NMBio Board of Directors
The New Mexico Biotechnology & Biomedical Association (NMBio) Board of Directors is a volunteer group of scientists, academics and other professionals dedicated to the advancement of bioscience in New Mexico and the promotion of New Mexico’s capabilities internationally. The NMBio membership elects eight innovative thinkers and community leaders to the board every year. During their two-year terms, directors are involved in NMBBA-sponsored programs and events, policy development, and a variety of committee assignments.
Shannon Sheehan, PhD
President
Director, Life Sciences
Science & Technology Corporation @ UNM
sm_sheehan@yahoo.com
Dr. Sheehan has first-hand experience moving laboratory inventions to the market. He is an expert in business and economic development and has facilitated the start up of 23 companies. He has worked extensively in the Venture Capital community and has received venture funding and collaborative industry funding for many of his start-up companies. He comes to NMBIO from West Virginia where he served as Interim Director of the Office of Technology Transfer at West Virginia University (WVU). At WVU he cofounded, managed and served on the board of the highly successful WVU Business incubator . Additionally he served on the Steering Committee of the West Virginia Entrepreneurs Forum.
Prior to his role in West Virginia, Dr. Sheehan was a faculty member of the University of Arizona for eleven years. At U of A, Dr. Sheehan published and presented extensively in the field of cytokine regulation of stem cells. Dr. Sheehan received an MBA from the University of Arizona's top-ranked program and worked in the University's Office of Technology Transfer where he did market research and licensing.
He has been working in technology commercialization for more than 11 years and has licensed dozens of technologies. Additionally, he has worked as a consultant to Intellectual Property Law firms. His strength in operations and management has allowed him to leverage constrained resources and build or rescue several organizations. Dr. Sheehan is a member of Central New Mexico Community College's Biotech Advisory Committee, The Association for University Technology Managers and the Licensing Executive Society. He has authored a book on Technology Transfer and has taught numerous students. Shannon holds a Ph.D. from University of Illinois School of Chemical Science and is an expert in enzymology and microbiology.
Peter Rachor
Past President
Desert Oasis, LLC
prachor@earthlink.net
Peter Rachor is a business consultant, serving the biotechnology, economic development, media, telecommunications, and other technology industries. Previously, he was Director, Venture Development at Science & Technology Corporation @ University of New Mexico, responsible for creating start-up enterprises and joint ventures from technologies developed through research. He also worked with student, faculty and community members to and evaluates new business ventures, through his launch and management of UNM’s Lobo VentureLab, a business accelerator that works with early stage technology companies.
He also worked with Los Alamos Commerce and Development Corporation, assisting inventors and entrepreneurs from Los Alamos National Lab in patent licensing, market assessment, and venture formation.
Mr. Rachor has previously founded three technology ventures himself, and worked with several global telecommunications companies, Lucent Technologies, British Telecom, and Verizon Communications, in the US and internationally.
Peter holds a degree in Finance from Michigan State University and has completed a certificate in entrepreneurship from Northwestern University's Kellogg School Center for Entrepreneurial Studies. He has been active on the boards of many industry, community service, and leadership organizations, and has also been a guest lecturer in entrepreneurship in several MBA programs. He frequently serves as a mentor, coach or advisor to early stage companies, particularly those being formed by students, university faculty, and scientists.
Andrew Salazar
Treasurer
Director of Project Development
Technology Ventures Corporation
andres.salazar@lmco.com
Mr. Salazar works for Technology Ventures Corporation; he brings a broad range of commercial experience to assist start-ups in structuring a realistic approach to success. He has held responsibilities in a variety of disciplines including management positions in engineering, manufacturing, finance, sales and economic development. Throughout his career, Mr. Salazar has focused on bringing together the top-flight resources needed for business success. He has a BSME with an EE option from General Motors Institute and a MBA from Stanford University. Andrew is a member of the Board of Directors for the New Mexico Entrepreneurs Association and Hogares, Inc.
Janeen Vilven-Doggett, PhD
Secretary
Attorney
Peacock Myers P.C.
jvilven@PeacockLaw.com
Janeen Vilven-Doggett practices in the areas of litigation and transitional matters. She is a member of the New Mexico bar and a registered patent attorney. Dr. Vilven-Doggett received her B.A. in Biology from Baylor University in 1986 and her Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences from the University of New Mexico in 1997. She received her J.D. (cum laude) from the University of New Mexico School of Law in 2001.
Dr. Vilven-Doggett has practice both as an attorney and as a research scientist. Prior to becoming an attorney, she spent about 13 years as a research scientist at both Baylor College of Medicine (Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics), and the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center (Department of Pediatrics and Department of Pathology). for a comprehensive listing of Dr Vilven Doggett's publications, please visit here .
