Pharma digital, data and AI executive with 25+ years across the US and EMEA, trained first as a scientist, then as an enterprise systems architect, before building pharma digital marketing from the ground up. Led launches and digital growth for Ampyra, Zanaflex Capsules and INBRIJA, then served as Global Head of Digital Strategy at Merz Therapeutics for XEOMIN, INBRIJA, AMPYRA and FAMPYRA. Today focused on applied AI in pharma commercial work: AI roadmaps, next-best-action, and GenAI in content and engagement.
Career chapters
It starts with molecules
1994 – 2000 · The Lab
Trained as a scientist first: biotechnology at Fordham, podiatric medicine, then the bench itself, from histology to surgical support for spinal cord injury research.
Research Associate
Acorda Therapeutics · Nov 1999 – Nov 2000 · Hawthorne, NY
Ran the histology and pathology lab: H&E staining, immunofluorescence and marker studies, and the SOP library.
Provided surgical support for the spinal cord injury and neuronal tracer programs, and chaired IACUC.
B.S., Biotechnology
Fordham University · 1989 – 1994
Podiatric Medicine
New York College of Podiatric Medicine · 1994 – 1997
From bench to backbone
2000 – 2008 · The Systems Years
Crossed from science into technology, running enterprise IT projects and advising the C-suite on every major software decision.
Business Systems Architect
Acorda Therapeutics · Jan 2005 – Oct 2008 · Hawthorne, NY
Advised the C-suite and executive IT on software infrastructure: financial systems, IT management, intranet and HRIS.
Served as the liaison between IT and Commercial for Ampyra and Zanaflex Capsules.
Project Manager, Technology
Acorda Therapeutics · Nov 2000 – Jan 2005 · Hawthorne, NY
Managed IT projects from helpdesk operations to mobile device management and internal software development.
Launching brands into the digital age
2008 – 2014 · Going Digital
Built pharma digital marketing from the ground up, leading the launches of Ampyra and Zanaflex Capsules and rising to run corporate digital strategy.
Sr. Director, Corporate Digital Strategy & Innovation
Acorda Therapeutics · Jun 2012 – Nov 2014 · Ardsley, NY
Built the in-house digital marketing team.
Directed digital, media and social projects across brand and corporate, with Ampyra as the lead brand.
Director, Corporate Digital Marketing Strategy
Acorda Therapeutics · Jun 2010 – Jun 2012 · Hawthorne, NY
Introduced the organization to digital strategy through board and senior leadership workshops and corporate planning.
Integrated digital with core marketing and drove a digital-first corporate ethos around Ampyra.
Assistant Director, Marketing
Acorda Therapeutics · Oct 2008 – Jun 2010 · Hawthorne, NY
Led launch marketing for Ampyra and Zanaflex Capsules: eCRM, website development and digital promotion.
Ran live events and HCP conventions (AAN, CMSC) and MS walks for both brands.
Set up the Medical, Legal and Regulatory (MLR) promotional review program and advised on salesforce automation tools.
A decade of digital strategy & innovation
2014 – 2024 · Innovation Leadership
A decade of enterprise digital leadership at Acorda: digital health apps, omnichannel HCP and patient engagement, and digital innovation for clinical trial recruitment.
Led the digital and omnichannel campaigns behind INBRIJA and AMPYRA combined net sales of over $100 million per year, partnering with brand strategy and planning teams.
Three connected TV (CTV) commercials for INBRIJA (two branded, one unbranded) as part of the direct-to-consumer (DTC) program, placed cost-efficiently on streaming services against custom targeting profiles.
AI-driven next-best-action models on CRM and sales data that improved targeting and lifted HCP sales conversions.
Led all Acorda medical congresses with Medical Affairs, with interactive, gamified booths and HCP data capture for follow-up.
INBRIJA patient testimonial video program, and direct-to-consumer Facebook lead-generation campaigns for the Parkinson's audience.
Digital innovation for clinical trial recruitment.
Executive Director, Digital Strategy & Innovation
Acorda Therapeutics · Dec 2014 – Jul 2020 · Ardsley, NY
INBRIJA and AMPYRA consistently exceeded annual sales targets.
Brand site redesigns, advanced eCRM rollouts, and patient mobile apps that improved treatment adherence.
Corporate intranet and medical apps, and digital solutions for clinical trial recruitment.
Global Head of Digital Strategy
2024 – 2026 · Global
Led global digital strategy for the Merz Therapeutics neurology portfolio, XEOMIN, INBRIJA, AMPYRA and FAMPYRA, across the US, Canada, and EMEA, with a team of 12 and a €7M budget.
Global Head, Digital Strategy
Merz Therapeutics · Jul 2024 – Aug 2026 · Raleigh, NC / Frankfurt, DE
Led global digital strategy for the neurology portfolio: XEOMIN, plus INBRIJA, AMPYRA and FAMPYRA after Merz acquired them from Acorda; US, Canada and EMEA; cross-functional team of 12; full P&L accountability for a €7M annual digital budget, including agency and vendor management.
Led the company-wide AI roadmap strategy and drove adoption through company-wide AI training.
Led the global analytics platform and strategy: modernized the analytics framework for unified reporting across all brands and markets, and designed a common attribution model integrating sales, CRM and digital data across the EU and US.
Led customer journey orchestration across HCP and patient channels, built on a customer data platform (CDP) with GDPR-compliant data governance.
Responsible for the company-wide Veeva CRM to Vault migration strategy: business case, request for proposal (RFP), technical harmonization and cutover plan with Commercial, IT, Marketing and Medical.
His team owned a digital health app for home-based post-stroke spasticity rehab, built with HCPs in France, which went on to launch with the World Stroke Organization in Nigeria and Sierra Leone.
Developed patient support and adherence programs designed to reduce treatment dropout by 15%, with all assets, processes and approvals ready for market rollout.
Led a migraine digital health strategy with industry partners, and a global Parkinson's disease patient acquisition and adherence program.
Organized the worldwide Digital Summit to align stakeholders on digital vision, key performance indicators (KPIs) and governance for Customer 360 and omnichannel readiness.
Recognition
2015 PM360 ELITE Digital Crusader
2013 Nielsen Norman Group Intranet Award
2012 Two MM&M Silver Awards, including Best Branded Website for AMPYRA.com
2012 PM360 Trailblazer Award, best professional advertising campaign
2012 Pharma Choice Awards, Ampyra.com
2011 Web Marketing Association, Outstanding Achievement in Website Development, acorda.com
AI-forward, and just getting started
Open to a full-time executive role, and to advisory work in pharma digital and AI.