What is AMWA-MAC
We are the American Medical Writers Association Mid-Atlantic Chapter (AMWA-MAC).
Our mission is to promote excellence in medical communication and to provide educational resources in support of that goal.
We are one of 15 chapters of AMWA, the leading professional organization for writers, editors, and other communicators of medical information. The AMWA-MAC includes Maryland, Virginia, DC, the southern part of Delaware, and the eastern part of West Virginia.
AMWA-MAC Leadership Team
Swati Dadhich, PhD
President
Swati Dadhich, PhD is Manager, Regulatory Medical Writing at Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine, where she serves as co-lead for Early Development Oncology and lead writer for 4 programs. Additionally, she serves as a member of the Protocol/Training Workstream within RegMW as the representative for the Oncology TA.
Swati joined Johnson & Johnson in February 2021 as a Senior Regulatory Medical Writing Scientist and in a very short time has made herself an indispensable asset to all her teams.
Prior to joining Johnson & Johnson, Swati was a full-time principal writer with Leidos Biomedical Research Inc. for the National Cancer Institute, where she wrote clinical documents to support investigational new drug (IND) studies and NIH Institutional Review Board, leading to FDA/IRB approval for over 30 new phase I/II clinical studies in the areas of Immuno-Oncology, Therapeutic Cancer Vaccines, and Gene Therapy.
Swati has a PhD in Molecular Biology from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi where she worked on infectious diseases and was adjunct faculty at Gargi College, Delhi University. She was a post-doctoral research fellow at the NIH for seven years. She has authored 16 peer reviewed publications, is a member of the American Medical Writers Association (AMWA), has been an ad-hoc reviewer for PLOS ONE, PeerJ, Molecular Biology Reports, and is pursuing her certification as a Project Management Professional (PMP).
Andrea Clark, PhD
President-Elect
Andrea Clark, PhD is a Principal Medical Writer at Eldridge Writing & Consulting. She earned a PhD in chemistry and began her career in drug regulatory affairs before transitioning to medical writing. In her current role, she develops clinical and regulatory documents and supports drug development programs across multiple therapeutic areas. She has led and mentored teams of medical writers, fostering effective collaboration and ensuring the delivery of high-quality, compliant documents. Andrea is an active member of the medical writing community and regularly presents at industry conferences.
Gina Clark
Secretary
Gina Clark is a People Leader in Regulatory Medical Writing at Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine in Oncology, where she mentors a high-performing team dedicated to driving high-quality clinical and regulatory documents for global submissions. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Microbiology from the University of Georgia, Athens, and a Master of Science in Quality Assurance and Regulatory Affairs from Temple University in Pennsylvania. Before focusing on oncology, Gina built her career across a wide spectrum of therapeutic areas—including immunology and infectious disease—and is known for her commitment to serving and uplifting others, always prioritizing her team’s growth. She encourages continuous learning and the thoughtful integration of technology, including AI, to foster innovation and efficiency. Outside of work, Gina enjoys life in Northern Virginia with her son and two rescue dogs.
Deborah Toppenberg-Pejcic, MPH
Treasurer
Deborah Toppenberg-Pejcic, MPH is a freelance medical editor and writer with experience spanning global health writing, literature reviews, and major donor-funded proposals. In her work with the World Health Organization, she edits publications and contributes to global policy recommendations through systematic literature reviews, reports, and training materials on topics such as healthy life trajectories, risk communication, and community engagement.
Deborah excels at synthesizing qualitative evidence, managing complex reference systems, and reviewing for logic, coherence, compliance, and empathic language. She joined AMWA in 2025 and completed its Essential Skills and Medical Editing certificates. She holds an MPH in Community Health Education and is committed to improving health through clear, accurate, and accessible communication.
Diana Henzel, PharmD
Membership & Volunteer Coordinator
Diana Henzel, PharmD is a freelance medical writer and owner of Regulatory & Scientific Writing Solutions. She supports efficient and successful regulatory review and evidence-based decision-making by accurately interpreting and clearly communicating complex scientific information. Diana collaborates with CROs, medical communications firms, small pharmaceutical companies, hospital formulary committees, and insurance providers. Prior to becoming a medical writer, Diana spent 25+ years as a pharmacist, primarily working in pediatric hospital and home infusion settings. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy from the University of Maryland, her Doctor of Pharmacy from Creighton University, and a Certificate in Regulatory Writing from the University of the Sciences. Diana’s recent focus has been rare genetic diseases and oncology.
Callie Chen, PharmD
Communications Manager
Callie Chen, PharmD is a Medical Writer and Consultant at Whitsell Innovations, where she develops clinical and regulatory documents for clients in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries. She earned her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of North Carolina Eshelman School of Pharmacy and began her career as an outpatient pharmacist before transitioning into medical writing. Callie brings her clinical background and attention to detail to her writing, with a focus on clarity and accuracy in communicating complex scientific information. She has been a member of AMWA since 2022 and is passionate about making high-quality medical writing accessible and impactful.
Callie lives in Northern Virginia with her husband and enjoys spending her free time hiking, traveling, and discovering new cuisines.