During law school, Dr. Vilven-Doggett clerked for the Patent Administration Office at the University of New Mexico; Rodey, Dickason, Sloan, Akin and Robb, P.C. in Albuquerque New Mexico; and Roberts Abokhair & Mardula, LLC in Reston, Virginia and Corrales, New Mexico. Upon graduation from law school in 2001, Dr. Vilven-Doggett joined the firm of Roberts Abokhair & Mardula, as an associate attorney working in patent, trademark, and copyright prosecution and litigation.
Dr. Vilven-Doggett presents frequently on intellectual property and high technology issues, including export regulation compliance and security clearance matters at University of New Mexico School of Law, the University of New Mexico Anderson School of Management, New Mexico Tech, and local businesses and trade associations.
Dr. Vilven-Doggett is a member of the American Intellectual Property Lawyers Association, American Association for the Advancement of Science, and Albuquerque Bar Association. She serves as a volunteer advisor for businesses participating in the Technology Ventures Corporation (TVC) venture capital forum. Dr. Vilven-Doggett is the New Mexico Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) state affiliate and also serves on BIO’s intellectual property committee.
Directors
Duane Simpson
Regional Director of Government Affairs
Monsanto
duane.j.simpson@monsanto.com
Duane Simpson joined Monsanto Company in July of 2008 as a Regional Director of Government Affairs. He is responsible for all government relations issues in 6 states including New Mexico. Prior to joining Monsanto, Simpson was the Chief Operating Officer for the Kansas Grain and Feed Association based in Topeka, KS. In that role, he was responsible for day-to-day operations of 3 trade associations and was the lead lobbyist for each. In addition, he lobbied for the Kansas BIO. Simpson has served in a number of roles as a member of the Leadership staff in the Kansas House of Representatives, including Chief of staff to the Majority Leader. Simpson brings 15 years of legislative and trade association experience to the Board.
Kimberly Pena
Senior Manager
REDW The Rogoff Firm
kpena@redw.com
Kimberly Peña is a senior manager in REDW The Rogoff Firm’s Audit and Consulting Group. Kimberly has more than 16 years experience in providing financial statement audits, financial consulting, and regulatory compliance services to a variety of technology-based enterprises as well as a variety of other public and private emerging growth companies and large multinational corporations. Kimberly has been involved in numerous projects involving process and procedures, mergers and integration and due diligence both within public accounting and the private sector. Kimberly has a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of New Mexico. She is a registered Certified Public Accountant in California and New Mexico. Currently, Kimberly is on the Board of Directors of NMBio and an advisor for the TVC Equity Symposium. In the past Kimberly has been a KPMG/Andersen Liaison for the Association of Bio Science Financial Officers, member of the New Mexico Society of CPA’s and member of BIOCOM/San Diego.
Victor Esch, Ph.D.
CEO
nanoMR
Dr. Esch has successfully led product development in diverse organizations, from venture funded start-ups, to large integrated programs with more than 100 engineers and $100MM budgets. His diverse practical technical experience spans many disciplines, from interventional neuro catheters to free-space laser communication, and he has made significant contributions in these diverse areas. He has 23 issued patents, and more than 20 applications in prosecution. He received his Ph.D. in Optical Sciences in 1990. Dr. Esch is presently CEO of nanoMR, a company developing a device for the detection of pathogens in blood, to address the blood culture market. He was Director of Research and Development at Indigo Medical, responsible for all product development. Indigo was acquired by Johnson & Johnson in 1996. Following this he was CTO of EndoVasix, a company that produced an ischemic stroke treatment system. Endovasix was eventually acquired by W.L. Gore. Dr. Esch is a co-founder of PowerVision, a company successfully developing an accommodating intra-ocular lens to treat presbyopia. Dr. Esch's design innovations have been honored by R&D 100 and Photonics Circle of Excellence.
Terry Dunlay
President and CEO
IntelliCyt Corporation
tdunlay@intellicyt.com
Terry Dunlay is the President and CEO of IntelliCyt Corporation, a life science technology company located in Albuquerque. He is an experienced life science entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience in technology development and commercialization. Previously, Terry was co-founder of Cellomics, Inc. where he invented and commercialized the company’s cell-based screening instrumentation and informatics products and held senior management positions, including Executive Vice President. Prior to Cellomics, Terry was founder and CEO of Biological Detection, Inc. a bio-imaging software company and earlier was Vice President of Biological Detection Systems, Inc. a bio-imaging systems, software, and reagents company. Terry has a BS and MS in Electrical Engineering. He holds numerous patents in the area of cell-based screening instrumentation and informatics.
