Jennifer Pohlhaus
Chief Operating Officer

How did you join Ripple Effect? 

After my AAAS Science & Technology Policy fellowship, I was looking for my next career step. A colleague mentioned that I should talk to Amy Bielski from Ripple Effect, a company I had heard positive things about. I contacted Amy and we hit it off right away. I started off by managing an NIH contract that Ripple Effect had recently won, and after that project was over, there was always another new and exciting challenge to overcome—that satisfied my need for learning and achieving.

What do you think is your biggest strength as a leader? 

When I took the CliftonStrengths assessment, I was a little surprised by the results. My top five strengths are Achiever, Relator, Responsibility, Harmony, and Learner. My husband says I have the most patience of anyone he knows and I think that comes from the Relator and Harmony strengths. I’ve learned that taking the time to understand and see situations from multiple perspectives is key to connecting with others and solving problems.

What do you do in your free time? 

I don’t have a lot of free time since most of my time outside of work is spent taking care of my kids. But I make time every morning to be active—I’m an avid runner and I do yoga on the weekends. 

What are you proudest of in your career? 

I am proudest of what Amy and I have built at Ripple Effect. We’ve created a place that welcomes diversity and values lifelong learners who always want to find better ways to do things. 

Amy Hein
Senior Vice President of DoD Accounts and Projects

What does it mean to be the Director of Scientific Workforce?  

A lot of the work we do at Ripple Effect isn’t done at Headquarters; many contracts involve placing our people directly at client sites. So, I’m responsible for developing best practices for hiring and managing our employees at those client sites, like NIH and Fort Detrick. I also build close relationships with our clients and employees to ensure we find support that fits an agency’s culture and mission needs.  

What’s the biggest challenge you face in your role? 

Having limited face-to-face communication with the people I manage and support is a huge challenge. I can’t pretend to know what it’s like to be in their shoes every day. So, I listen. I understand their needs, empathize, and help problem-solve. There may be a physical divide between me and client sites, but I want my Scientific Workforce and clients to know I’m always there for them. 

What are some of your hobbies? 

I love to do anything active—I’m a runner and I coach my son’s sports teams. On the other hand, I love naps. On the weekend, you can find me taking a catnap to recharge for the next week. 

Fun fact about you? 

I was in ROTC! As a part of my program, I flew glider planes. Scary, but a big confidence booster.   

Advice to young professionals?

Do some soul-searching about what’s most important to you in your career—is it the work? The people? A company mission and culture? Then, find opportunities that move you down that path. If something is truly important to you, don’t take no for an answer.

Lex Helsel
Director of Research & Evaluation

Dr. Alexis Helsel has professional experience conducting applied health research and program evaluations for several federal agencies, including NIH and DOD. She has contributed and managed mixed-method scale evaluation projects that include bibliometric analyses of program outcomes and impacts and network analyses. Dr. Helsel has extensive experience abstracting administrative from NIH databases, including QVR, IMPACII, RePORT, iCite, as well as PubMed, Web of Science, USPTO, and Federal RePORTER. She also has experience using publication and grant data to construct research networks using VosViewer and CitNetExplorer. Dr. Helsel also has a strong record of effective communication and developing evidence-based recommendations. She has co-authored 20 briefings of research and evaluation findings for senior government and military stakeholders, eight technical reports, one peer-reviewed publication, and 12 professional conference presentations. She has trained and provided technical guidance on epidemiologic and evaluation methods to multi-disciplinary teams of Masters- and PhD-level scientists. She is proficient with STATA, SAS, and Microsoft Access, Excel, and DeDoose. Dr. Helsel earned a PhD in epidemiology from the University of Pittsburgh.