Meet The Team

Investigators

Christopher Galloway, MD

Medical Director & Principal Investigator

Beatriz Colon, MD

Principal Investigator

Lumary Matos

Investigator

Clinical Team

Taylor Rice

Managing Partner

Marianne McManus

Managing Partner

Amanda Occhino

Director of Clinical Operations

Hadassa Datulma

Clinical Enrollment Lead

Aya Abunabba

Project Manager

Chelsea Darden

Project Manager

Cedric Herrmann

Project Manager

Anjali Mahavir

Project Manager

Mia McMullen

Project Manager

Melanie Menendez, CPhT

Project Manager

Jessalena Lee

Psychometrist Rater

Arianah Yamin-Laboy

Psychometric Rater

Dharti Patel

Clinical Research Assistant

Kiara Rodriguez

Clinical Research Assistant

Tina Austin

Clinical Lab Specialist

John Weihs, RN

Infusion Nurse

Eugenia Monzo, CPht, RPht

Pharmacy Manager II

Jeyssa Samo

Pharmacy Specialist

Sandra Rivas

Clinical Research Navigator

Wendy Cuomo

Community Connector

Keith Barsky

Recruitment Specialist

Amanda Biancardi

Recruitment Specialist

Missy Carlson

Recruitment Specialist

Jessica Rago

Global Data Management Admin

Catherine Trombetti

Regulatory Associate

Jendalis Castro

Front Desk Coordinator

McKayla O'Donnell

Front Desk Coordinator

Christopher Galloway, MD

Principal investigator

Christopher Galloway, MD is a board-certified Family Medicine physician with 20 years of clinical experience.  Dr. Galloway joins K2 as an experienced Principal Investigator having participated in over 100 clinical trials over multiple therapeutic areas and specializing in Neurodegenerative trials.   Dr. Galloway earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Utah and is a graduate of New York Medical College.   He completed his residency at Florida Hospital (now AdventHealth).  He is bilingual in English and Spanish. 

Beatriz Colon, MD

Principal investigator

Dr. Beatriz Colon joins the K2 medical team as a Principal Investigator with more than 20 years of clinical experience in Emergency Medicine. She began her involvement in clinical research in 2022 overseeing trials involving vaccines, Diabetes and Neuropathy, Hypertension, NASH/MASH (Fatty liver), and most recently, Obesity and Alzheimer’s Disease.

Dr. Colon pursued her medical degree at the University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine with a specialty in Emergency Medicine and began practicing in 2002. She later moved to Florida where she continued in Emergency Medicine for more than two decades. Her genuine approach to the well-being of her patients and her work colleagues makes her a true asset to the South Downtown clinic and team. Her sense of humor is a gift, and her smile is said to light up a room.

In her free time, Dr. Colon enjoys traveling and hiking, especially in the National Parks. She also volunteers at the local dog shelter.

Lumary Matos

Sub-Investigator

Lumary Matos joins the K2 medical team as Sub-Investigator with a diverse background in Family Medicine and Psychiatry. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Legal Studies from the University of Central Florida in 1996. Driven by a passion for healthcare, she later pursued a Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies from D’Youville College in Buffalo, NY, graduating in 2016.

Lumary joined our South Orlando location in early 2024 assisting in the oversight of clinical trial indications to include Alzheimer’s Disease, Mild Cognitive Impairment, Diabetes, Obesity and MASH/NASH (Fatty Liver). Throughout her career, Lumary has demonstrated a genuine love for helping a diverse patient population. She strives to impact patients’ experience through her commitment to treating patients with kindness and compassion. Over the past eight years, she has made significant contributions to both Family Medicine and Psychiatry, serving her community with dedication and care.

Outside of her professional life, Lumary enjoys spending quality time with her family and pets. She has a passion for travel and loves to explore new places. Additionally, she is an avid pickleball player, finding joy and relaxation in the sport.

Taylor Rice

Vice President of Neurodegenerative Clinical Operations & Managing Partner at K2 Winter Garden

Coming soon…

Marianne McManus

MANAGING DIRECTOR

Coming soon…

Hadassa Datulma

Clinical Enrollment Lead
Bio Coming Soon.

Cedric Herrmann

Regulatory Associate
Bio Coming Soon.

Anjali Mahavir

Clinical Research Assistant
Bio Coming Soon.

Mia McMullen

Project Manager

Mia McMullen joins K2 Medical Research as a Project Manager. She is a University of North Florida graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Health, a program that equipped her with a comprehensive understanding of the healthcare landscape, including the principles of health promotion, disease prevention, and patient-centered care. While at UNF she interned at Brooks Rehabilitation Hospital in Jacksonville, Florida, where she worked in their brain injury rehabilitation center. This experience was helpful allowing her to engage directly with patients and apply her knowledge in a practical setting.

In addition to her academic and internship experiences, she is a Certified Medical Technologist. She has three years of prior health care experience at Aventus Health Laboratories. In her free time, she enjoys going to Disney with her daughter and spending time with her family.

Melanie Menendez, CPhT

Pharmacy Technician
Bio Coming Soon.

Jessalena Lee

Psychometrist Rater
Bio Coming Soon.

Arianah Yamin-Laboy

Psychometric Rater

Arianah Yamin-Laboy joins K2 Medical Research as a Psychometric Rater and Project Coordinator. She is a University of Central Florida graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Clinical Psychology and Minor in Human Services and Aging Studies. While at UCF, she served as a Peer Educator for the Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), a Trained Peer for Togetherall, an anonymous clinically moderated peer support platform, and as a Research Assistant for UCF’s OLDeR Lab where she assisted in subject recruitment and designed presentation materials.

Her previous experience includes interning as a Behavioral Health Technician for Aspire Health Partners, where she provided recovery support services to individuals with substance use conditions, monitored client progress and family visits, assisted with group therapy and activities, and conducted drug screening tests. She also previously interned at the Alzheimer’s & Dementia Resource Center (ADRC), where she provided resources to caregivers in the community, managed Florida Brain Bank Research Program files, facilitated the smooth sailing of workshops, and created marketing materials. She continues to volunteer for them in her free time. She also enjoys traveling and spending time with her family, friends, and dog, Poppy.

Kiara Rodriguez

Psychometric Rater & Research Assistant
Bio Coming Soon.

Tina Austin

Clinical Research Assistant
Bio Coming Soon.

John Weihs, RN

Infusion Nurse
Bio Coming Soon.

Eugenia Monzo, CPht, RPht

Pharmacy Manager II
Bio Coming Soon.

Jeyssa Samo

Pharmacy Technician
Bio Coming Soon.

Sandra Rivas

Project Manager
Bio Coming Soon.

Wendy Cuomo

Community Connector
Bio Coming Soon.

Keith Barsky

RECRUITMENT SPECIALIST
Bio Coming Soon.

Amanda Biancardi

Recruitment Specialist
Bio Coming Soon.

Dennis Neuman

RECRUITING SPECIALIST

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.

Jessica Rago

Global Data Management Admin
Bio Coming Soon.

Mckayla O’Donnell

Front Desk Coordinator
Bio Coming Soon.

K2 is Closed for the holidays

All K2 locations will be closed from December 24, 2024 – January 5, 2025.  We will reopen on January 6, 2025.  In the meantime, please check out our website to learn more about our clinical research trials, our teams, and ways you can join our growing team.  

Wishing you and your families a Happy Holiday Season! 

Melissa Belardo, APRN

Clinical Investigator

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.

Join a Study

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.