Donald Risley

Donald Risley is a Senior Director of Analytical R&D at Eli Lilly, bringing over 25 years of extensive laboratory experience in analytical method development and validation for pharmaceutical compounds and formulations. They have expertise in various chromatographic techniques including HPLC, normal phase chromatography, and chiral chromatography. Prior to their current role, Risley served as a Principal Research Scientist at Eli Lilly from 1988 to 2025 and began their career as a Chemist I at Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals from 1987 to 1988. Risley holds a Master’s degree in Analytical Chemistry from Purdue University and a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from Indiana University Bloomington, in addition to a brief study in Forensic Chemistry at Kansas State University.