Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Accomplishments
Affiliations
Timeline
Generic
REISHA MERCHANT

REISHA MERCHANT

Program Manager
MD

Summary

Strategic and results-oriented Program Manager with over 16 years of experience leading complex programs across research, healthcare, and cross-functional environments. Proven ability to secure grant funding, manage multiple projects simultaneously, coordinate diverse teams, and deliver programs on time and within budget. Skilled in stakeholder engagement, strategic planning, regulatory compliance, data analysis, and continued process improvement. Known for strong communication skills, operational leadership, and the ability to translate organizational goals into actionable plans that drive measurable outcomes.

Overview

18
18
years of professional experience

Work History

Program Manager- Military HIV Research Program

WRAIR- Henry M. Jackson Foundation
Silver Spring, MD
08.2018 - Current
  • Manage and coordinate research projects, budget forecasting and administration involving liposomes, antigens, adjuvants, and HIV vaccine development
  • Oversee various stages of technology transfer functions for research regarding HIV, infectious diseases, vaccine and adjuvant technology
  • Coordinate and manage proposals, licenses, and statement of work, patents, and agreements for progression and application of HIV vaccine research
  • Coordinate and manage proposals, licenses, and statement of work, patents, and agreements for the progression and application of HIV vaccine research
  • Establish and attend conferences, seminars, lectures, and professional meetings to remain informed of developing technologies to assure maintenance of the program's network
  • Provide weekly budget status reports with the program's most updated available funds with over a 10 million dollar budget
  • Closing out 100% of grants with no budget deficits
  • Serve as liaison between government agencies, private industry and contract management involving HIV, liposome and adjuvant research planning and evaluation process
  • Manage issues and differences on project planning, scheduling, manpower requirements, compliance, and resources
  • Assisted with new hire processing and existing training programsParticipated in weekly team meetings to develop better plans and revise proper protocols to meet objectives
  • Prepared documents, such as contracts, statements of work, budgets, non-disclosure agreements and appendices
  • Developed and managed database to gather and streamline information throughout department
  • Provide comprehensive research and management support for the Laboratory of Adjuvant and Antigen Research

Program Manager- John P. Murtha Cancer Center

WRNMMC- Henry M. Jackson Foundation
Bethesda, MD
08.2015 - 08.2018
  • Oversees the Cancer Committee Accreditation for the John P. Murtha Cancer Center as the Subject Matter Expert. Examining any deficiencies after performing a detailed audit and making practical recommendations for improvements; and educating the committee, departments, and subordinates on matters related to accreditation requirements that govern the regulatory standards
  • Assume overall responsibility for the preparation of protocols, finalization of monitoring and data management options, Ethics committee approval, development of recruitment strategies to increase patient randomization into the trial, the provision of clinical trial materials, and management of the trial
  • Guides and assists Private Investigators regarding programmatic decisions on administrative, personnel, and managerial issues based upon objectives and/or policies of the program
  • Ensure that all aspects of GCP are complied with at all times through provision of training at start-up and initiation meetings for clinical trials and on-going SOP development
  • Oversees the Scientific Review Committee. Monitoring of all trials by identifying and managing qualified staff, establish audit procedures and ensure that data is entered into the database in a timely fashion
  • Serves as the liaison with Department of Research Protections (DRP) for database development, input and reporting needs for the Research Support Office
  • Direct point of contact for the ORIEN (Oncology Research Information Exchange Network) for the department
  • Provides weekly status reports to ORIEN members and responsible for policies and procedures necessary to the scientific operation/compliance of the program
  • Ensure responsibility for the financial management of the department budget, resource allocation, and preparation of quarterly reports
  • Develop the Continuing Educational Packages for all departmental research awareness events. Providing continuing medical educational credits for staff
  • Obtain documents, clearances, certificates and approvals from local, state and federal agencies
  • Create multimedia presentations including video depositions for enhanced understanding

