Director, Manufacturing Engineering
Evalve, Inc. (Acquired By Abbott Vascular, Inc.)
Held direct leadership for manufacturing engineering during critical rapid growth associated with European market ramp, IDE clinical trials, preparation for FDA PAI/PMA and U.S. launch of MitraClip system (Class III medical device) used by interventional cardiologists to reduce mitral regurgitation, adapting open surgical double-orifice technique in less invasive, catheter-based procedure. Led sustaining manufacturing engineers, project engineers, advanced manufacturing engineers, equipment design engineers, process validation engineers, packaging engineers, and design for excellence master black belt engineer. Held responsibility for department recruitment, staffing, performance appraisals, as well as succession planning for number of employees in excess of 50. Achieved reduction in reoccurring NCR’s, labor hours, cost, scrap, improved yield, ergonomic and safety, lean initiatives, resolved supplier quality & supply chain issues. Led site process validation remediation - assembled engineering team to perform more than 75 process validations including IQs, OQs, PQs, PPQs, and performed the role of subject matter expert directly with FDA auditor resulting in zero findings and successfully passing the FDA pre approval inspection. Protocol and report reviewer and approver on all site validations including facilities, design, software, test method, process, packaging, cleaning, sterilization, aging/shelf-life, and supplier. Led CAPA’s associated with reliability, design, process, quality system, supplier, packaging, facilities, field action/recall. QSIT team member, led numerous audit readiness initiatives, member on multiple quality boards such as risk management, change control, CAPA, management review, Abbott Quality Regulatory (AQR) readiness. Project Review Board (PRB) founding member developing a system for successful prioritization, execution and tracking of site CAPA’s, projects, and department initiatives.