About Us
Velocity BioGroup is a strategic group of long-time business executives in the pharmaceutical, biologics, medical devices, and Federal Markets, with very high-level relationships in the commercial and government payer world, public relations and advocacy communities. The primary function of the Velocity BioGroup team is to support your organization in framing a compelling formula for the success of your key products introduced in the market.
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“The summit is what drives us, but the climb itself is what matters.” – Conrad Anker
Meet The Team
Ready to deliver actionable results at high Velocity.
Clarity, Perspective, Strategy.
Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Pat Trifunov
Pat's experience and expertise as a senior pharma executive include government and public relations, sales management, health systems strategy, contract negotiations & pricing.
Pat has thirty-year+ specialization in strategy, state & federal policies, business, and government health systems management. This includes:
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Sales & sales management expertise in the pharmaceutical industry with three leading companies
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Direct and management level customer development
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Successful nine-figure contract negotiations for public healthcare system product access
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Management of internal and external strategy and institutional account teams - including managers, directors, area vice presidents, consultants, lobbyists and advocacy managers
Chief Operations Officer
Michael DeWaal
Michael's career includes manufacturing, production and research engineering in the Defense Industry, with an MBA (Washington Univ. St. Louis Olin School of Business), specializing in international business development and business operations/process improvement.
Michael has a Master Black Belt in Six Sigma, certifications and complex applications in ISO, Kaizen and Lean Technologies, Statistical Process Control, Taguchi (known also as Design of Experiments).
Michael leads Velocity BioGroup's IT and Data Security efforts for internal and external client purposes as well as lending perspective from his research experience in the Department of Defense.
Director of Analytics and Forecasting
Jeff DeWaal
Jeff has performed as Market Access Manager for Medicaid projects, Head of Analytics covering all markets, and Director of Analytics and Forecasting in his four years with Velocity BioGroup.
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Leveraging skills in several data analysis platforms, Jeff can organize and create insightful tools informed by a variety of data sources.
Jeff has managed all coding and calculating for 25+ forecasts/simulations covering both the federal and commercial spaces. He can design tools that manage hundreds of thousands of fully customized predictions, allowing for efficient decision making and optimized revenue.
Director of Finance
Maureen Sacho
Maureen Sacho has over 25 years of Human Resources & Accounting experience. Prior to joining Velocity BioGroup, she has worked in a number of industries including Printing, Manufacturing, Construction, and Association Management overseeing several non-profit organizations. Most of her career she has worked directly with Board of Directors, CEOs, Presidents, and Controllers.
Maureen has developed an expertise in the role of a Liaison with Attorneys, outside CPA Firms, Clients, and Vendors. She is proficient in numerous software programs and has extensive experience in office administration, payroll services, accounting and tax services. Her professionalism and attention to detail, as well as her commitment to client and team member’s needs, is what truly sets her apart.
Government Alliances Project Manager
Aimee Elise
Aimee’s role in Velocity BioGroup is project management for the Hikma Specialty contract. Her work encompasses the oversight and management of over thirty Velocity BioGroup personnel. She assists executive management and team members in new hiring and onboarding, conference approach/logistics, development of reports to customers, pull-through of online sales leads, strategic team interactions, and expense management.
Previously, Aimee has six years of experience in Intelligence Analytics through the Pennsylvania Army National Guard and an additional six years of project management work through University City District and Information Management Group.
While working at University City District, she oversaw the logistics of a safety ambassador program of fifty personnel.
During her time with Information Management Group, she led the IT Windows 10 Deployment Team in mass department upgrades for 1,500 personnel from Bechtel Plant Machinery Inc. Bechtel is contracted with the United States Navy for nuclear submarine propulsion innovation.
Director of Medicaid Services
Dan Keeny
Dan Keeney is a results-driven executive with extensive experience leading state government affairs teams in gaining product access and furthering company interests in the government arena. Dan works with client companies' managed markets and sales teams to achieve preferred product access on Medicaid formularies by channeling effective input into P&T committee meeting product reviews and decision-making processes within the increasingly challenging Medicaid space.
Among Dan’s skill sets are:
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Developing strategies for formulary placement, advocating with Medicaid Pharmacy, P&T/DUR Committee members & KOLs
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Managing regulatory and statutory requirements needed for product access
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Tracking P&T / DUR committee meetings including clinical and bid submission due dates
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Tracking and lobbying relevant legislation affecting products or the competitive landscape
National Director Government Alliances
Heidi McCracken
Heidi has 24 years experience in the pharmaceutical industry, working in various disease spaces across those years, including Respiratory, Neurology, Obesity and the one that has become, not just a job, but a true mission for her, helping those with Substance Use Disorder.
She has worked as a Representative, Key Account Manager and Government Account Manager, and now in her position of National Account Director of Government Alliances.
She has worked with Recovery Groups, Hospital Systems, law Enforcement, Corrections and State Government Systems to implement life saving treatments down to the County level. She is excited to continue working on this mission with the entire VBG team!
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Experience including injectables, scheduled medications, Hospital Sales, IDN, Buy & Bill and Specialty Pharmacy, and HUB.
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REMS experience. Strong patient advocate. Multiple award winner, successful launch experience.
