About Us » Board Information:

We have drawn from the world-class medical and educational communities of Greater Boston to seat a review board with unparalleled expertise across a wide range of public health issues, concerns and initiatives. With the combined experience of the Board members, the founders, and the staff, there is seldom a situation that we have not encountered before. This translates into greater protection of patients, greater efficiency in process, and ultimately quicker turnaround times for our clients.

Peter N. Madras, M.D., F.A.C.S.
Chairman of Asentral, Inc. IRB, Panel 1

Dr. Madras graduated as a university scholar from McGill University School of Medicine in 1965. Until 1969, he headed the Biomedical Program at the Avco-Everett Research Laboratory, leading in the development of the early heart assist devices, some of which are still widely used today. From 1969 to 1975, Dr. Madras trained in surgery on the Harvard Service of Boston City Hospital, and in Vascular Surgery at the University of Toronto. He practiced as a vascular surgeon from 1975 to 1980 at the University of Toronto, then from 1980 until 2001 as a transplant and vascular surgeon at the New England Deaconess Hospital and Harvard Medical School. He was Medical Director of Grace Biomedical participating in the development of hybrid artificial organs, devices. Dr. Madras has served as an associate professor of surgery at Harvard Medical School, and as member and Chair of the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Medicine. Dr. Madras retired from the active practice of surgery in 2001, and is currently research staff at Lahey Clinic, Director of New Technology at Pluromed, Inc. and a chairman of Asentral.

Ganson Purcell, Jr. M.D., F.A.C.O.G., F.A. C.P.E. (FYI: Am. Coll. Phys. Executives)
Chairman of Asentral, Inc. IRB, Panel 2

Graduating from the College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University in 1962, Dr. Purcell completed internship at Harborview Hospital, Seattle, Wa.; and then served from 1963-65 in the U.S. Navy Submarine Medicine Service. He completed residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Sloane Hospital for Women, Columbia-Presbyterian n Medical Center, serving as chief resident from 1967-69. While in private general OB/GYN practice in Danvers, Ma. (1969-78), Dr. Purcell was a Senior Instructor at Tufts University Medical School and served terms as Chief of OB/GYN and President of the Hunt Hospital Medical Staff in Danvers. Recruited to the fledgling University of Massachusetts Medical Center in 1978, Dr. Purcell was appointed Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology in 1980, and served as Chief of the Medical Staff and Associate Dean of Clinical Affairs (1980-94); Associate Director of the Hospital (1986-94); President of the Medical Staff (1986-7); Vice-Chairman of the Dept. of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Interim Chairman of OB/GYN (1990-1). From 1994 until retirement in 2003, Dr. Purcell was Chairman/Director of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Residency Program Director at the Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center (and the Mount Sinai Hospital), Hartford, CT.; and, Professor and Associate Chairman of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Connecticut Health Center. During his career, Dr. Purcell served a term as President of the Obstetrical Society of Boston and on the Executive Board of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, as well as a term as the College's Assistant Secretary. Dr. Purcell is a Fellow of the American College of Physician Executives. He is currently a full scientific member of the Asentral Institutional Review Board.

Hart Achenbach, M.D.

Born in Germany, Dr. Achenbach migrated with his family to the United States at the age of three. He put himself through the University of Florida at Gainesville and later graduated from Harvard Medical School, sandwiching his education around his service in the U.S. Navy during World War II. Dr. Achenbach interned at Boston City Hospital where he later taught for the Harvard Medical School and practiced general surgery for over forty years. Dr. Achenbach has practiced and taught surgery as part of Project Hope in Nicaragua, Columbia, Jamaica, and on a Navajo Reservation in Arizona at various times during his career as well as taking time to practice and teach surgery for Care Medico in Afghanistan, Peru, and the Honduras. Now retired from practice, Dr. Achenbach volunteers his time and services to the Peabody Essex Museum and the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Medicine, as well as participating as a full Board member of the Asentral Institutional Review Board.

MaryBeth Sampson, MS, RNC

MaryBeth is a Certified Nurse Practitioner who has held several positions at Harvard Teaching Hospitals over the past 20 years. She has served as Clinical Manager of the Medical Unit at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, as the Administrative Manager of the Clinical Research in Nephrology Program at Massachusetts General Hospital and Administrator of The Massachusetts General Hospital Center for D-Receptor Activation Research. MaryBeth received her Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees from Boston College, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts.

