Jenn Coppola, PhD, is the associate vice president and regional head for global clinical trial operations, (GCTO) North America. She is responsible for directing the high-quality clinical trial work of more than 1,300 professionals in the United States and Canada.

Jenn oversees an extensive clinical trial portfolio of more than 285 active clinical studies across multiple areas and more than 4,000 sites throughout the region. She is a key member of the Regions & Regional Operations (RRO) Leadership Team and works cross-functionally with groups throughout GCTO and within MRL to achieve company objectives.

Jenn has more than 24 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry, as well as several years of clinical practice experience. Her expertise spans interventional clinical trials, strategic management of the therapeutic areas and medical affairs. Jenn has held positions such as team leader, vice president and head of medical affairs, in which she was responsible for developing and maintaining relationships with investigators, advocacy groups and key opinion leaders.

Jenn began her career focusing on providing treatment and education to patients in the areas of obesity, nutrition, metabolism and diabetes. Her transition into the pharmaceutical industry saw her excel in various positions, initially in oncology and internal medicine global clinical trial operations, working with both small molecules and biologics through different lifecycle phases.

Jenn spent most of her career at Pfizer in New York City, where she held positions of increasing responsibility, starting in global clinical trial operations and progressing into medical affairs. Jenn enthusiastically joined Merck in November 2025, inspired by the opportunity to advance clinical research and contribute to improving outcomes for patients around the world.

Her academic achievements include a degree in dietetics, a master’s degree in public health, and a PhD in human behavior/neuroscience.