Board of Directors
Board of Directors
François Ferré, Ph.D.
François Ferré, Ph.D.
Chair of the Board, La Jolla Institute for Immunology, Co-CEO and Co-Founder of ALMA Lifesciences, LLC
Dr. Ferré is one of San Diego’s leading biotech entrepreneurs and angel investors. In 1998, Dr. Ferré and his wife, Magda Marquet, Ph.D., started their first company, Althea Technologies, which became a leading provider of contract services to the biotechnology field in the U.S. and Europe. That company was acquired in 2013 by the Japanese group Ajinomoto. Dr. Ferré also co-founded a spinoff company, AltheaDX, which specializes in personalized medicine and pharmacogenomics. Dr. Ferré and Dr. Marquet co-founded ALMA Life Sciences, LLC, an early-stage investment firm focusing on the creation and growth of health care companies in San Diego. Dr. Ferré has also been active in the non-profit arena, serving on the Boards of the Keck Graduate Institute of Applied Life Sciences, the Chopra Foundation, and the San Diego Museum of Art. He received the 2005 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award in life sciences, and, in 2016, he and Dr. Marquet were inducted into San Diego’s CONNECT Entrepreneur Hall of Fame. Born and raised in France, Dr. Ferré received his Ph.D. in Molecular Oncology from the Pasteur Institute before coming to the U.S. where he completed his post-doctoral work at the University of California, San Diego in the mid-1980s. During his first decade in San Diego, Dr. Ferré worked as a scientist in the biotech industry specializing in gene quantification and biomarker development. In that time, Dr. Ferré co-edited a book on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with Nobel Prize winner Kary Mullis and worked with Dr. Jonas Salk on development of a therapeutic HIV vaccine.
Chair of the Board, La Jolla Institute for Immunology, Co-CEO and Co-Founder of ALMA Lifesciences, LLC
Tom Tullie, MBA
Tom Tullie, MBA
Vice Chair of the Board, La Jolla Institute for Immunology, Executive Chairman of Miku, Inc., Principal at Tullie Investment Corporation
Mr. Tullie is the Executive Chairman of Miku, Inc., the world leader in contactless breathing and health monitoring in the smart baby and pediatric monitoring market. He is also the Principal at Tullie Investment Corporation.
Previously, Mr. Tullie was the Chief Operating Officer at Applied Micro Circuits Corporation where he was part of the executive team that took the company public and raised $1 billion in secondary offerings. He was also the Executive Chairman at Everyone Counts, Inc., the world’s leading provider of secure software-based elections. In 2013, Mr. Tullie was chosen by Ernst & Young as an Entrepreneur of the Year.
Mr. Tullie earned an M.B.A. from Clark University and a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Massachusetts.
Vice Chair of the Board, La Jolla Institute for Immunology, Executive Chairman of Miku, Inc., Principal at Tullie Investment Corporation
Mark Bowles, MS
Mark Bowles, MS
Board Chair of Hyduro, Co-Founder of Truvian Sciences, Inc.
Mr. Bowles is the Board Chair of Hyduro, a start-up in the hydration space, and he is also the co-founder of Truvian Sciences, Inc, a San Diego-based diagnostics company.
Previously, Mr. Bowles was Chairman and a Board Member of San Diego Venture Group. Notably, he has 100+ issued patents both domestic and international, with dozens of pending patents. He has given guest lectures on entrepreneurism and innovation at universities including Duke, Stanford, UC San Diego, USD, SDSU, PLNU, Pepperdine, Hult, Texas A&M, Wharton and Harvard.
Mr. Bowles earned an M.S. in Technology Management from Pepperdine University and a B.S. in Industrial Distribution from Texas A&M University.
Board Chair of Hyduro, Co-Founder of Truvian Sciences, Inc.
John M. Carethers, M.D.
John M. Carethers, M.D.
