Kyle Naylor didn’t set out to work in the IRB world—but once he found it, he never looked back.
Now a team lead supporting one of Advarra’s largest clients, Kyle brings together hands-on research experience, a deep appreciation for ethics and regulation, and a genuine passion for helping studies run smoothly. From his early days in biology and research at Walter Reed to his current role at Advarra, Kyle has seen firsthand how thoughtful processes, strong relationships, and the right technology can directly impact patients.
In this Q&A, he shares what drew him to research, why Advarra’s mission resonated with him, and what excites him most about new improvements to Advarra’s eIRB platform, CIRBI.
What first connected you personally to clinical research and the work you do today?
My entry into research really started during my senior year at Stevenson University. I was a biology major and took an internship at Walter Reed, working directly with a research group. Being involved on the research side—and having that human interaction—made everything feel real. You’re not just working with data—you’re seeing how research connects to people. From there, I became more interested in the ethics and regulatory side of research, which naturally led me to the IRB space. Even now, hearing patient testimonials during Advarra meetings is a reminder of why we do this. We may work with documents every day, but on the other side, those approvals mean real treatments reaching real people.
What made you want to bring that passion for research to Advarra specifically?
Advarra felt like a place where the regulatory side of research truly connects back to the patient. Early on, I could see that Advarra wasn’t just focused on checking boxes. It was about making the process efficient, ethical, and meaningful. I imagined our products and services helping studies move forward without unnecessary friction, which ultimately helps participants get access to treatments faster. That alignment really mattered to me. Over time, seeing how much Advarra invests in training, collaboration, and customer relationships confirmed that this was the right place to build a career.
How do you and your team go above and beyond for clients?
A big part of it is being proactive instead of reactive. Recently, I visited a large client in person with my manager and other client engagement partners—not because anything was wrong, but to talk about efficiency and how we could make things even better. Putting a face to a name made a huge difference. Now, people know exactly who to reach out to, which cuts down on delays and confusion. On the backend, I coordinate closely with my team to distribute work evenly and step in when large, multi-site submissions come through. It’s about making sure clients feel supported while keeping everything moving smoothly.
What excites you most about using CIRBI?
CIRBI is really the backbone of how we support clients at scale. It keeps everything documented and accessible, so anyone can step in and keep a submission moving. What excites me about the latest and greatest version of the tool is the flexibility it’ll create, whether that’s simplifying submission forms or reducing common errors. Even small changes can add up to faster approvals and fewer back-and-forth questions. Ultimately, that efficiency means updated consent forms and critical information get to patients sooner, which is what this work is all about.
