Our Team
Clinical Coordinating Center
William Barson
Multiple PI
William Barsan, MD is a senior leader in SIREN, overseeing clinical trial recruitment, financial contracting, and investigator engagement. With over 40 years of experience in stroke and neurological emergency research, he has led major clinical trial networks, including NETT and SIREN. Dr. Barsan collaborates with national research networks and agencies to advance emergency care research and has extensive expertise in adaptive trial design. He is a Professor and former Chair of Emergency Medicine at the University of Michigan Medical School.
Clifton Callaway
Multiple PI
Clifton Callaway, MD, PhD is a Professor and Executive Vice Chair of Emergency Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh and directs the Pittsburgh Post-Cardiac Arrest Service. An internationally recognized expert in resuscitation science and post-cardiac arrest care, he brings extensive experience in multi-center clinical trials and research collaboration. Dr. Callaway leads SIREN’s quality assurance efforts, coordinates with federal partners, and supports studies aligned with the NHLBI mission. His leadership helps drive innovation and excellence in emergency and trauma research across the network.
Robert Silbergleit
Multiple PI
Robert Silbergleit, MD is the Principal Investigator of SIREN and chairs the SIREN Management, Steering, and Operations Committees. With extensive experience in emergency research, he has played a leadership role in over 14 network trials, including ICECAP, RAMPART, and ESETT. Dr. Silbergleit is a leader in human subjects protection, serving as the primary liaison to the Central IRB and co-leading efforts to advance best practices in emergency clinical trials. His expertise in adaptive trial design helps drive innovation and excellence across the SIREN network.
Valerie Stevenson
Administrative Director
Valerie is the Administrative Director of the SIREN CCC, bringing extensive expertise in clinical research management. She oversees financial and budgetary activities, contract development, and daily operations to keep SIREN running smoothly. With a background in both research administration and patient care, Valerie plays a key role in coordinating communications, supporting investigators, and ensuring effective project management across the network.
Deneil Harney
Associate Director
Deneil Harney serves as the Associate Administrative Director for SIREN, bringing extensive experience in clinical research management and human subjects protection. Before stepping into her current role in June 2023, she spent 15 years as SIREN’s Human Subjects Protection Coordinator, specializing in regulatory compliance for emergency research trials using Exception From Informed Consent (EFIC). Her leadership in navigating complex IRB requirements, conducting community consultations, and ensuring ethical research practices has made her a respected expert in the field.
Deneil’s passion for advancing emergency care research is complemented by her broad experience managing large-scale, multi-site trials both in academic and industry settings. Most recently, she served as an Associate Project Manager for Thermo Fisher, overseeing international clinical trials in Alzheimer’s research. Her collaborative leadership style and dedication to supporting teams have been instrumental in the success of research initiatives.
Originally from Washington State, Deneil moved to Michigan in 2000 for graduate school. She now lives in Chelsea with her husband, Adam, and their two children, Everett and Isla. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, vegetable gardening, crocheting, and traveling. She’s also an identical twin and a proud Seahawks fan.
Erin Bengelink
Human Subjects Protection Specialist
Erin is the Human Subjects Protection Specialist for the SIREN CCC. With over 17 years of experience in research coordination and site management within SIREN and NETT, she brings deep expertise in regulatory compliance and ethical oversight. Erin supports research sites in navigating the unique challenges of emergency research, including Exception From Informed Consent (EFIC) requirements, community consultation, and regulatory documentation. She works closely with trial leadership and IRB teams to ensure high-quality human subjects protection across the network.
Courtney Miller
Education Coordinator
Courtney joined the SIREN network in 2021 as the Education Coordinator, providing education and training support for multi-center clinical trials. She collaborates with trial leadership, the Data Coordinating Center (DCC), and research teams to develop training materials, manage certification processes, and support research staff in study execution. She also maintains SIREN’s website content, organizes educational events, and advances research coordinator training and professional development initiatives.
Courtney holds a Master’s in Social Work from Eastern Michigan University and is a SOCRA-certified Clinical Research Professional (CCRP). Before joining SIREN, she was a training and implementation specialist for PRISM, specializing in the Behavioral Health Collaborative Care model and training multidisciplinary teams.
Nia Bozeman
Site Manager
Nia joined the SIREN network in 2017 as a research assistant and transitioned to a site manager role in 2021. As a site manager for a multi-site clinical trial, she oversees site operations and facilitates startup activities, including training, regulatory compliance, and site initiation. Serving as a key liaison between clinical site teams and stakeholders, she ensures effective communication and swift resolution of any trial-related issues.
