Operations
Vi Huynh
Director of Operations
Vi Huynh, MHA, joined the APT Center in 2014 as the Director of Operations. He is responsible for operational and fiscal oversight of the Center and its administrative staff and the investigators' combined research programs by managing inter-institutional relationships. He has over 10 years of practice and operations management in clinical and research healthcare environments.
Erica Root Cikanek
Director of External Affairs
Erica Root Cikanek, M.B.A. joined the APT Center staff in 2011 and handles external affairs, technology transfer and corporate relations. In addition, Ms. Cikanek facilitates several local, regional and national events. She has over 20 years of industry experience in strategic marketing and financial operations of technical and healthcare products.
Cathryn Naples
Program Assistant
Cathryn Naples is the program assistant for the APT Center, joining in 2013. She handles purchasing, contracting and travel transactions for the APT Center members. A key focus of Ms. Naples is maintaining smooth day-to-day operations of the APT Center office.
Ed Panek
Quality Systems Specialist
Ed Panek, BS, started with the APT Center in 2015. Mr. Panek develops, deploys, monitors and improves the quality system for research on medical devices. He maintains the quality manual, quality policies and procedures, and the standards of practice expected of the operations within the APT Center. A key focus is design control for APT projects to be ready for future FDA processes. He has over 10 years of industry experience, with quality management, warranty services, and FDA quality compliance.
Rebecca Polito
Technical Writer
Communications Specialist
Rebecca Polito, MS, joined the APT Center in 2016. She provides assistance editing and finalizing grant proposals including, but not limited to, VA, DoD, NIH, and Foundation awards. Ms. Polito has over 10 years of experience in academic, military and healthcare research at varying levels, primarily in psychophysiology and medical device technology. In addition, she provides assistance with manuscript editing. Ms. Polito also handles all internal public relations for APT and works closely with Public Affairs personnel at the VA and CWRU to ensure the APT Center and its Investigators are well represented in the media.
Kevin Tloczynski
Computer Specialist
Kevin Tloczynski, BSE, joined APT in 2014. He provides first line support services to the investigators, engineers and staff of APT Center. He supports hardware, software and server equipment. He insures all specialty equipment integrate with one another and with the servers. In addition, he provides biomedical engineering and website support.
Jennifer Wall
Regulatory Affairs Specialist
Jennifer Wall, PAHM, CCRP, joined the APT Center in 2010. She developed a system which addresses specific regulatory issues affecting the APT Center's research, development, and investigation of medical devices. She maintains a cohesive regulatory documentation and monitoring system to meet regulatory guidelines. The scope of her responsibility includes medical systems developed for investigational device study through systems under clinical study for premarket approval. Ms. Wall interfaces directly with the FDA and local IRBs as necessary. She also works very closely with the Quality Systems Specialist.
