As a leading North American policy, market access, and evidence consultancy, Avalere, part of Avalere Health is proud to announce Sarah Alwardt, PhD, as our new President.

As President, Sarah leads the U.S. Policy, Access, Value and Evidence capability at Avalere’s parent company, Avalere Health. In taking on the dual roles, she will further integrate Avalere’s deep expertise in federal and state policy, market access and reimbursement, evidence, and strategy, and due diligence into our global services across the product lifecycle.

Sarah will work closely with our President of Global Policy, Access, Value and Evidence, Tim Wright, with both leaders reporting into Amar Urhekar, Chief Operating Officer. Together, they will provide unrivaled global expertise in North America, Europe, Latin America and the Asia-Pacific region, driving innovative integrated solutions for clients around the world.

The Avalere team plays an integral role in providing a 360-degree view of the healthcare landscape to all capabilities across Avalere Health—Policy, Access, Value, and Evidence; Medical; Consulting; Marketing; and Digital Experience Technology. Working collaboratively throughout the organization, Avalere ensures all teams can provide clients unparalleled insight into the evolving legislative and market access landscapes. These insights are fueled by access to a wealth of datasets, including extensive open and closed claims data across payer markets, clinical data, and data on the social determinants of health, formulary and benefit design, digital devices, and patient programs.

“Our clients are facing challenges from the Inflation Reduction Act, increasing demands for evidence generation, and continuing efforts to ensure patients have a voice in their own healthcare,” says Amar Urhekar, Chief Operating Officer. “It is vital for our clients to remain at the forefront of these trends. Sarah is a highly accomplished leader who will expertly guide our teams in providing creative solutions for clients to influence, prepare for and rapidly respond to the changing market.”

Prior to her role as President, Sarah led Avalere’s Evidence and Strategy practice, where she galvanized key players across the care continuum to transform healthcare and give patients a voice. She has more than 20 years of experience in leadership, strategy, and operations for biopharmaceutical industries, with expertise in real-world data and advanced analytics for maximizing product value and performance.

Before joining Avalere, Sarah launched and grew Ontada, McKesson’s oncology research business that provides evidence-development strategies. Under her leadership, Ontada produced more than 200 scientific publications and submitted multiple regulatory filings. Prior to McKesson, she spent 10 years at Humana, where she held leadership roles in research, program, and process development.

“In the face of healthcare’s most complex challenges, our clients need a partner who can deliver practical, actionable solutions. Our deep subject-matter expertise and data-driven insights help stakeholders navigate the impact of these challenges on their business and on the patient experience,” says Sarah. “I’m thrilled to lead our U.S. Policy, Access, Value, and Evidence team into the future as a trusted partner for clients across the healthcare spectrum.”

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