Spotlight on Marta Kowalska: A Career Shaped by Curiosity and Community in Clinical Data Management
ACDM
Newsletter Committee
The Newsletter Committee continues to explore the diverse career journeys within the ACDM community. In this edition, we shine the spotlight on Marta Kowalska, whose two-decade journey in Clinical Data Management reflects adaptability, curiosity, and a strong connection to the people in the field.
Current Role: Customer Success Director
Organisation: CluePoints
Years in CDM: 20+ years
Marta Kowalska didn’t always imagine a future in Clinical Data Management. As a child, she was drawn to two very different paths: becoming a joiner like her father, enjoying the tactile world of woodwork, or becoming a librarian surrounded by books and stories. That blend of practical focus and intellectual curiosity would later influence her professional life in unexpected ways.
She discovered Clinical Data Management by chance. With a degree and postgraduate qualification in Biomedical Sciences, Marta was looking for a role that allowed her to apply her scientific training outside of a traditional laboratory setting. CDM caught her attention for its focus on analysis, structure, and order. She found the work calming and purposeful, and was excited by the opportunity to work with systems and software in a role that felt both technical and meaningful.
Marta began her CDM career with hands-on tasks such as double data entry, reviewing data, issuing queries, and even faxing and paper CRF filing. When electronic data capture (EDC) began to emerge, she made the bold decision to start contracting, eager to be part of the transformation. That choice expanded her world, leading to roles in clinical operations and eventually into the vendor space. Today, as Customer Success Director at CluePoints, she helps organisations apply innovative approaches to data quality oversight and clinical trial efficiency using advanced technologies and analytics.
What has kept Marta in CDM for over 20 years is the people. “You know when you find your people,” she says. Whether in structured meetings or spontaneous conversations, she values the exchange of ideas and perspectives across a wide range of topics, from regulatory changes to AI to new therapies. The sense of continuous learning and shared purpose has made the field deeply rewarding.
For Marta, the best part of CDM is knowing her work contributes to the broader goal of delivering therapies to those who need them. She takes pride in being part of a larger clinical research effort that builds on past work and shapes future progress.
To those starting out in the field, Marta’s advice is simple but powerful: “Follow your curiosity.” She encourages new professionals to question what they see, explore new technologies, and think critically about their work. It was that mindset that led her to take risks early in her career and ultimately opened doors to opportunities she had not anticipated.
Marta’s story is a compelling reminder of how curiosity, community, and openness to change can shape a successful and fulfilling career in Clinical Data Management.
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