Lora Black is Vice President of Clinical Research at Sanford Health, overseeing enterprise-wide research operations and initiatives, including international cancer research collaborations. She was instrumental in the development of Sanford Health’s Early Phase Clinical Trials Program and formalized its Decentralized Clinical Trials (DCT) Program, advancing innovation and expanding access to clinical trials across the Sanford footprint. She currently leads a team conducting more than 250 ongoing clinical trials and studies across seven performance sites. With more than 20 years of experience in healthcare and clinical research, Lora brings expertise in trial design, protocol development, regulatory compliance, and site-level operational best practices. She began her career as a bedside nurse in medical oncology before transitioning to clinical research in 2006, serving in nearly every departmental role as Sanford’s centralized clinical trials office was established. Her leadership reflects a strong commitment to improving clinical trial access and outcomes for historically underserved populations, and she actively shapes national research and health policy through service on multiple committees focused on access in clinical research. Lora holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Sioux Falls and a Master of Public Health from Creighton University. She is an Oncology Certified Nurse and ACRP Certified Professional. In addition to her administrative role, she serves as an Assistant Professor at the University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine.