you bring that help you deliver value to your clients?
I have worked with a variety of real-world and observational data sources, including prospective and retrospective epidemiologic cohort studies, registries, hospital discharge data, complex survey data, and electronic medical records; as well as data from small clinical trials and pilot studies for medical devices. I have expertise in identification of data sources, literature review, study design, data insights through analytics, scientific writing, and data visualization. My work has spanned both infectious and chronic diseases (e.g. tuberculosis, HIV, cardiovascular disease, oncology). My varied background and experiences help me bring unique insight and value to my clients’ work.
Heather Limper
Tell us a little about yourself and the types of people who have impacted you.
I have lived in the South and Midwest regions of the United States. I have a husband and toddler who I adore and they inspire me to be a better person every day. I’m very lucky to have worked at a number of prestigious insititutions that push the bounds of science and healthcare and help me challenge myself to think bigger.
Tell us about your education, degrees, and other certifications you have received.
I have a Ph.D. in Epidemiology, a Master’s in Public Health, and a certificate in Medical Writing & Editing.
In a general sense, who or what has influenced you the most when it comes to how you approach your work?
I have had the opportunity to work with some brilliant, humble leaders in innovation and healthcare that have shaped how I engage with others and approach my work.
What expertise or real-world experiences do you bring that help you deliver value to your clients?
I have held leadership positions in both academic and healthcare system settings that allow me to approach a problem or new innovation from a very pragmatic lens.
Describe your role at TTi. What values and special talents to you bring to our company?
I am a Senior Advisor at TTi and bring expertise in implementation science, measurement, and evaluation.
How would you describe the workplace culture and atmosphere at TTi?
The entire team at TTi is incredibly collaborative and each individual brings a valuable skillset that allows TTi to tackle a diverse portfolio with targeted expertise.
What has surprised you about working with TTi?
The amount of really brilliant people we get to engage with.
Chiamaka Ugorji
What excites you about bringing new medical technologies to the market?
I love the fact that I’m a part of leading projects that are helping to introduce new technology that give consumers more control over their health, decrease the transmission of germs, and/or increase access to care in both virtual and in-person settings. With the recent focus on telehealth, being able to work in the medtech sector has allowed me to gain deeper knowledge of the biotechnology and medtech fields to understand the market better. With my experience in service delivery and program management, the discussions and new ideas that come from completing each of our projects gives me so much hope and excitement about the shift in how we as a society are starting to view and change healthcare access and services.
Tell us a little about yourself and the types of people who have impacted you.
I am Nigerian of the Igbo tribe, raised right outside of Los Angeles. I’m one of five children. My mother is a pediatrician and my father is an engineer by training, but now has businesses in Nigeria. The people who have impacted me the most are my parents and their resilience through coming here in the 1970’s from Nigeria and working their way to be successful and providing for me and my siblings.
Tell us about your education, degrees, and other certifications you have received.
I received my Bachelor’s degree in Sociology/Anthropology from Rhodes College in Memphis, TN and my Master’s in Public Health with a concentration in Health Policy from the Milken Institute School of Public Health at The George Washington University in Washington, DC. I currently hold a PMP certification, NASM Certified Personal Trainer certification, and NASM Fitness Nutrition certification.
In a general sense, who or what has influenced you the most when it comes to how you approach your work?
My parents. They always taught me to look at the lessons I’m learning in both happy and unhappy moments. I see all experiences in life as learning experiences and have an optimistic outlook on life. My parents lived through a war & genocide in Nigeria, migrated to a new country, and worked all types of jobs to provide for us – and that have succeeded and continue to succeed. They will forever be my idols.
What expertise or real-world experiences do you bring that help you deliver value to your clients?
My diversified background in the health field from fitness to policy work gives me a unique outlook on the healthcare spectrum. Having multiple perspectives of our healthcare system allows me to identify gap areas in our client’s execution of bringing their products to the market.
Describe your role at TTi. What values and special talents to you bring to our company?
I am the Service Delivery Lead at TTi and with that I bring my high energy personality, my background, my pharmaceutical industry experience, and my program management skills to TTi. Along with my dependable and innovative working style, I continue to keep our clients satisfied and turn new clients into long-term partners.
How would you describe the workplace culture and atmosphere at TTi?
Everybody is very close since it’s a smaller company and you feel consistent support for all your work at TTi. Everyone is ready to perform beyond their job functions with enthusiasm.
What has surprised you about working with TTi?
The amount of freedom to craft the service delivery department. I have been able to lead the migration to a new operating system, initiate new research projects, and also the honor of being a part of the executive leadership team where I have a hand in crafting the strategic outlook of the company.
Ashley Pryor
What excites you about bringing new medical technologies to the market?
What excites me most about helping to bring new medical technologies to market through our project engagement is their ability to advance the quadruple aim of healthcare and drastically improve both quality of life and experience of care for the patient, improve the health and experience of providers, and make healthcare more affordable (by reducing the per capita costs of care). Medical technologies have such a huge impact at both the individual and population level.
Tell us a little about yourself and the types of people who have impacted you.
I was born and raised in central Maryland, where I currently reside. Growing up in a small town, I learned the importance of community. While no one in my immediate family works in the healthcare or medtech industry, they largely sparked my interest in this field (by instilling in me a desire to help others and through their own health battles).
Tell us about your education, degrees, and other certifications you have received.
I received a BS in Biochemistry from Stevenson University.
What expertise or real-world experiences do you bring that help you deliver value to your clients?
While my role is not necessarily client-facing, my previous experience working as a pharmacy technician required me to serve as a liaison between patients and their insurance companies. This experience allowed me to develop an understanding of the US reimbursement system. It also helped me to further develop my communication and organization skills and become more attentive to detail, while also bringing to light challenges within our healthcare system.
Describe your role at TTi. What values and special talents to you bring to our company?
As an Associate at TTi, I work in collaboration with the Technical Team, Marketing Team, and Business Development Team. I assist the Technical Team with commercial project tasks such as data entry and management (i.e., quality control, query resolutions, etc.), literature searches and reviews, and manuscript edits. I assist the Marketing Team with market research; content ideation, development, and execution across email and multi-channel campaigns, collateral, and web copy; and identify, evaluate, and develop content for media opportunities and speaking engagements. I also assist the Business Development Team with their efforts, including commercial proposal writing and preparation of social proof (e.g. case studies) to support business proposals.
How would you describe the workplace culture and atmosphere at TTi?
The team is so supportive of one another and someone is always offering a hand to help. We foster a growth mindset and mutual accountability. Through our telework options, work-life balance is never a concern and our team-building activities (no mater in-person or remote) are always so much fun!
What has surprised you about working with TTi?
They synergy across the team! Everyone is so passionate about all the projects we take on. They truly pour their heart and soul into each and every one and work tirelessly to exceed expectations time and time again. I truly could not imagine a better team. I’ve also been pleasantly surprised with how forward-thinking TTi is as an organization. Transitioning to full-time telework for an extended period of time during the pandemic was a non-issue as our systems were already established to accommodate this, meaning our clients were not impacted, while other businesses struggled.