How Patient Impact Shapes Clinical Operations

Victoria DeVeaugh Geiss has spent more than two decades in clinical research, and one thing has stayed constant throughout: her focus on making a real difference for patients. From study coordinator to Director of Clinical Operations, every step of her career has deepened her commitment to delivering high quality, patient centred research.

As a leader in Clinical Operations, Victoria looks back on how far she's come, how the industry has evolved, and what it means to work somewhere that truly puts people and patients first.

Victoria never planned to work in clinical research. It wasn't a childhood dream or a carefully mapped career path. But early exposure planted a seed. "My father worked in the industry, so I knew about it. But it wasn't something I set out to do," she says. 

Her first real taste came at Duke Hospital, where she worked as a research assistant in the Anesthesiology department, collecting survey data. "I loved it. Talking to people, working alongside clinicians, feeling like you were part of something that mattered." That led to internships at GlaxoSmithKline, where she shadowed a monitor and watched clinical trials unfold firsthand.

"It fascinated me," she remembers. "Learning about new medicines, meeting investigators who were so passionate about their work. And yes, there was travel involved, which was appealing. But what really stuck with me was knowing that this work helps bring treatments to people who desperately need them."

That realisation led her to become a Clinical Research Associate (CRA), and that's when everything clicked. "Being at sites, seeing the dedication of investigators, connecting with patients. I knew this was exactly where I wanted to be."

Victoria's progression at ICON has been shaped by hands on learning, strong mentors, and a willingness to step outside her comfort zone.

One of her first big milestones was a small neurology study in ALS. "The sponsor was really involved and they brought CRAs into investigator meetings and strategic discussions. That level of inclusion gave me a window into the bigger picture. I started to see how all the pieces fit together."

From there, she moved into leadership. First as a Clinical Team Manager, then into delivery management. Each new role meant a shift in thinking. Managing teams instead of sites. Strategic planning instead of daily execution. Seeing the forest, not just the trees. "I've been lucky to have managers who believed in me," she says. "They gave me stretch assignments, trusted me with real responsibility, and weren't afraid to give honest feedback. That's how you grow. You can't do it alone."

She also credits the collaborative culture at ICON. "Whether it's Business Development, Medical Affairs, Clinical Data Management, we're all working toward the same thing. That partnership is what makes complex studies actually work."

As Director of Clinical Operations, Victoria oversees teams running complex global studies. She supports project delivery leaders, works to harmonise processes across clinical teams, and keeps everything running smoothly behind the scenes.

"Right now, we're harmonising our SOPs" she explains. "It's a big job, but it's necessary. We want our teams to have clarity, consistency, and the support they need to focus on what really matters: delivering for our clients and patients."

For Victoria, good leadership comes down to communication and measurement. "If something is important, measure it. We use dashboards and reporting tools to track performance, spot risks early, and tackle challenges before they become bigger problems. In a project based environment, you need that visibility."

As the company transitions from legacy systems to iAchieve, her team relies on solid reporting to stay on track and on budget. "Moving to a single platform will streamline so much. It's a process, but we're getting there."

The merger of PRA and ICON has been one of the biggest shifts in recent years. The integration of ICON Biotech and ICON Pharma Solutions has reshaped how clinical operations works. For Victoria, the biggest shift has been organisational: Clinical Trial Managers now sit under project management rather than clinical operations.

"That's been the biggest adjustment," she says. "When you talk to a CTM manager or the CTMs themselves, you get a higher level picture of what's happening across studies. With the individual contributors, the CRA's(Clinical Research Associate) and SMA's(Site Management Associate), you're getting their piece of it based on what they're seeing. It's just different."

She's quick to add that different doesn't mean bad. "It's been a learning curve for me and my fellow directors. We're figuring out where we step in, and when something needs to go back to project management because it's really a CTM issue."

But overall, Victoria sees the integration as overwhelmingly positive. "As we harmonise systems, we're building our network. We're working with more people, learning from colleagues we might not have crossed paths with before. And here's the thing: we all come to the table with the same goal. Deliver for patients. Execute to ICON's standards. But we all approach it a bit differently."

That diversity of approach has been eye opening. "The way we've done things isn't necessarily the only way or the right way. And the way legacy ICON did things isn't the only way either. It's been really interesting to learn from each other and integrate those ideas."

She notes that the integration is becoming more tangible now. "For the last couple of years, we operated as fairly separate entities. Now, as we harmonise more and more, it's really starting to come together. We're feeling it more now than we did two years ago."

After more than 20 years, Victoria is still energised by the human element of this work. "It's the people. Our teams, our sponsors, the investigators, and most importantly, the patients."

She remembers visiting a site where the principal investigator spoke about their patients with such passion and care. "You could see it in their eyes. These are people facing serious, life threatening diseases, and our work gives them hope. That's not abstract. That's real."

That connection to patient impact is what keeps her in this industry. "No matter what your role is, if you remember that someone is waiting for this medicine, it changes everything. How you approach your day, how you make decisions, how you show up."

For anyone thinking about entering the industry, Victoria is refreshingly direct. "Jump in - take whatever opportunity is presented to you to expand your knowledge. You usually have to start at the beginning. Most roles in clinical operations value hands on experience. There's no real shortcut for that foundation."

But for people willing to put in the work, the opportunities are there. "ICON supports internal mobility. If you're proactive, open to feedback, and willing to learn, you can build a real career here. A long one."

She also encourages early career professionals to find mentors. "Look for people you trust. Ask questions. Learn from what they've been through. Some of my best growth came from conversations with leaders who took time to share what they knew."

And for those with leadership ambitions? "Focus on communication. Be clear. Be consistent. And listen way more than you talk. Leadership isn't about having all the answers. It's about creating an environment where your team can do their best work."

For Victoria, staying with ICON for so many years comes down to culture and values. "This is a company that invests in people, values real collaboration, and keeps patients at the centre of everything."

She values being part of an Irish headquartered Plc with global reach. "You have access to senior leadership. You're involved in strategic discussions. You're not five layers removed from where decisions are made."

Even as the company has grown, the sense of community hasn't disappeared. "Teams celebrate wins together. They support each other through tough moments. People genuinely care about the work. That's rare."

Looking ahead, she sees technology, evolving regulations, and patient centricity continuing to shape the industry. "New ICH guidelines, decentralised trials, AI in data analysis. There's a lot changing. But the fundamentals stay the same: running studies well, ethically, and with the patient front of mind."

For Victoria, that mission hasn't changed. And it's why she's still here, more than 20 years later, leading with purpose.