Biotech 2010 Speakers

Jeffrey Brennan

Vice President, Business and Commercial Development 

Targacept, Inc.

Jeffrey P. Brennan joined Targacept in September, 2003, as Vice President of Business and Commercial Development. Mr. Brennan has more than 25 years of pharmaceutical industry experience, and has held Executive Management positions at : Sanofi-Synthelabo, Inc., from 1996-2003, and most recently at Targacept. Throughout his career, Mr. Brennan has demonstrated success in both strategic development and key operations roles. He has developed and expanded the capability and capacity of sales and marketing teams, strategic market research and business analysis divisions, product life cycle management and business development departments. Mr. Brennan received a B.S. in Marketing from Central Connecticut University. He has been a member of the Licensing Executive Society (LES) since 1991 and is a former Board member of the Health Care Committee for the LES. He is currently a member of the American Marketing Association. Mr. Brennan has completed over 35 mid to late stage business development deals and has been involved in more than 25 product launches in his career. As a member of Sanofi’s Executive Management team, he played an instrumental role in helping the company achieve a nearly 10-fold increase in sales, profits, sales force and headquarter expansion over the past six years. In his role as Targacept’s Vice-President of Business and Commercial Development, Mr. Brennan is a member of Targacept’s Executive Committee and is playing a key role in turning “Science into Business” through key partnerships with AstraZeneca & GlaxoSmithKline.

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Lanier M. Cansler

Secretary

North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services

Lanier M. Cansler serves the citizens of North Carolina as the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. Governor Bev Purdue appointed Cansler to this position in January 2009, to ensure the health, safety, and well being of all North Carolinians in almost every phase of life. Under Cansler’s leadership, The Department of Health and Human Services is establishing a renewed commitment to enhance public confidence in the agency’s ability to successfully meet the challenges and address the needs of North Carolina’s citizens. Through strengthened and more open management, DHHS is focused on achieving greater effectiveness and efficiency in the delivery of vital services. Lanier Cansler is a certified public accountant who began his career in public accounting in 1973 in Lenoir, North Carolina. He moved to Asheville in 1978 and established his own CPA firm in 1981. The Asheville firm built a substantial clientele and reputation among the health care provider industry. In 1990, Lanier joined the board of directors of Thoms Rehabilitation Hospital in Asheville, and subsequently chaired that board. As chairman, he worked to organize Care Partners, Inc., a non-profit organization that established a successful continuum of long-term care services in Western North Carolina including rehabilitation, home health, hospice care, adult day care, nursing facility and assisted living care. In 1994, Lanier was elected to the North Carolina House of Representatives for the 51st House district. Successful in reelection efforts in 1996, 1998, and 2000, he served on numerous health care committees including co-chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Human Services, co-chair of the Joint House/Senate Legislative Health Care Oversight Committee, and vice-chair of the Public Health Committee. Lanier also served on the Mental Health Committee and the Select Committee on Health Care Delivery. In 1999, Lanier was appointed to the North Carolina Institute of Medicine by Governor Hunt, and was reappointed to the Institute by Governor Easley in 2004 and now serves on the Institute’s board of directors. During the 2001 Legislative Session, Lanier left the General Assembly to become the Deputy Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, a position he held for four years. As Deputy Secretary, Lanier had management and oversight responsibility for the budget and business functions and planning of the State’s largest agency. Lanier has been the recipient of numerous awards for his efforts in the health and human services arena. Among them are Legislator of the Year awards from the NC Low Income Housing Coalition, The ARC of NC, the NC Council of Community Programs, and Autism Society of NC. He received the Valand Award from the NC Mental Health Association and the Excellence in Public Service for Children Award from the NC Pediatric Society and NC Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. In addition, he received the Red Spoon Award from NC’s Second Harvest Food Banks and the Children’s Hope Award from the Eblen Children’s Charities. In the spring of 2005, Lanier made the decision to leave his responsibilities at DHHS to return to the private sector. From 2005 until 2009, Lanier served as a consultant and advisor to health care providers, care provider and advocacy organizations, information technology companies, insurers, quality assurance organizations, and a list of others. In January of 2009, Governor Beverly Perdue asked Lanier to join her Cabinet as the Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.

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John Clerici

Partner and Chair, Life Sciences and Public Health Preparedness Practice

McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP

John M. Clerici serves as chair of the Firm's Life Sciences and Public Health practice. His practice centers on working with new entrants to the government marketplace and assisting existing government contractors to develop effective government affairs strategies for selling goods and services to the Federal, state and local governments, particularly in the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and public-private partnership arena. These strategies involve all aspects of government affairs, including providing targeted legislative and regulatory solutions, public relations strategies, legal advice regarding appropriate contract vehicles and corporate structures to maximize business opportunities. In addition, Mr. Clerici is a recognized authority on the topic of liability reform policy.

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Oren J. Cohen, M.D.
Chief Medical and Scientific Officer
Quintiles Transnational Corp.

Oren J. Cohen, M.D. is Chief Medical and Scientific Officer for Quintiles Transnational Corp, a global contract research organization with over 23,000 employees in 57 countries. Dr. Cohen also serves as managing director of Quintiles Public Health and Government Services, Vice-Chair of Quintiles’ Council on Research Ethics, and is also Consulting Professor of Medicine on the Infectious Diseases faculty at Duke University Medical Center. A magna cum laude graduate of Brandeis University, Dr. Cohen is also an Alpha Omega Alpha honors graduate of the Duke University School of Medicine. Dr. Cohen completed an internship and residency in Internal Medicine at the New York Hospital/Cornell University Medical Center, where he served as Assistant Chief Resident in 1989-1990; he received the Richard Bowman award for dedication to medicine in 1990. He served from 1990-1991 as Clinical Instructor in Medicine at the New York Hospital’s AIDS treatment center. Dr. Cohen completed his fellowship in Infectious Diseases in 1994 at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), and spent seven years conducting basic and clinical HIV/AIDS research as a Fellow, Clinical Associate, and Medical Officer in the NIAID Laboratory of Immunoregulation. Dr. Cohen was appointed Assistant Director for Medical Affairs at NIAID, where he also served on the Department of Health and Human Services/Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation Panel on Clinical Practices for the Treatment of HIV Infection, which formulates the national Guidelines for the Use of Antiretroviral Agents. Dr. Cohen joined Quintiles as a medical advisor in 2001, and was appointed Chief Medical and Scientific Officer in 2004. Dr. Cohen’s industry experience is concentrated in antiviral drug development, with particular emphasis in the areas of HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C global clinical trials. Dr. Cohen is board-certified in Infectious Diseases and Internal Medicine, and is a Fellow of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. Dr. Cohen is the author of more than 50 scientific papers and book chapters, and holds a U.S. patent for HIV-related peptides derived from HIV-infected long-term non-progressors.

