Our Team
Providers
Shivkumar Hatti, MD
MBA - CEO & Principal Investigator
Dr. Hatti, a board-certified General Adult Psychiatrist, has been practicing in Media and West Chester, Philadelphia, for over four decades. As the CEO of Suburban Research Associates since 1999, he has led more than 250 pharmaceutical research trials. A graduate of Seth G.S. Medical College in Mumbai and an Assistant Clinical Professor at Thomas Jefferson University, Dr. Hatti is a recognized leader in psychiatric research. He has held prominent positions such as President of the National Indo-American Psychiatric Association (IAPA) and the American Association of Psychiatric Administrators (AAPA). In 2010, he received the NAMI Exemplary Psychiatrist Award. Dr. Hatti’s extensive expertise and leadership make him a valuable collaborator for Sponsors and CROs in clinical research.
Charles (Chip) Altman, MD
MBA - Physician-Investigator
Dr. Altman is a board-certified psychiatrist who received his MD from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, completed specialty training at the Institute of Pennsylvania Hospital, earned an MBA in Health Care Management from the Wharton School, and received his undergraduate degree from Princeton University. He has served as college psychiatrist, has directed a senior behavioral health inpatient unit focusing on dementia care, and was the supervising psychiatrist for a large drug and alcohol residential treatment center. For nearly twenty years he led the Medical Affairs function at pharmaceutical and biotech companies, specializing in late phase clinical research and publishing findings in multiple medical journals. He recently served as Chief Medical Officer at Community Behavioral Health, addressing the needs of the Philadelphia Medicaid population. Dr. Altman maintains a part-time private practice. We’re glad to have him on board!
Omer Abdullah, MD
Physician
Dr. Omer Abdullah is an Internal Medicine physician with close to 30 years of experience in clinical practice and clinical research. He is a graduate of Khyber Medical College in Pakistan. After finishing his Internal Medicine Residency at North Shore University Hospital in New York, he has practiced General Internal Medicine in small rural county clinic setting, large VA medical center in urban setting and private practice in suburban location. He has held teaching faculty appointments at Southern Illinois University and Virginia Commonwealth University. In addition to clinical practice, Dr. Abdullah has spent over 16 years in various leadership roles in pharmaceutical industry where he was involved in designing and conducting clinical trials across a wide range of indications and therapeutic areas. He is passionate about patient care and strongly believes that clinical trials provide an excellent opportunity for innovation leading to transformative care to improve our patient’s life.
Kristen Dopf, MHS
PA-C - Principal & Sub-Investigator
Kristen is a nationally board-certified Physician Assistant licensed in Pennsylvania and Delaware. She has over nine years of clinical experience and has spent more than 20 years in the healthcare field. Kristen graduated from Drexel Hahnemann University where she also earned a master’s degree in health science. She joined Suburban Research Associates as an Investigator in 2022 and is certified in good clinical practice. Her responsibilities include conducting scale assessments and overall study oversight.
Krystal Gamez, PsyD
Clinical Rater
Krystal is a licensed psychologist and a Clinical Rater for Suburban Research Associates. She received her Doctorate in Psychology from Immaculata University and completed her postdoctoral residency at Elwyn, where she is currently the clinical director of Outpatient and Recovery Services. Krystal has a background in clinical research with individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia and autism and completed a clinical efficacy trial for her dissertation. At Suburban Research, Krystal is responsible for conducting assessments with patients to determine study eligibility and to measure study outcomes.
Administration Team
Ashley Ross
Head of Site Operations
Ashley joined Suburban Research Associates as a research coordinator in November 2020. She completed her B.S. in Neuroscience at Cedar Crest College in May 2020. While in school, she spent three years working on her independent research project and completing her undergraduate thesis. Ashley is trained in Good Clinical Practice, phlebotomy and IATA. She was promoted to Clinical Site Manager in October 2021 and then Head of Site Operations in November 2023 and oversees all site activity.
Ayana Brown
Study Manager
Ayana joined Suburban Research Associates as a research coordinator in April 2021. She received her B.S. in Neuroscience and B.S. in Business Administration at Cedar Crest College in May 2020. She graduated with her MBA at Cedar Crest College in August 2021. During her undergrad, she spent three years working on her independent research project. Ayana is trained in Good Clinical Practice and IATA.
Clinical Research Nurses and Study Coordinators
Alex Hollis
Senior Clinical Research Coordinator
Alex joined Suburban Research Associates as a research coordinator in April 2022. He completed his bachelor’s in biology at Shippensburg University in 2020. Prior to working at SRA, Alex worked in the Healthcare field, predominantly in dentistry and pharmacies. Alex is trained in Good Clinical Practice and IATA.
Melissa Skahan
Clinical Research Coordinator
Melissa is a Registered Nurse and a Clinical Research Coordinator at Suburban Research Associates. She is a dedicated nursing professional with a background in both clinical care and research. A graduate of LaSalle University, she began her career on a cardiac unit and transitioned into the field of clinical research. With over four years of clinical research experience, she has been involved in Phase 1 to 4 Clinical Drug Trials across a wide range of therapeutic areas. Certified in Good Clinical Practice and IATA, Melissa is committed to maintaining the highest standards of quality, safety, and ethical conduct in clinical research.
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