A Day in the Life of a Start-Up Founder and CEO

At CPHI we work to support Start-Up companies in the pharmaceutical industry and recognise the expertise and innovative angles they bring to the field. Through our Start-Up Programme we have gotten to know some of these leaders, and in this Day in the Life of Interview we hope to introduce once such leader, Lisa Rich-Milan, and hear about her illustrious career leading to cannabinoid research and clinical trials.

Please could you outline your background and the career path that has led you to your current position? 

I have over 30 years of healthcare experience with 13+ years as a CEO/VP/GM in pharmaceuticals, biotech, diagnostics, and generics/biosimilars industries. I’m currently the Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Cannovation Clinical Research Partners, LLC. (CCRP, LLC). 

Previously I was the CEO of Maridose LLC, a US based clinical research and manufacturing organisation working with federal and state governments, pharmaceutical and biotech companies, research universities, and centres of excellence organisations.  I owned delivering the P & L for revenue and EBITDA, creating, and driving company strategy, ensuring achievement of growth targets, building and implementing operation efficiencies, and working with cross functional companies and departments to help develop new drugs and products for the US market.

Some of my past roles included CEO of Caligor Coghlan Pharma Services (CCPS) an international clinical trials service organisation and I held a seat on the Caligor Coghlan Pharma Services Board of Directors. I was responsible for leading growth of Caligor Coghlan’s Pharma Clinical Trial Services, Packaging and Labelling, and Global Access Programme Services internationally. I also served as the CEO of CompuNet Clinical Laboratories located in Dayton, Ohio, a Quest Diagnostic JV for laboratory services. Prior to Quest Diagnostics, I held sales and marketing executive leadership roles and led commercial teams and alliance partnerships, sales, marketing, operations, and payer teams across the US. Other organisations that I’ve worked for are Bristol-Myers Squibb, UCB, Synthon Pharmaceuticals, and Roche Diagnostics.

What would be the perfect start to your day?

Engaging with potential clients to explore how we can support their clinical trials and drug development efforts, particularly in addressing rare diseases and medical conditions like oncology, diabetes, arthritis, epilepsy, and women’s health issues such as endometriosis.

Could you describe a typical day in your role?

My day revolves around clinical trials, building operational excellence to support them, driving business development, and expanding our clinical and project teams. 

What do you most like about your role?

The innovation and networking opportunities that come with it.

What inspired you to pursue this field?

With over 35 years of experience across pharmaceutical, biotech, clinical trials, diagnostics, and generics, I have always been passionate about developing innovative drugs and bringing them to market to meet unmet needs and improve health outcomes.

What are the biggest challenges you face in your role?

One of the biggest challenges is identifying funded startups or existing companies, both in the US and abroad, that need our services. We are the first to market with a comprehensive service offering that spans the entire clinical trials process.

What do you consider your biggest achievement to date?

Starting and successfully leading an organisation that helps shape the future of healthcare.

What advice would you give to others aspiring to your position or entering the field?

Follow your dreams and take risks, but surround yourself with the right people—those who have the necessary skills and expertise. Always work with partners who are smarter than you in their respective fields.

What would you like to see from the industry to better support diversity in STEM?

I’d like to see more networking opportunities and greater access to funding for innovative startups in the cannabis and psychedelic clinical trial space.

How can people in your position better support each other?

By sharing ideas and forming partnerships, we can leverage our collective strengths to better our organisations and solve pressing market needs.

Do you have any further career aspirations? What’s next for you?

My next step is to focus on profitability at CCRP and to continue bringing in new clients to support their clinical research initiatives.

What do you see as the next big opportunity in your sector?

Prescription medications addressing pain, anxiety, sleep apnoea, drug addiction, and mental health conditions such as Alzheimer’s, epilepsy, and dementia.

Who do you look up to in the industry? Who inspires you?

I’m inspired by brilliant and innovative biopharmaceutical companies, universities, and leaders in the field who are committed to finding solutions that improve healthcare outcomes for patients.

How do you incorporate well-being into your day?

We partner with companies, researchers, and universities to develop innovative solutions that ensure health and wellness for patients, particularly those who take medications that may have harmful side effects. Our goal is to develop drugs that improve patients' quality of life.

Is sustainability important to you, and how do you incorporate being environmentally friendly into your day?

At CCRP, we take deliberate steps to minimise waste and ensure environmental responsibility. We also partner with organisations that share our commitment to sustainability.

If you weren’t in this field, what would you be doing?

I’d probably be a TV newscaster.

When you were younger, what did you want to be when you grew up?

Believe it or not, I wanted to be a lawyer.

Lisa is a servant leader and serves in her community. Lisa has served over 40 years in many communities, across the USA, and internationally in board roles, committee chairs, speaker, mentor, advisor, and member in the following organisations: University of Dayton Board of Trustees and Business Advisory Council, TLOD Leadership Development Chair & Strategic Planning for the chapter, BioME, Peachtree Rose Club, American Heart Association as Chair of Women Go Red, American Cancer Society, Women of Colour in Pharmaceuticals (WOCIP), Healthcare Women in Business Association (HBA), Dayton Chamber of Commerce, Clothes That Work, GDAHA, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated Upsilon Alpha Omega Graduate Chapter Strategic Planning Chairman, GCRC, and graduate of Leadership Dayton, Ohio. Many of these roles address healthcare and disparities with women, caring for youth, elderly, and college students from black and brown communities, who look to Lisa and others to be role models and pave the way for them. 

Please see more about Cannovation Clinical Research Partners, LLC here. 

Would you like to tell your story? If you work in pharma and want to be involved with this series, please email Lucy Chard at lucy.chard@informa.com