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J. Donald deBethizy, Ph.D.

President and CEO

Targacept, Inc.

J. Donald deBethizy, Ph.D., is a co-founder of Targacept, Inc. and has served as President and Chief Executive Officer since its spinout from R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company in August 2000; he has also served as Targacept's President since its inception in 1997. Previously, Dr. deBethizy held positions of increasing responsibility at RJR, including Vice President of Product Evaluation, Research and Development, where he was responsible for development, regulatory affairs and market introduction of reduced risk products. At Targacept, Dr. deBethizy continues to play a key role in development of a portfolio of clinical stage novel small molecules targeting central nervous system diseases, and in developing business relationships with AstraZeneca, Aventis, Dr. Falk Pharma and GlaxoSmithKline. Dr. deBethizy led Targacept’s Initial Public Offering (IPO) in April, 2006, raising $45 million; during Targacept's years as a private company, he was instrumental in raising $123 million in venture capital. Dr. deBethizy co-authored Innovation That Fits: Moving Beyond the Fads to Choose the Right Innovation Strategy for Your Business published by Prentice Hall. He is also the author of numerous peer-reviewed scientific articles and book chapters. Dr. deBethizy was recognized by Ernst & Young as Emerging Company Entrepreneur of the Year in 2002 for his leadership in founding Targacept. In June of that year, Targacept was also the subject of a Best Practice case study article in the Harvard Business Review entitled Spinning Out a Star. Within the Winston-Salem community, he is currently on the board of directors of the Piedmont Triad Research Park, United Way of Forsyth County, and Winston Salem Chamber of Commerce, and on the Board of Visitors of Winston-Salem State University. He has also served on the boards of Forsyth Technical Community College Foundation and Piedmont Triad Entrepreneurs Network (PTEN). Dr. deBethizy was recently elected to the Emerging Companies Section Governing Body of the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO). In December, 2006, he joined the Board of Directors of LigoCyte Pharmaceuticals.

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Nicole Fouché

Executive Director

Triangle Global Health Consortium

Nicole Fouché graduated from the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa with an MS in Chemistry and a PhD in Biochemistry and Biophysics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Nicole also attended the acclaimed South African computer programming school, Van Zyl & Pritchard, and worked in the US as a certified and accomplished IT consultant for several years before purchasing and running a multinational VA-based computer consulting company. In 2006, Nicole held the role of Vice President of Operations for the North Carolina branch of CXI - a management and technology consulting firm. Nicole also ran the Staffing division of CXI - the largest of their 4 divisions. Nicole left CXI to become one of four founding Partners at Genesis Consulting, a women-owned, strategic consulting firm transforming organizations with Enterprise systems through the creation of high performing, high-throughput teams. In July, 2009, Nicole accepted the position of Executive Director of the Triangle Global Health Consortium, which has been established to capitalize on the global health expertise of organizations across North Carolina — working collaboratively to provide solutions for improving the health of the world’s people. Nicole lives in Chapel Hill, NC with her daughter Carys, where she dedicates much of her free time to volunteer work. A skydiving world record holder, Nicole also enjoys SCUBA diving and skiing, and she has also earned her private pilot certificate.

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Neal Fowler
Chief Executive Officer
Liquidia Technologies, Inc.

Neal Fowler is Liquidia's Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Fowler joined Liquidia after seven successful years at Johnson & Johnson. Formerly, he was president of Centocor, Inc., a multi-billion dollar subsidiary focused on development and commercialization of industry leading biomedicines used in the treatment of chronic inflammatory diseases. At Centocor, Mr. Fowler prepared the company for the launch of two potential blockbuster products and continued the company's legacy of double-digit growth for their flagship product REMICADE® (infliximab). Prior to Centocor, Mr. Fowler was president of Ortho-McNeil Neurologics Inc. and vice president of the central nervous system franchise at Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceuticals. Mr. Fowler joined Johnson & Johnson after a successful 13-year career at Eli Lilly and Company, where he doubled sales of the cardiovascular business unit over a three-year period. Mr. Fowler is a native of Raleigh, NC and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Pharmacy and Masters of Business Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-CH).

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Cecilia Gonzalo
Managing Director
Warburg Pincus LLC

Cecilia Gonzalo joined Warburg Pincus in 2001 and focuses on investments in the biotechnology and pharmaceuticals as well as healthcare services sectors. Prior to joining Warburg Pincus, Ms. Gonzalo worked at Goldman Sachs in the Investment Banking Division focusing on corporate finance and mergers and acquisitions transactions in Latin America, as well as in the Principal Investment Area evaluating new and monitoring existing investments in the region. She received a B.A., cum laude, in Biochemical Sciences at Harvard College and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School. Ms. Gonzalo is a director of Ganic Pharmaceuticals.

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Linda Harpole, MD, MPH

Vice President, Global Health Outcomes

GlaxoSmithKline

Linda Harpole, MD, MPH, is Vice President of Global Health Outcomes at GlaxoSmithKline, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. She leads a group of health outcomes experts based in Research and Development dedicated to developing reimbursement and access strategy for pipeline assets as well as generating economic and humanistic evidence that articulates the value of GSK’s medicines to payors, prescribers and patients. Her organization also includes a group of health outcomes experts that provided dedicated support for the US region, generating data to support formulary placement and uptake in the US marketplace. Dr. Harpole is a board-certified internist who completed her training in medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital/Harvard Medical School in Boston and a Masters of Public Health at the Harvard School of Public Health. Prior to joining GSK, Dr. Harpole was an independently funded investigator in health outcomes/health services research and a practicing general internist with a busy primary care practice in the Department of Medicine at Duke University Medical Center. Dr. Harpole’s research interests included the development and implementation of disease management strategies to improve efficiency, quality, and cost of care for chronic diseases. Her articles have been published in JAMA, Medical Care, and Annals of Internal Medicine, among others.

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Louis I. Hochheiser, M.D.

