Chris Decker, MS
President and Chief Executive OfficerChris Decker is the President and CEO of CDISC. Widely recognized in the industry, Chris is an expert in technology and standards for complex process and technology solutions. He has extensive experience in executive roles across software development, clinical research, and consulting. Chris was previously at Instem (d-wise) for fifteen years, most recently as Vice President, Clinical Solutions.
Chris's 20-year involvement with CDISC includes roles as a volunteer, implementer, and board member, with a focus on innovation through standards. He holds an MS in Statistics from North Carolina State University and a BA in Statistics from Virginia Tech. Chris is enthusiastic about leading CDISC towards a technology-based standards future and expanding the organization's global impact in clinical research standards.
Peter Van Reusel
Chief Standards OfficerPeter Van Reusel provides executive leadership to the development and implementation of clinical standards in line with CDISC’s strategy and operational plans, working closely with the President and CEO, as well as CDISC staff and stakeholders. He has over 20 years’ experience in senior roles in pharma and at CROs, providing standards expertise and carrying out other standards work in various organizational settings. A long-time, CDISC-authorized instructor, Peter has helped significantly in developing CDISC training courses.
He previously served as CDISC’s European Liaison, shepherding relationships with key European regulatory, academic, and biopharma stakeholders. Peter is also an active PHUSE working group leader.
Nicole Harmon, Ph.D.
Chief Operating OfficerDr. Nicole Harmon, PhD, serves as CDISC's Chief Operating Officer (COO). Dr. Harmon, a distinguished leader with over 20 years of experience across nonprofit, healthcare, research, and technology sectors, oversees CDISC's operational strategies, furthering its mission to amplify data’s impact to advance research.
Dr. Harmon brings a wealth of expertise in operational excellence, strategic partnerships, and financial sustainability. Dr. Harmon holds a PhD in Counseling and is widely recognized for her ability to build cross-sector collaborations that drive innovation and improve health outcomes. Previously at Cohen Veterans Bioscience, Dr. Harmon was instrumental in driving key initiatives internally and externally to advance research, policy and patient advocacy initiatives, develop robust systems to strengthen infrastructure, and diversify funding streams.
Sam Hume, DSc.
Principal Consultant, Data ScienceSam Hume leads the Data Science team who develops tools and standards that support clinical and translational research. Sam directs delivery of the CDISC Library, co-leads the Data Exchange Standards team, and serves as a leader of CORE. Additionally, he oversees the CDISC Open-Source Alliance (COSA), which supports CDISC-related open-source software projects.
Sam has 30 years’ experience working in clinical research informatics and has held several senior-level technology positions in the biopharmaceutical industry. He holds a doctorate in Information Systems.
Sheila Leaman
Vice President, Global RelationsSheila Leaman brings a unique background in Public Relations and Human Resources to her role at CDISC. She focuses on membership recruitment, seeking out new opportunities as well as ensuring membership retention, providing a high level of membership satisfaction. During her tenure, Sheila and her team have significantly increased CDISC membership worldwide. She also leads the smooth operations of CDISC events, such as our annual Interchanges, where hundreds of attendees gather to network, share their expertise, best practices, and lessons learned about implementing CDISC data standards to enable clinical research to "speak the same language."