Faculty Bios
Grace Wentzel, CCRP, CHRC
Grace Wentzel is Deputy Director, State of Ohio Adversity and Resilience (SOAR) and also serves as the Regulatory and Compliance Lead for the Center for Neuroimaging, Neurophenotyping, Neurocomputation and Neuromodulations (C4N). Prior to her current role, Grace spent over 30 years building and implementing centralized research infrastructure programs and services at a large pediatric academic medical center and an integrated research organization. Grace is dually certified with SOCRA and HCCA and continues to be heavily focused on leadership, strategic planning, policy development, patient access and engagement and training and education for clinical research professionals. Grace loves to spend as much time as she can with her grandson, family and their charcoal lab at their lake house, boating, watching the sunset and reading a good book.
Jessica Fritter, DHSc, MACPR, ACRP-CP, FACRP
Dr. Jessica Fritter is an Associate Clinical Professor at The Ohio State University, College of Nursing and Director of the Master of Clinical Research, Clinical Research Management Graduate Certificate and Clinical Trials Sciences Undergraduate Certificate programs where she teaches and creates courses that are fundamental to clinical research education. She is Co-Director of Workforce Development at The Ohio State University Clinical Translational Science Institute and Faculty Director of the Multisite Trial Coordinating Center. Through her years in clinical research, she has overseen very robust and always evolving infrastructures and has managed multimillion dollar infrastructures and clinical trial budgets along with overseeing regulatory affairs, clinical research training, compliance, business operations, clinical trial management systems, feasibility, and program management. As a leader in clinical research workforce development, Dr. Fritter directs national and local initiatives that enhance education, training, and professional identity within the field. Her national leadership includes leading working groups within the Association of Clinical Translational Science Clinical Research Professional Special Interest Group (SIG) focused on team science and workforce retention, resulting in publications and national presentations. She is committed to early pipeline development, having co-founded the Next STEPP Clinical Research Summer Camp for high school students. Dr. Fritter’s advocacy work has contributed to national recognition of clinical research careers, and presentations to students and professionals to promote the field. She holds leadership roles in the Consortium of Academic Programs in Clinical Research and the Association of Clinical Research Professionals and is a board member of Association of Graduate Regulatory Educators (AGRE). As PI, she leads a national study on the impact of academic training on certification outcomes and is PI of a study assessing employer and clinical research professionals’ perceptions on credentials. She has presented at major conferences and mentored numerous professionals, supporting the next generation of clinical research leaders.
Laura Adkins, MAP, CCRP CCRA
Laura Adkins, MAP, CCRP, CCRA is a seasoned clinical research professional with almost 24 years of experience in the field. She has dedicated her career to advancing clinical trials and strengthening research operations within an academic health center, improving processes, and ensuring trials are conducted ethically with integrity, quality, and participant safety at the forefront.
Laura holds a Master of Applied Psychology (focus on Industrial/Organizational psychology) and certifications through the Society of Clinical Research Associates (SOCRA) as a Certified Clinical Research Professional (CCRP) and the Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP) as a Certified Clinical Research Associate (CCRA).
Laura plays an active role in professional education through SOCRA, serving on the National Board of Directors and as Co-Chair of the Arkansas Chapter. She is passionate about equipping researchers at all levels with the knowledge and resources they need to succeed and believes strongly in the power of shared expertise to strengthen the research community.
She currently serves as Director of the Office of Research Regulatory Affairs, which acts on behalf of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences as sponsor for FDA-regulated research involving Investigational New Drugs and Investigational Device Exemptions. In this role, Laura oversees multiple units, including Regulatory Affairs, Monitoring, Quality Assurance, Good Tissue Practice and ClinicalTrials.gov. She fully understands that these trials are “labors of love” for local researchers and appreciates the passion that they have for their projects.
In all aspects of her career, Laura is dedicated to protecting research participants and supporting investigators in conducting ethical, compliant, and high-quality studies. She is committed to mentoring researchers and helping them and their teams navigate an increasingly complex regulatory environment and values the opportunity to collaborate on projects that produce reliable data and advance medical innovation.
Cristina Ferrazzano Yaussy, MPH, CCRP
Cristina Ferrazzano Yaussy, MPH, CCRP, is an experienced research compliance and quality professional with demonstrated expertise in clinical research oversight within academic health systems and industry. Her work centers on strengthening regulatory compliance frameworks, advancing quality assurance programs, and promoting the ethical and responsible conduct of human subject's research.
Cristina holds a Master of Public Health (MPH) from Case Western Reserve University and is a SOCRA Certified Clinical Research Professional (CCRP) and has comprehensive knowledge of Good Clinical Practice (GCP), federal regulations, and research compliance requirements. She has extensive experience advising investigators and research teams on regulatory strategy, audit preparedness, corrective and preventive action planning, and risk mitigation. Her approach integrates regulatory rigor with practical operational insight to support high-performing, compliant research programs.
In her leadership role within the Dartmouth Health Office of Research Operations, Research Quality and Safety, Cristina oversees internal audit and monitoring activities, provides regulatory consultation for Sponsor-Investigator research and ClinicalTrials.gov, and directs the development and implementation of policies, procedures, and training initiatives that enhance research quality and participant protections. She works closely with institutional stakeholders to foster a culture of accountability, transparency, and continuous improvement. Additionally, she also serves on the Board of Directors for the Society of Clinical Research Associates (SOCRA). Through her strategic leadership and collaborative engagement with the greater research community, Cristina advances efforts to safeguard participants, strengthen compliance infrastructure, and promote excellence in clinical research.
Cristina has direct experience supporting research sites in regulatory interactions, including audits and inspections conducted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. She is committed to ensuring that research programs maintain the highest standards of integrity while effectively navigating complex regulatory environment.