Principal Investigator
Executive Director of Patient Engagement, Marketing, & Diversity
Director of Laboratory Services
Director of Regulatory
Director of Quality and Compliance
Director of Marketing
Director of Clinical Initiatives & Community Affairs
Director of Accounting
Recruitment Manager
Clinical Operations Coordinator & Analyst
Administrator of Global Data Management
Administrator of Global Data Management
Administrator of Global Data Management
Regulatory and QA Associate
Human Recourses Generalist
K2 Experience Ambassador
Mobile Clinic Manager
Account Manager
Community Connector
Marketing Specialist
Recruitment Specialist
Recruitment Specialist
Recruitment Specialist
Recruitment Specialist
Recruitment Specialist
Recruitment Specialist
Recruitment Specialist
Mobile Clinic Coordinator
Mobile Clinic Coordinator
Feasibility Specialist
Quality Control Associate
Quality Control Associate
Regulatory and Quality Affairs Associate
Regulatory Specialist
Data Entry Specialist
Tomorrow’s treatment today.
Dr. Kelley Yokum, a board-certified psychiatrist, joins K2 as co-owner and Principal Investigator at K2 Medical Research, Tampa. A Certified PI through the Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP), she has provided clinical expertise on over 100 clinical trials in the last decade. Formerly the Medical Director of a prestigious independent research facility, she worked with populations ranging from pre-school aged children to the elderly and is proficient in a wide range of neurological and dermatological indications, including Alzheimer’s Disease, Tourette’s Syndrome, Schizophrenia, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, to Psoriasis, Atopic Dermatitis, Vitiligo, and Pruritus.
Dr. Yokum holds a B.S. in Biology and obtained her medical degree from the University of Alabama’s Birmingham School of Medicine. She completed her adult psychiatry residency at the University of South Florida, where she obtained additional training in pediatric psychiatry. Dr. Yokum is devoted to maintaining good clinical practice and promoting ethics in research and is currently serving as a board member at Sterling Institutional Review Board (a nationally accredited IRB). She is the mother of three wonderful children and when she isn’t working, enjoys yoga, cooking, and art.
Lora Pea, a site operations specialist and registered nurse (RN) with nearly 20 years of clinical research experience, joins Tampa’s K2 Medical Research as Managing Director. Lora has spent the better part of her profession learning how to operate sites effectively and promote efficiency by streamlining operations without compromising the quality of patient care. She has held numerous positions including Site Director, Clinical Research Coordinator, and Neuropsychiatric rater, and has collaborated on hundreds of studies, in indications such as atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, arthritis, PTSD, depression, anxiety, bipolar, Tourette’s, Alzheimer’s disease, schizophrenia, chronic pain, and more.
Over the course of her career, Lora has facilitated several key business functions including operations, financials, organizational structure, business development, contracts/budgets, marketing, and recruitment. Prior to her current role, Lora held the titles of Senior Manager of Feasibility and a Global Site Mobilization Manager for a worldwide clinical research network specializing in providing medical care to local communities using clinical trials as a primary resource. She is excited to bring this innovative, pragmatic, and integrative care concept to full fruition at K2 Tampa.
A University of Georgia graduate and big football fan, Lora enjoys watching college football games (Go Dawgs!) in her spare time. You may also find her boating on the weekends and soaking up the Florida sunshine with family, friends, and her 5-year-old Goldendoodle named Maple.
Sandra Torres joins the K2 team as a Director of Clinical Partnership and Diversity and Registered Nurse with over a decade of clinical experience. An expert in her field, she began her journey in research administering infusions and now holds the prestigious title of CRNI (Certified Registered Nurse Infusion.) After graduating with a B.S. in nursing from the University of South Florida, Sandra worked as a pediatric emergency room nurse and graduate nurse preceptor. She went on to hold various leadership positions in clinical research such as Associate Manager of Site, Clinical Delivery Manager and served as Interim Site Director, focusing on all clinical deliverables, patient safety, community outreach and quality.
In 2015 Sandra was voted nurse of the year by her peers and joined her clinical team in a mission trip to Ethiopia to provide primary care for a village where more than 300 people received care and supplies. With a passion for the underserved and minority population and as an immigrant herself, she understands the struggles and barriers that this population experiences. Her goal is to educate her local community and provide access to clinical research opportunities. In her previous role, she initiated and led the diversity outreach program and significantly increased the Latino participation in clinical trials.
