Senior Management

Dan Duffy is a seasoned executive with over two decades of experience spanning biopharma, provider, and payor services in the life science and healthcare industries. He has focused his expertise on clinical research site platforms, serving as both a Board member and an executive leader, where he has been instrumental in steering organizational growth and innovation.

Dan’s leadership extends into regulatory and commercial strategy, market access, patient support programs in oncology and rare diseases, as well as digital health and private equity firm search and strategic due diligence.
As a committed advocate of people-centered leadership, Dan is dedicated to cultivating differentiated organizational cultures that prioritize strategic organic growth and mergers and acquisitions. His approach effectively supports team member development on both personal and professional levels, while delivering elevated patient outcomes in areas with
unmet medical needs.

Beyond healthcare, Dan’s versatile career includes leadership roles in operations, corporate finance, strategic planning, business development, and mergers and acquisitions across various industries. He is equally passionate about social entrepreneurship, actively engaging in ventures aimed at enhancing global health and wellness.
Dan holds a Bachelor’s degree from Kent State University and a Master of Business Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, equipping him with a solid foundation to drive meaningful impact in the healthcare sector and beyond.

Eli Alford is Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Pinnacle Clinical Research. Eli served 26 years as a combat arms leader and in research and analysis roles in the U.S. Army, retiring as a colonel.

His second professional chapter has been in management consulting on federal contracts and operational leadership roles in the clinical research industry, starting with INC Research (now Syneos Health).

Prior to Pinnacle, Eli served for eight years as a COO, first with Schulman Associates IRB (now Advarra) and then with Elligo Health Research, a clinical research site network integrated with healthcare.

His qualifications include Six Sigma Blackbelt and Certified IRB Professional. He received a BA from the Virginia Military Institute, MS from the University of Southern California, and was a National Security Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School.

Dr. Patil is a fellowship-trained Hepatologist, Principal Investigator on over 60 clinical trials in MASLD/MASH, and Founder of South Texas Research Institute (STRI), the premier private clinical research site network originating in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. Beginning as one site and five employees in 2020, STRI grew to 2 locations and over 30 team members in 2022. STRI partnered with Pinnacle Clinical Research in 2022, and Dr. Patil served as CEO of the combined entity from 2022-2024.

During this time, Pinnacle grew from 5 to 13 wholly owned sites and expanded its geographic reach through M&A in New Jersey and Nevada – this expansion came with significant organic revenue growth under her leadership. In late 2024, Dr. Patil stepped into the role of Chief Medical Officer and is leading the organization’s physician/investigator teams through the next phase of growth and transformation. Pinnacle Clinical Research is the leading clinical research network in the field of Hepatology in the US and was founded by Dr. Stephen Harrison in 2016.

As a Hepatologist, her focus is on MASLD/MASH, non-invasive testing, preventative health, and racial/socioeconomic disparities in liver disease. As a clinical trialist, her focus is on building a physician community of investigators and improving awareness about this career path, increasing accessibility to clinical trials for patients living outside of the boundaries of academic centers, and improving site-Sponsor relationships. She is an active member of the American Association for the Study of Liver Disease and has published in major journals such as the NEJM, Hepatology, Lancet, and Nature.

Dr. Michelle Papka is a respected thought leader in AD who has over 30 years combined experience as a researcher and clinician specializing in the field of aging, Alzheimer’s disease, and dementia. She has practiced as a neuropsychologist, psychotherapist, and researcher, and has served as a Principal Investigator on more than 35 recent clinical trials for Alzheimer’s disease and age-related cognitive impairment. Dr. Papka has had numerous publications of her work and is an active public speaker, invited editor, grant reviewer, consultant, and committee member of multiple specialized organizations and publications in the field of aging and Alzheimer’s Disease.

About CRCNJ

Founded in 2009 and headquartered in Springfield, New Jersey, CRCNJ is a leading Northeast-based CNS clinical research network with a focus on AD. CRCNJ operates one site in Springfield, New Jersey, and is currently opening its second site location in Ridgewood, New Jersey. CRCNJ’s reputation for top quality care is a core driver of patient referrals in the traditionally difficult-to-recruit CNS space.