Vice Chancellor for Health Sciences, UC San Diego
Dr. Carethers is the Vice Chancellor for Health Sciences at the University of California, San Diego. In this role, he leads the School of Medicine, Skagg School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science, and UC San Diego Health. Dr. Carethers is an elected member of the National Academy of Medicine and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He’s also on the Board of Directors of the American Association for Cancer Research.
Dr. Carethers received his MD from Wayne State University School of Medicine in 1989. He completed his residency in Internal Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital in 1992 and his gastroenterology fellowship at University of Michigan in 1995.
Vice Chancellor for Health Sciences, UC San Diego
Anthony R. (Tony) Carr
Anthony R. (Tony) Carr
Managing Partner, Carlo Development
Mr. Carr is the managing partner of Carlo Development, a southern California based real estate development company. Carlo Development also owns and operates multi-family and self storage/industrial properties throughout California. Mr. Carr is also a managing member and co-owner of San Diego Self Storage, the largest self storage company in San Diego County with 18 locations. Prior to this, Mr. Carr was a registered principal for C&L Securities Corp., a wealth management firm, and Registered Investment Counselor licensed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. He received his Bachelor’s from UCLA Anderson School of Management before beginning his career in finance and real estate.
Mr. Carr has been active in several community organizations, including service with the Advisory Board for the University of San Diego Burnham-Moores Center for Real Estate, the UCSD Athletic Advisory Board, the Board of Trustees for The Grauer School, the Board of Directors for Big Brothers of Greater Los Angeles, the Board of Directors of International Relief Teams, UCLA Chancellor’s Associates, and The Los Angeles BIA Multi-Family Housing Council.
Managing Partner, Carlo Development
Barbara Donnell, MA
Barbara Donnell, MA
Philanthropist and T1D Advocate
Barbara Donnell is a San Diego-based philanthropist and type one diabetes (T1D) patient parent advocate. Her work includes coordination of JDRF/LJI “Meet the Scientists Day” for T1D patients and their families.
In addition to her work with the JDRF, Ms. Donnell has coached early career researchers through the highly competitive application process for the Tullie and Rickey Families SPARK Awards for Innovations in Immunology. She is also a member of the Salk Institute Council, and is involved in the San Diego arts community.
Ms. Donnell received both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in German from Middlebury College in Vermont. Previously, she worked in international biotech and biomedical marketing research for Robert S. First, Inc., and was also an educator in Southern California and in Europe in the 1980s and 1990s. Her daughter’s diagnosis of type 1 diabetes in childhood led to her passion for pursuing new research and support for scientists studying the autoimmune disease.
Philanthropist and T1D Advocate
Brad Greenwald, MBA
Brad Greenwald, MBA
Founder and Managing Partner, Hilltop Venture Partners
Brad Greenwald is the Founder and Managing Partner of Hilltop Venture Partners. Over the past 30 years, Brad has successfully launched and operated innovative technology start-up and corporate businesses.
Brad began his career at management consulting firm Bain & Co then went on to senior management roles (marketing, sales and operations) in several global businesses including Time Warner Cable, Polaroid, and WildBlue Communications. He has helped raise over $200 million to fund start-ups including TrueCoach, Flextrip and WildBlue. Brad founded several businesses including consumer media tech company TidBitts and education services firm Education Funding Partners (a “doing well by doing good” BCorps that won the 2013 Harvard Business School New Venture Contest).
Brad currently manages Hilltop Venture Partners which invests in and helps manage early stage technology businesses including TekDry, HelperBees and StellarFi. He is an invited speaker at several national venture capital conferences.
Since 2010, Brad has been a Professor of Executive MBA Strategy and Entrepreneurial programs at the University of Denver’s Daniels School of Business. He founded the Denver Angel Club in 2009. Brad was a member of the Downtown Denver Partnership and an organizer of Denver Startup Week. He has served on the Board of Directors for Oxfam America, Food Bank of the Rockies as well as currently the La Jolla Institute for Immunology and chairperson of Colorado Public Radio. Brad was named a Crown Fellow at the Aspen Institute, and received the 2006 Share Our Strength National Community Leader Award.