Medical Director, Clinical Policy Development

Humana

Dr. Hochheiser joined Humana in March of 2006 and was recently appointed as Corporate Medical Director Clinical Policy in the Clinical Guidance Organization. He provides leadership for the Technology Assessment Process, Policy Implementation, strategy for Molecular Diagnostics and oversight for Medical Director Reviews. All are carried out in the context of meeting Humana’s objectives to provide guidance for its members and providers in order to support the information and knowledge to necessary to make appropriate choices about health care needs and to assure consistent decision making based upon evidence based peer reviewed published literature. Prior to joining Humana Dr. Hochheiser led medical management of the TRICARE program in the Mid-Atlantic Region. His background includes 17 years as Chairperson of Family Medicine, first at Brown University and then the University of Vermont, where he holds the position of professor emeritus.

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E. Wayne Holden
Executive Vice President
Social, Statistical, & Environmental Sciences (SSES)
RTI International

E. Wayne Holden is executive vice president of Social, Statistical, and Environmental Sciences (SSES) at RTI International. In this capacity, he oversees the largest unit at RTI, with annual revenues of approximately $300 million and a staff of over 1,300 employees. SSES conducts projects that involve large-scale data collection and management with an emphasis on complex methodological, statistical, and epidemiological approaches. Project topics cover a wide array of content areas with numerous staff experts in health, education, economics, public policy, and social welfare. Dr. Holden is a distinguished researcher and clinical psychologist with over 23 years of professional experience. He received his PhD in clinical/community psychology from the University of South Carolina and completed his clinical internship and postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center.

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Robert E. Johnston, Ph.D.
Professor, Immunology and Microbiology, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center;
Director, Carolina Vaccine Institute, UNC- School of Medicine;
Executive Director, Global Vaccines, Inc.

Dr. Johnston is an internationally recognized expert in viral genetics and vaccine development, having worked notably on the modification of alphaviruses for use as vaccine vectors. In 1997, he was a co-founder of AlphaVax, a biotechnology company devoted to developing vaccines based on vectors, which he and others derived from Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis virus. He served as CEO, Chairman of the Board and as a consultant to the company, resigning in 2001 to establish Global Vaccines. Dr. Johnston is on the editorial board of Virology, and he shared the 2001 World Technology Award for Health and Medicine.

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Steve Krognes

Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Genentech, Inc.

Steve Krognes is senior vice president and chief financial officer (CFO). As CFO, Krognes is responsible for Genentech’s Finance and Corporate Information Technology groups. Krognes is a member of Genentech’s executive committee. Prior to joining Genentech in 2009, Krognes served as global head of Mergers & Acquisitions for F. Hoffmann-La Roche. He worked as a venture capitalist in Scandinavia, as an M&A investment banker with Goldman Sachs and Danske Bank, as well as a management consultant with McKinsey & Co. Krognes was based in London for 5 years and another 3 in the United States. He is a second lieutenant in the Royal Norwegian Air Force. Krognes holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and an MBA from the Harvard Business School.

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Louis G. Lange, M.D., Ph.D.

General Partner, Asset Management (former Chairman, CEO & CSO, CV Therapeutics, Inc.)

Twenty two years experience in academic medicine at Harvard and Washington University, where he served as Chief of Cardiology and Professor of Medicine at Jewish Hospital from 1985-1992 and was one of the first academicians in molecular cardiology. Founded CV Therapeutics based on this field and as Chairman, CEO and Chief Scientific Officer, led the initiatives for US FDA and European EMEA approval for Ranexa, a first in class late sodium channel blocker and the first anti-anginal drug class approved in 30 years in the US. He also led the approval of Lexiscan, a first –in-class adenosine A2a receptor agonist for use in myocardial perfusion imaging studies. As a member of the Board of Trustees at the University of Rochester since 1998 and as chair of the Health Affairs committee that oversees all of the medical operations for five years, has been part of the leadership team for strategic re-invigoration of the medical center with construction of two research buildings and recruitment of numerous additional faculty members. As a member of BIO Board of Directors (the trade organization of biotech companies) from 1999 to 2009, led the committee representing the bulk of member companies for two years and was picked as one of two biotech executives to attend the ceremonies at the White House for the signing of the Bioterrorism bill in 2004. In addition, he is on the Board of Directors of the Institute for Systems Biology in Seattle, WA and the Chairman of the Board of CardioDX.

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Ed Mathers

Partner

New Enterprise Associates

Ed Mathers joined NEA in August 2008 and is focused on biotechnology and specialty pharmaceuticals investments. Prior to joining NEA, Ed most recently served as Executive Vice President, Corporate Development and Venture, at MedImmune, Inc. In this role, he was responsible for the company’s licensing and business development activities and led the company’s venture capital subsidiary, MedImmune Ventures, Inc. Before joining MedImmune in 2002, he was Vice President, Marketing and Corporate Licensing and Acquisitions at Inhale Therapeutic Systems. Ed spent 15 years at Glaxo Wellcome, Inc. (GlaxoSmithKline), where he held sales and marketing positions of increasing responsibility. He started his career at Ortho Pharmaceuticals Corporation, a division of Johnson & Johnson, as a researcher. Ed is currently on the boards of directors of Kémia, Inc. and Plexxikon Inc. He earned his bachelor's degree in chemistry from North Carolina State University.

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Randall Marcuson
former President and CEO
Embrex, Inc. (acquired by Pfizer Animal Health)

In May, 2007, Randy retired after leading Embrex as President, CEO and Board Member for 17 years. Embrex was a "home-grown" publicly traded North Carolina based bio-technology company focused on the global poultry industry. Embrex had revenues of nearly $55m in 2006, more than 320 employees world wide with operations in all major poultry producing countries. Its process was used for more than 90% of the production of chickens raised for meat in the United States and more than 35% of the poultry raised globally. In January, 2007 Embrex was acquired by Pfizer Animal Health for $155m, enabling Pfizer to reenter the poultry health segment. Prior to Embrex, Randy worked as Vice President of American Cyanamid's international animal health business for 5 years and also spent 10 years with Monsanto Agricultural Products Company in both domestic and international (Asia) sales, marketing and product management positions. He was involved in the development of the initial marketing and launch of Roundup herbicide which became the largest selling herbicide in the world. Randy is a 1974 graduate of the University of Kansas with a BA in international relations and East Asian studies and is also a Vietnam Veteran and was a Chief Warrant Officer/helicopter pilot. He is currently an executive coach for the MBA Leadership Immersion course at UNC's Kenan-Flagler Business School.