Beyond her clinical research experience, Nia has a background in community health research and the child welfare system, where she worked as a frontline worker connecting communities with healthcare and social services. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology and is a Certified Clinical Research Professional (CCRP) through the Society of Clinical Research Associates (SOCRA).
Peyton Kline
Site Monitor
Peyton joined the SIREN network in 2021 as a Data Manager with the Data Coordinating Center and transitioned to the Clinical Coordinating Center with the University of Michigan in 2024 as a Site Monitor. She also leads the Human Subjects Protection Workgroup in SIREN ensuring ethical standards and participant safety in research.
Peyton’s holds an Associate’s in Hospitality and Management from the Community College of the Air Force, a Bachelors in Public Health Administration and Public Health Promotion & Wellness from Kent State University, and a Master’s in Health Administration from American Military University. She is also SOCRA Certified Clinical Research Professional (CCRP).
With a passion for advancing clinical research, Peyton has actively engaged in the field since 2013, holding roles ranging from Data Assistant to Sub-Investigator. Her diverse experience spans into the oncology (adult & pediatric), pediatric sports medicine, pediatric surgery, pediatric gastroenterology, and quality-of-life multi center trials.
Beyond research, Peyton serves as an Engineering Assistant in the United States Air Force Reserve, bringing strategic and operational expertise to both her military and civilian roles. Outside of work, she enjoys surfing, hiking, sports, and anything with her pets – always seeking knowledge.
Amy Schroeder
Site Monitor
Amy joined in 2025 as a Site Monitor, bringing her keen eye and infectious enthusiasm to the SIREN network. Amy is passionate about bringing integrity and efficiency to the research process. She collaborates with clinical trial sites to ensure data quality and effective study execution, focusing on adherence to study protocols, regulatory guidelines, and Good Clinical Practice (GCP), and generally making sure everything runs like a well-oiled (and meticulously documented) machine. Think of her as a friendly detective, sleuthing out potential hiccups and ensuring everything runs smoothly. Amy’s secret weapon? A unique blend of a Master’s in Theology and a Bachelor’s in Biology, proving she can handle both the big questions and the granular details. While her work is rooted in rigorous standards, she prioritizes fostering positive and productive relationships with site teams, ensuring a collaborative and successful clinical trial experience.
Jennifer Conley
Site Monitor
Jennifer is a Site Monitor within the SIREN network. Jennifer has worked with Michigan Medicine for over 7 years and has worked in multiple areas of clinical research including, Oncology, Psychiatry, and Emergency Medicine. Prior to working in clinical research, Jennifer worked within the area of Healthcare Advocacy allowing her the opportunity to comfort, empower and support patients during challenging times. Jennifer holds a Bachelor’s degree of Communication and Master’s degree of Public Health from the University of Toledo. In her spare, she likes to watch football, attend festivals and volunteer.
Ruth Lewis
Site Manager
Ruth Lewis, MS, RN has worked as a SIREN site manager and monitor since 2017. Her more than 40 years of experience includes advanced practice nursing, pharmaceutical and implantable cardiac device clinical research, research regulatory compliance, and research program management.
Renee Kasperek-Wynn
Site Monitor
Renee joined the SIREN Network in 2015 as a clinical research project manager. She has served as the study manager for the POINT trial, study manager and monitor for C3PO, project manager for the SIREN Experience supplement project, and currently oversees site monitoring for BOOST-3.
Before joining SIREN, Renee worked in clinical operations at Aastrom Biosciences, helping advance a Phase II and Phase III trial on stem cell therapy for critical limb ischemia (CLI). She also worked as a regional monitor for Roche’s oncology trials and held various monitoring and operations roles at Parke-Davis (later Pfizer) for Phase II and III diabetes and metabolic disease studies.
Throughout her career, Renee has focused on ensuring high-quality data collection, protocol adherence, and efficient trial execution. She holds BS and BSN degrees from Eastern Michigan University and is a registered nurse in Michigan. Outside of work, Renee enjoys playing competitive USTA tennis with her husband and friends, gardening, and volunteering to help others with their gardening needs.
Kimberly Brown
Site Monitor
Kimberly joined the SIREN network in 2021 as a Clinical Site Monitor. She specializes in overseeing and ensuring the accuracy of data collection and research activities for a multi-site clinical trial. Kimberly performs regular site visits to monitor the progress of the study, ensuring data integrity, patient safety, and compliance with the study protocol. She works closely with the Data Coordinating Center and the study teams to address any challenges and support the smooth execution of the trial, ensuring timely and accurate results. Kimberly holds a Master of Business Administration degree (MBA) and is a Certified Clinical Research Professional (CCRP) through the Society of Clinical Research Associates (SOCRA).
