Our Mission

Based in the United Kingdom, George Schmidt is General Manager of Salience Learning and Chief Operating Officer and Managing Partner for Blue Matter Consulting (Salience Learning’s parent company). He has worked with more than 25 biopharmaceutical companies over the past 20+ years to assess organizational learning needs and drive learning transformation. 

He has significant recent experience working with multiple large pharmaceutical companies to define and implement global L&D strategies and teams. George served as a board member for the Life Sciences Trainers & Educators Network (LTEN) from 2012-2014. Previous experience includes consulting and leadership roles at Campbell Alliance (now Syneos Health Consulting) and ZS Associates. George was also a Captain in the US Army. He earned an MBA from the University of Virginia Darden School of Business and BS degrees in Economics and Industrial Management from Carnegie Mellon University.

George developed his passion for training from his time in the US Army, where he served as his Battery’s training officer and came to understand the importance of, as Bill Murray so artfully said it in Stripes: “Army Training!”

Krista Gerhard joined Blue Matter (Salience Learning’s parent company) in 2017 to build and grow this unique learning and development organization. Her career in the life sciences spans nearly two decades, including diverse roles within biopharmaceutical companies, as well as market research and management consulting firms serving the life science industry. Her experience includes Associate Director of Market Access Strategy and Innovation at Novo Nordisk, consulting and leadership roles at inVentiv Health (now Syneos Health) and IMS Health (now IQVIA), and as an independent consultant.  

Throughout her career, Krista sought to understand the different perspectives and approaches that her clients use to solve the common challenge of providing greater access to life-changing therapies for patients. When Krista is not building an awesome team or delivering amazing learning solutions, she is proudly supporting and coaching her two young sons to be adventurous explorers and athletes!

Based in New Jersey, Karen Foster has more than 12 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry.  

Prior to her role at Salience Learning, Karen led Blue Matter Academy, the in-house learning and development organization for Blue Matter Consulting. Her other experience includes leadership roles within biopharma Learning & Development (L&D) at Novo Nordisk, as well as L&D-related consulting roles with inVentiv Health (now Syneos Health) and as an independent consultant. Karen has a bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University. She earned her Masters degree in Adult Education with a focus in Cognitive Psychology at Rutgers University.

Karen’s passion for learning was ignited early on via her childhood neighbor’s Encyclopedia set and frequent visits to the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. It was fueled thorough her adult years by Dr. Boos’s Management of Organizational Behavior course at Georgetown and an insatiable curiosity for truth across a range of professional and personal experiences.

Based in the United Kingdom, George Schmidt is General Manager of Salience Learning and Chief Operating Officer and Managing Partner for Blue Matter Consulting (Salience Learning’s parent company). He has worked with more than 25 biopharmaceutical companies over the past 20+ years to assess organizational learning needs and drive learning transformation. 

He has significant recent experience working with multiple large pharmaceutical companies to define and implement global L&D strategies and teams. George served as a board member for the Life Sciences Trainers & Educators Network (LTEN) from 2012-2014. Previous experience includes consulting and leadership roles at Campbell Alliance (now Syneos Health Consulting) and ZS Associates. George was also a Captain in the US Army. He earned an MBA from the University of Virginia Darden School of Business and BS degrees in Economics and Industrial Management from Carnegie Mellon University.

George developed his passion for training from his time in the US Army, where he served as his Battery’s training officer and came to understand the importance of, as Bill Murray so artfully said it in Stripes: “Army Training!”

Krista Gerhard joined Blue Matter (Salience Learning’s parent company) in 2017 to build and grow this unique learning and development organization. Her career in the life sciences spans nearly two decades, including diverse roles within biopharmaceutical companies, as well as market research and management consulting firms serving the life science industry. Her experience includes Associate Director of Market Access Strategy and Innovation at Novo Nordisk, consulting and leadership roles at inVentiv Health (now Syneos Health) and IMS Health (now IQVIA), and as an independent consultant.  

Throughout her career, Krista sought to understand the different perspectives and approaches that her clients use to solve the common challenge of providing greater access to life-changing therapies for patients. When Krista is not building an awesome team or delivering amazing learning solutions, she is proudly supporting and coaching her two young sons to be adventurous explorers and athletes!

Based in New Jersey, Karen Foster has more than 12 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry.  

Prior to her role at Salience Learning, Karen led Blue Matter Academy, the in-house learning and development organization for Blue Matter Consulting. Her other experience includes leadership roles within biopharma Learning & Development (L&D) at Novo Nordisk, as well as L&D-related consulting roles with inVentiv Health (now Syneos Health) and as an independent consultant. Karen has a bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University. She earned her Masters degree in Adult Education with a focus in Cognitive Psychology at Rutgers University.

Karen’s passion for learning was ignited early on via her childhood neighbor’s Encyclopedia set and frequent visits to the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. It was fueled thorough her adult years by Dr. Boos’s Management of Organizational Behavior course at Georgetown and an insatiable curiosity for truth across a range of professional and personal experiences.