Welcome, New Hires! – August 2026

Kelly Arbogast
Assistant Counsel, Legal

Q: Are you a Pittsburgh local or did you grow up elsewhere?

I am Pittsburgh local, born and raised in Mt. Lebanon. After attending Penn State, I volunteered at a homeless center for a year with AmeriCorps in Phoenix, Arizona, but boomeranged back with my now-husband.

Q: Do you have an unusual talent or hobby?

My biggest hobby (other than doting on my 12-month-old son) is fitness. Most recently, my husband and I raced in the 4-mile Fitness Challenge with the Pittsburgh Marathon, and upcoming, my sister and I are competing in a Hyrox competition in Washington, D.C.

Q: Share any fun fact!

I love the outdoors. I have backpacked through Yellowstone, hiked the Swiss Alps, and canoed the Mississippi River, to name a few of my most memorable outdoor adventures. In another life, I would be a ranger for a National Park.

Bob Bauer De Borba
Research Associate – Start Up, Sponsored Clinical Trials and Partnerships

Q: Are you a Pittsburgh local or did you grow up elsewhere?

I’m a German citizen, born and raised in Brazil. Lived in Utah from 2000 to 2006, then returned to Brazil, lived in Europe and back to the United States in 2023 to join UPMC St Margaret Hospital as a nurse clinician.

Q: Do you have any kids? Any pets?

I have two grown kids, Robert (29) and Meggy (24), both live in Germany.

Q: What is your perfect meal?

Brazilian BBQ, Gaucho Style

Maya Evanitsky
Research Specialist – Grants & Contracts, Sponsored Clinical Trials and Partnerships

Q: Are you a Pittsburgh local or did you grow up elsewhere?

I’m a local! I grew up in Cranberry Township, but I lived in North Carolina for 6 years to pursue a PhD in genetics research. I moved back to the area in 2023 and am happy to be home!

Q: Do you have an unusual talent or hobby?

I volunteer with Art All Night Pittsburgh, a 22-hour pop-up art show hosted annually in April. It’s completely free for all attendees and for all artists to submit their work. It’s such a fun and chaotic event to put together and a great way to support local artists.

Q: Share any fun fact!

I love going to local concerts and discovering new bands. One of my favorite local bands is NASH.V.ILL.

April Hopper
RWD Scientific Program Manager, Implementation

Q: Do you have any kids or pets?

No children, but I have two Shetland Sheepdogs named Duncan and Declan.

Q: If any musician or band could give you a personal concert, who would it be?

U2, for sure!

Q: Do you have an unusual talent or hobby?

I am a figure skater.

Natalie Sayth
Data Analyst, Data Analytics and Informatics

Q: Are you a Pittsburgh local or did you grow up elsewhere?

I was born and raised outside of Washington, DC, but for whatever reason it’s always felt a bit dishonest to say that’s where I grew up. Some of the family I’m closest with is anchored in Brooklyn and Staten Island, and I lived there for a while, which was a decent fit because I’m very cranky. But as I age and risk going full curmudgeon, I need a touch more peace, and I don’t think I could have landed in a better place than Pittsburgh.

Q: If any musician or band could give you a personal concert, who would it be?

If anything’s on the table, Queen because Freddie Mercury in person would be a hard moment to top. Living artists, probably Lorde. I don’t know if I’ll ever get a good ticket to one of her shows. I’ve also thought that a personal performance of Hamilton is something that should exist because that show is so magical it’s hard not to sing along, but you can’t ruin the sound for a fellow ticketholder. The first time I saw it, someone seated in front of me couldn’t help but wave her hands like she was conducting, and that was… fine.

Q: How did you get into the industry?

At different times I was pursuing literary academia and screenwriting, but I found that the dearth of career paths at a sustainable living wage can really bleed you of the passion that brought you there in the first place. So I took a step back and identified the big-picture priorities that motivated me. Progress, communication, critical thinking, intellectual development. Data analytics is in the foundation of any industry with that kind of meaningful impact. And a hybrid of healthcare and technology data appealed to me. The more I realized how much we can build out from that information, the more I wanted to be in it.

John Schlaich
Financial Specialist, Sponsored Clinical Trials and Partnerships

Q: Are you a Pittsburgh local or did you grow up elsewhere?

I am. I grew up in both West Mifflin and Duquesne, so when people ask, I always say I’m from Kennywood. It’s probably why I love roller coasters so much.

Q: If any musician or band could give you a personal concert, who would it be?

I don’t believe my answer here is going to enter me into any sweepstakes contest, so I’ll go back in time and say I would love to see a concert from Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, Elton John, or Bob Marley in their heyday.

Q: What is your perfect meal?

Wait this isn’t my “last meal” is it?? I love pretty much everything so a few different answers here. I could probably eat spaghetti or pasta every day, however my favorite cuisine has to be Thai food. My favorite meal though is the full-course Thanksgiving dinner.

Habiba Usman, B Pharm, MSc, PhD
Research Specialist – Grants & Contracts, Sponsored Clinical Trials & Partnerships

Q: How did you get into the industry?

I have a background in pharmacy with a master’s and a PhD in pharmacology. Following a career in neuroscience and neuropharmacological research, I ventured into medical writing and editing. I spent five years as a medical writer at Hillman Cancer Center, then after a short stint at a CRO Rho, I found myself back at UPMC here in the Enterprises division.

Q: Are you a Pittsburgh local or did you grow up elsewhere?

I spent my early years in Minneapolis, MN, then later moved to Nigeria. I returned to the U.S. moving to Baltimore, MD, in 2006, and finally settled in Pittsburgh in 2008.

Q: Do you have any kids or pets?

I have two adult “kids,” named Asher and Zoe. No pets — I’m scared stiff of cats.

Chris Wiltrout, MPH
Research Specialist – Regulatory/Compliance, Sponsored Clinical Trials and Partnerships

Q: How did you get into the industry?

Initially during my undergraduate experience at the University of Pittsburgh, I had a desire to pursue a career in clinical psychology. However, many of my psychology courses were focused on research methods. From there, I developed an interest in working within the clinical research space and began working part-time as a research assistant while still in college. Since that time, I have found that working in clinical research can be very rewarding (especially when you are able to witness the positive impacts for patients firsthand) and haven’t turned back!

Q: Are you a Pittsburgh local or did you grow up elsewhere?

I am a Pittsburgh local! I grew up in Shaler Township, completed my undergraduate as well as my graduate education at the University of Pittsburgh, and currently live in the North Side/North Shore area.

Q: Share any fun fact!

My favorite fun fact to share with people is that I was an extra on an episode of the Netflix show “Mindhunter” (acting as a police officer). This show was filmed in Pittsburgh, and I was asked to be an extra while on my lunch break in Schenley Plaza on Pitt’s campus!