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Ernest Mario, Ph.D.
Chairman and CEO
Capnia

Ernest Mario is Chairman and CEO of Capnia, a privately held pharmaceutical company in Palo Alto, CA.  Using a proprietary gas delivery system, the company is developing novel therapeutic products to treat migraine and allergic rhinitis. After working as a drugstore pharmacist and then beginning his pharmaceutical industry career as a researcher in 1966, Dr. Mario served in management at a number of drug companies before being named in 1989 Chief Executive of Glaxo, then the second-largest drug company in the world. During Dr. Mario’s tenure, Glaxo brought five major new products to market and saw sales and profits increase by 15% annually. Later Dr. Mario led pioneering drug delivery technology company Alza until selling it to Johnson & Johnson in 2001. Most recently he served as Chairman and CEO of Reliant Pharmaceuticals, where he led the commercialization of Omacor/Lovaza, the first and only prescription omega-3 medication clinically proven to dramatically reduce very high triglycerides. Dr. Mario earned a BS in pharmacy at Rutgers and his MS and PhD in physical sciences at the University of Rhode Island. He holds honorary doctorates from URI and Rutgers, the latter of which in 2001 renamed its pharmacy school the Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy. In 2007 he was awarded the Remington Medal by the American Pharmacists’ Association, pharmacy’s highest honor. In addition to his current and past service on a number of corporate boards, Dr. Mario is active in numerous educational and healthcare organizations, including Duke University, where he is a former university trustee.  He was also past chairman of the Duke University Health System, where he continues to serve as a board member.

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Jon McGarity
Executive Vice President, Marketing
Campbell Alliance

Jon McGarity brings more than 40 years of experience in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry to his role at Campbell Alliance. Mr. McGarity has held senior management positions at leading pharmaceutical companies, as well as executive leadership roles for several early-stage biotech companies. Before joining Campbell Alliance, Jon McGarity was the Founder, President, and CEO of EthiX Associates, a consulting firm that specialized in assisting pharmaceutical, biotech, and healthcare companies in developing growth strategies. Through his consulting business, Mr. McGarity served as the CEO of a $27M drug development company, several early-stage biotech companies, and a medical device company. Prior to that, he held a variety of senior management positions in sales, marketing, and managed care at GlaxoSmithKline, Bristol-Myers Squibb, and Novartis (Sandoz Pharmaceuticals). Mr. McGarity earned a BS at the State University of New York in Albany. He has also completed executive coursework at Harvard, Duke, Stanford, University of Pennsylvania, Columbia, UCLA, and the University of Michigan.

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Mark A. Miller
Vice President of Corporate Business Development
Eli Lilly and Company

Mr. Miller joined Lilly in 1983 after completing his MBA at the University of California at Berkeley. He also holds a B.S. and an M.S. in biology from Eastern Michigan University. He has held numerous positions in marketing, sales, and business planning. In 1993, he was named Managing Director of Operations for Lilly’s Nordic countries. Before joining Corporate Business Development in 1998, he was General Manager of the Lilly Ranbaxy joint venture in generic pharmaceuticals. Mr. Miller and his team are responsible for all business development activities with companies headquartered in Eastern North America and Europe. They cover all therapeutic areas, and are primarily responsible for developing the deal structure, negotiating terms, and contracting. During the last several years in Corporate Business Development, Mr. Miller and his team have negotiated some of Lilly’s most significant collaborations including in-licensing and out-licensing deals, co-promotion agreements and R&D collaborations with companies such as Sanofi-Aventis, OSI/Prosidion, Merck Serono, Boehringer Ingelheim, MacroGenics, United Therapeutics, Transition Therapeutics, InCyte, NeuroSearch and Quintiles/NovaQuest.

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Wayne Myers, MBA, PMP
Director, Public Health Informatics
SRA International, Inc.

Mr. Myers has 19 years of experience in the strategic planning and delivery of solutions for healthcare and public health organizations. His broad experiences include the development and implementation of electronic health records (EMR/EHR), a personal health record, a biosurveillance system, and a multi-terabyte health research data warehouse. For the past seven years Mr. Myers has worked closely with CDC on programs such as the Select Agent laboratory inspection program, and CDC’s BioSense biosurveillance program. He currently leads a 300 person CDC-focused consulting practice within SRA’s Global Public Health Programs business unit. He has an MBA from the University of Missouri in Kansas City and is a certified Project Management Professional.

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J. Michael Pearson

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Valeant Pharmaceuticals International

J. Michael Pearson was appointed Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Valeant Pharmaceuticals International in February 2008. Prior to joining Valeant, Mr. Pearson was a Director at McKinsey & Company. Over a 23-year career, he worked with leading CEOs and was an integral driver of major turnarounds, acquisitions, and corporate strategy. Within McKinsey, Mr. Pearson held positions including McKinsey's Board of Directors, head of the global Pharmaceutical Practice, and head of McKinsey's mid-Atlantic region. Mr. Pearson holds a BS and BSE from Duke University, graduating Summa Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa, and earned his MBA from University of Virginia, winning the Shermet Award.

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The Honorable Beverly Eaves Perdue

Governor of North Carolina

In January 2009, Bev Perdue was inaugurated as the 73rd Governor of North Carolina and our state's first woman governor. On Governor Perdue’s first day in office she signed a series of executive orders designed to make government more efficient, more accessible and more accountable to the people. Before entering public service, Perdue worked as a public school teacher, as director of geriatric services at a community hospital in her hometown of New Bern, and earned a Ph.D. in Education Administration. Governor Perdue has also served in the State House, State Senate and as Lieutenant Governor for 8 years. As a state legislator, Perdue was part of several landmark initiatives, including raising teacher salaries from 43rd to 21st in the nation, starting the Children's Health Insurance Program, and creating the Clean Water Management Trust Fund. As Lt. Governor, Perdue led our state's efforts during the Defense Department's Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process, successfully protecting North Carolina's military bases worth $18 billion and 350,000 jobs to our economy. Building on that success, Perdue launched the NC Military Foundation to attract 21st century defense, aerospace and homeland security jobs to North Carolina.
She also created the Green Business Fund to make environmental innovation investments in alternative fuels, green construction, and other clean energy technologies - positioning North Carolina to become a national leader in environmental technology and in high-wage green collar jobs. As Chair of the Health and Wellness Trust Fund Commission, Perdue helped create Senior Care, a prescription drug program for low-income seniors called the best in the nation by NC AARP. And under Perdue's leadership, the state targeted teen tobacco use for the first time - an effort that resulted in all 115 school systems becoming 100% tobacco free. Drawing on her experience as a former teacher, Bev Perdue is working to transform North Carolina classrooms into 21st century learning centers through increased technology in the classroom and a statewide online school initiative, steps critical to preparing students to enter the global workforce. She understands clearly that the success of our education system will define our economic future as a state, that's why she is committed to attracting and retaining the best teachers in America.
Bev grew up in the coal mining mountains of Southwest Virginia and has lived most of her adult life in New Bern. Her parents never finished high school, but always preached education and hard work as the path to success - and those are the values that continue to drive her today. Bev is married to Bob Eaves and she is the proud mother of two sons, Garrett and his wife April and Emmett. Bob is the proud father of Charlotte and her husband Doug, and Robert and his wife Michelle. They have five grandchildren - Bennett, Jake, Rachel, Sarah, and Amelia. Bev and Bob also share their home with two dogs, Dosie and Zipper.

