Avalere, part of Avalere Health, announces Sarah Alwardt, PhD, as its new President.

As President, Alwardt leads the U.S. Policy, Access, Value and Evidence capability at Avalere’s parent company, Avalere Health. In taking on the dual roles, she will further integrate Avalere’s deep expertise in federal and state policy, market access and reimbursement, evidence and strategy, and due diligence into Avalere Health’s global services across the product lifecycle.

Alwardt will work closely with Avalere Health’s President of Global Policy, Access, Value and Evidence, Tim Wright, with both leaders reporting into Amar Urhekar, Chief Operating Officer of Avalere Health. Together they will provide unrivaled global expertise in North America, Europe, Latin America and the Asia-Pacific region, driving innovative integrated solutions for clients around the world.

The Avalere team plays an integral role in providing a 360-degree view of the healthcare landscape to all capabilities across Avalere Health — Policy, Access, Value, and Evidence; Medical; Consulting; Marketing; and Digital Experience Technology. Working collaboratively throughout the organization, Avalere ensures all teams can provide clients unparalleled insight into the evolving legislative and market access landscapes. These insights are fueled by access to a wealth of datasets, including extensive open and closed claims data across payer markets, clinical data and data on the social determinants of health, formulary and benefit design, digital devices and patient programs.

“Our clients are facing challenges from the Inflation Reduction Act, increasing demands for evidence generation, and continuing efforts to ensure patients have a voice in their own healthcare,” said Amar Urhekar, Chief Operating Officer of Avalere Health. “It is vital for our clients to remain at the forefront of these trends. Sarah is a highly accomplished leader who will expertly guide our teams in providing creative solutions for clients to influence, prepare for and rapidly respond to the changing market.”

Prior to her role as President, Alwardt led Avalere’s Evidence and Strategy practice, where she galvanized key players across the care continuum to transform healthcare and give patients a voice. She has more than 20 years of experience in leadership, strategy and operations for biopharmaceutical industries, with expertise in real-world data and advanced analytics for maximizing product value and performance.

Before joining Avalere, Alwardt launched and grew Ontada, McKesson’s oncology research business that provides evidence-development strategies. Under her leadership, Ontada produced more than 200 scientific publications and submitted multiple regulatory filings. Prior to McKesson, she spent 10 years at Humana, where she held leadership roles in research, program and process development.

“In the face of healthcare’s most complex challenges, our clients need a partner who can deliver practical, actionable solutions. Our deep subject-matter expertise and data-driven insights help stakeholders navigate the impact of these challenges on their business and on the patient experience,” says Alwardt. “I’m thrilled to lead our U.S. Policy, Access, Value and Evidence team into the future as a trusted partner for clients across the healthcare spectrum.”

About Avalere and Avalere Health

A healthcare consulting firm for more than 20 years, Avalere partners with leading life sciences companies, health plans, providers, and investors to bring innovative, data-driven solutions to today’s most complex healthcare challenges. Follow Avalere on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Avalere is part of Avalere Health, a purposefully built commercialization partner for the biopharmaceutical, medical technology, and wellness industries. Its 1,500+ experts combine their knowledge and expertise across our core disciplines—Consulting; Medical; Policy, Access, Value, and Evidence; Marketing; and Digital Experience and Technology—to create the connections that make better health happen. Visit www.avalerehealth.com and follow Avalere Health on LinkedIn and Instagram.

Contact Information

US contact:

Lisa Murphy: lmurphy@avalere.com

Global contact:

Natasha Cowan:  natasha.cowan@avalerehealth.com