Sandra moved with her family from Mexico at the age of 11 years old and has lived in Orlando ever since. She enjoys attending cultural events and learn about the diversity and beauty of each culture. She now resides in the City Beautiful with her husband, three children and dog, Frida.
Bio Coming Soon.
Michelle Montone joins K2 Medical Research as Director of Marketing with nearly a decade of experience in clinical trials. Specializing in forming community partnerships, educational programs, and promoting clinical research, Michelle is a Certified Meeting Planner with a primary focus on marketing and event planning for neurodegenerative diseases and disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Prior to joining K2, she provided operational support for various industries, such as Ripley Entertainment and the Judicial Circuit Court system. A scholar and an athlete, she obtained her bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida in 2007 and won the All-SEC Freshman of the Year Award for the University’s softball team in 2004.
Originally hailing from South Florida, Michelle is bilingual: fluent in both Spanish and English. As a first-generation Cuban-American, she is well-versed in integrating cultures while still honoring their individual nuances; she hopes to use these skills to bring the benefits of medical research to traditionally underserved populations and end the stigma of clinical research in the Latin community once and for all.
In her free time, you can find her traveling, watching sports, and enjoying quality time with her friends and family.
Bio Coming Soon !
Bio Coming Soon.
Dennis Neumann joins K2 Medical Research as a clinical research coordinator after a long and successful career in broadcasting. A local celebrity in Orlando and its surrounding areas, he served as the radio voice of the NBA’s Orlando Magic for the last 23 years, providing entertainment to basketball fans of all ages. With this much-welcomed career transition, Dennis hopes to positively impact our Central Florida community in a different way: by assisting in medical research.
A graduate of the University of Oregon, Dennis was awarded the prestigious Evans Golf Scholarship in 1977. He began his forty-year broadcast career in Dallas, Texas in 1983 at KXVI/KTNS, then moved on to the Florida Radio Network and the USA Radio Network before joining the Orlando Magic in 1991. In 1998, he was named the radio play by play voice of the Magic and over the next 23 years went on to call 1900+ consecutive games without missing an assignment. He is detail-oriented, a people-person and possesses excellent observational skills, all of which are abilities that make a highly effective coordinator for patients enrolled in clinical trials. Dennis hopes to contribute to creating solutions for our country’s many health challenges and give back to the community he has enjoyed being part of for so many years.
He resides in Belle Isle with his wife Debbie and their two dogs, Murphy and Maggie. He and Debbie have three children: Bradley, Lisa, and Stephanie, as well as ten grandchildren. In his free time, he enjoys reading, running, and enjoying beautiful Lake Conway.
Mike Starr joins K2 Medical Research as a Recruitment Specialist, after a decade in Orlando and New York City recruiting volunteers to help develop the next wave of important medications, devices, and vaccines.
He has a long history in sports. Most importantly his time as an elite road cyclist. Racing 1000 days, and winning 60 races, his career as a sportsman took him all over the world, opening his eyes to varied cultures, and the realization of how many commonalities seven billion people hold.
Mike also served in the US Navy for four years, earning honors, and gained respect for the difficult job of training the world’s peacekeepers.
Currently Mike is living in NYC amongst the constant hustle and bustle, but has a quiet fondness for a few hushed days along Maine’s rugged coast. His passion for the urban advocation of walking, public transport and the use of micromobility is well known, and a source of many conversations.
If you are interested in learning more or participating in any of our studies, please fill out the form below and our office will get back to you within 1-2 business days.
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Melissa Belardo, is a certified family nurse practitioner (FNP-BC), joins K2 Medical Research with more than a decade of clinical experience. She has served as an investigator in over 20 trials. Prior to clinical research, she held roles in gastroenterology, hepatology, and nurse education.
Melissa’s academic background includes a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Adventist University, followed by a master’s degree in Family Nurse Practitioner from Georgetown University.
Melissa is a native of the US Virgin Islands’ and is fluent in both English and Spanish; Melissa has lived in central Florida for the past twenty years. When she’s not at work, you can find her volunteering at her local church and spending time with family.