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Michael Rosenberg, MD, MPH

President and CEO

Health Decisions, Inc.

Michael Rosenberg, MD, MPH, is President and CEO of Health Decisions, Inc., a private research firm specializing in improving the efficiency of pharmaceutical research. Health Decisions emphasizes the combination of electronic tools, processes and people to improve the efficiency and speed of clinical research process. The company’s ability reduce development timelines has received much national and international recognition, including the prestigious Enterprise Value Award, which recognizes five companies throughout the world each year for their ability to change the way an industry works (Health Decisions is the smallest company ever to have received this award). The company has been included three times in both the Inc. 500 fastest growing private companies and Technology 500 fastest growing technology-based companies. The company received Cisco’s Growing With Technology award for innovative use of technology, the only health-based company to be so honored, and Dr. Rosenberg was honored by Ernst and Young as Entrepreneur of the Year for the Health Sciences Division. Health Decisions focuses on the development and implementation of advanced integrated electronic systems to improve the efficiency and speed of clinical research. The company applies modern information technology combined with a high degree of research and area-specific expertise to produce systems that collect, disseminate, and allow study completion considerably faster than the current industry or academic standards. Web technology is used extensively for data collection, including forms that perform self-validation; information is rapidly processed and disseminated to study personnel, allowing real-time status checks that lead to improved efficiency in study conduction as well as earlier, better strategic decisions. The approach also enables rapid data analysis and manuscript preparation through a web-enabled document management system. The result is a modern, highly effective mechanism that allows studies to be completed and results considered and prepared for publication considerably faster than would otherwise be possible. Dr. Rosenberg and Health Decisions were featured in Forbes about how the industry is changing, spotlighting a major international study in which the company is credited as having saved 1.6 years off a five-year timeline and $32 million in direct costs. Dr. Rosenberg has also appeared on CNNfn as a technology commentator and MSNBC’s series on entrepreneurs, The Edge. The author of more than 150 scientific articles, Dr. Rosenberg serves as Clinical Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the School of Medicine and Adjunct Professor of Epidemiology at the School of Public Health, both at the University of North Carolina, and practices emergency medicine. He also serves on advisory groups in business, technology, and medicine. His professional achievements have been recognized by fellowship in the American College of Physicians, American College of Preventive Medicine, and the American College of Epidemiology. Dr. Rosenberg received his undergraduate and medical degrees from the University of California and a Master’s degree in Epidemiology and Biostatistics from Harvard University.

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Allen D. Roses, MD, FRCP [Hon]
Jefferson-Pilot Professor of Neurobiology and Neurology
Director, Deane Drug Discovery Institute
Senior Scholar, Fuqua School of Business

Allen D. Roses has established an international reputation for his work in pharmacogenetics, exploratory drug discovery, and clinical neuroscience.Dr. Roses founded Cabernet Pharmaceuticals in 2008 to provide pharmacogenetics (PGx) and project-management services to pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, clinical-research and managed-healthcare organizations, and academic institutions. He has formed a team of consultants with deep experience in the practical application of PGx to drug development. Dr. Roses also serves in several capacities at Duke University: as Jefferson-Pilot Professor of Neurobiology, and Genetics, as Professor of Medicine (Neurology) as Director of the Deane Drug Discovery Institute, and as Senior Scholar at the Fuqua School of Business. He recently returned to Duke after a decade-long career as a Senior Vice President at GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and its corporate predecessor GlaxoWellcome (GW). Upon joining GW in 1997, he organized genetic strategies for susceptibility-gene discovery, pharmacogenetics strategy and implementation, and integration of genetics into medicine discovery and development. Subsequently at GSK, he headed research in genetics, genomics, proteomics, and bioinformatics in support of the entire R&D pipeline.  Among the specific activities of his group at GSK were proof-of-principle experiments using linkage-disequilibrium mapping to identify susceptibility loci for drug-associated adverse events. With respect to hypersensitivity to the HIV/AIDS drug abacavir, for example, GSK identified the HLA-*B5701 locus with candidate-gene analyses and then prospectively established the sensitivity (97%) and specificity (>99%) of this genetic risk marker. During his previous tenure at Duke, Dr. Roses was Jefferson Pilot Professor of Neurobiology and Neurology, Founding Director of the Joseph and Kathleen Bryan Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Chief of the Division of Neurology, and Director of the Center for Human Genetics.  He was one of the first clinical neurologists to apply molecular genetic strategies to neurological diseases. His laboratory reported the chromosomal location for more than 15 diseases, including several muscular dystrophies and Lou Gehrig’s disease. He led the team that in 1992 identified APOE as a major, widely confirmed susceptibility gene in common late-onset Alzheimer’s disease. Translation of these findings to metabolic-pathway analyses and drug discovery and development continued in GSK, leading to Phase III trials now under way to evaluate the drug rosiglitazone for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. Dr. Roses was a member of the Science Board of the US Food and Drug Administration between 2003-2007. He was a member of the Board’s Subcommittee on Science and Technology that in 2007 authored the report “FDA Science and Mission at Risk.” He continues to consult with the FDA and other regulatory agencies in the field of pharmacogenetics and companion diagnostics. Recently Dr. Roses described the association of a variable polyT repeat [rs10524523] with the age of onset distribution of AD. The data enhanced the accuracy of the prior age of onset curves based solely on APOE genotypes [also developed by Dr. Roses at Duke in 1992]. Shiraz Pharma was founded in 2009 to commercialize the IP from this new discovery. Zinfandel Pharma was also founded in 2009 to plan and execute a prospective validation of the “523” diagnostic for predicting risk of AD onset in the next 5-7 years for individuals aged 60-87 years. A combination diagnostic validation study and prevention [delay of age of onset] clinical trial in epidemiologic-selected populations is currently in progress, having completed a Voluntary Genomic Data Submission discussion with the FDA regarding the design of the clinical trial. Five epidemiologic-based recruitment sites for Caucasians without cognitive impairment have been organized and are piloting subject recruitment in order to decrease the recruitment time once the trial commences.

