Nigel Walker
With 39 years of experience in entrepreneurial business management, sales and brand marketing, and 29 years in the pharma market, Nigel harnesses the capabilities of That’s Nice to help companies research future trends, communicate their marketing vision, and achieve business growth goals. He earned a bachelor's degree with honors from London College.
Mark Allen
With over 30 years of marketing experience, Mark’s role involves the development of brand strategies and messaging platforms to meet business objectives for clients, based on market research. He has 29 years of experience in life science markets and interviews hundreds of business leaders, executives, scientists and buyers as the basis of strategy. Mark graduated from the London School of Journalism and received distinctions while studying marketing strategy and branding at New York University.
Wei Gao
With 16 years of experience at That’s Nice, Wei oversees company operations, manages all client relationships and maximizes the efforts of the firm’s multidisciplinary teams to deliver exceedingly high-quality work. Wei has spent his entire career in marketing, with a specialized focus in the pharmaceutical sector. He has a degree in communications from Southern Connecticut State University and is fluent in Chinese and Japanese.
Young Tae
Young is responsible for developing and managing visual brands for clients to support their business and strategic goals. She works closely with the strategy team and leads teams of designers, illustrators, animators and other specialists to bring brands and integrated marketing materials to life. Young has nearly 23 years of experience working on brand-focused marketing and 20 years of accumulated knowledge in the pharmaceutical market. She received a four-year, full tuition scholarship to the Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art in New York City.
Yiyi Liu
Yi Yi has 14 years of experience at That’s Nice serving in roles of increasing responsibility. As Project Director, she oversees all client projects, working with the firm’s internal and external resources to ensure timely completion of deliverables within budget and exceeding client expectations. Yi Yi has a bachelor’s degree in marketing and finance from Syracuse University.
David Alvaro, Ph.D.
David is responsible for directing and generating industry, scientific and research-based content, including client-owned strategic content on the Pharma’s Almanac content enterprise and has been with That's Nice for 6 years. As Director of Nice Insight, David draws on the firm’s expansive research and data resources to develop rich scientific content relevant to the current market. Before joining That’s Nice, David served as a scientific editor for the multidisciplinary scientific journal Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. He received a B.A. in biology from New York University and a Ph.D. in genetics and development from Columbia University.
Sophie Lutter, Ph.D.
Sophie brings over 10 years of scientific content creation and strategic marketing experience to That’s Nice, where she helps to develop strategic marketing plans to achieve customer business objectives, conducts interviews with life science leaders to develop insight-based brand strategies and key messaging, and helps to oversee the development of accurate technical and marketing copy in support of client goals. Sophie graduated with an undergraduate degree in Natural Sciences from Cambridge University and a PhD in Developmental Biology from University College London.
Mandy Boyd
Mandy Boyd is a seasoned creative and marketing strategist, boasting over a decade of experience spanning vital aspects of brand strategy, project management, and the formation of strategic partnerships. As Accounts Director at That's Nice, Mandy plays an instrumental role in overseeing key client relationships, ensuring that each account receives a bespoke strategy that aligns with its unique goals and market position. Mandy holds a bachelor’s degree in Communication Design from East Carolina University.
Tonia Becker
Tonia Becker, Strategic Content Director at That's Nice, excels in transforming complex ideas into digestible, actionable strategies. With a keen focus on pharmaceuticals, biopharmaceuticals, cell and gene therapy, she masterfully crafts messaging, content strategy, and positioning to resonate within science and engineering-based sectors to achieve measurable results. Tonia's expertise spans brand positioning, market analysis, SEO, sales enablement, and social media strategy, driving demand generation in B2B markets. Tonia holds a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from Ohio University.
April Stanley, MS, MBA
April Stanley brings over a decade of multifaceted experience in the biopharmaceutical industry to her roles as Senior Scientific Research Director and M&A Advisor. Her expertise spans therapeutics, manufacturing, medical devices, and computational biology. April’s background in venture investments and corporate board participation has equipped her with a unique perspective on strategic growth and investment opportunities, positioning her to offer invaluable advice and insights for informing client strategy. April holds a master’s degree in Microbiology and an MBA from the University of Illinois.
