act for veterans committees and members

ACT for Veterans  |   Steering Committee

​Dr. Rachel Ramoni
Chief Research and Development Officer
Office of Research and Development
Department of Veterans Affairs

Mr. Rick Starrs
Chief Executive Officer
National Association of Veterans' Research and Education Foundations

Dr. Grant Huang
Director, Cooperative Studies Program 
Office of Research and Development 
Department of Veterans Affairs

Ms. Krissa Caroff
ACT for Veterans Program Coordinator
Office of Research and Development
Department of Veterans Affairs
Clinical Trials Facilitator
National Association of Veterans' Research and Education Foundations

Dr. Karen Jeans
Associate Director of Regulatory Affairs, CSR&D
Office of Research and Development
Department of Veterans Affairs

Dr. Molly Klote
Director, Office of Research Protections, Policy and Education
Office of Research and Development
Department of Veterans Affairs

Dr. Holly Birdsall
Senior Medical Officer
Office of Research and Development
Department of Veterans Affairs

Dr. Fred Hendler
VA Central IRB Co-Chair
Office of Research and Development
Department of Veterans Affairs

Mr. Stephen Bartlett
VA Central IRB Co-Chair
Office of Research and Development
Department of Veterans Affairs

Priority Workgroups and Leads

Priority #1:
​Develop the single point of contact (SPOC) model to facilitate the communication of trial opportunities, processes, and requirements.

Lead: 
​Krissa Caroff, MS
ACT for Veterans Program Coordinator

---

Priority #2:
Establish a standard set of basic information that VA can provide to industry regarding VA assets (e.g., patients, investigators, capabilities, etc.) and processes (e.g., approvals, requirements, etc.) in order to initiate partnerships.

Lead:
Grant Huang, PhD
​ACT for Veterans Program Lead/Director VA Cooperative Studies Program

---

Priority #3:
Establish a set of requirements that outlines the specific information that VA needs from industry to initiate conversations.

Leads: 
Mark Klein, MD Oncologist/VA Investigator, Minneapolis VAMC
Tim Morgan, MD
​Hepatologist/VA Investigator, Long Beach VAMC

---

​Priority #4:
Create and maintain a process map related to study start up (from initiation of the relationship through site initiation) which includes and delineates centralized functions from those that are local responsibilities.

Leads:
​Holly Birdsall, MD, PhD
​Senior Medical Officer, VHA Office of Research and Development 
Gerhard Schulteis, MD
Associate Chief of Staff for Research and Development, VA San Diego Healthcare System 

---

​Priority #5:
​Develop Single IRB models to accommodate more industry sponsored trials

Leads:
Molly Klote, PhD
Director, Office of Research Protections, Policy, and Education