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Stephen Sands

Vice Chairman

US Investment Banking and Global Co-Head

Lazard’s Healthcare Group

Stephen Sands is Vice Chairman of US Investment Banking and Global Co-Head of Lazard’s Healthcare Group. He has worked on behalf of both domestic and international life science clients in the biotech, specialty pharma and pharmaceutical sectors. Mr. Sands is also on the Board of Directors of Lazard Capital Markets. Mr. Sands advised some of the largest pharmaceutical and biotechnology transactions ever done including Pfizer’s acquisition of Pharmacia and Warner Lambert, UCB’s acquisition of Schwarz Pharma and Celltech, Hoechst on the formation of Aventis and the acquisition by Glaxo of Wellcome. He has also provided financial advise to leading biotech/specialty pharma companies such as Abraxis, Alpharma, APP Pharmaceuticals, Biogen, Hypnion, Imclone, OSI, MGI, Protez, Rosetta, and ViroPharma. In addition, Mr. Sands has assisted numerous companies to raise capital in the public markets including Amicus, Dendreon, Enzo Biochem, Poniard, Targanta, Synta, Viropharma and Xenoport. Prior to joining Lazard in 1994, Mr. Sands was a Partner in the health care practice of McKinsey & Company. While on sabbatical from McKinsey, Mr. Sands co-founded two biotechnology companies -- Enzytech and Opta Foods -- where he served as Vice President, Business Development and Treasurer. Prior to their sale Mr. Sands was a Director of National Imaging Associates, Inc (Magellan), and Isogen LLC (Monsanto). Mr. Sands has been the featured Keynote Speaker and participated as a panelist at numerous biotechnology conferences. He is a member of the Brookings/Gates Global Heath Innovative Financing Advisory Group. Mr. Sands was also the New York Biotechnology Association’s (NYBA) inaugural recipient of The Cures Start Here® Business Leader of the Year Award 2008. Mr. Sands received a B.A. in Biology from Oberlin College, a B.S. and M.S. in Chemical Engineering from Washington University in St. Louis, and an M.B.A. in Finance from New York University.

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Christy L. Shaffer, Ph.D.

President & Chief Executive Officer
Inspire Pharmaceuticals

Dr. Shaffer is a seasoned pharmaceutical executive and Ph.D. scientist with over 20 years of experience in the pharmaceutical/biotechnology industry. She has extensive experience in directing complex drug development processes for innovative products and raising substantial capital for a growing company. Dr. Shaffer was recruited by the founding scientists of Inspire as the first full-time employee in 1995. She joined Inspire from Burroughs Wellcome where she had served as an International Project Leader and Associate Director of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. Dr. Shaffer was rapidly promoted after joining Inspire to VP of Development, Chief Operating Officer and, in 1998, President and Chief Executive Officer and Board member. Under Dr. Shaffer's tenure, Inspire became a publicly traded company in 2000 and has completed multiple private equity and public offerings, raising over ~$400 million for Inspire. Inspire currently has a market capitalization of ~$500 million and has over 200 employees, including a commercial sales force. Dr. Shaffer has received many notable awards including the Impact 24: Top Entrepreneurs of the Year, and Women Extraordinaire from Business Leader Magazine in 2008, YWCA Academy of Women 2007 Award in Science and Technology, the Charles & Colvard Women of Brilliant Achievement™ award, the Council for Entrepreneurial Development (CED) Award for Entrepreneurial Excellence in 2004 and Business Woman of the Year in NC 2003, 2004, by the Business Advisory Council in Washington, DC. Under Dr. Shaffer's leadership, Inspire was named one of The Scientist's Best Places to Work in Industry multiple times, one of Business North Carolina's Best Employers in North Carolina and received numerous Best Places to Work Awards for employers in Research Triangle Park. Inspire was also recognized by the American Heart Association as a Start! Fit-Friendly Company, and by Business Leader Magazine as one of the Healthiest Companies in the Triangle. Most recently, Inspire won the North Carolina Science and Technology Award for Breakthrough Research based on the Cystic Fibrosis Development Program. Dr. Shaffer serves on numerous external boards, including the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) Emerging Companies Section Governing Body, the Foundation Board of Directors of the North Carolina Museum of Art, the Kresge Science Advisory Board for Meredith College, and the NC School of Science and Math Foundation Board, the Advisory Board for the Morehead Planetarium and Science Center at the University of North Carolina, Board of Directors for Clinipace, a privately held clinical research software company in RTP, and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Carolinas Chapter Board, where she serves as the Chair. Dr. Shaffer also previously served as Chair of the Council for Entrepreneurial Development, which is the oldest and largest organization of its kind in the US, and was a past Board member of the North Carolina Biotechnology Center. She also served on the Business Advisory Board for a local venture capital fund, Hatteras BioCapital Fund LC in 2004 and was Co-Chair of the Triangle American Heart Association Walk in 2005. Dr. Shaffer received a B.S. in Biology/Chemistry and a Ph.D. in Pharmacology from the University of Tennessee. She completed two post-doctoral fellowships, one at the Chicago Medical School and the other at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

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Kevin A. Schulman, M.D.

Associate Director, Duke Clinical Research Institute;
Professor of Medicine and Business Administration, Duke University

Kevin A. Schulman, MD, is a professor of medicine at the Duke University School of Medicine, where he also serves as the director of the Center for Clinical and Genetic Economics and as an associate director of the Duke Clinical Research Institute. He holds a joint appointment as a professor of business administration at Duke's Fuqua School of Business, where he is the director of the Health Sector Management Program. Dr. Schulman also holds appointments in the Center for Health Services Research in Primary Care at the Durham VA Medical Center, the Duke Center for Clinical Health Policy Research, and the Trent Center for Bioethics, Humanities and History of Medicine. His research interests include economic evaluation in clinical research; health services research and policy, including access to care and the impact of reimbursement and regulatory policies on clinical practice; and medical decision making, especially in patients with life-threatening conditions. Dr. Schulman received his MD degree from the New York University School of Medicine and a master's degree in business administration from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He completed a residency in internal medicine at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. He is a board-certified physician in internal medicine. Dr. Schulman is an elected member of the American Society for Clinical Investigation, a recipient of the Alice S. Hersh Young Investigator Award from the Association for Health Services Research (now AcademyHealth), and the inaugural recipient of the Dr. Herbert W. Nickens Epidemiology Award from the Association of Black Cardiologists. He has written extensively on his research topics, including peer-reviewed articles in the New England Journal of Medicine, JAMA, and Annals of Internal Medicine. He is currently a member of the editorial/advisory boards of five journals, including the American Journal of Medicine, the American Heart Journal, Health Services Research, and Value in Health.

