Seven years ago, I joined CRIO fresh out of college as a software engineer. Our office was a small basement space in Boston with a handful of people, a few desks, and a lot of ambition. I had no idea what I was getting into, but I knew I wanted to be part of something meaningful in the clinical research world.
It’s hard to believe how much has changed since then. CRIO has grown in every possible way and I’ve had the pleasure to grow alongside it. The early days felt like controlled chaos, in the best way. Everyone pitched in wherever they were needed, and we learned by doing. Back then, I got to see and do everything—setting up servers, talking to clients, testing new features, and watching our product evolve in real time. It was a crash course in how to build not just software, but a company.
This all-hands-on-deck mentality extended beyond just work tasks to how we built our company culture. We’d grab lunch together almost every day, crowding around the table in the common area or heading to nearby spots. Snack runs were a regular thing too, and half the time they turned into deep conversations about whatever problem we were trying to solve that week. Those moments (and the snacks) made the long days and unpredictable times absolutely worth it.
When the pandemic hit, we all shifted to remote work and managed to keep the same energy and drive, especially at a time when clinical research was so crucial. That was the point where CRIO really started to mature. We brought in new people, formalized processes, and set ourselves up for growth. For me, that meant stepping into new roles—helping hire, train, and support teammates while still writing code and shipping features. It was challenging, but also really rewarding to see how much stronger we became as a team.
Today, CRIO feels like a completely different company from the one I joined, yet it maintains the same heart and spirit that defined us from the beginning. We’re bigger, more structured, and remote, but that same collaborative, get-it-done company culture is still there.
It’s been incredible to grow alongside CRIO and to see what’s possible when you build something together from the ground up. I’m proud of how far we’ve come—and even more excited about where we’re heading next.