We’re delighted to announce LaQuinta Jernigan has been promoted from Executive Vice President for the Americas to Chief Operating Officer, following a period of rapid growth and strategic innovation for mdgroup worldwide.
LaQuinta has been a valuable member of the mdfamily since she joined the North Carolina office in 2015, and has played an instrumental role in generating the company’s 300% growth over the past four years.
Tarquin Scadding-Hunt, mdgroup CEO, said, “We are delighted to announce LaQuinta’s promotion to the position of Chief Operating Officer for the whole of mdgroup.
“She has been with the company since 2015 and has already helped to significantly develop and grow our business in North America. Her passion for ensuring patients get the very best experience extends to working tirelessly to champion diversity to ensure access to clinical trials is not just reserved for certain demographics.
“This C-Suite role also underscores mdgroup’s culture for recognising and rewarding enterprising women within our organisation, as we continue to grow.
“Like many others in mdgroup, LaQuinta’s tenure in the company has seen her take on a number of roles from Business Development Director, Global Director-Business Development, Executive Vice President, Americas, to Chief Operating Officer. We pride ourselves on the careers that have been fostered at mdgroup.”
Alongside her global expertise in building strong and long-lasting commercial relationships, LaQuinta is a true advocate for the patient experience, spearheading the diversity, inclusion and accessibility agenda across all areas of clinical research.
She launched the mdtalk video series and podcast in 2021 to shine a light on the important issues affecting the sector, bringing more authenticity and humanity to clinical research in a bid to build trust, particularly for those within marginalised groups.
LaQuinta sits on the executive board of the Triangle British American Business Council and is a member of the North Carolina Biosciences Organisation’s diversity committee, and MedTech Color, an organisation which aims to help build a community of leaders of colour in the medical device industry to discover why cardiovascular health is not being addressed in a meaningful way within communities of color.
LaQuinta says: “I am delighted to take up the new challenge and look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues at mdgroup.
“I was driven to find a career in the field of medicine that would help others, having grown up with a sister with a rare disease who needed regular hospital care. This role combines the best of my skills to work with pharma companies to develop strategies that actually change the way they recruit and enrol for clinical trials.
“I hope to truly enable diverse communities to access services and solutions they may not have reached otherwise, by removing the obstacles that could prevent them from taking part, from logistics to costs.”