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Bob Silverman

Global Licensing Director, Pharma Partnering Group
Hoffmann-La Roche

Bob Silverman is a Global Licensing Director for the Pharma Partnering Group of Hoffmann-La Roche. Bob has been with Hoffmann-La Roche for 16 years. Prior to his current role, Bob was a Global Licensing Attorney for the Pharma Licensing Group, as well as a Senior Counsel for the US Affiliate patent department. Bob leads and conducts negotiations for transactions spanning the entire Pharma value chain, ranging from enabling technologies and early phase opportunities to acquiring and divesting marketed products. In addition, he also coordinates activities with the venture capital community on behalf of the Pharma division.

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Dr. Lauren Silverman

Managing Director
Novartis Option Fund

Dr. Lauren Silverman is a Managing Director of the Novartis Option Fund in Cambridge, MA, USA. Prior to joining the Option Fund she was Global Head of Oncology Research Operations for Novartis. Previously, Lauren spent much of her career in Licensing & Business Development, first at OSI Pharmaceuticals and later at Pfizer with responsibilities in the areas of CNS, ophthalmology and oncology. Lauren was also a Director of Strategic Alliances and Head of Cell Biology where she led multiple research teams after having been a founding scientist of Cadus Pharmaceuticals. Lauren was a postdoctoral fellow at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Princeton University and earned her Ph.D. in molecular biology from the University of Utah. She is the author of multiple scientific publications and several issued patents and serves on the Business Advisory Board of the Epilepsy Research Foundation’s Epilepsy Therapy Project and National Cancer Institute’s SBIR review panel. Lauren currently serves on the Boards of Directors of Ascent Therapeutics, Proteostasis Therapeutics, Cequent Pharmaceuticals and Viamet Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

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Stephen F. Stefano

Author of Passion and ICE
Former SVP
GlaxoSmithKline 

Steve Stefano is Senior Vice President of GlaxoSmithKline’s Business Development for North America and New Product Planning. He has held numerous positions of increasing responsibility at the previous Glaxo Wellcome, and is credited with implementing that company’s initial focus on the managed care market. A graduate of St. Joseph’s College and a native Philadelphian, Stefano is active in many philanthropic activities and professional organizations both in North Carolina and nationally.

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Lawrence (“Larry”) D. Stern 

Chairman and CEO 

Talecris Biotherapeutics

As chairman and CEO of Talecris Biotherapeutics, Lawrence (Larry) Stern, led the evaluation and plan that resulted in the formation of Talecris in 2005 with financial support from two private equity groups. Together with Talecris’ management team, Larry led the effort to turn the company into an independent, industry leading global provider of plasma-derived protein therapies culminating in the company’s 2009 listing on Nasdaq. Larry started his career at ARCO Chemical where he spent 15 years in research, development and manufacturing before moving into management. He joined Bayer Corporation as the president of its Urethanes group in 2000 upon Bayer’s acquisition of Lyondell Chemical’s polyol business. The understanding of the plasma therapeutics business that Larry gained at Bayer was a crucial component of the successful acquisition of Bayer Biologics’ plasma business. Larry serves on the board of Centric Health Resources, an entity focused on improving health outcomes by coupling disease state management with therapeutic treatments. He formerly served on the board of Life’s Work, a non-profit organization committed to improving the lives of people with physical and mental disabilities. Larry is now an active supporter of patient organizations focused on rare chronic diseases. He received a BS in Chemical Engineering from Cornell University and a MS from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

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Michael Stocum

Managing Director 

Personalized Medicine Partners, LLC

Michael Stocum is Founder and Managing Director of Personalized Medicine Partners, LLC, a firm that provides strategic and operational support to biopharmaceutical and diagnostic companies as well as laboratory service providers in the development of integrated therapeutic and biomarker/companion diagnostic programs that form the basis of current and future personalized medicine products. Throughout his career he has developed personalized medicine programs, impacting the drug and diagnostic product development continuum at all stages from research to commercialization. These programs have spanned several therapeutic areas, including infectious diseases, cancer, cardiometabolic diseases, critical care and inflammation. Mr. Stocum has nearly 20 years of life science experience including positions in pharmaceuticals (GlaxoSmithKline) as well as biologics and molecular diagnostics (AkzoNobel Pharma – Organon Teknika division) plus two Biotech start-ups (Xanthon and Tricon Pharmaceuticals). While in industry, he held positions of increasing responsibility beginning in bench research, then progressing to product, business and commercial development as well as licensing. He has developed or commercialized multiple novel molecular diagnostic products and supported the development of numerous medicines in the disease areas previously mentioned. Many of these products have sustained commercial success measured in product sales ranging from tens to hundreds of millions of dollars annually. Since leaving GSK just over five years ago to start up Personalized Medicine Partners, he and his partners have delivered on significant value-added projects for more than a fifteen companies. Mr. Stocum serves as the Chair of the American Association for Clinical Chemistry’s Personalized Medicine Advisory Group and is an active member in the Personalized Medicine Coalition, a non-profit dedicated to advancing the field of Personalized Medicine. He also serves on the Industry Advisory Board for the Professional Science Masters program at North Carolina State University (NCSU). His educational background includes dual B.S. degrees in Biochemistry and Microbiology with a minor in Genetics plus an M.S. in Biotechnology Management all from NCSU and included two years of academic research assistantships at NCSU and the National Institutes Health in the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.

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Jon Stonehouse

President and CEO
BioCryst Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Jon Stonehouse, a pharmaceutical executive for more than 20 years, has strong commercialization, financial transaction, business development and management expertise.  He joined BioCryst as President and CEO in January 2007.  Before joining BioCryst, he served as Senior Vice President of Corporate Development at Merck KGaA with responsibility for global licensing and business development, corporate mergers and acquisitions, corporate strategic planning and alliance management.  Among his accomplishments, he was responsible for leading the effort to develop a strategy for Merck that significantly changed the company.  This culminated with the acquisition of Serono, S.A., the largest biotechnology company in Europe.

