Ms. Pressel received her M.S. degree in Biostatistics from the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health. She participated in the HDFP and DISH projects as a biostatistician, in SHEP as Coordinating Center Project Manager, and in ALLHAT as Clinical Trials Center Project Manager. Ms. Pressel was the chair of ALLHAT's Operations Subcommittee.

In addition to planning and facilitating the day-to-day operational activities of SHEP and ALLHAT, she produced extensive reports for the Steering Committees and Data and Safety Monitoring Boards for both studies, is an active participant on subcommittees (Executive Committee, Recruitment, Retention and Adherence, Quality Control, Dissemination, and Editorial Subcommittees), and in many publications and presentations activities. Ms. Pressel is also a member of the Society for Clinical Trials and has given numerous presentations (several invited) and poster sessions at annual meetings.