Dr. Diana Kerwin is a leading Key Opinion Leader with over 20 years of experience in Alzheimer’s and cognitive research, who was previously in academia at the world-renowned Northwestern University Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer’s Disease Center and is now an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. She is Board Certified in Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, and is the principal investigator on phase I, II, and III clinical trials for the development of therapeutics in Alzheimer’s and related dementias such as Progressive Supranuclear Palsy(PSP), Lewy Body disease (LBD) and NIH-funded studies for the prevention of Alzheimer’s dementia.

About Kerwin Medical Center

Founded in 2019 and headquartered in Dallas, Texas, Kerwin Medical Center is a leading clinical research network with an established reputation for superior enrollment and patient care for complex CNS studies with a focus on AD. KMC was founded in Dallas and is expanding to south Dallas with a site opening in Oak Cliff.

Andre DeLeon is a certified public accountant with over 20 years of experience in public and private markets. After almost a decade at Ernst & Young (EY), with a principal focus on mergers and acquisitions, Andre went on to serve as Controller for the City of San Antonio, the country’s seventh largest city. He joins Pinnacle Clinical Research after eight years scaling a successful technology company, most recently as Chief Financial Officer, where he was responsible for all aspects of finance, accounting, legal, and human resources operations.

Andre was a student-athlete at St. Mary’s University before earning his graduate degree from the University of Virginia. In his spare time, you can find Andre in search of swells and snow with his 80-pound retriever, Atlas, always in tow.

Margaret (Maggie) Leal was born and raised in the beautiful state of Washington. She obtained her Bachelor of Science with a concentration in Chemistry from The University of Texas-Pan American in 2014. She later pursued and obtained her Master of Science with a concentration in Health Sciences in Health Care Administration from The University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley in 2015. Maggie is also a Certified Clinical Research Coordinator through the Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP). She showed proficiency in research design, ethics/safety, regulation, clinical trial operations, study and site management, and data management and informatics.

Maggie joins Pinnacle Clinical Research as Vice President of Clinical Research Operations with 10 years in the clinical research field. Her background comes from being a Research Assistant, Clinical Research Coordinator, and Director of Clinical Research Operations in the clinical research industry. She has executed protocols in different therapeutic areas and most recently in the field of Hepatology. She has worked directly with our CEO, Dr. Patil, since 2018 and helped obtain top-enrollment recognition for NASH research sites in both global and national research protocols.

Maggie brings enthusiasm and optimism to her workplace and enjoys going to concerts with her husband, going fishing with family, and teaching her son how to play sports.

Native to the Rio Grande Valley Monica Garza comes with 15 years of research experience. She obtained her Bachelor of Science with a concentration in Biology from the University of Texas-Pan American in 2007. Monica has worked compliance on multiple Phase I through Phase IV research trials in various therapeutic areas.

Her background includes being a Certified Clinical Research Coordinator at a private clinic with a focus on adult endocrinology research in Austin in 2009. Then in 2017, she moved to the greater Houston area to work in pediatric neurology clinic research at one of the largest children’s hospitals in the United States as a Project Manager. In 2021, she joined the quality department at a private research site focused on NASH and cirrhosis clinical research, where she became the Director of Compliance and Data Management in 2022. She is enthusiastic and honored to utilize her expertise in clinical research and patient care as Pinnacle’s Vice President of Compliance.

Monica is passionate to bring Pinnacle’s mission of innovative health care and education to her Texas community. She is a joy to the workplace and enjoys reading, traveling, and baking in her spare time.

Mon-Fri: 7:30AM-4:00pm

Senior Management

Dan Duffy

Eli Alford

Rashmee Patil, MD

Michelle Papka, Ph.D.

Diana R. Kerwin, MD, CPI

Andre DeLeon, CPA

Margaret Leal, MS, CCRC

Monica Garza, CCRC

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