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Anthony Y. Sun

Partner

Aisling Capital

Anthony Y. Sun joined Fund I in 2002 and currently serves as a Partner. Previously, Dr. Sun was an Adjunct Instructor of Medicine at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Sun currently serves as a director of CeNeRx BioPharma, Inc., Dynova Laboratories, Inc., HerbalScience, Inc., and Paratek Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Previously he served as a director of MAP Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Dr. Sun received his M.D. from Temple University School of Medicine with A.O.A. honors. He received his M.B.A. from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, and his B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Cornell University. In addition, he is Board Certified in Internal Medicine.

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The Honorable Billy Tauzin

President and Chief Executive Officer

Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA)

Billy Tauzin was named president and chief executive officer of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) in January 2005 and immediately took up two of the most important causes of his career: To help ensure patients everywhere continue to have access to the miracles of medicines, and to ensure that innovative biopharmaceutical research thrives, improving and saving lives everywhere. He knows firsthand what patients face as they search for hope, treatment and cures having recently battled cancer himself. This unique insight guides his leadership as PhRMA president where he is helping to develop solutions to America’s health care challenges so patients now and in the future have the medicines they need. Billy Tauzin began his public service career in the Louisiana State Legislature where he served in a variety of distinguished posts such as Chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee and Chief Administration Floor Leader. He was chosen twice as one of Louisiana's "Ten Best Legislators." He was first elected to the U.S. House in 1980 as a Democrat. Because his conservative views increasingly led him to vote with GOP House members despite his Democratic affiliation, he switched parties in 1995. In 1998, he joined with House Majority Leader Dick Armey to propose a revamping of the tax code. While in Congress, he held several leadership positions, beginning with his chairmanship of a Merchant Marine Subcommittee, which oversaw legislation related to the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska. In September 1995 he was named Deputy Majority Whip; he is the first American to have been part of the leadership of both parties in the House. In an effort to promote a spirit of bipartisan cooperation on Capitol Hill, he co-founded and co-chaired the “Blue Dogs,” one of the most influential caucuses in Congress. Until February, 2004, he served as the Chairman of the influential House Committee on Energy and Commerce, which has jurisdiction over all interstate and foreign commerce, including energy, telecommunications, health care, biomedical research, consumer protection, the environment and travel and tourism. During his tenure, he left his mark on issues ranging from natural gas, airline, trucking and electricity deregulation to the Clean Air Act, Superfund and the historic Telecommunications Reform Act of 1996. In addition, he was the original author of the Securities Litigation Reform Act and the Cable Act – the only bills over the past decade to become law despite a Presidential veto. As chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, he helped President George W. Bush win passage of a Medicare prescription drug bill. Suffering health problems that led him to re-evaluate his life, Tauzin announced in February 2004 that he would not run for another term. Over the years, Tauzin has been honored by such diverse groups as the Chamber of Commerce, Farm Bureau, National Federal of Independent Business, B'nai B'rith, Concord Coalition, Business Software Alliance, National Association of Manufacturers, Christian Coalition, Boy Scouts of America, National Association of Broadcasters, the 3rd Congressional District Black Caucus, and many more. Billy Tauzin received a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Nicholls State University in 1964 and a Law Degree from Louisiana State University in 1967.

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Patrick F. Terry

Co-Founder

Genomic Health

Patrick F. Terry is a social entrepreneur who has founded a series of philanthropic, research, and commercial organizations based on the life sciences, applied technology, and social-network theory. He is the co-founder of Genomic Health [NASDAQ: GHDX], and a former Director at this pioneering personalized medicine company. His perspective is forged from personal and family experiences with genetic disease, cancer, and extensive work in the patient advocacy community. He has published dozens of peer-reviewed scientific papers, articles, and book chapters in the fields of genetics, translational research, and personalized medicine. Some of his recent activities included leadership positions on numerous trade associations, professional societies, corporate boards, and federal advisory bodies. He has experience doing hands-on bench science, coordinating genetics research, conducting research on a variety of rare diseases, and managing a life sciences patent portfolio. He has received many honors and awards in the business and scientific communities in the U.S. and internationally. He has dedicated his career to helping people and advancing a patient-centered perspective in research, product development, and delivery of clinical care. He is currently a Director at Sirius Genomics, TcLand Expression, BioLogos Foundation, and GRAND Therapeutics. Patrick has also founded the following organizations: Personalized Medicine Coalition, 21st Century Medicine Coalition, PXE International, Genetic Alliance BioBank, International Genetic Alliance, Technic Solutions, European Personalized Medicine Diagnostic Association, and GRAND Therapeutics.

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J. Bradley Wilson

President and Chief Executive Officer

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina

Brad Wilson is president and chief executive officer of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC). He brings to the job extensive business experience, public policy expertise and a strong record of community involvement. Wilson is a native of Caldwell County and was the first person in his family to attend college. He views his leadership role at BCBSNC as a culmination of his commitment to serve North Carolina and its people. Wilson became president in 2010. He has served in a variety of senior leadership positions since coming to BCBSNC in 1995, including executive vice president, chief operating officer, general counsel and corporate secretary. His career and public service focus have included the practice of law, government and, legislative issues, higher education, regulatory affairs and business. A lifelong resident of North Carolina, Wilson was in the general practice of law for 14 years prior to serving as general counsel to Governor Hunt. As general counsel to the Governor, Wilson managed the legal department within the Governor’s Office and was the chief legislative strategist for the Governor’s legislative program. He also served as acting secretary of the Department of Crime Control and Public Safety. Wilson’s involvement in community affairs has included service on a number of state boards and non-profit boards. During the 1980’s, he served as a member of the North Carolina Board of Transportation and the North Carolina Aeronautics Council. In 1997 he was elected by the North Carolina Senate to the University of North Carolina Board of Governors and served as Chair of that Board from July 2002 to June 2006. He served 10 years on the North Carolina Railroad Company Board where he served as secretary, vice chair, and chair of the board. Wilson has also served as a member of the Meredith College Board of Trustees and served as Chair of that Board in 2001-2002. He is also a recipient of the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, the highest civilian honor bestowed by the Governor of North Carolina. He also serves on the Board of Visitors of Wake Forest University School of Law and is Chair of the following: Attorney General’s Campus Security Task Force; 21st Century Transportation Study Committee; AirT, Inc. Board of Directors; and the Wildacres Leadership Initiative Board. Wilson has a B.A. degree from Appalachian State University (Boone, N.C.), a Juris Doctor degree from the Wake Forest University School of Law (Winston-Salem, N.C.), a B.A. degree from Appalachian State University (Boone, N.C.), and a Masters of Arts degree from Duke University (Durham, N.C.).

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