Marion Karvas
Business Development Manager
Lovelace Scientific Resources
mkarvas@lrri.org
In February 2006, Marion became Business Development Manager of Lovelace Scientific Resources (LSR) a clinical trials company, representing LSR along side Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute, the Center for Pharmoeconomic and Outcomes Research and Lovelace Intelligence Systems. Primary responsibilities are to promote LSR to pharmaceutical, biotech, contract research organizations and drug development companies enabling LSR to participate in Phase I through IV outpatient FDA clinical trials. Prior to LSR, for six years, Marion was in pharmaceutical sales. Both in Texas and New Mexico she worked 10 years for American International Group (AIG) as a divisional manager and risk manager working with accounts such as Wackenhut, Boeing, Wal-Mart and Waste Management.
Marion has a B.S. in Animal Science and Agricultural Communications from Texas Tech University and holds certification in Training Development and Instructional Technology from UNM Continuing Education. Along with her studies, for three years, she wrote, photographed and edited an arid lands research newsletter and escorted foreign dignitaries coming to the U.S through the United State Information Agency to learn about arid lands research. As a youth growing up in New Jersey until college, she rode equestrian hunters and competed in three-day eventing. Her current passion is tennis.
Louis J Lafrado, PhD
L&D Associateslafrado@landd.net
Lou Lafrado holds an MS in Bacteriology from North Dakota State University where he worked with the USDA's Metabolism and Radiation Research Laboratory. Following this degree he worked at the Sloan-Kettering Institute in New York City. From there he went on to The Ohio State University and received his doctorate in veterinary pathology working on feline leukemia virus and feline immunodeficiency virus vaccines and pathology.
For several years he was a senior researcher on the Holloman Air Force Base with New Mexico State University working chimpanzees and AIDS vaccines. In 1994, he accepted a position with the UNM Cancer Research and Treatment Center and joined the first iteration of NMBBA at that time.
NMBio has been a welcome outlet for Lou both professionally and personally. The Association has provided a window to the wider scientific community of New Mexico and is a major reason for his starting up a consulting company in the metropolitan area in 1999. He finds the meetings are an excellent escape from the office and an opportunity to mix with others from the community.
Lou has always thought that associations like NMBio thrive because of participation from the collective group. New ideas, different ideas, drive associations and you cannot preach without doing.
Lou believes that with his science and business experiences he can make a positive contribution to NMBio and help it move along until the next Board members are elected.
Richard S. Larson, MD, PhD
Vice President for Translational Research
University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center
rlarson@salud.unm.edu
Dr. Larson is the recipient of the College of American Pathology Lansky Award for his leadership in and contribution to the practice of pathology, UNM Regents Lectureship for contribution to UNM, and American Cancer Society Designated National Investigator for the Coaches against Cancer and Hoops for Lymphoma/Leukemia. One of his publications was chosen as manuscript of the year and appeared in the 2002 Yearbook of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine. Dr. Larson received both his MD and PhD from Harvard University. He did his residency training at Washington University at St. Louis, and his fellowship training at Vanderbilt University. He is a board-certified physician. He maintains a peer-reviewed, funded laboratory as well as his administrative duties. His research interests include biochemical mechanisms of inflammation, viral detection, and new drug discovery. He has published over 80 manuscripts involving basic science, clinical, and translational research. His book Bioinformatics and Drug Discovery was published by Humana Press in 2005. He is active in national cooperative groups, and research organizations. He was the founder of Cancer Services of New Mexico. He is a Chairman of the Board of Directors for TriCore Reference Laboratories as well as a member of the National Center for Genome Resources Board of Directors.
Jose Olivares
Deputy Division Leader
Bioscience Division
Los Alamos National Laboratory
olivares@lanl.gov
Dr. Olivares serves as Deputy Division Leader for the Bioscience Division at Los Alamos National Laboratory, which includes 200 scientific staff and $60 million in programs. In this position, he provides technical management and leadership for the Division. Dr. Olivares is responsible for developing strategic direction for the science programs within the Division and leading specific program development efforts. His focus areas have been primarily in National Security programs, Technology Transfer, and operations. Dr. Olivares has extensive experience with private industry and serves as consultant and officer for several small companies and government agencies. One of Dr. Olivares' passions is technology commercialization. Towards this end, Dr. Olivares is leading efforts within his Division for effective technology maturation, collaborative development with industry, and licensing.
Dr. Olivares received a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from Wilkes College, and his Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry from Iowa State University. His research focus has been primarily in instrumentation for mass spectrometry and biological and chemical sensor development for national security and health related applications.