Director of Community Health
Ande Hall
Ande brings nearly 30 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry, having worked across a diverse range of disease areas including Respiratory, Depression, Arthritis, Congestive Heart Failure, and Diabetes. Ande joined Velocity BioGroup as a Community Health Manager in January 2023, following a substantial career marked by nearly 15 years of selling buprenorphine and an additional two years dedicated to selling comprehensive treatment programs.
In January 2024, Ande's commitment and exceptional performance were recognized with her promotion to Director of Community Health. In this role, she oversees a dedicated team of seven Community Health Managers spread across the nation, while continuing to maintain direct responsibility for her home state of Tennessee. Ande has collaborated with doctors, law enforcement, community coalitions, corrections, state and county governments, public health organizations, treatment facilities, and more.
Her passion for her work in Substance Use Disorder makes her a valuable asset to the Velocity BioGroup team.
Federal Accounts Manager
Tim Slavin
Tim has dedicated 25 years of his career to the pharmaceutical industry, gaining extensive experience across various disease states and organizations. Throughout his career, he has demonstrated exceptional skills in strategic territory planning, exceeding sales goals, and relationship management.
Tim's passion for helping active duty and veterans receive the best healthcare possible has led him to specialize in VA, DoD, and Indian Health services account management for 15 years. His commitment to excellence has earned him multiple national awards.
Tim is an expert in specialty pharmacy, product training, national and local healthcare markets, MS Office Suite/CRM, buy and bill, orphan drug sales, and virtual presentations.
His extensive experience, combined with his passion for helping people, makes him a valuable asset to any organization.
Government Markets Manager
Ryan McCarthy
As a research specialist, Ryan is a dedicated and focused team member who brings a unique skill set to the table. He is a recent graduate from Colorado Mesa University, where he earned a degree in Mass Communications, business management, and marketing.
Ryan's effective communication skills and problem-solving abilities allow him to approach challenges in a creative and effective manner. His passion for strategy and data analysis keeps the team moving forward, ensuring that the research data and analytics support Velocity BioGroup's goals.
As a dedicated and detail-oriented researcher, he is committed to delivering accurate and reliable results that contribute to the success of the company. Ryan's expertise and focus on achieving goals make him a valuable member of the Velocity BioGroup team.
SUD Medical Affairs & Advocacy
Desiree Crevecoeur-MacPhail
Desirée A. Crèvecoeur-MacPhail, Ph.D. received her doctorate from Claremont Graduate University in social psychology, master’s degree in clinical psychology from Pepperdine University, and a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA).
Prior to joining Velocity BioGroup, she was a research psychologist at the UCLA Integrated
Substance Abuse Programs, Semel Institute for Neuroscience where she studied treatment
engagement, retention and performance management. She has conducted research for over 25 years in substance use disorder treatment, Housing First programs, hate crime perpetration, and anti-hate violence/anti-discrimination educational interventions.
She is the author of over 24 peer-reviewed papers and book chapters on topics including the impact of drug/alcohol withdrawal on the body, how substance use affects the brain, medication-assisted treatment, methamphetamine use in the American Indian and Latino communities, substance use disorder treatment effectiveness, health disparities, and hate crime perpetration
in Los Angeles County.
Federal Accounts Director
Bernie Byrne
Bernie has 28 years as a healthcare professional with established relationships with CJS,GPOs, IDNs, Hospital Systems, DoD, VAs, and Managed Care Organizations in the Western U.S. He possesses documented formulary and sales results and experience in establishing new accounts and sustaining business relationships with key decision makers.
He is passionate about helping our active duty, veterans, and their families get excellent healthcare. He collaborate with cross-functional teams to provide the best service for the accounts he works with.
He has held positions as a Hospital and Institutional Sales District Manager, Federal Account Manager, Regional Sales Manager, National Accounts Manager, Access Director Health System, and Federal Accounts Director.
Director of Government Services
Hope Shen
Hope is a seasoned federal healthcare executive with expertise in pharmaceutical supply chain management, clinical evaluation of products, and regulatory compliance. As a veteran, she provides her unique insight into the federal pharmaceutical market and the needs of fellow service members. Her clinical expertise adds significant value in marketing drugs effectively in the federal space.
She has previously served as the Branch Chief of Pharmaceutical Operations while serving as an Active Duty Army Pharmacist and has worked with hundreds of military hospitals and clinics, participated in P&T committees affecting the federal market, built sales forecasts, and performed contract evaluations. Her experience provides the ability to anticipate and understand the needs of military members who serve and have served.
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Chief of Staff
Tamara Bethel
Tamara brings 20 years of distinguished experience in operational management and executive support to her role as Chief of Staff at Velocity BioGroup. Her career is marked by a demonstrated ability to manage critical projects and top initiatives across various sectors, including tech, music, and marketing.
Prior to joining Velocity BioGroup, Tamara excelled as an Operations Manager at Devscale, where her role involved developing and enforcing policies, managing client relationships from onboarding to project launch, and improving customer experience by resolving issues efficiently.
Her background in coordinating marketing efforts, analyzing sales data, and fostering essential business relationships has equipped her with a comprehensive skill set ideal for her leadership role at Velocity BioGroup.