Position: Director-at-Large
Eva Gallagher, PhD, RN, ANP-BC, CPHQ, CMPP
President, Global Scientific Development
Vaniam Group
ONS member: 20 years; Special Interest Group member: 18 years; Chapter member: 15 years
EDUCATION:
University of Minnesota, PhD in Nursing, 2008
The College of St. Catherine, Masters of Arts, Adult Nurse Practitioner Program, 1999
University of Minnesota, Masters of Arts, Adult Nurse Practitioner Program, 1999
University of Wisconsin, Madison, BS in Nursing, 1993
ONS PARTICIPATION (national and local):
2014-present: Member, Putting Evidence into Practice (PEP), Pain Team
2013-present: Reviewer, Oncology Nursing Forum
2001-2004: Director-at-Large, Oncology Nursing Society
2000: Mentor for ONS/Rhone-Poulenc-Rorer Nursing Fellows Program
1999: ONS Leadership Fellowship
1998: ONS/Glaxo Leadership Fellows Program
1997: ONS/Rhone-Poulenc-Rorer Nursing Fellows Program
WORK RELATED SKILLS AND LEADERSHIP:
2012- present: President, Global Scientific Development at Vaniam Group - Manage a team of scientific communications professions responsible for publication planning, manuscript writing, advisory board/focus group creation and execution, training modules, strategic direction and business development support to clients; Responsible for business development outside of the
US
2011-2012: Senior Director, Nursing Quality, Research and Population Health - Create and implement a strategic clinical quality plan for Park Nicollet based on current literature and best practice evidence, the national quality agenda, and pay for value initiatives; Provide direction and consultation on patient care quality metrics across the system; Lead major quality initiatives related to patient care in clinics, the hospital, and behavioral health; Provided guidance and managed a team of 200 people including 30 direct reports
2010-2014: Instructor, University of Phoenix - Instructor for undergraduate online course on health and nutrition. Course is 5 weeks in length and occurred 5 times in 2010, Responsible for content development, creation of assignments, and grading rubric
2010-2011: Medical Science Liaison Director at Biomarin- Manage clinical (Phase I-IV and investigator initiated trials) and pre-clinical research programs for the Medical Affairs
Department; Manage quality and educational initiatives including a quality initiative carried out at
3 academic institutions in the US evaluating access to psychiatric and psychology services;
Provide training on the technical side of clinical trials (operations, pharmacovigilance, Good
Clinical Practice guidelines) to other departments; Utilize Root Cause Analysis regularly to correct system problems; Work closely with a team evaluating two patient registries to determine the most meaningful analysis of outcomes and best statistical plan; Have personal interest as well as formal training on optimal coaching techniques, team building, crucial conversations, leadership, developing individual’s strengths and increasing organizational influence
2009-2010: Senior Medical Science Liaison at Eisai - Responsible for trials and thought leader development in Northeast Territory

2004-2009: Regional MSL Manager/Medical Science Liaison at Genentech- Developed a performance measurement system for medical science liaisons and implemented that system across three teams so ensure uniformity; Developed training on evaluation of incoming concepts and standardized protocol review; Liaison to the Data Monitoring Committee for numerous company sponsored trials evaluating safety concerns, outstanding benefit, and futility; Responsible for development of six Medical Science Liaisons in a 34 state region
(Western geography). Utilized PDCA cycle to assure optimal strategy and progress in individual territories; Developed and implemented innovative strategies to facilitate company strategy as
Tarceva Molecule Lead Manager; Developed and implemented lung cancer training module;
Responsible for development of Investigator Sponsored Trials strategy for Tarceva; Key member of Joint Clinical Trials Review Committee (JCTRC)
2002-2004: Central Region Medical Science Liaison at Sanofi-Aventis - Developed and implemented strategic research protocols for Sanofi-Aventis product expansion, Developed and enhanced relationships with most major oncology centers in a 10+ state region, Identified and developed national and regional thought leaders, Served as research Liaison for oncology thought leaders in solid tumors, Served as a Prostate Cancer Cross Functional Team Leader,
Accrual Enhancement Project member, Aventis Clinical Oncology Program Outstanding
Performer Award – 2004
HEALTH CARE/ CANCER ORGANIZATIONS EXPERIENCE, OTHER PROFESSIONAL
NURSING ORGANIZATIONS /Additional experience (community, political etc.):
2014-present: International Society of Nurses in Cancer Care (ISNCC) Policy and Advocacy
Committee
2014-present: Cancer Nursing: An International Journal for Cancer Care - Reviewer
1999-2001: Hematology/Oncology Nurse Practitioner at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center -
