As associate director of the Protocol Office at the Mass General Cancer Center, Rachel Hepp plays a behind-the-scenes role that disguises the enormity of her contribution to the fight against cancer.
Rachel began her career at Mass General 10 years ago as a clinical research coordinator and quickly advanced to a management position. Today, Rachel supervises a staff of 12 clinical research coordinators/clinical research associates in the breast cancer research program. At any given time, she oversees at least 30 active clinical trials and many dozens more in long-term follow-up.
Rachel lost her own mother to breast cancer in the fall of 2015 after a long struggle.
Under her management, the breast cancer research program has become highly regarded for its exemplary success in regulatory compliance, its fiscal and financial responsibility, its robust patient recruitment for clinical trials, and the strong collegiality among its staff.
“It is in large part thanks to Rachel that we are able to accomplish a key mission of clinical trials: to keep our patients as safe as possible, which in turn allows us to more effectively develop new drugs,” says Steven Isakoff, MD, PhD, medical oncologist and clinical researcher. “I remain continuously impressed with her ability to lead in an efficient, effective, fair and kind manner. She always has the patient’s best interest at the heart of all of her decisions, and as a result she helps the whole team work together for that singular purpose.”
