Jodie Danko
Detroit Metropolitan Area
Summary
Executive biopharmaceutical leader with more than 20 years of experience designing, building, and optimizing patient access programs, reimbursement strategy, and market access operations across rare disease, ophthalmology, gene therapy, cell therapy, and specialty biologics. Proven success creating patient-centric support programs that accelerate access to treatment, improve patient and provider experiences, and support successful commercial launches. Recognized for developing innovative access strategies, scalable operating models, and cross-functional partnerships spanning Patient Services, Market Access, Sales, Marketing, Medical Affairs, Legal, Compliance, Trade, Distribution, Supply Chain, and Commercial Operations. Extensive experience leading high-performing organizations through product launches, complex reimbursement environments, vendor optimization, and commercial growth while maintaining the voice of the patient at the center of every decision.
Overview
16
16
years of professional experience
Work History
Executive Director, US Patient Services, Market Access, Trade & Distribution
NS Pharma
06.2025 - Current
- Provide executive leadership for Patient Services, Market Access, Trade & Distribution supporting multiple commercial therapies across Duchenne muscular dystrophy and MPS II, including infused biologics, cell therapy, and gene therapy.
- Lead a 30-person organization responsible for designing scalable patient access programs that improve patient and provider experience while accelerating access to therapy.
- Lead enterprise strategy across Patient Services, Market Access, Trade, Distribution, Supply Chain, Patient Engagement, Field Reimbursement, and Payer Strategy.
- Direct organizational planning, business strategy, and operational execution for a growing commercial organization.
- Serve as executive partner across Marketing, Medical Affairs, Sales, Legal, Compliance, Finance, Commercial Operations, and Executive Leadership to align patient access strategy with business objectives.
- Develop annual business plans while managing approximately $20 million operating budget.
- Design and continuously optimize patient support programs to improve patient access, provider experience, reimbursement success, and operational scalability.
- Lead hub strategy and vendor partnerships supporting reimbursement, patient engagement, financial assistance, specialty pharmacy, and distribution.
- Reduced average patient time-to-treatment by 50% through redesigned patient access workflows.
- Led implementation of enterprise Patient Services CRM platform improving visibility, communication, and operational efficiency.
- Developed organizational SOPs, business operating principles, and specialty pharmacy business rules to standardize patient access processes.
- Direct payer strategy including reimbursement planning, pricing support, coverage strategy, health economics collaboration, and managed care initiatives.
- Build and maintain strategic relationships with specialty pharmacies, wholesalers, distributors, GPOs, IDNs, and distribution partners.
- Design future-state distribution models supporting cell therapy and cryogenic gene therapy commercialization.
- Support Business Development through pricing, reimbursement, and commercialization expertise.
- Lead collaboration across Patient Services, Market Access, Marketing, Medical Affairs, Finance, Legal, Compliance, Supply Chain, Sales, and external vendor partners.
- Partner with advocacy organizations nationally and internationally to strengthen patient support strategies and improve the patient experience.
Director, US Patient Services
Spark Therapeutics
08.2018 - 06.2025
- Provided strategic leadership for patient access supporting LUXTURNA, the first FDA-approved inherited retinal gene therapy, designing a highly customized patient support ecosystem for an ultra-rare retinal disease.
- Designed and continuously improved a patient-centric support model addressing reimbursement, financial assistance, travel logistics, treatment center coordination, specialty pharmacy, distribution, and patient education.
- Partnered with retinal surgeons, treatment centers, pharmacy leadership, genetic counselors, nurses, surgery centers, and executive hospital leadership to optimize patient and practice experience.
- Developed innovative solutions to address reimbursement barriers, state Medicaid variability, insurance denials, and provider operational challenges.
- Collaborated closely with Market Access, Marketing, Government Affairs, Sales, Legal, Compliance, Medical Affairs, and Commercial leadership to ensure patients successfully navigated the treatment journey.
- Managed external hub vendors supporting patient assistance, specialty pharmacy, travel assistance, reimbursement services, and distribution.
- Led treatment center onboarding, commercial readiness, dry-run distribution, and operational implementation for new treatment sites.
- Supported implementation of outcomes-based reimbursement agreements and alternative distribution models for one-time gene therapy.
- Frequently consulted internally as subject matter expert on ophthalmology reimbursement, retina treatment center operations, payer policy, and gene therapy commercialization.
- Earned six consecutive 'Exceeds Expectations' performance ratings.
- Invited national speaker: Evernorth Converge – Gene Therapy Patient Journey, Informa Copay Conference – Challenging Patient Journeys.
Genetic Diagnostic Liaison
04.2017 - 07.2018
- First commercial employee hired to support launch strategy for LUXTURNA.
- Built relationships with retinal specialists, genetic laboratories, and key opinion leaders to prepare the market for commercialization.
- Led education supporting the ID YOUR IRD genetic testing initiative, improving patient identification and referral pathways.
Regional Sales Director
Alexion Pharmaceuticals
01.2011 - 01.2017
- Led one of the company's highest-performing commercial regions supporting Soliris across multiple ultra-rare indications.
- Built and developed a top-performing regional organization.
- Delivered more than $100M in annual regional revenue.
- Led launch of Soliris for atypical HUS.
- Developed numerous high-performing leaders through coaching and succession planning.
- Collaborated extensively with Patient Services, Market Access, Marketing, and Medical Affairs to improve patient identification and treatment access.
- Five consecutive years leading the organization in new patient identification and patients on therapy.
- Founder's Club Award recipient.
Senior Manager, Global Training & Development
Alexion Pharmaceuticals
- Led global commercial training initiatives across North America and Latin America supporting Sales, Patient Services, Medical Affairs, Government Affairs, and Marketing organizations.
- Developed global competencies, learning systems, launch training, and commercial best practices adopted internationally.
Education
Bachelor of Science - Clinical Laboratory Sciences
Michigan State University
Skills
- Patient Support Program Design
- Patient Access Strategy
- Market Access Leadership
- Hub Operations
- Patient Journey Optimization
- Commercial Reimbursement
- Buy-and-Bill Strategy
- Field Reimbursement
- Commercial Launch Excellence
- Ophthalmology & Retina
- Gene Therapy Commercialization
- Trade & Distribution
- Specialty Pharmacy
- Provider & Practice Experience
- Cross-Functional Leadership
- Patient Advocacy
- Vendor Management
- Digital Patient Services
- CRM Implementation
- Commercial Analytics
- Program Governance
- SOP Development
- Budget & Business Planning
- Executive Leadership
Executive Expertise
- Patient Support Program Design
- Patient Access Strategy
- Market Access Leadership
- Hub Operations
- Patient Journey Optimization
- Commercial Reimbursement
- Buy-and-Bill Strategy
- Field Reimbursement
- Commercial Launch Excellence
- Ophthalmology & Retina
- Gene Therapy Commercialization
- Trade & Distribution
- Specialty Pharmacy
- Provider & Practice Experience
- Cross-Functional Leadership
- Patient Advocacy
- Vendor Management
- Digital Patient Services
- CRM Implementation
- Commercial Analytics
- Program Governance
- SOP Development
- Budget & Business Planning
- Executive Leadership
Timeline
Executive Director, US Patient Services, Market Access, Trade & Distribution
NS Pharma
06.2025 - Current
Director, US Patient Services
Spark Therapeutics
08.2018 - 06.2025
Genetic Diagnostic Liaison
04.2017 - 07.2018
Regional Sales Director
Alexion Pharmaceuticals
01.2011 - 01.2017
Senior Manager, Global Training & Development
Alexion Pharmaceuticals
Bachelor of Science - Clinical Laboratory Sciences
Michigan State University