Kate Townsend leads the computer systems compliance and validation practice for BusinessEdge Solutions. With more than 20 years of experience supporting the implementation and validation of global systems within the pharmaceutical industry, Townsend's current focus is on risk-based compliance management. As a member of GAMP Americas, Townsend was Vice-Chair of the GAMP® Global Information Systems Special Interest Group. This group develops guidelines and tools that address regulatory issues surrounding the implementation of global systems. Prior to joining BusinessEdge Solutions, Townsend served as Vice President of Regulatory Compliance and Validation with Taratec Development Corporation. Her first exposure to computer systems validation was with Sterling Winthrop, an international pharmaceutical company where she worked for eight years, first in England and then in the United States. Townsend holds a Bachelor’s Degree in computer science and a Master’s Degree in engineering from Lancaster University in the United Kingdom.