Leadership Team

Bruce Tomason

Chief Executive Officer

Prior to joining CGIRB in 2008, Bruce Tomason was founder and chief executive officer of Alterna, LLC, an over-the-counter pharmaceutical company. He was president and chief executive officer of the medical information and services company, One Call Medical Inc. from 1996 to 1999. Prior to that, he was president of Apollo Capital Corp., a healthcare investment banking and venture capital firm. From 1986 – 1990, Mr. Tomason held the position of finance and commercial director of Evans Healthcare Ltd., a leading bio-pharmaceutical company located in Horsham, England which was spun out of Glaxo Holdings. From 1984 – 1986, he was vice president of Evans Medical Inc. Mr. Tomason joined the pharmaceutical industry in 1971 with Organon Inc., where he was the general manager of the Nutritional Products Division.

Mr. Tomason earned his MBA from Columbia University and his BA from Seton Hall University.

Bill Van Nostrand

Vice President & Chief Business Development Officer

Mr. Van Nostrand joined Copernicus in 2010 after having been the President of Medical Marketing Solutions, a healthcare consulting company. From 2003 to 2005, Mr. Van Nostrand held the position of Senior Vice President and General Manager, Life Sciences for First Consulting Group. Previously, from 1998 to 2003, Mr. Van Nostrand was President of the Clinical Trials Division of Dendrite International a global clinical support organization. In 1984 Mr. Van Nostrand founded In Vivo one of the first CROs to specialize in post-approval clinical studies and as CEO successfully led it until its sale in 1994. Mr. Van Nostrand started his career in healthcare with Baxter International.

Mr. Van Nostrand was awarded a BS degree from Seton Hall University.

Andrew Messick

Chief Financial Officer

Before joining CGIRB in 2008, Mr. Messick served as vice president at Wachovia Bank within its Corporate and Investment Banking group. Prior to working at Wachovia, Mr. Messick was a manager at Durkin Group LLC, a professional services firm. He began his career as an audit professional at Ernst & Young LLP.

Mr. Messick graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a major in business administration and a masters of accounting. He is a CFA charterholder and a CPA.

Dawn Pope

Director, Client Services

Prior to her current position, Ms. Pope served as Director, Quality Management and Client Relations for CGIRB. Ms. Pope began her career in the clinical trial industry in 1998 with CGIRB. Since then, she has held a variety of functional and managerial roles in project management, IRB services, study start up, client relations and quality management.

Ms. Pope also serves as CGIRB’s institutional officer.

Ms. Pope received her BA from Campbell University.

Jennifer Sodrel

Director, Information Management

Ms. Sodrel has held the position of director of information management since 2006. Previously she held a number of key positions in business development, client relations and project management. Prior to joining CGIRB in 2002, Ms. Sodrel was vice president of business development and operations for The Qualified IT Source, Inc., a recruiting firm specializing in information technology. Ms. Sodrel began her career in the information technology industry in 1998 with Ciber Custom Solutions Group.

Ms. Sodrel earned her BA from University of South Florida.

Yvonne Higgins

Director, Quality Management

In 2011, Ms. Higgins came to CGIRB from the University of Pennsylvania where she served as Executive Director of the Human Research Protections Office since 2004. Prior to that, Ms. Higgins held positions at the Office of Human Research Protections (OHRP) within the Department of Health and Human Services as well within the offices of the US Army and the US Air Force Surgeons General. Ms. Higgins has been an AAHRPP site auditor since 2007 and was a member of AAHRPP’s Council 2009 – 2011.

Ms. Higgins earned her A.B. in Biology from Hood College and a Certificate in Human Research Ethics from the University of Washington School of Medicine. Ms. Higgins is a Certified IRB Professional (CIP).