North Central Chapter

For AMWA members in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and northern Wisconsin

Officers

President – Michele Cleary

Michele brings a long and varied work history to her medical writing. She began her career as a pharmaceutical sales representative before quickly retreating to graduate school where she studied health services research. She then spent five years leading health economics and outcomes research (HEOR) projects at Optum for life science companies. For the past 17 years, Michele has been working as a medical writer under her own consultancy – Cleary Medical Intelligence. She specializes in HEOR manuscripts and white papers, but continues to also research and write on payer-related health policy issues.

E-mail Michele at president (at) amwanorthcentral (dot) org.

President-elect – Natalie Reierson, BS

Natalie began her career at University of Minnesota in the Institute for Health Informatics where she was first introduced to medical research grant writing. From there, she moved into grant and publication consulting, which ultimately led to being hired on as a research director for a software start-up specializing in medical regulatory documentation. Natalie strives to grow her network and stay active in the medical writing community through AMWA. She also enjoys volunteering her time to assist students and underrepresented groups find start-up and research funding through grant opportunities.

E-mail Natalie at president-elect (at) amwanorthcentral (dot) org.

Past-President – Lisa Poppenberg, MPH

Lisa has been a member of the North Central AMWA Chapter for about 5 years. After finishing her Masters in Public Health at Tufts University, she started working for Takeda Pharmaceuticals as a nonclinical writer. She relocated back to her home state of Minnesota in 2013, and now works remotely as a Medical Writer for Agios Pharmaceuticals. Lisa also recently completed her Master’s of Science in Regulatory Affairs at Northeastern University.

Co-Treasurer – Ellen O’Malley, MS

Ellen is a medical and regulatory writer at Entellus Medical, a small medical device company located in the Twin Cities.  Ellen writes regulatory clinical documents, such as clinical study reports, informed consents, and facilitates manuscript writing.  Working at a small company allows Ellen to see the value of her work on a daily basis and to see that her work directly contributes to the well-being of patients.  Ellen has a Bachelor of Science in Medical Technology from the College of St. Benedict and a Master of Science in Laboratory Sciences in clinical chemistry from the University of Minnesota. She has been an AMWA member for several years, and has earned medical writing and editing certificates.  Ellen appreciates the opportunities for networking locally and nationally through AMWA.

Co-Treasurer – Vacant

Co-Secretary – Amelia Young, BS

Amelia has worked in the pharmaceutical industry for more than 15 years and has worked in medical writing for the past 10 years. She has experience writing for Phase I-IV studies in a wide variety of therapeutic areas. She manages a team of 7 writers while also writing herself. Currently, her work is focused on working directly with the client to complete various health authority response documents as well as clinical overview documents to justify label changes. She also serves as a mentor to new writers and routinely provides departmental training to her colleagues. E-mail Amelia at secretary (at) amwanorthcentral (dot) org.

Co-Secretary – Kendra Hyland, PhD

Kendra is clinical evaluation report (CER) writer at Medtronic in the Minimally Invasive Therapies Group.  She writes CERs about surgical devices for open and minimally invasive procedures.  Kendra has experience in the fields of molecular biology, microbiology, mucosal immunology, and gene therapy. Kendra joined AMWA in 2014, and also has served as the chapter President.

Past-Secretary – Lynelle Martinez, MBA

Lynelle has worked in the medical device industry since 2001 as a technical/medical writer and clinical research associate (CRA). Previously, she worked as nurse with a primary focus in gerontology and psychology. She completed her MBA in 2007 and has been an AMWA member since 2014. Lynelle anticipates that her combination of patient healthcare, life sciences, and business experience will help enhance the Chapter.

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Past Officers

President

2018-2020– Lisa Poppenberg, MPH

2017-2018–Kendra Hyland, PhD

2016-2017–Rebecca Dahlberg, MD

2015-2016–Karen Bannick

2014-2015–Nissa Mollema, PhD

2013-2014–Ruth Taswell

2012-2013–Theresa King-Hunter

2011-2012—Karen Steinhilber

2010-2011—Michael Franklin

2009-2010—Kimberly McGhee, PhD

2008-2009—Randall Fritz, DVM

2007-2008—Brenda Hudson, PhD

2006-2007—Colleen Sauber

2005-2006—Anne Marie Weber-Main, PhD

2002-2004—Donna Bowlin

2000-2002—Paul Mamula, PhD

1998-1999—Eugene Millhouse, PhD

1994-1995—Barbara Gaynor

1992-1993—Mary Knatterud

1988-1989—James Kaufmann, PhD

1987-1988—Martha Heiberg

1986-1987—Angela Henriksen

1985-1986—Jack Key

1984-1985—Robert Howard

1983-1984—Deanna Servick

1982-1983—Kay Savoie

1981-1982—Guy Whitehead, PhD

1980-1981—David Florence, MD

1979-1980—John Callahan, MD

1978-1979—Stan Carlson

1978—Beth Grendahl

1977—Jack Key

1976—Barbara Cox

1974—Reuben Berman

President-Elect

2018-2019 – Michele Cleary

2017-2018–Lisa Poppenberg

2016-2017–Kendra Hyland

2015-2016—Rebecca Dahlberg

2014-2015—Karen Bannick

2013-2014—Nissa Mollema

2012-2013—Ruth Taswell

2011-2012—Theresa King-Hunter

2010-2011—Karen Steinhilber

2009-2010—Michael Franklin

2008-2009—Kimberly McGhee, PhD

2007-2008—Randall Fritz, DVM

2006-2007—Brenda Hudson, PhD

2005-2006—Colleen Sauber

2004—Colleen Duffy

2001-2002—Colleen Duffy

1991-1992—Mary Knatterud

1988-1989—Jane Hodgson, MD

1987-1988—James Kaufmann, PhD

1986-1987—Martha Heiberg

1985-1986—Angela Henriksen

1984-1985—Jack Key

1983-1984—Robert Howard, MD

1982-1983—Deanne Servick

1981-1982—Kay Savoie

1980-1981—Guy Whitehead, PhD

1979-1980—David Florence, MD

1978-1979—John Callahan, MD

1978—Stan Carlson

1977—Beth Grendahl

1976—Jack Key

Vice President

1988-1990—Mary Knatterud (Twin Cities) and LeAnn Stee (Rochester)

1987-1988—Frances Munnings

1986-1987—Timothy Shea

1985-1986—Sheila Nauman Todd

1984-1985—Angela Henriksen

1983-1984—Jack Key

1982-1983—Judith Gunn Bronson

1981-1982—Deanne Servick

1980-1981—Kay Savoie

1980—Guy Whitehead, PhD

1979—John Hutcheson

1978-1979—David Florence, MD

1978—John Callahan, MD

1977—Stan Carlson

1976—Beth Grendahl

Secretary

2018-2020–Amelia Young

2016-2018—Lynelle Martinez

2014-2016—Naomi Ruff

2012-2014–Carolyn Peterson

2010-2012—Mary Pat McGinnis

2009-2010—Roxanne Landon

2007-2010—June Oshiro

2005-2008—Charyl Dutton Gibbs

2001-2004—Leslie Charles

Treasurer

2015-2020—Ellen O’Malley

2015-2017—Venugopal “Venu” Thayanithy

2013-2015—Joy Frestedt

2011-2013—Alexandra Woods

2008-2011—Liz Davies, MSW

2008—Brenda Hudson, PhD

2006-2007—Cynthia Sparks

2005-2007—Leslie Charles

2001-2004—Ivar Arthur Zemmels, PhD

Secretary-Treasurer

1974-1996—Elaine Nye, PhD