Patricia Riggi, R.N., A.D. Nursing

Patricia is a Registered Nurse who has worked in the acute care and intensive care units of greater Boston for over 30 years, including Mass General Hospital, Lynn Hospital, and Union Hospital. Patricia graduated from Northeastern University with a degree in Nursing. She has served on many school-related committees while raising two children.

Jan Beaudoin, R.N., C.P.A.N., C.A.P.A.

Jan graduated from the Beverly Hospital School of Nursing in 1971 and worked as a Critical Care nurse for 18 years at Beverly Hospital, Mass General Hospital, and at Hunt Memorial Hospital, all in Massachusetts. She served in various capacities of nursing management during that time. Jan has also spent 19 years as a PACU (post anesthesia care unit) nurse manager in Massachusetts as well as in South Carolina. She is currently the Perianesthesia Manager at Beverly Hospital in Beverly, Massachusetts. Jan has gained her National Certification in 2 specialties: CPAN (post anethesia nursing) and CAPA (ambulatory perianesthesia nursing) and was selected to be an item writer for the 2009 National certification exam. Jan has attended Salem State College, Graceland University's Bachelors School of Nursing program and is currently enrolled in the Bachelors School of Nursing/Masters program through Excelsier College.

Michael Haley B.A., M.B.A

Mike is currently employed with Brush Wellman Inc. as Director of Supply Chain Methods. Brush Wellman is a wholly owned subsidiary of Brush Engineered Materials and is a manufacturer of Beryllium and Copper Beryllium alloys, supplying the Aerospace, Automotive and Oil & Gas industries worldwide. Mike has been employed with Brush Wellman for more than 24 years. Mike has a B.A. in Experimental Psychology from Kent State University where he also completed two years of graduate work. Mike received his M.B.A. from the University of Akron.

Catherine McNally, B.A.

Cathy is currently employed at Hill View Montessori Charter Public School in Haverhill, working in a multi age classroom, grades 4-6. Cathy has worked in Montessori education for the past 11 years. Prior to her career in education, Cathy was an account executive for a public relations firm. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Washington College, has Early Education and Care Certification from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and from the State of Wisconsin.

Clark Williams, B.A.

Clark has retired following a career which emphasized various disciplines within the hazardous waste/environmental remediation field. He has worked as a Project Manager, Construction Manager, Quality Control Manager and in various other management-related positions. His work encompassed a wide variety of projects, including the Industri-Plex Superfund Site in Woburn, Massachusetts and a number of Environmental Remediation Projects for the U. S. Navy in Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia, and Florida. Currently Clark is involved with volunteering his time locally , and spends his summers working at a Family Camp operated by the Aloha Foundation : a non-profit organization located in Fairlee, Vermont.

Molly Hoare, B.A., M.B.A.

Molly is a small business owner and remains involved in the daily management of several local enterprises, including a real estate development company. Molly has served on a number of various school-related committees. Molly graduated from Rochester Institute of Technology with a B.S. in Business and she has her M.B.A. from New York University.

George Ellison, B.A.

George is a Financial Sales Representative who has been engaged in the financial community for nearly twenty-five years. George is presently the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Anna Jaques Hospital and Chairman of the Board of Seacoast Regional Healthcare Systems. He has served as the Chairman of the Anna Jaques Community Health Foundation, Chairman of the North Shore Division of the Mass Bay United Way, was a founding member of the No. Andover Educational Foundation, the Campaign Chair for St. Michael's Parish Capital Campaign, and is currently a Board member of the Merrimack Valley YMCA. George is a graduate of Lafayette University.

Philip Jefferson, Jr., B.S.

Phil is retired from his role as Vice President at John Hancock Mutual Life after thirty-five years. Phil has an extremely distinguished record of community service for the past fifteen years, notably as Chairman of the Board of Directors (Trustees) at Marlborough Hospital, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Hunt Memorial Hospital, Chairman of the Board of Directors at the UMass Health System, and Chairman of the Trustee Advisory Council of the Massachusetts Hospital Association. Phil has also served as a Trustee and/or Incorporator at Beverly Hospital and Anna Jaques Hospital. He was the recipient of the "Trustees That Make A Difference" Award given by the American Hospital Association Trustee Magazine. Phil graduated from Harvard University. One of Phil's proudest accomplishments was his role as Platoon Sergeant in Europe during World War II.