1958
Christine
2018
Christine K. Pierre
September 8, 1958 — October 23, 2018
Christine Pierre, 60, passed away October 23, 2018 from ocular melanoma with metastasis to the liver, never losing sight of her desire to be present in her life to the last possible moment. “Larger than life” is a fitting description of a woman dedicated to her family, friends, career, and her convictions regarding the importance of clinical research in bringing innovative treatments and medications to patients.
She is survived by her beloved husband, Michael, who was her partner, best friend, and constant companion during her illness; their four children and seven grandchildren; her brother and two sisters; and many, many dear friends.
Christine was born in San Francisco in 1958 to Ted and Marian Ekers. She moved with her family to Maryland when she was 10 to be closer to her mother’s extended family. Christine attended William Wirt Middle School and Parkdale High School (where she was a pom pom girl and homecoming queen), earned her RN degree from Prince George’s Community College, and began working as a cardiac surgery nurse at Washington Hospital Center.
In 1989, she replied to the personal ad in Washingtonian magazine that led her to meet and fall in love with Michael. It took them only four months to realize they wanted to get married and combine families. They would share the next three decades building a life together. It was around this time that a physician at Washington Hospital Center approached her to work on a clinical research study. Through that early experience Christine recognized the need for a thoughtful, focused and standardized approach to clinical research site management. In response she launched RxTrials, one of the nation’s first site management organizations, in 1994.
She proved to be a brilliant and ambitious businesswoman who nurtured her idea and grew it into a global business aimed at improving health and saving lives by bringing safe and effective treatments to patients around the world. In 2006, Christine created the Site Solutions Summit, which was the first major annual conference in the industry. In 2012, she founded the Society for Clinical Research Sites (SCRS) in response to the growing need for an organization representing physicians conducting clinical research studies. SCRS grew quickly under her leadership and now represents nearly 10,000 clinical research sites in 47 countries.
Christine was revered by colleagues and staff, not only for her vast knowledge and experience but for her deep generosity and boundless heart. Her talents, though, stretched far beyond her business acumen. Raised in a family whose catering business was in the forefront of her life as a young girl, Christine was a brilliant party, event and vacation planner, especially for her grandchildren, who were the joy of their YaYa’s life. She had limitless energy, creativity and drive.
She and Michael regularly traveled the globe and took long trips to their beach house. She had a love for decorating and design, creating a beautiful home to which she welcomed all comers. Christine was an extraordinary woman, wife, mother, grandmother, friend, leader, businesswoman, and innovator. She was—to use one of her favorite phrases—all that and a bag of chips. She died in Annapolis, Maryland, surrounded by the people she loved and who loved her back.
Family will receive friends on Sunday, October 28, 2018 from 1pm to 4pm at Beall Funeral Home, 6512 NW Crain Hwy. (Rt 3 South), Bowie, MD. On Monday, October 29, 2018 family will receive friends at Our Lady of the Fields Catholic Church, 1070 Cecil Ave. Millersville, MD, from 10am to 11am, where a memorial service will be held at 11am. In lieu of flowers, a gift can be made to support Dr. Geoff Gibney’s ocular melanoma research at Lombardi Cancer Center, Attn: Neal Bliven, 3300 Whitehaven St. NW, Suite 4000, Washington, DC 20007. Please include: IMO Christine Kemmerle-Pierre/Ocular Melanoma & IHO Geoff Gibney, MD in your check memo or correspondence. Online, go to
She is survived by her beloved husband, Michael, who was her partner, best friend, and constant companion during her illness; their four children and seven grandchildren; her brother and two sisters; and many, many dear friends.
Christine was born in San Francisco in 1958 to Ted and Marian Ekers. She moved with her family to Maryland when she was 10 to be closer to her mother’s extended family. Christine attended William Wirt Middle School and Parkdale High School (where she was a pom pom girl and homecoming queen), earned her RN degree from Prince George’s Community College, and began working as a cardiac surgery nurse at Washington Hospital Center.
In 1989, she replied to the personal ad in Washingtonian magazine that led her to meet and fall in love with Michael. It took them only four months to realize they wanted to get married and combine families. They would share the next three decades building a life together. It was around this time that a physician at Washington Hospital Center approached her to work on a clinical research study. Through that early experience Christine recognized the need for a thoughtful, focused and standardized approach to clinical research site management. In response she launched RxTrials, one of the nation’s first site management organizations, in 1994.
She proved to be a brilliant and ambitious businesswoman who nurtured her idea and grew it into a global business aimed at improving health and saving lives by bringing safe and effective treatments to patients around the world. In 2006, Christine created the Site Solutions Summit, which was the first major annual conference in the industry. In 2012, she founded the Society for Clinical Research Sites (SCRS) in response to the growing need for an organization representing physicians conducting clinical research studies. SCRS grew quickly under her leadership and now represents nearly 10,000 clinical research sites in 47 countries.
Christine was revered by colleagues and staff, not only for her vast knowledge and experience but for her deep generosity and boundless heart. Her talents, though, stretched far beyond her business acumen. Raised in a family whose catering business was in the forefront of her life as a young girl, Christine was a brilliant party, event and vacation planner, especially for her grandchildren, who were the joy of their YaYa’s life. She had limitless energy, creativity and drive.
She and Michael regularly traveled the globe and took long trips to their beach house. She had a love for decorating and design, creating a beautiful home to which she welcomed all comers. Christine was an extraordinary woman, wife, mother, grandmother, friend, leader, businesswoman, and innovator. She was—to use one of her favorite phrases—all that and a bag of chips. She died in Annapolis, Maryland, surrounded by the people she loved and who loved her back.
Family will receive friends on Sunday, October 28, 2018 from 1pm to 4pm at Beall Funeral Home, 6512 NW Crain Hwy. (Rt 3 South), Bowie, MD. On Monday, October 29, 2018 family will receive friends at Our Lady of the Fields Catholic Church, 1070 Cecil Ave. Millersville, MD, from 10am to 11am, where a memorial service will be held at 11am. In lieu of flowers, a gift can be made to support Dr. Geoff Gibney’s ocular melanoma research at Lombardi Cancer Center, Attn: Neal Bliven, 3300 Whitehaven St. NW, Suite 4000, Washington, DC 20007. Please include: IMO Christine Kemmerle-Pierre/Ocular Melanoma & IHO Geoff Gibney, MD in your check memo or correspondence. Online, go to
https://securelb.imodules.com/s/1686/alumni/giving.aspx?sid=1686&gid=4&pgid=476&cid=1175&dids=46.55.58.56.15.74&bledit=1&sort=1&appealcode=osb169, be sure to select "my gift is in honor/memory of someone special. By phone call 202-867-2222 Monday - Friday 9pm to 5pm.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Christine K. Pierre, please visit our flower store.
Service Schedule
Past Services
Memorial Gathering
Sunday, October 28, 2018
1:00 - 4:00 pm (Eastern time)
Beall Funeral Home
Memorial Gathering
Monday, October 29, 2018
10:00 - 11:00 am (Eastern time)
Our Lady of the Fields Catholic Church
Memorial Service
Monday, October 29, 2018
Starts at 11:00 am (Eastern time)
Our Lady of the Fields Catholic Church
Guestbook
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