The Heart of SCRS: Our Team Reflects on Clinical Trials Day
As we celebrate Clinical Trials Day, we wanted to take a moment to reflect on what drives our work at the Society for Clinical Research Sites (SCRS). Behind every initiative, event, and advocacy effort is a team united by purpose and passion. Several SCRS team members wanted to share their thoughts on why they’re committed to clinical research sites and their hope for the industry’s future.
Finding Purpose in Progress
For many of our team members, the “why” behind their work connects directly to making tangible progress in healthcare and research. As our Vice President of Site Engagement, Jimmy Bechtel, puts it, “This is the frontier of medicine – the work we do helps move the industry and our medicine development further and faster.”
Sean Soth, Senior Vice President of Global Business Partnerships, echoes this sentiment, describing his motivation simply as “Progress – progress for patients and all the people working to make that progress happen.”
This commitment to advancement isn’t just professional—it’s deeply personal. Our Director of Global Site Memberships, Anne-Marie Molster, shares, “Graciously serving others has been central to my career. I believe meaningful growth stems from strong relationships and purposeful collaboration.”
Allyson Small, Chief Operating Officer, added, “I love being part of an organization that supports sites, gives them a voice, and helps push the industry forward. It’s rewarding to know the work we do helps improve how research gets done and ultimately helps patients around the world.”
There’s a deep sense of intentionality in everything this community does, and it’s inspiring to be part of a mission that ultimately contributes to life-saving treatments.
The SCRS Community Spirit
What makes the SCRS community so special? Darlene Seitz, Senior Project Specialist, appreciates how we are united by a shared commitment to advancing the clinical research industry by providing opportunities for sites and key stakeholders to collaborate.
Kathy Mickel, Learning Solutions Lead, appreciates that SCRS embodies a positive and uplifting environment that brings people together, celebrates successes, supports each other, and works with a solution-oriented approach.
This spirit of resilience and positivity shines through in Jimmy’s observation: “Solving difficult challenges seems to be continuous—yet our community remains resilient and positive in working together to solve these challenges.”
“The SCRS community is exactly that—a true community,” Anne-Marie observes. “It’s made up of individuals who are not only dedicated to advancing clinical research, but who build meaningful relationships that drive progress.”
What I love most about SCRS and our community is how genuinely supportive and collaborative it is. Whether it’s sites, sponsors, CROs, or solution providers-we’re all working toward the same goal: making clinical research better. There’s a real sense of shared purpose, and people aren’t just talking about change, they’re actually doing the work to make it happen.
Pride in Collective Achievement
When asked about proudest accomplishments of the organization, our team highlighted moments of connection and collaboration.
Allyson reflects on the 2024 Global Site Solutions Summit, which brought together over 1,700 industry executives from across the industry to have real, honest conversations about how we can better support research sites and improve the way we work together. “Watching everything come together from the sessions to the networking to the energy in the room, was just one of those ‘this is why we do what we do’ moments.”
For Anne-Marie, the global expansion of SCRS’ reach stands out: “Through the Ambassador Program, we’ve extended meaningful member benefits to sites worldwide—supporting their sustainability through education, advocacy, connection, and mentorship. It has been incredibly rewarding to be part of that mission through ongoing engagement with these new global members.”
Looking to the Future: Industry Priorities
As we celebrate Clinical Trials Day, our team also reflected on what the industry should prioritize to benefit both research sites and patients.
Patient-centricity emerged as a key theme. Anne-Marie believes the industry should “prioritize patient centricity in a way that truly equips research sites to meet patient needs. This means developing accessible tools, training, and resources that help sites deliver a more compassionate, informed, and inclusive patient experience.”
Kathy wants the industry to focus on clinical trial access, including “educating the public about the opportunity of clinical trials, easier access to find a clinical trial, easier/more flexible clinical trial designs for patients to participate, removing barriers to participating in clinical trials.”
Collaboration and communication also stand out as priorities. Allyson notes that the industry should continue focusing on improving collaboration and communication between sites, sponsors, and CROs. There’s been a lot of progress, but there’s still room to grow, especially when it comes to setting clear expectations, sharing feedback openly, and making sure sites continue to have a voice and seat at the table. “When everyone’s on the same page, things just work better—for not only our industry but also for the patients. The more we listen to each other and work together, the better the experience will be across the board.”
Jimmy emphasizes the need to put purpose behind the work we do together, closing feedback loops so that we can not only communicate and implement change, but also showcase that change.
Sean is aiming for a data-driven perspective, advocating for industry data that provides critical information the industry can use to improve site experience.
SCRS also asked our community to weigh in on their #1 priority to improve clinical trials. Several themes emerged, including reducing the complexity of trials, bringing in new investigators, and streamlining communication among sites, sponsors and CROs.
The Impact That Drives Us
“I have had people cry with joy on the impact we have made on their lives or business,” Sean mentioned. “We continue to be grateful for the countless contributors who make this work a success.”
As we commemorate Clinical Trials Day, we’re reminded that our work at SCRS is more than just supporting clinical research sites—it’s about creating meaningful change that ripples through the industry and ultimately improves healthcare for patients worldwide.
We’re grateful for our dedicated team, our passionate community, and the opportunity to continue advocating for research sites and the vital work they do every day.