Natalie Fisher
Site Manager / Site Monitor
Natalie Fisher is a dedicated clinical research professional with a Master of Science in Clinical Research Administration and CCRP certification. Since joining the University of Michigan in 2010, she has played a pivotal role in advancing research. With a passion for excellence, she specializes in managing and coordinating large-scale, NIH-funded research initiatives, ensuring seamless collaboration, compliance, and impactful outcomes.
Aimee Spiteri
Research Assistant
Aimee joined the SIREN Network in 2014 as a Research Assistant. She began her work on the RAMPART trial, assisting with clinical summary packet organization and redaction. Today, she supports multiple trials by managing regulatory documents and contributing to various projects as needed. Aimee holds two associate degrees, including one in Health Information Technology – Applied Science, and is a Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT).
Data Coordinating Center
Valerie Durkalski-Mauldin
Co-PI
Valerie Durkalski-Mauldin is Professor in the Department of Public Health Sciences (DPHS) at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) and Director of The Data Coordination Unit (DCU), a Unit at MUSC that specializes in the design, coordination and analysis of multicenter clinical trials. Valerie serves as Multiple PI on various trials and has been leading the DCC for SIREN since its inception in 2006 as NETT. In addition to these roles, she serves on Data and Safety Monitoring Boards, is an instructor for the NINDS Clinical Trials Methodology Course and actively volunteers in various professional societies including serving as President of the Society for Clinical Trials. She also mentors graduate students and teaches clinical trials. Her primary research interests are in non-inferiority trials, futility analyses and the implementation and analysis of adaptive confirmatory trial designs.
Sharon Yeatts
Co-PI
Sharon Yeatts is Professor in the Department of Public Health Sciences at MUSC and a faculty member of the DCU. In addition to her role as multiple PI of the SIREN network, Dr. Yeatts serves as DCC PI for several trials conducted within the network. She serves on peer review panels and Data and Safety Monitoring Boards and actively participates in committees of the Society for Clinical Trials. Her primary interests are in efficient early phase trial designs and novel outcomes.
Catherine Dillon
Co-Investigator
Catherine Dillon, Associate Director at the DCU, is a clinical research leader with 20+ years of experience managing data, regulatory, and operational aspects of 100+ clinical trials. She has served as PI and Co-PI on multiple NIH-funded multicenter trials, advancing research in emergency medicine and stroke and also has been working with SIREN since its inception in 2006.
Wenle Zhao
Co-Investigator
Wenle Zhao is Professor in the Department of Public Health Sciences at MUSC and the Associate Director of Information Systems for the DCU and the lead developer of WebDCU™. Dr. Zhao is a leader in creating innovative solutions for randomization algorithms and procedures in the emergency setting and has been a SIREN DCC Co-Investigator since its inception in 2006.
Akash Roy
Co-Investigator
Akash Roy is Assistant Professor in the Department of Public Health Sciences at MUSC and a faculty member of the DCU. His research interests include the design and analysis of clinical trials, survival analysis, and nonparametric rank-based methods. As a Co-Investigator for the SIREN DCC, he is actively involved in the design and planning of multiple projects within the SIREN network, collaborating closely with DCU faculty and clinical investigators across the network.
Sara Meyer
Operations Lead
Sara Meyer is the SIREN DCC Operations Lead. With more than 8 years of experience, she works closely with DCC leadership to provide day-to-day oversight of the operations of the DCC and works with all parties to build and maintain efficient data management processes for the Network.
Keith Pauls
Information Systems Lead
Keith Pauls is the Assistant Director of Information Systems at the DCU. With more than 20 years of experience in the clinical trial space, he played a key role in developing the DCU’s clinical trial management system, WebDCU™. Currently, Keith serves as the Information Systems Lead for the SIREN clinical trial network and has been working with SIREN since its inception in 2006.
Chris Arnaud
IT Lead
Chris Arnaud is the lead information technologist in DCU and oversees all server related aspects of our CTMS. Chris has played a leading role in the development of secure systems and secure external data transfers for SIREN trials. Mr. Arnaud is also responsible for the hardware and software maintenance of the DCC equipment.
Ian Rines
Statistical Programmer
Ian Rines is a statistical programmer in DCU. He is involved in the implementation of the statistical and operational workscope, with a focus on statistical reporting within and across trials.
Ezekiel Lowell
Senior Data Manager
Zeke Lowell is a Senior Data Manager and has been with the DCU since 2020. He currently serves as the primary Data Manager for the BOOST study and was the Data Manager for the C3PO Study. Zeke is always eager to investigate any issue that might arise and loves digging through data. Zeke spends his free time with his two boys and watching as much baseball as possible.