CDISC Executive Operations Team

Rebecca Kush

CDISC President and CEO

Rebecca Daniels Kush, Ph.D. is a Founder and the current President and CEO of CDISC. Dr. Kush has over 25 years of experience in the area of clinical research. She has worked for the U.S. National Institutes of Health, academia, a global contract research organization and pharmaceutical companies in the U.S. and Japan.  Among numerous publications, Dr. Kush is lead author of the book, eClinical Trials: Planning and Implementation. Dr. Kush has given invited presentations (including keynotes) and tutorials at industry conferences, FDA and other venues in the U.S., Europe, and Japan for over 20 years. She earned a Ph.D. in Physiology and Pharmacology from the University of California (UCSD) School of Medicine in La Jolla, CA and has a B.S. in Chemistry and Biology from the University of New Mexico.

Frank Newby

Chief Operating Officer

Frank Newby is the COO for CDISC. He holds degrees in both Biology and Education from East Stroudsburg University and has more than 28 years experience in the pharmaceutical industry. Prior to joining CDISC he held the positions of Vice President, Information Technology and Data Management at SCIREX Corporation; Director, Information Technology and Data Management at Cell Pathways, Inc.; Director, Worldwide Clinical Systems Development for GlaxoSmithKline; and held a number of other positions in the areas of Clinical Information Management for GSK, Aventis, Merck and J&J.

Shirley Williams

Exec. VP, Finance & Event Administration

Shirley Williams was privileged to be the first CDISC employee and has been a part of its growth and success since its inception.   She has over 20 years experience in the clinical research industry and was instrumental in the start up of two different organizations, including CDISC.   Her extensive experience is in the areas of financials, metrics, reengineering and process improvement and project coordination.  She has been responsible for CDISC’s financial and legal viability, ensuring that CDISC has always used its funds appropriately to establish and support the CDISC standards.  In 2008, Shirley was promoted to Executive VP, Finance & Events Administration for CDISC.  In addition to her legal, financial and human resource responsibilities, she is now responsible for overseeing the successful Events and Education program that CDISC offers, including the CDISC Interchanges around the globe, training courses/workshops and ensuring CDISC’s presence at worldwide events.