Managed care of inpatient and outpatient oncology/hematology patients, Coordinated continuous improvement studies and staff/patient education projects, Developed 5 clinical pathways to improve patient care, Trained students and clinical residents
1997-1999: Blood and Marrow Program Transplant Coordinator at Methodist Hospital -
Coordinated care for autologous marrow and stem cell transplant patients; Responsibilities included communication with insurance companies, patient education, patient assessment, quality management program, and assistance with bone marrow harvest; Screened patients for and implemented protocols for all major cooperative group trials as well as investigator sponsored and industry trials; HealthSystem Minnesota Nurse of Excellence
1994-1997: Methodist Hospital Staff Nurse- Patient care responsibilities on advanced care oncology unit; Responsible for management of complex disease processes and coordination of patient care activities
1993-1994: Oncology Nurse Internship at the National Institutes of Health - Completed a ninemonth clinical internship in oncology nursing; This training program offered a comprehensive view of current oncology practice as well as implications for nursing; Internship included extensive training in clinical trials
Position Statement:
Being an oncology nurse over the last 20 years has afforded me many opportunities, both conventional and nonconventional. These experiences have helped me develop my leadership style and have allowed me to take a closer look at the role of oncology nurses in various settings, including hospitals, clinics, research organizations, pharma/biotech companies, non profits, etc. I have worked as a staff nurse, a stem cell transplant coordinator, an oncology nurse practitioner, as well as a senior director of nursing quality, research and population health.
Additionally, I have worked in oncology drug development contributing to preclinical and clinical research at numerous biotechnology companies. As a board member of ONS a decade ago, I

learned to examine the impact of healthcare decisions broadly and strategically. Having family members with cancer, I have made great efforts to impact in a meaningful way the care of my niece with glioblastoma, my father with esophageal cancer, as well as numerous friends of the family. The compilation of these experiences fuel my passion for oncology and make me uniquely qualified for the ONS board of directors position. Through these experiences I have learned much about collaboration and the importance of effective communication skills.
Chose two of the ONS Core Values and discuss how you have actualized them in your leadership experiences.
The two ONS Core Values that resonate most with me are innovation and excellence. As a leader at a growing medical communications company focused solely on oncology and hematology, I have applied my creativity and knowledge accumulated over two decades to build an insightful and respected scientific team. I started in this position just 3 years ago managing one medical writer. Since then, we have expanded the scientific communications department to include more than thirty people across the US and Europe. Our innovative, virtual model has allowed us to hire the best talent from across the globe and we strive to foster excellence in every project we touch. Whether it is a unique training module or comprehensive support with publication planning, we are committed to excellence in our deliverables with the end goal of improving care for cancer patients. We believe that supporting clinical drug development programs for our clients facilitates the safe and expedited accrual of clinical trials and more efficient and rigorous presentation and publication of data to audiences of healthcare practitioners. As with the Oncology Nursing Society, innovation and excellence are at the core of the way we do our business.
Reflecting on the mission and vision of ONS, how have you addressed relevant issues to oncology nursing?
The ONS mission of promoting excellence in oncology nursing as well as the vision of leading the transformation of cancer care have always resonated with me. Since graduating from nursing school over 20 years ago, I have been committed the profession of nursing and to improving cancer care. My interest was sparked when, upon completing nursing school, I was selected for an internship at the National Institutes of Health focused on oncology. That experience exposed me to the world of clinical trials and novel drug development, and I have been hooked ever since. Whether working in a hospital, a clinic, a biotechnology company, or a medical communications agency, I have always had a passion for making a difference in cancer care. In all of these roles I have been able to mentor novice nurses, preparing them for traditional and non-traditional oncology nursing roles. My volunteer activities with the American
Cancer Society, the Oncology Nursing Society and the International Society of Nurses in
Cancer Care have afforded me the opportunity to be involved in local, regional and global efforts. Oncology nurses in their diverse roles have the unique opportunity to transform cancer care. I am thrilled to be one of them.