Leah Pulling, PhD
Director of Biotechnology Program
Central New Mexico Community College
lpulling@cnm.edu
Dr. Pulling is Director of the Biotechnology Program at Central New Mexico Community College. Her primary responsibilities include developing, teaching and overseeing the biotechnology curriculum, student recruitment, and fostering relationships between CNM’s Biotechnology Program and the biotechnology industry in New Mexico. Prior to her current position she was a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute, where her research involved examining the mechanisms underlying the development of lung cancer. Prior to pursuing her graduate degree, Dr. Pulling worked as an Environmental Scientist for Syracuse Research Corporation of Arlington, Virginia. As an environmental scientist, Dr. Pulling worked with a team of biologist, chemists, and toxicologists to provide scientific support to the Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Dr. Pulling’s previous experience also includes work as a Study Coordinator/Research Technician at a small pre-clinical toxicology laboratory and teaching at both the 2- and 4-year college level. Dr. Pulling is author or co-author of numerous peer-reviewed scientific publications, as well as technical documents published by the U.S.EPA. Dr. Pulling has also presented her work at numerous regional and national scientific conferences. Dr. Pulling received her Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences with a concentration in Toxicology from the University of New Mexico in 2003. She received an M.S. in Biology from New Mexico State University in 1994, and a B.S. in Ecology, Ethology and Evolution from the University of Illinois in 1992.
Katie Szczepaniak-Rice
Analyst
Wasatch Venture Fund
katie@wasatchvc.com
Katie Szczepaniak Rice is an Analyst with Wasatch Venture Fund in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Wasatch is a venture capital firm headquartered in Salt Lake City specializing in early-stage, information technology and life science investments. Ms. Szczepaniak Rice focuses on new investment opportunities within the IT and biotech sectors as well as the growing alternative energy market, and she actively assists and works with the Wasatch portfolio companies in New Mexico. Katie is currently the chair of the Nano-Network of New Mexico. Prior to joining Wasatch, Katie worked for Cabot Corporation as a Strategic Market Analyst in New Mexico where Cabot develops material technology for alternative energy / fuel cell markets. Before Cabot, she was a consultant with Kline & Co., a business consulting firm in the NYC area that serves Fortune 100 companies as well as emerging businesses. At Kline, Katie conducted strategy and market analysis consulting engagements focused on biotech, chemicals, materials, nanotechnology, and petrochemical markets. Before Kline, Ms. Szczepaniak Rice was a field engineer with Schlumberger, an oil field service company in France. Katie holds a B.S. in Materials Science & Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). She is currently attending the Executive MBA program at the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business.
Program Director
Office of Science and Technology
Dept. of Economic Development
State of New Mexico
Ellen Veseth is a Program Director at the Office of Science and Technology in the Department of Economic Development for the State of New Mexico. New Mexico’s Office of Science and Technology (OST) focuses on commercializing technologies from New Mexico’s national labs and research universities. Ms. Veseth assists New Mexico technology companies in expanding their markets and has a close relationship the New Mexico investment community. She works with businesses, helping them adapt their technologies for introduction to commercial markets and obtaining the necessary capital to launch or expand their enterprises. Ms. Veseth has experience in executive management, sales, marketing, design and development; she was a senior support staffer at the New Mexico legislature. She was awarded the 2006 Partnership Award from the Federal Laboratory Consortium for Technology Transfer. Ms. Veseth also runs the Angel Investment Tax Credit program for the State of New Mexico. Having started two small companies and worked for a Fortune 50 company, she brings a unique understanding of the challenges facing a business. Ms. Veseth serves on the Board of Directors of New Mexico Bio and New Mexico Optics Industry Association.
Gilberto Zamora
Chief Technology Officer
Orion International Technologies
gzamorac@hotmail.com
Dr. Zamora is the Chief Technology Officer—Image Processing & Simulation-- at ORION International Technologies, Inc.
He is in charge of the UMBRA Developing Group. This group works on the commercial development of the UMBRA advanced simulation framework with applications as diverse and critical as air traffic control, telemedicine, international border logistics and processes, unmanned aerial vehicles, and robotics. ORION also provides engineering and technical support services to the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Labs, the Federal Aviation Administration, other federal agencies and large federal prime contractors.
Prior to his work at ORION Gilberto was the Director of Biomedical Imaging at Kestrel Corporation in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he assisted in the development of the device and analytical tools of a novel hyperspectral retinal imager, an Adaptive Optics Retinal Imager and a Multispectral Optical Tissue Imager. He also directed the development of an Artificial Intelligence System for grading the appearance of skin for one of the world’s largest consumer products companies. Additionally, Gilberto
conducted research in diverse aspects of image processing, pattern recognition, and supervised research projects and mentored junior scientists.
Gilberto received his doctorate in Electrical Engineering from Texas Tech University in 2002. He received a dual Masters degree in Engineering and Electrical Engineering from Texas Tech University and Fundación Universidad de las Americas-Puebla (Mexico), respectively, in 1998; and a BS in Electrical Engineering from Fundación Universidad de las Americas-Puebla in 1995. Dr. Zamora has received honorable mention for his graduate research, and is the author or co-author of more than 15 technical publications and presentations.