Steve Satek, MBA
President and Founder
Steve has more than 30 years of experience in the clinical research industry. He began his career as a bench researcher at the Northwestern University Robert H. Lurie Cancer Center and since that time has held senior management positions at the Chicago Center for Clinical Research, Radiant Research, Cognitive Drug Research and Forenap Pharma, where he specialized in the design, implementation, and management of central nervous system and clinical pharmacology research programs.
Steve offers a diverse and thorough knowledge of clinical trial operations, which has been presented at over 300 meeting and events. In addition, he has personally project managed and/or coordinated over 150 clinical trials.
Steve currently serves on the Planning Committee and is former Chairman for the Global Site Solutions Summit, one the clinical research industry's leading conferences. He is also an active member of Global Alzheimer's Platform, a patient-centric, non-profit organization dedicated to speeding the delivery of innovative therapies to those afflicted with Alzheimer’s.
Locally in Chicago, Steve has served on the Board of Directors for the Swedish American Museum, is currently a Board Member for the Andersonville Chamber of Commerce, sits on the Events Committee for the Edgewater Chamber of Commerce and is the Chairman for the non-profit, Memory Care Coalition of Chicago. In 2018, Steve was honored to be recognized by Crain's Chicago Business as one of Chicago's Notable LGBTQ Executives.
Steve holds two Bachelor of Science degrees in Molecular Biology and in Biochemistry from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and an Executive MBA from the Lake Forest Graduate School of Management.
Amber Holst
Director of Clinical Operations
A native Chicagoan, Amber has been immersed in digital media and marketing over the past decade, assisting hospitality industry clients with a wide array of marketing programs and initiatives. A former editor at Chicago magazine and reporter at The Wall Street Journal, Amber worked in public relations before returning to to the marketing world as Vice President of a Chicago visitor marketing company. Bringing 15 years of marketing and operations experience with her, she joined the Great Lakes Clinical Trials Team in October 2017 to oversee and implement the site’s recruitment and marketing strategies before transitioning into the role of Site Director.
Amber is a contributor to EnjoyIllinois.com and is a member of the Swedish American Museum’s marketing committee, where she also serves as co-emcee of their annual Midsommarfest event. Additionally, she is an active member of the Andersonville Chamber of Commerce, a caregiver support group facilitator through the Alzheimer’s Association, member of the non-profit Memory Care Coalition of Chicago, and planning committee member of the Center for Information and Study on Clinical Research Participation’s (CISCRP) annual Aware For All Chicago event.
Amber received her Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism from Columbia College, where she served as editor-and-chief of the college’s award-winning newspaper.
Jeffrey Ross, MD
Medical Director
Dr. Jeff Ross is a board-certified psychiatrist who has conducted over 130 clinical trials across multiple disease areas including mood, anxiety, psychotic, cognitive (Alzheimer’s, MCI), sleep and substance abuse disorders. As an instructor of medical students and psychiatry residents at Chicago-area institutions (Northwestern University Medical School, Rush Medical College, Evanston Hospital, Illinois College of Optometry) over the past 20 years, Dr. Ross has provided ongoing medical education in both psychopharmacology and psychotherapy, equipping new physicians with important insights into the interviewing, care, & long-term management of patients with psychiatric illness.
Following his post-graduate fellowship in clinical psychopharmacology at Rush-Presbyterian-St.Luke’s Medical Center, Dr. Ross served as Medical Associate at Rush’s Treatment Research Center and Attending Psychiatrist at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Medical Center, as well as Assistant Professor of Psychiatry Rush Medical College. As a board-certified psychiatrist, Dr. Ross maintains licensure in Illinois and continues to maintain his affiliation with the aforementioned academic centers. In addition, Dr. Ross’ private practice enables him to remain connected to the real world management of psychiatric illness.
From his extensive research experience, Dr. Ross has gained expertise in investigations across development phases (Phase I-IV), treatment settings (inpatient and outpatient), duration (short and long-term), trial design (open, blinded, acute therapy, relapse prevention), and intervention (psychotherapy and psychopharmacology). Aside from numerous peer-reviewed publications and lectures, Dr. Ross has also developed a particular niche providing psychiatric educational book reviews (Doody’s Health Sciences) for over a decade.