Program Manager- Traumatic Brain Injury Unit

Walter Reed National Military Medical Center
Bethesda, MD
01.2009 - 01.2015
  • Completed various special projects that required reviewing and analyzing information, identifying problems, recommending solutions and writing reports
  • Created and managed department's budget for purchases -Managed space planning, renovation, and allocation
  • Conducted strategic analyses of Department requirements to provide input on developing an overall strategic sourcing plan for the Department
  • Analyzed performance of procurement activities against various procurement indicators and goals
  • Tracked and monitored contract actions to ensure compliance with GSA policy, administrative procedures, regulations, and statutes
  • Developed new process of the delivery of patient services to include reviewing physician activity data and forecast and prepare for all changes needed or impacted by patient load, government regulation and policies
  • Ensured that staff are trained and educated in MTF and clinic Regulations
  • Reviewed internal policies and procedures and update as needed
  • Functioned as the clinic liaison with patients, clinics and administration services and facilities
  • Maintained on-site medical records administration and ensuring that all regulations governing the release of information is followed
  • Established, organized and maintained medical records in the proper sequence ensuring all necessary forms and documents are present, accurate and complete in accordance with various current regulatory requirements
  • Collected and validated data related to the operations of the WRNMMC/ DMHRSi timesheets through the auditing process
  • Routed reports to core departments for corrections and served as a liaison between the department, internal departments, and external businesses to troubleshoot problems and provide solutions
  • Worked in partnership with staff members in the Division to answer division related inquiries and handling complaints
  • Trained staff on department guidelines to include but not limited to department SOP, HIPPA, and Essentris
  • Analyzed the deviation from normal work output within the department by collecting, arranging, analyzing, and interpreting statistical data
  • Examined and implement Department of Defense, Department of Navy and Regional policy and procedure requirements for civilian and manpower reporting throughout the department

Program Analyst- Internal Medicine

Walter Reed National Military Medical Center
Bethesda, MD
07.2008 - 05.2009
  • Examined patient consultations and ensured hospital guidelines are met
  • Managed and appointed patient referrals to specialty clinics
  • Tracked the status of patient appointments to correspond with providers
  • Administered provider's appointment schedules in AHLTA
  • Received and processed patient information, making certain that the patient's record containsaccurate information
  • Acquired information and supplied data and reports to expedite the treatment of patients
  • Delivered presentations that express the department's goals and concepts
  • Exceeded expected assignment deadlines providing high quality in completion

Administrative Assistant- Adult Behavioral Health

Walter Reed National Military Medical Center
Bethesda, MD
09.2007 - 07.2008
  • Arranged appropriate referrals to Health Benefits Advisors (HBA)
  • Provided liaison to Patient Escort, Customer Service, TRICARE, and direction to all areas withinthe command
  • Performed all necessary CHCS functions
  • Managed and created schedules for providers
  • Provided quality and professional customer service including assistance with inquiries wherepossible and direct appropriately

Education

Bachelor of Science - Psychology

University Of Maryland University College
Rockville, MD

Skills

  • Provides coordination for the decision-making process between all program participants
  • Ensure responsibility for the financial management of the department budget, resource allocation, and preparation of quarterly reports
  • Arrange guidance and support for the program, staff, and daily operational procedures
  • Analyze and develop new processes from normal work output within the department by collecting, arranging, analyzing and interpreting program data

Accomplishments

  • Secured $10M research grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
  • Ensured 100% of new research protocol submissions were reviewed and approved prior to the deadline.
  • Managed an inpatient unit's renovation with a budget of $200,000. Allocating expenses in the appropriate areas.
  • Developed research educational seminars and conferences. Providing up to 5.75 continuing medical educational credits to medical staff.
  • Received Superior Performance Award in 2021 from the Military HIV Research Program at Walter Reed Army Institute of Research.
  • Received Certificate of Appreciation from the John P. Murtha Cancer Center at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for demonstrating excellence in service from 2015-2018.

Affiliations

  • Member of the John P. Murtha Cancer Center Accredited Cancer Committee (2015- 2018)

Timeline

Program Manager- Military HIV Research Program

WRAIR- Henry M. Jackson Foundation
08.2018 - Current

Program Manager- John P. Murtha Cancer Center

WRNMMC- Henry M. Jackson Foundation
08.2015 - 08.2018

Program Manager- Traumatic Brain Injury Unit

Walter Reed National Military Medical Center
01.2009 - 01.2015

Program Analyst- Internal Medicine

Walter Reed National Military Medical Center
07.2008 - 05.2009

Administrative Assistant- Adult Behavioral Health

Walter Reed National Military Medical Center
09.2007 - 07.2008

Bachelor of Science - Psychology

University Of Maryland University College

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