Meet Charlene
The Person Behind the Pages
Charlene Dark is a seasoned corporate executive, leadership mentor, and certified executive coach with over 30 years of experience in biostatistics, clinical trials, and organizational leadership. As COO of Avania and CEO of Summus Advisors, she combines statistical expertise with business
acumen to drive growth and transformation in the MedTech and clinical research industries.
She is the author of Mindset Reimagined: An Invitation to Personal Disruption and Reinvention, where she shares stories and strategies to help leaders and organizations challenge limiting patterns, embrace authenticity, and build resilient cultures. Known as a connector,
Charlene fosters environments where people and organizations thrive. Outside of work, she is an avid reader, DIY enthusiast, and proud matriarch of a blended family of four children and eleven grandchildren.
The Path That Led Here
- 30+ years of leadership experience in MedTech, clinical
- trials, and executive coaching
- COO of Avania and CEO of Summus Advisors, LLC
- Certified Executive Coach specializing in leadership team
- development
- Pioneered practical frameworks for authentic leadership
- and personal reinvention
- Recognized as an innovative leader in clinical research
- operations
- Spearheaded strategic growth and transformation in highly
- regulated industries
Leadership Under Pressure
Watch Charlene demonstrate the principles from "Mindset Reimagined" in real time. In this 2020 interview during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, she showcases the open mindset, intentional communication, and adaptability that form the core of her book. Notice how she approaches unprecedented challenges with curiosity rather than fear, emphasizes cultural awareness and empathy for her global team, and focuses on "doing the right things at the right time" rather than simply moving fast. This conversation captures the authentic leadership philosophy that would later become the foundation for her invitation to personal disruption and reinvention.