Elizabeth D. James
Strategic Account & Market Access Leader
Tulsa,Oklahoma
Summary
Strategic market access and account leader with 20+ years of pharmaceutical experience across oncology, reimbursement, market access, regional account management, commercial leadership, and executive customer engagement. Proven record developing high-impact partnerships across academic medical centers, integrated delivery networks, provider organizations, and healthcare systems. Experienced in launch readiness, account planning, access strategy execution, contracting pull-through, business reviews, and cross-functional collaboration across market access, trade, reimbursement, medical, advocacy, compliance, and commercial teams. Recognized for translating complex market dynamics and customer insights into actionable business strategies that improve organizational performance and patient access.
Overview
25
25
years of professional experience
Work History
Associate Director, Oncology Regional Accounts
AstraZeneca
, OK
01.2023 - Current
- Lead strategic account engagement and access initiatives across major academic medical centers, community oncology practices, IDNs, state oncology organizations, and healthcare stakeholders.
- Develop and execute account strategies aligned to franchise priorities, customer objectives, and market access goals.
- Lead executive-level partnerships with University of Oklahoma Stephenson Cancer Center, OCSRI, Integris, and regional oncology stakeholders, aligning senior AZ leaders and customer decision-makers around access priorities and partnership opportunities.
- Develop strategic account plans incorporating customer needs, market dynamics, tumor team priorities, pathway/formulary/EMR considerations, and cross-functional execution milestones.
- Coordinate complex matrix teams across Market Access, Medical Affairs, Precision Medicine, FRM, Advocacy, Contracting, Compliance, Corporate Affairs, and Commercial functions to drive aligned execution.
- Supported launch readiness and access execution for Enhertu, Dato-DXd, Calquence, Tagrisso, Imfinzi, Truqap, and other oncology brands through timely communications, access tracking, formulary/pathway/EMR follow-up, and account-level implementation.
- Support contract pull-through and account performance discussions through collaboration with Market Access, contracting, GPO, reimbursement, and provider stakeholders.
- Provide competitive intelligence, customer insights, access updates, and strategic recommendations to franchise leadership, headquarters teams, NOAD/oGPO partners, and cross-functional stakeholders.
- Led executive exchange programs involving senior AstraZeneca leadership and major oncology organizations to identify access barriers, partnership opportunities, and shared business objectives.
- Collaborated with Cell Therapy leadership to identify and evaluate future community-based CAR-T opportunities across Oklahoma and Kansas.
- Selected as national lead for the American Indian/Alaska Native Lung Cancer Screening Toolkit, a recognized health equity initiative developed with Medical Affairs, Compliance, Legal, Advocacy, DE&I, and Brand teams.
- Created and lead ADORA Insights, a national development platform focused on market access strategy, account planning, IRA, 340B, GPO contracting, launch readiness, Qlik, and cross-functional collaboration.
- Founded and lead AstraZeneca's American Indian/Alaska Native Employee Resource Group, growing membership to 200+ employees and allies nationwide.
- Selected for US OBU Inclusion & Diversity Steering Committee, OBU Culture Team, ACERT Spotlight Series, and Health Equity in Action Expo presentation.
- Recipient of a national peer-nominated AstraZeneca award recognizing enterprise leadership, collaboration, and organizational impact.
Field Reimbursement Manager, Oncology
AstraZeneca
Tulsa, OK
01.2020 - 01.2023
- Provided reimbursement and market access expertise for providers, health systems, and oncology practices across multiple brands and indications.
- Collaborated with Trade, Managed Markets, Sales, FRM leadership, and provider stakeholders to address reimbursement challenges, policy changes, and patient access barriers.
- Developed nationally approved educational resources utilized across Oncology and Respiratory & Immunology reimbursement teams; selected as Regional Enhertu Workstream Lead.
Executive Pharmaceutical Sales Specialist, Oncology ADC
AstraZeneca
Tulsa, OK
01.2019 - 01.2020
- Supported successful launch of Enhertu across Oklahoma and Arkansas; achieved 326% first-quarter launch attainment.
- Recipient of One Oncology Award and 2020 District MVP recognition for collaboration and launch impact.
Senior Territory Business Manager, Immuno-Oncology
Bristol-Myers Squibb
Tulsa, OK
02.2016 - 01.2018
- Managed complex oncology accounts throughout Oklahoma while developing strategic business plans and executive-level customer relationships.
- Led collaborative initiatives across matrix teams to support customer objectives, account performance, and organizational goals.
- Selected for national and regional leadership and development assignments, including mentorship, advisory, and product point roles.
US Market Manager / Regional Account Manager, Oncology
Sandoz Biopharmaceuticals
, OK
01.2014 - 12.2016
- Managed strategic oncology accounts across five states, including Regional Oncology Networks, IDNs, hospital systems, key cancer institutions, and teaching hospitals.
