In January, Pamila (Pam) Allen, MHA, will be retiring after nearly 28 years supporting clinical research at the Colorado Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute (CCTSI). During that time, she has become a go-to resource for colleagues, helping solve problems and keeping the Clinical Translational Research Center (CTRC) running smoothly behind the scenes.
Pam lived in Florida for 20 years. During her time there, she worked first in hospital laboratories and later in forensic DNA analysis and medical examiner investigations. One of the highlights of her early career was helping build Florida’s DNA population database.
After traveling through New Zealand and Canada, she landed in Colorado, where both her parents had grown up. In 1999, she joined what was then the General Clinical Research Center (GCRC), now the CCTSI, as a laboratory technologist.
“What I thought would be a job turned into nearly 28 wonderful years with the CTRC,” she said.
Pam later became a lab manager and stayed in that role through the transition from GCRC to CCTSI. She also helped oversee the lab’s move from the original campus at Ninth Avenue to the Anschutz campus, as well as its subsequent move from the Leprino Building to the Anschutz Health Sciences Building.
After about 15 years in the lab, she talked to Tim Lockie, MS, MBA, CCTSI’s director of finance and administration, about moving into an administrative role. Around 2014, she became Research Services Program Manager, bringing years of institutional knowledge to her new responsibilities.
In this role, Pam helps new research studies get started, connects study teams with CTRC cores, coordinates billing and troubleshoots the issues that come up along the way.
“I try to take care of the small problems before they turn into big ones,” she said, comparing herself to an octopus with many arms, always juggling something.
According to Lockie, she has improved billing procedures and helped manage the CTRC’s finances by overseeing fee schedules and tracking revenue. Janine Higgins, PhD, CCTSI’s director of operations, said Pam led the financial transition from free GCRC services to a fee-for-service model. As part of that work, she established CTRC cost centers and has since conducted all CTRC annual cost studies.
One accomplishment Pam is particularly proud of is helping replace the lab’s home-grown Microsoft Access database with a new laboratory information system. The lab had outgrown its old database, but finding a system designed for research was challenging. She worked with colleagues Tom Yaeger and Kayla Carstens and a vendor to customize a new system for the research lab. It made tracking samples and data easier, streamlined workflows, and supported the lab’s growth.
“If Pam does not know the answer, she will know who to contact or where to turn to try and find that answer. She won’t just say ‘no’ and leave it at that,” Lockie said.
Higgins said she will miss Pam’s steady presence and the thought she puts into improving how things are done.
“I will miss her perspective as new ideas are discussed and expertise as we implement new processes,” she said.
Relationships have been a highlight of Pam’s time at the CCTSI. She feels lucky to have worked with so many talented colleagues, some of whom became dear friends. Among them were Maureen Garrity, Teddy Wiest-Kent, Mujeeb Zaidi, and Cindy Johns, mentors who helped shape her both professionally and personally. All four have since passed away, but she reflects on how generously they shared their knowledge, offered their support, and always took time to listen.
“Their impact remains with me every day, and I often find myself wishing I could call them for advice, a laugh, or a happy hour,” she said.
Recently, she has especially enjoyed working alongside Kristen House, Kyla Wulff, and Archana Mande, sharing laughs and working through challenges together.
“Without question, I’ll miss the people. The friendships and teamwork made even the toughest days enjoyable,” she said.
As the daughter of a Navy fighter pilot, Pam grew up moving often and living all over the country, which inspired her lifelong passion for travel. Sports helped Pam feel at home wherever her family landed. By the time she graduated high school, she had played every girls’ sport offered and earned a basketball scholarship to college in Florida.
She plans to stay active during retirement and spend more time outdoors hiking, golfing, playing pickleball and riding dirt bikes. She learned to ride in third grade, after her father brought a small motorcycle back from Japan for her and her siblings during his Navy service. She looks forward to spending more time at her cabin near Cripple Creek.
Travel will also be a big part of retirement. Pam has visited more than 50 countries, but two continents remain on her bucket list: Africa and Antarctica. She already has a trip to Africa planned for July 2027 and plans to spend some time visiting friends in Germany.
“I’m looking forward to my next adventure: more travel, more time with family and friends, and whatever comes next,” she said.