Meet Our Team: Amanda Breeden, Principal Consultant, Clinical Research Strategy and Operations

Strengthening Clinical Research Operations to Advance Scientific Discovery 

Attain Partners is pleased to welcome Amanda Breeden as our new Principal Consultant, Clinical Research Strategy and Operations.

Amanda brings experience leading research operations within a health system and helping organizations strengthen the infrastructure that supports scientific discovery. Throughout her career, she has worked to improve financial oversight, streamline processes, and provide reliable investigator support, helping research teams focus more of their time on advancing science.

Her background in Lean management shapes a collaborative approach to organizational improvement. By engaging the people closest to the work, Amanda helps leaders understand the root causes of operational challenges and build practical solutions that support sustainable growth.

At Attain Partners, Amanda will work alongside Istvan Fekete, Principal at Attain Partners, and his team to help clinical research organizations address challenges across resources, processes, technology, and growth. Her focus on financially responsible operations and continuous improvement aligns closely with our commitment to helping clients strengthen their research enterprises and advance their missions.

“Amanda brings a valuable understanding of the challenges research teams face and the operational improvements that can help them succeed,” said Fekete. “Her experience leading research operations, combined with her commitment to listening to the people doing the work, makes her an outstanding addition to our team. I’m excited for our clients to benefit from her perspective as we help them build stronger, more sustainable clinical research enterprises.”

Get to Know Amanda Breeden

How did you become passionate about research administration?

Clinical research administration is where I discovered a real passion for improving the academic health care systems that support scientific discovery. Over the years, I’ve seen how unnecessarily complex processes and fragmented infrastructure can make it harder for talented researchers to do meaningful work. I’ve also experienced firsthand the difference that advances in medical research can make for patients and families. I believe that the work we do behind the scenes matters because effective and efficient research administration/operations ultimately helps move science into practice.

How do you leverage your role with Attain Partners to create an impact?

What excites me about Attain Partners is the opportunity to take what I’ve learned leading research operations within a health system and apply it across different organizations. Every research enterprise has its own challenges, but many struggle with similar questions around resources, processes, technology, and growth. I enjoy helping leaders look beyond immediate operational problems to understand the root cause and identify opportunities for measurable and impactful continuous improvement. My goal is to build clinical research enterprises that are sustainable, financially responsible, and better equipped to support the people doing the research.

Which of our seven core values speak to you the most?

Invent the Future and Execute with Discipline resonate with me. I’ve spent much of my career challenging “That’s how we’ve always done it,” and helping organizations rethink how they support research. My background in Lean management has taught me that meaningful change requires disciplined execution, engagement from the people doing the work, and a commitment to continuous improvement. I enjoy finding that balance between imagining possibility and building the systems needed to make it happen.

What do you like most about the work you do?

I love solving complex problems, especially when the solution isn’t immediately obvious. Research organizations are incredibly complex, and the challenges rarely fit neatly into one department or process. Clinical research has the added complexity of health care regulations and processes.  I enjoy bringing people together, understanding different perspectives, and finding ways to make work streamlined and more efficient. There’s nothing more rewarding than seeing a team realize that something they’ve struggled with for years can actually be done better, faster, and with less headache. Ultimately, those improvements give researchers more time to focus on science.

What are the biggest ways you’ve seen research administration initiatives impact organizations?

One of the biggest transformations I’ve seen is what happens when organizations begin treating research administration as a strategic asset rather than simply an administrative necessity. I’ve helped build more centralized and coordinated research infrastructure, bringing together functions that had historically operated independently. That work created opportunities to improve financial oversight, streamline processes, strengthen accountability, and provide highly reliable investigator support.

I think the most meaningful impact goes beyond efficiency. When organizations invest in better systems and support their research workforce, they create the capacity to take on new opportunities, grow their research portfolios, and ultimately bring more scientific discoveries to patients.

How do you stay current on the latest trends and developments in research administration?

I’m naturally curious, so I’m always looking for opportunities to learn. I’m currently pursuing my doctorate in health administration, where my research focuses on Lean management systems, organizational performance, and the administrative burden experienced by research professionals. That gives me an opportunity to explore the evidence behind many of the challenges I’ve encountered professionally.

I also stay engaged with professional networks, industry conferences, and developments in research technology and policy. I especially enjoy connecting academic research with practical experience and thinking about how emerging ideas can help organizations operate differently.

What do you believe is the most important ingredient for successful organizational transformation?

People. W. Edwards Deming is often credited with saying, “A bad system will beat a good person every time.”

That philosophy has shaped how I approach leadership and organizational improvement. Too often, organizations focus on technology and organizational restructures without addressing underlying challenges rooted in the systems and processes people are expected to navigate. Sustainable transformation starts with respect for people. Poorly designed processes are a form of disrespect. The individuals closest to the work often have the greatest insight into what’s not working and how to improve it. In order to create the conditions for people to succeed, we must remove barriers, engage teams in problem-solving, and build systems that support rather than hinder their work. When we improve the system, we not only improve organizational performance, but also the experience of the people who make that performance possible.

Attain Partners – Clinical Research Strategy and Operations Experts

Attain Partners helps organizations streamline clinical research operations across study start-up, financial management, and technology implementation. Our team combines operational expertise with technology-driven solutions to improve efficiency, reduce risk, and support successful research outcomes. We tailor our support to help organizations accelerate study activation, strengthen financial oversight, and manage day-to-day workloads.

In addition to consulting, we provide embedded support for study start-up and regulatory activities. Our managed services include coverage analysis, budget preparation and negotiation, contract negotiation across agreement types, clinical trial management system (CTMS) builds, and post-award financial management. Our flexible approach helps organizations access the expertise they need in a format that fits their goals and operational needs.

Learn More – Amanda Breeden

Amanda Breeden is a Principal Consultant, Clinical Research Strategy and Operations at Attain Partners. She brings experience leading health system research operations, building centralized research infrastructure, and strengthening financial oversight and investigator support. Her background in Lean management informs a collaborative approach to improving processes and reducing administrative burden. Currently pursuing her doctorate in health administration, Amanda is passionate about helping organizations build sustainable research enterprises that support their people and bring scientific discoveries to patients.