Our Team

Anand Patel, M.D., is a board-certified anesthesiologist with a subspecialty certification in pain medicine. Dr. Patel graduated from the University of Florida College of Medicine and completed his residency/fellowship at New York Presbyterian-Cornell. He subsequently worked as an interventional pain physician at the Center for Pain Medicine in Orlando, FL for 10 years. Dr. Patel joined Conquest Research in 2018 and has served as both PI and Sub-I on more than 80 clinical trials in various therapeutic areas including orthopedics, pain management, migraines, vaccines, rheumatologic disorders, metabolic disorders, neurodegenerative disorders, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Heidi Abreu Pacheco, MD is an accomplished board-certified Internal Medicine Physician specializing in Obesity Medicine. She graduated with honors from Pedro Henriquez Urena University School of Medicine in the Dominican Republic. She completed her Internal Medicine Residency in New York at Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center, affiliated with Weill-Cornell Medical School. Dr. Abreu has over 15 years of experience as a primary care physician, working for Grande Ronde Hospital in La Grande, OR, and for Legacy Health in Keizer, OR. She also practiced Obesity Medicine at a private practice, Oregon Weight and Wellness in Salem, OR. Her areas of expertise include obesity, prediabetes/diabetes, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, MASH and many other metabolic and cardiovascular diseases. In 2023, she moved to Orlando, Florida, to join Conquest Research and has transitioned full time to clinical research. She has been a Sub-investigator on over 30 studies in these therapeutic areas. Dr. Abreu is bilingual, a native Spanish speaker and is passionate about increasing access to clinical trials as part of the industry-wide DEI initiative.

Josette Arismendi, APRN., is a seasoned nurse with over 13 years of invaluable clinical experience. She completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Central Florida, where she honed her foundational skills and knowledge in nursing. Building upon this strong foundation, she pursued advanced education at the University of South Florida where she completed her graduate program as a Family Nurse Practitioner in 2019. Her clinical background includes neurology, women’s services, and critical care. With her wealth of experience, unwavering dedication, and diverse interests, Josette is a vital asset to our clinical research practice, embodying the values of excellence, compassion, and continuous learning.

Kendra is the Lead Clinical Research Coordinator at our Lake Nona embedded location. She oversees the daily clinical operations and is responsible for direct management of the CRCs and associated department team members. Kendra has extensive preclinical and clinical research experience in a diverse array of Phase I-IV clinical trials, spanning general medicine, pain management, and neurodegenerative disorders.

Daniela is the Recruitment Lead for embedded sites in Lake Nona, Dr. Phillips, and Orlando. She manages the recruitment process and works on strategies to improve patient relations. Daniela helped develop a bilingual outreach program to better connect with diverse patient groups, building stronger communication and trust. With a Bachelor’s degree in Clinical Psychology and over two years of experience in client success management, plus three years in patient engagement at Conquest Research, Daniela is dedicated to making the recruitment process smooth and compassionate.

Mark founded Conquest Research and manages all clinical and operational aspects of the business as well as future growth strategy. He has over 10 years of experience in the pre-clinical and clinical research industry. Before starting Conquest Research, Mark held numerous roles in research administration at the University of Florida, Cancer and Genetics Research Complex. He also served as a Clinical Research Coordinator at BioClinica Research, Department of Neurology.

Daniel is responsible for the strategic financial management of the organization. He has over 15 years of experience in public accounting and corporate finance, including 8 years in the pharmaceutical industry. Daniel earned both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in accounting from the University of Central Florida and is a licensed Certified Public Accountant and Certified Fraud Examiner. Daniel is focused on leveraging his knowledge and experience to support the organization’s growth initiatives.

Andrew Sutton, MBA, serves as the Vice President of Business Development at Conquest Research, bringing extensive experience in the clinical research industry. Andrew is responsible for establishing new and growing existing client relationships with leading Sponsors, CROs and biotechs. Andrew’s earlier roles at ClinOne and Greenphire involved driving business development initiatives, acquiring new clients, and enhancing existing relationships. Andrew holds an MBA in Business Administration with a focus on Management and Marketing from Monmouth University, where prior to the MBA, a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration was also earned.

Chloe is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations and finances of the business. She has over 10 years of clinical research experience in numerous departments including budget and contracts, study start-up, patient recruitment, marketing, and general clinical operations. Chloe earned her undergraduate degree in Healthcare Administration from Florida Atlantic University and a master’s degree in Research Administration from the University of Central Florida. Prior to joining Conquest Research, Chloe served as Corporate Director of Business Operations at Meridien Research.

Anthony currently manages all clinical operations and oversees all departments at the Winter Park location. He has demonstrated success in developing key research personnel, creating and implementing research processes, and enforcing high standards related to safety of subjects and quality of data. He brings over 10 years of various research experience to the team. Before joining Conquest Research in 2018, Anthony held roles as a Regulatory Specialist, Research Manager, and Recruitment and Marketing Manager at Bioclinica Research

Gibson manages all digital and traditional marketing efforts for the business including advertising, analytics, and website development. His role focuses on identifying and recruiting patient populations through omni-channel marketing campaigns. With 9 years of marketing experience and 4 years specializing in clinical research recruitment, he has managed over 100 marketing campaigns for clinical trials. Prior to Conquest Research, he managed clinical research digital marketing campaigns for multiple different sites across the US.

Nicole is responsible for marketing and community outreach efforts, with a focus on education and raising awareness regarding available clinical research opportunities. Nicole has more than 20 years of experience in the healthcare industry holding various roles in operations, marketing, business development and account management. During this time, she has overseen operations to support imaging initiatives for more than 200 active clinical trials within multiple states. Prior to joining Conquest, Nicole served as Senior Director of Operations and Business Development for RAYUS Radiology (formerly Center for Diagnostic Imaging). Nicole is passionate about increasing access and diversity in clinical trials with a special focus on underprivileged & underrepresented populations in the Central Florida region.

As the Human Resources Manager, Colleen supports the implementation of the company’s human resources strategy. With 8 years of combined experience in education and human resources, she brings a wealth of knowledge and a unique perspective to the team. Colleen holds a Bachelor’s degree from Framingham State University and a Master’s degree from the University of Massachusetts at Boston. Her passion lies in enhancing HR practices, supporting professional development, and cultivating a positive work environment.