The Children’s Brain Tumor Network (CBTN) has announced the appointment of Tatiana Patton, MS, as its new Director of Operations. Patton will lead the organization’s operational strategy and infrastructure to support collaborative, efficient research on a global scale, accelerating progress toward improved outcomes for children with brain tumors.
As Director of Operations, Patton’s work advances CBTN’s mission by ensuring that the high-quality data and other research resources collected by its 35 member institutions worldwide are accessible, dependable, and easily shared.
“By building out reliable, coordinated systems, we help investigators focus on the discovery of meaningful insights to improve outcomes for the children and families who need them,” says Patton. “This work isn’t just supportive. It’s the foundation of innovation.”
Patton’s focus spans multiple functions, from site onboarding to administrative coordination, biospecimen collection and intake, and the integration of CBTN clinical, imaging, and genomic data into a centralized research ecosystem. She works with multidisciplinary teams to align workflows, strengthen infrastructure, and support consistent execution across the more than 400 active research projects.
“Since the launch of CBTN in 2016, Tatiana’s deep operational expertise and strong commitment to collaboration have been key drivers of the organization’s successes,” explains Jena Lilly, Executive Director of CBTN. “In this new role, her models for managing complex programs and optimizing processes will continue to strengthen our ability to grow responsibly and sustain momentum across our network.”
CBTN remains committed to advancing pediatric brain tumor research through open collaboration, shared resources, and continuous innovation. Patton’s appointment reflects the network’s ongoing growth and maturity as it expands its global partnerships and infrastructure toward better treatments for pediatric brain tumor patients everywhere.
