Clinical Research Manager

Carlie Leyde

Carlie Leyde

We are excited to have Carlie Leyde join Envoy Medical as our Clinical Research Manager. Carlie started with us as a contractor and has now formally joined our team working out of our headquarters office in White Bear Lake, Minnesota.

Carlie will manage all aspects of the clinical trials for our investigational Acclaim® cochlear implant. She is well-versed in regulatory, operating procedures, and Good Clinical Practice (GCP) enabling her to build a solid foundation for the design and implementation of clinical and research processes for the Acclaim. Carlie’s experience will help Envoy push hearing technology beyond the status quo to improve access, usability, compliance, and ultimately quality of life for the millions of people living with hearing loss.

After graduating from Minnesota State University-Moorhead with a BS in Mass Communications with an Emphasis in Advertising and Public Relations, Carlie deviated from her degree of study and took a position with Minnesota Gastroenterology (now MNGI Digestive Health) as a patient coordinator. From there, she moved into a clinical research role with MNGI and continued her career path in the clinical research arena with Medtronic, HealthPartners and, most recently, NAMSA.

When asked to summarize why she moved from a communications major to a clinical research role, she was quick to reply, “When I graduated in 2010, at the height of the recession, nobody was hiring in advertising or PR; that was one of the first areas in corporations that was cut. I needed a job, and I started working at a company called Minnesota Gastroenterology as a patient coordinator. While facilitating communication between patients and healthcare providers I become aware of some research opportunities. One of the healthcare providers I supported was a hepatology specialist and she was involved in research. After supporting her for two years, I learned about clinical research as a career option.”

Carlie’s subject matter experience ranges from gastroenterology to heart failure, in vitro diagnostics, and neuroscience. Her favorite part of clinical research is helping people while having influence and impact on the ‘behind the scenes’ aspect of the business.

What brought Carlie to Envoy?

She was not looking for a new position, but a recruiter reached out and sent her a job description which he described as a non-traditional CRA role in that travel was minimal. This appealed to Carlie, so she explored the Envoy website and saw that there was one product on the market and one product in the pipeline. With no background in hearing loss or audiology, she thought the products were intriguing. The combination of a small company where all the stakes were with one or two products was quite appealing, and working in the hearing space where making an impact was needed is what drew her in.

Envoy Medical’s work-life balance and opportunity to work a hybrid schedule was an essential requirement for Carlie, as the mom of a small child. She indicated, “Flexibility is a key factor in my career choices.” Her favorite part of working at Envoy is having the opportunity to learn the entire medical device lifecycle process and appreciating how all the gears fit together. “It’s fun to see all of these intelligent people with different roles and backgrounds work together toward a common goal.”

When asked what keeps her motivated, Carlie’s response was, “A continuous to-do loop/list – getting input, getting something done and planning for a larger pivotal trial. In this business, there is no down time and being constantly on our toes as things are always evolving is a way of life at Envoy Medical.”