.jpg "Kate Hilliard, BA< CCRC, CCRC photo")
Clinical Research Operations Manager
Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital
Kate Hilliard, BA, CCRC is the Director of Clinical Research Operations, Pediatric Pulmonary Division, Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital, Cleveland, Ohio. She began her career as a toxicologist, in the area of preclinical toxicology in the Pharmacology and Drug Development Section at the Battelle Memorial Institute in Columbus, OH. In 1988 she joined Dr. Michael Konstan at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine/Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital, performing bench and preclinical research in the area of lung inflammation in cystic fibrosis (CF). In 1991, she began coordinating industry- and government-sponsored clinical studies in the CF Center. Her role expanded to include the management of regulatory affairs and operations. Kate has served on several national committees for the CF Therapeutics Development Network (TDN). Her area of expertise is in protocol and project development/management, and clinical research education/mentoring. Along with her colleagues, she developed a national research coordinator mentoring program through the CF Foundation. She is a trained coach for the CFF Equip Coaching Program and is a mentor for the CFF RC LOFT Program. In 2007 she was the inaugural recipient of the Judy Williams Award recognizing research coordinator excellence.