TTUHSC’s Hudson Set to Serve as President for Society of Clinical Research Associates

• By Mark Hendricks
• December 8, 2025
• Research

The Society of Clinical Research Associates (SOCRA), an organization that supports all involved in clinical research through education, certification and networking, has elected Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center’s (TTUHSC) Catherine Hudson, Dr.P.H., as its president for 2025-2026.

Considered by many to be the premier educational organization for oncology site coordinators, SOCRA also has emerged as a leading educational organization for clinical researchers in all therapeutic areas by supporting industry, government and academia.

Hudson, TTUHSC’s assistant vice president for community-engaged research,  works for the university’s Division of Rural Affairs and the Office of Research and Innovation. She has been a SOCRA member since 2001, and she was first elected to the SOCRA Board of Directors in 2019.

“Dr. Hudson’s leadership with SOCRA reflects our commitment to advancing research that truly serves rural and underserved communities,”  Cole Johnson, J.D., senior vice president for TTUHSC’s Division of Rural Affairs, said. “Her focus on community engagement aligns perfectly with our goals to ensure that research is not only innovative, but also responsive to the health priorities of the populations we serve.” 

Hudson served as secretary before starting her three years of SOCRA leadership in 2024-2025 when she began her term as incoming president. After serving this year as president, she will complete her leadership cycle by serving as immediate past president for 2026-2027.

“I'm serving this year as president of the organization’s board of directors,” Hudson said. “I was elected by the membership to oversee the organization as a whole. I will work with the board of directors as we make decisions around the governance of the organization, making sure that all of our activities are in line with our bylaws and operating procedures, that the voice of our membership is being considered and that everything is just running according to plan.”

Hudson said it's important that accurately representing population demographics remains a priority in the clinical research field. She said it’s also important to ensure that clinical researchers throughout the industry are conducting their work with excellence in every aspect and that their trials yield results that are applicable to all populations — including those in rural and underserved environments.

TTUHSC has a SOCRA chapter that is housed in the Clinical Research Institute. Though it’s a relatively young chapter, Hudson is working to enhance the group’s activity and support the chapter in providing future continuing education opportunities for clinical research professionals, especially in the TTUHSC service area. 

“We want to make sure that our research efforts are aligned with the priority health needs of the communities we serve, and that we are highlighting relationships and partnerships with our communities in our research efforts,” Hudson added.