- Developed relationships with Pharmacy Directors, Contract Managers, Purchasing Leaders, Medical Directors, C-suite stakeholders, and business-related key opinion leaders.
- Led account business reviews and collaborated directly with National GPO Account Managers to support contracting strategy, field execution, and customer engagement.
- Provided field insights and recommendations supporting market access, reimbursement, contract execution, and account planning initiatives.
- Selected to serve in an interim Associate Director leadership role overseeing Key Account Managers across a multi-state region; secured formulary access across leading oncology accounts through clinical and economic value discussions.
Executive Sales Specialist & Senior Sales Consultant
Novartis Pharmaceuticals
Tulsa, OK
01.2002 - 12.2014
- Progressive commercial leadership roles across Neuroscience, Psychiatry, ADHD, Parkinson's Disease, and Cardiovascular portfolios.
- Consistently selected for leadership, mentoring, training, and organizational development initiatives while delivering strong customer engagement and commercial performance.
Education
Bachelor of Business Administration - Marketing
University of Oklahoma
Skills
- Strategic Account Management
- National & Regional Accounts
- Executive Customer Engagement
- Market Access & Reimbursement
- Trade & Channel Collaboration
- GPO & Contract Pull-Through
- Launch Readiness & Execution
- Business Reviews
- Cross-Functional Leadership
- Customer Insights & Analytics
- Contract Strategy Support
- Healthcare Systems & IDNs
- Negotiation & Influence
- Organizational Leadership
Enterprise Leadership And Recognition
- Created and lead ADORA Insights, a national development platform focused on market access strategy, account planning, IRA, 340B, GPO contracting, launch readiness, Qlik, and cross-functional collaboration.
- Founded and lead AstraZeneca's American Indian/Alaska Native Employee Resource Group, growing membership to 200+ employees and allies nationwide.
- Selected for US OBU Inclusion & Diversity Steering Committee, OBU Culture Team, ACERT Spotlight Series, and Health Equity in Action Expo presentation.
- Recipient of a national peer-nominated AstraZeneca award recognizing enterprise leadership, collaboration, and organizational impact.
Accomplishments
- Created & lead ADORA Insights, a national development platform focused on market access strategy, account planning, IRA, 340B, GPO contracting, launch readiness, & cross-functional collaboration.
- Founded & lead AZ's American Indian/Alaska Native Employee Resource Group, growing membership to 200+ employees nationwide.
- Selected for US OBU Inclusion & Diversity Steering Committee, OBU Culture Team, ACERT Spotlight Series, and Health Equity in Action Expo presenter.
- Recipient of a national peer-nominated AZ award recognizing enterprise leadership, collaboration, & organizational impact.
- 2020 AZ District MVP-ADC Enhertu
- 2014 Business Performance Award-NeuroPsych (11/95, top 15% Nationally)
- 2013 Business Performance Award-NeuroPsych (30/187, top 15% Nationally)
- 2012 Cornerstone Inductee-Cornerstone Club membership is a career achievement award open to representatives and specialists with a minimum of 10 years of sales
experience with Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation who
have achieved a minimum level of Senior Sales Consultant/Specialist. - 2012 NPC US General Medicines Business Excellence Award, People Category (peer nominated)
- 2011 Area MVP-Primary Care
- 2010 Business Performance Award-Psychiatry (23/169, top 15% Nationally)
- 2007 Sales Leadership Team Award-Neuroscience (4/37, top 10 in Region)
- 2006 Area MVP-Neuroscience
- 2006 International Excellence Award-Neuroscience (1/112, top 1% Globally)
- 2006 President’s Club-Neuroscience (1/35, top 7% Nationally)
- 2004 President’s Club-Primary Care (2/65. top 7% Nationally)
- 2003 President’s Club-Primary Care (8/125, top 7% Nationally)
- 2003 MVP-Primary Care
Timeline
Associate Director, Oncology Regional Accounts
AstraZeneca
01.2023 - Current
Field Reimbursement Manager, Oncology
AstraZeneca
01.2020 - 01.2023
Executive Pharmaceutical Sales Specialist, Oncology ADC
AstraZeneca
01.2019 - 01.2020
Senior Territory Business Manager, Immuno-Oncology
Bristol-Myers Squibb
02.2016 - 01.2018
US Market Manager / Regional Account Manager, Oncology
Sandoz Biopharmaceuticals
01.2014 - 12.2016
Executive Sales Specialist & Senior Sales Consultant
Novartis Pharmaceuticals
01.2002 - 12.2014
Bachelor of Business Administration - Marketing
University of Oklahoma