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Meet the Experts

Our team of PhDs, JDs, and industry veterans brings together decades of specialized expertise across life sciences, healthcare policy, and agricultural economics.

  • PhDs & Advanced Degrees
  • JDs & Regulatory Attorneys
  • Industry Certifications
  • Former FDA Reviewers
Co-Founder, Managing Director & Principal Consultant

Joseph Nkurunziza, Ph.D., MS(Law), MBA

Ph.D. | MS(Law) | MBA

Strategic health economist with 10+ years of experience in HEOR, pharmaceutical policy, and market access. Combines rigorous academic training with real-world consulting expertise.

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Principal Consultant, Agricultural Products

Ancelin Ashmita Pal

Agricultural Regulatory Specialist

Senior agricultural regulatory and inspection specialist with 10+ years of experience with the California Department of Food and Agriculture. Expert in compliance, commodity inspection, and quality assurance.

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Principal Consultant, Regulatory Affairs & Compliance

Surya Prabha

Founder & Managing Principal

Surya Prabha is a regulatory and compliance expert with 10+ years of experience in pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, and medical devices. She specializes in global regulatory strategy, compliance frameworks, and contract lifecycle management, helping organizations navigate complex regulatory environments efficiently.

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Work with Experts Who Understand Complexity

Whether you’re navigating pharmaceutical market access, regulatory compliance, or agricultural policy — our team has the expertise to guide you forward.

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Joseph Nkurunziza, Ph.D., MS(Law), MBA

Co-Founder, Managing Director & Principal Consultant

Dr. Joseph Nkurunziza is the Co-Founder and Managing Director of Rigor Consulting Group LLC. He is a strategic health economist with over a decade of experience at the intersection of pharmaceutical economics, regulatory law, and market access strategy. His unique combination of a PhD in Pharmaceutical Economics, an MS in Law, and an MBA enables him to deliver holistic, evidence-based solutions that bridge scientific rigor with business and legal acumen. Dr. Nkurunziza has led complex HEOR engagements for biopharma clients, developed value dossiers for HTA submissions, and designed cost-effectiveness models that have informed pricing and reimbursement decisions across multiple therapeutic areas. He is a trusted advisor to pharmaceutical companies, healthcare organizations, and government agencies seeking to navigate the evolving landscape of health policy and market access.

Joseph holds a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Economics and Policy, an MS in Law (Life Sciences), and
an MBA in Healthcare Management — a rare combination that bridges pharmacoeconomic
modeling, regulatory intelligence, and commercial strategy within a single engagement. His
expertise spans cost‑effectiveness analysis, budget impact modeling, HTA submissions, and
value‑based pricing across oncology, infectious disease, and rare disease programs, aligned with
ICER, ISPOR, and international HTA standards.
His doctoral research at Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences produced a
rigorous cost‑effectiveness analysis of sequential TKI therapies in chronic myeloid leukemia in
the United States, built to ICER reference‑case standards. He also conducted pharmaceutical
economics research at MCPHS’s International Center for Pharmaceutical Economics and Policy,
co‑authoring peer‑reviewed work on authorized generics in the U.S. and presenting at the
ISPOR Annual Conference. He is a member of ISPOR and the Boston Bar Association.
Professional certifications: Certified Health Technology Assessment, SAS Base Programming, SAS
Advanced Programming, and SAS Clinical Trials.

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Ancelin Ashmita Pal

Principal Consultant, Agricultural Products

Agricultural Regulatory Specialist

Ancelin Ashmita Pal is the Principal Consultant for Agricultural Products at Rigor Consulting Group LLC. With over a decade of hands-on experience at the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), she brings unparalleled expertise in agricultural regulatory compliance, commodity inspection, and quality assurance program development. Ancelin is a USDA-certified inspection specialist with deep knowledge of specialty crops including almonds, pistachios, walnuts, and other California commodities. She has developed and implemented inspection programs, guided agricultural businesses through complex regulatory frameworks, and helped farmers and agribusinesses achieve and maintain compliance with state and federal standards. Her practical, field-tested approach ensures that clients receive actionable guidance grounded in real regulatory experience.

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Surya Prabha

Principal Consultant, Regulatory Affairs & Compliance – Rigor Consulting Group

Agricultural Regulatory Specialist

Surya Prabha is a seasoned compliance and regulatory affairs leader with over a decade of experience advising life sciences and technology organizations on complex regulatory, legal, and operational frameworks. She brings deep expertise in global regulatory compliance, contract lifecycle management, and enterprise risk mitigation, with a strong focus on the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device sectors.

Her experience spans regulatory strategy and execution across major jurisdictions, including the U.S. FDA, Health Canada, and international notified bodies. She has extensive hands-on involvement in regulatory submissions, CMC documentation, quality systems, and inspection readiness, including support for IND, NDA, and ANDA filings, master file management, and cGMP compliance. Surya has played a key role in guiding organizations throughout the product lifecycle—from development to post-market regulatory obligations.

In addition to her regulatory expertise, Surya is a recognized leader in compliance program development and legal operations. She has designed and implemented enterprise-wide compliance frameworks, including third-party risk management systems, anti-corruption programs, and internal reporting mechanisms. Her work includes developing policy infrastructure, contract governance models, and leading negotiations across agreements such as CDAs, MSAs, CTAs, and consulting contracts.

Surya is also highly skilled in optimizing legal and compliance operations through technology-enabled solutions. She has extensive experience with platforms such as SAP, Oracle ERP, Conga, Apttus, Agiloft CLM, and Power BI, and has led digital transformation initiatives to improve contract management, data visibility, and compliance tracking.

Earlier in her career, she held key roles in audit, compliance, and corporate counsel functions, conducting risk assessments, internal audits, and policy enforcement across global organizations. Her multidisciplinary background allows her to effectively bridge legal, regulatory, and business perspectives to deliver practical, scalable solutions.

She holds a Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Life Sciences from Suffolk University Law School (Boston, Massachusetts) and a Juris Doctor from India. She is also CITI Program certified in research involving human subjects, reflecting her commitment to ethical and compliant research practices.

With a strategic mindset and detail-oriented approach, Surya partners with organizations to strengthen compliance infrastructures, navigate regulatory complexity, and drive sustainable growth in highly regulated environments.

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