Cynthia Challener, Ph.D.
With over 20 years of technical writing experience, Dr. Challener develops informative and engaging thought leadership content in the areas of chemical and biopharmaceutical manufacturing. She is an esteemed industry writer and editor who leverages a deep scientific expertise to develop ideas and craft original Pharma’s Almanac materials. including technical articles, white papers, blogs, and related content. In her 10 years at That’s Nice, Dr. Challener has written content for the most respected brands in the biopharmaceutical space. She received a B.S. in Chemistry from Stanford University and a Ph.D. in Organometallic Chemistry from the University of Chicago.
Prof. Daniel Smith, Ph.D.
Professor Daniel Smith serves as the Chief Scientific Officer and M&A Advisor at That’s Nice, bringing a passion for fostering collaboration to spur scientific and technical advancements in advanced therapeutics. With a career spanning over 18 years, Daniel’s vast experience includes a diverse array of operational, technical, commercial, and corporate roles across multiple regulated environments globally, boasting a versatile history of leadership positions ranging from hands-on management to strategic oversight. Daniel holds a bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry and a PhD in Biological Sciences from the University of Warwick.
James Grote
James (Jim) Grote joined That’s Nice in February 2022 in the role of Director of Research. Jim has a long history within the pharmaceutical industry, beginning in 1996. Jim has served in a variety of roles within the Market Research, Global Business Analytics and US Core Analytics groups for 15 years. He has a degree in business administration from Georgetown University.
Heather Harmon
With over 12 years of marketing expertise, Heather Harmon excels in crafting strategic content and messaging tailored to life science clients' unique needs and objectives. Her extensive background spans various industries, including life science, venture capital, and digital-first startups. Heather earned her degree in Public Relations and Communications from Otterbein University.
Jason Rahal
With 25 years of experience in biotechnology, Jason brings a wealth of expertise in Advanced Therapies to the company. Prior to joining That’s Nice, he was SVP Business Development and a member of the senior management team for 17 years at Cobra Biologics, a CDMO providing services for Advanced Therapies which included viral vectors, plasmid DNA, proteins and live biotherapeutic products (LBPs). Before that, Jason worked at Excell Biotech and Stratagene Cloning Systems in various business development and sales positions. He began his career at Northwestern University managing a molecular and cell biology laboratory with several peer-reviewed publications. Jason holds a BA in Biology and Studio Art from Knox College.
Emilee Kudla
Emilee’s role at That’s Nice is multifaceted, encompassing account and project management, client media placements and business development. Prior to joining That’s Nice, Emilee managed marketing for the manufacturing operations of Unither Pharmaceuticals, where she managed the communications and logistics surrounding a new product launch. Emilee has a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Sacred Heart University.
Emily Strackhouse
Emily Strackhouse brings close to a decade in life sciences-focused business development experience to That’s Nice, with demonstrated expertise in driving growth and innovation. Her tenure at That's Nice has been marked by her ability to forge strong client relationships and deliver impactful M&A consulting and strategic growth solutions for clients across a wide range of markets and modalities. Emily graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Finance, Marketing & Psychology from Lehigh University.
Jonathan Sismey
With over 30 years of media sales experience in the scientific publishing industry, including representing several associated trade organizations, Jonathan brings a wide array of marketing, sales, and industry experience to the company. He holds a BSC. from the University of Westminster in the UK and has both British and American citizenship since moving to the United States in 1997.
Albert Bruan
With 17 years of experience at That’s Nice, Albert is responsible for the organization and coordination of office operations, human resources, customer relationship management and logistics to facilitate organizational effectiveness and efficiency. Prior to joining That’s Nice, Albert served his country honorably in the Navy. Albert holds a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies and lives in New Jersey.