Clinical Research Staff
Lori A. Nesbitt, Pharm D, MBA
Administrator
Lori Nesbitt, PharmD, MBA, began her career in clinical trial research nearly twenty years ago, within university-based settings. Dr. Nesbitt was inspired to pursue research in community hospital settings after seeing the frustrations of a family member who participated in a clinical trial within an academic center because of the limited availability of local research opportunities.
Dr. Nesbitt received her Bachelor of Science and Doctor of Pharmacy degrees from Purdue University. She completed a post-doctoral psychopharmacology residency at the Medical University of South Carolina and earned her MBA degree from Tulane University. Prior to founding Compass Point Research, Dr. Nesbitt served as Director of the Clinical Research Center and Assistant Professor in the Departments of Internal Medicine and Pharmacology at the University of South Alabama in Mobile.
David Russell
Director of Operations
With over sixteen years experience in healthcare, David Russell has an extensive history of corporate planning, process improvement, and progress tracking/communication, which has lead to total significant corporate turnarounds. Prior responsibilities included reimbursement, budgeting, HR/payroll oversight, cost reporting, divestures, allocation of staffing and complete corporate restructuring.
Mr. Russell currently serves as Vice President of Finance for Compass Point Research and Director of Operations in the WFH – Clinical Research Department. Prior to Compass Point, Mr. Russell served as Corporate Controller and Director of Finance for a large regional home healthcare corporation, HomeCare Solutions, Inc, where he was employed for more than thirteen years. Mr. Russell has a passion for mapping the future, charting the course to profitability, and leading others on a path to success through planning, departmental communication and customer service to clients.
Colleen Alex, BSN, RN
Clinical Research Portfolio Manager
Colleen Alex, BSN, RN began her career in nursing 25 years ago at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. After starting as a Registered Nurse on a medical/surgical unit, she transferred to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit as a staff nurse. Her focus on optimizing patient outcomes through evidence based practice piqued her interest in nursing’s role in research. In 1992, she was appointed the first Research Nurse in the Center for Women & Infants at St. Joseph’s. As a research nurse, Colleen has facilitated investigator research, National Institute of Health funded studies, and industry funded research related to medical and nursing practice.
Mrs. Alex received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the College of St. Teresa in Winona, Minnesota. Colleen and her husband, George, have two daughters; Maggie, 19 and Shannon, 16.
Jamie Drissel, BS, CCRP
Clinical Research Coordinator
Jamie Drissel holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Kennedy Western University, and has expertise in philanthropy and nonprofit fundraising. She works with many nonprofit societies, including the Multiple Sclerosis Society and the Special Olympics. Jamie is dedicated to lifelong learning and has continued her education in the field of marketing. She is certified in Sports and Event Marketing and graduated with honors for her degree in General Marketing. Jamie has also extended her knowledge by obtaining certificates in Business Grammar, Leadership and Supervisory Skills, Managing Emotions and Thriving Under Pressure, Dreamweaver, and Microsoft Office Suite.
Prior to joining Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare, she was the Senior Research Administrator for the Center for Lower Extremity Ambulatory Research at Rosalind Franklin University where she had clinical research experience with industry sponsored trials as well as federal grant funded trials.
Jamie Drissel is a certified Clinical Research Professional and she currently serves as the Clinical Research Coordinator for the cardiology/vascular portfolio. She manages research studies at Wheaton Franciscan-The Wisconsin Heart Hospital and St. Joseph Campuses, as well as Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare - All Saints. Jamie is also pursuing a nursing degree at Gateway Technical College.
Rachel Kryfke, BS, MBA
Clinical Research Coordinator
Rachel Kryfke most recently graduated with her Masters in Business Administration with a focus in leadership from University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. She completed her Bachelors of Science in Psychology at University of Wisconsin-Madison. Prior to joining Wheaton Franciscan as a Cardiology Research Coordinator, she was a Project Manager for the Fundus Photograph Reading Center at UW-Madison, a center which evaluates photographs for retinal disease progression for various clinical trials. Most recently, she was a research coordinator for the Special Needs Program at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin/Medical College of Wisconsin, a program which provides care coordination for medically complex and fragile children with chronic conditions. Her career has been research focused, including grant writing, resource utilization outcome analysis, curriculum development, data management, and project management.
Tracy Mente, RN
Clinical Research Coordinator
Phyllis A. Wattleworth, RN, MBA, CCRP
Clinical Research Coordinator, Oncology Portfolio
Phyllis Wattleworth brings six years of clinical research experience in oncology, cardiology, urology, arthritis and osteoporosis studies. Her previous experience includes medical/surgical nursing, pharmaceutical quality system technical writing, regulatory affairs management and quality system development for implantable cardiovascular device manufacturing.
Phyllis has been a registered nurse since 1967. She went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Business Administration in 1990 and a Master of Business Administration Degree in 1993 from the University of South Florida.
Additional training and certifications include: Certified Clinical Research Coordinator (CCRC), ISO 9000 Lead Auditor, European Device Regulations, Process Validation. She is a Member of the Association of Clinical Research Professionals.
Sandra Georgeson, RN, CCRP
Clinical Research Coordinator, Oncology Portfolio
Sandra Georgeson has worked for the St. Mary’s/All Saints organization since 1986. She has experience in hospital oncology nursing, Internal Medicine with the Medical Group, and for the past six years as a Clinical Research Coordinator at Wheaton Franciscan Cancer Care –All Saints. She received certification as a Clinical Research Professional in 2007 through the Society of Clinical Research Associates (SOCCRA). A two-time cancer survivor, Sandy has personal experience with two clinical trials and truly believes that “Research Will Cure Cancer.”
Michelle Czechowicz, BSN, CCRP
Clinical Research Coordinator, Oncology Portfolio
Michelle graduated in 1979 with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Olivet Nazarene University. She has worked with cancer patients in the hospital, clinic and home settings over a span of 13 years. Following an extended time off dedicated to raising her children, she entered back into the oncology field through the clinical research program, where she has been positioned since 2003. She received certification as a clinical research professional in 2007. Michelle states, “Cancer research is important to me because cancer has touched me both professionally and personally. We need to be able to offer the best possible treatment options to all cancer patients, and someday, hopefully, even cure cancer. That won’t happen without research.” Michelle and her husband Rick have been married since 1979 and have 3 children.
Kelli Holton
Regulatory Affairs Assistant