Brad received a B.A. in Economics from Princeton University and an MBA from Harvard Business School. He speaks fluent Spanish and French and has lived in Venezuela, Brazil, France, England and Spain. He resides in Denver, CO with his wife and three children.
Founder and Managing Partner, Hilltop Venture Partners
Renetta Haas, MBA
Renetta Haas, MBA
Independent Director, Retired Deloitte Principal
Ms. Haas is a financial and strategic risk management specialist and senior executive with over 35 years of experience advising and mentoring hundreds of companies, executives, and boards in adapting and transforming their businesses to achieve and maintain financial success in the rapidly changing marketplace. Her expertise is early identification of industry disruption and helping develop cyber security, compliance, and operational strategies that empower companies to mitigate both identified and unforeseen risks. From complex Fortune 500 to mid-market brands, she has helped organizations across a broad set of industries, public, private and private equity backed, to create strategic, long-term solutions to difficult, multifaceted issues for their success.
Ms. Haas currently serves on the Board of Sharp Healthcare, Audit & Compliance Committee and Finance Committee. Qualified to serve as a financial expert and audit committee chair, Ms. Haas has extensive experience leading fully outsourced Internal Audit departments and supporting the CAEs and Audit Committees in numerous industries. She conducted financial operations for multiple government programs and developed operational forecasts, working closely with operational leaders in engineering & manufacturing.
Ms. Haas brings a unique combination of exceptional leadership, and operational and financial management from her career in corporate, professional services and board service. As a partner at Deloitte, she has risen through increasing levels of leadership responsibility, locally, nationally and globally, generating above market growth in every role. In addition, she played a critical role in Deloitte’s Executive Accelerators program, leading 100+ CEO, board and C-suite executive workshops on executive transition, agile leadership, strategy, transformation, innovation, and governance.
Ms. Haas earned a B.S.B.A. in Operations Management from the University of Arizona and an M.B.A. in Finance from the University of San Diego.
Independent Director, Retired Deloitte Principal
Emily Holmes, Ph.D., J.D.
Emily Holmes, Ph.D., J.D.
Senior Consultant, Attain Partners, LLC
Emily Holmes, Ph.D., J.D., currently serves as a Senior Consultant of Attain Partners, LLC. Prior to her role at Attain Partners, Holmes was Senior Director of Research Compliance and Regulatory Affairs at Seattle Children’s. Holmes has also led compliance efforts at Scripps Research in La Jolla, CA, one of the largest biomedical research institutes in the world. At Scripps Research, she went on to supervise the research cores and specialize in research compliance. By the time she moved on, Holmes had moved into the role of Vice President of the Scripps Research Office of Policy, Education and Risk Administration. From 1991 to 2019, Holmes served in various positions, including serving as a patent attorney and drafting patents on behalf of the Institute. In addition to her research and administration skills, Holmes has spearheaded the drafting of regulatory policy. She is registered with the US Patent and Trademark Office and is a current member of the California Bar. She is certified in healthcare research compliance (CHRC).
Senior Consultant, Attain Partners, LLC
Kim Kamdar, Ph.D.
Kim Kamdar, Ph.D.
Managing Partner, Medical Excellence Capital
Kim Kamdar, Ph.D. is a Managing Partner with Medical Excellence Capital. Kim has been involved in cutting edge therapeutic start-ups and companies with promising molecular and companion diagnostics to support personalized medicine for over 20 years. Kim has helped to create and served on the board of over a dozen companies. She was founding CEO for Truvian Sciences where she remains Chair. Kim has also helped to create Seraphina Therapeutics and currently serves as Chair. She was the Founding CEO for Obalon Therapeutics (NASDAQ: OBLN) and Aspen Neuroscience. Kim was an early investor and helped to create companies including Syndax Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: SNDX), Singular Genomics (NASDAQ: OMIC) and Pleno. Additional investments and BOD memberships include Alume Biosciences, Savanna, Trotana, Evofem Biosciences (NASDAQ: EVFM) and Sera Prognostics (NASDAQ: SERA).
Kim was involved with Ariosa Diagnostics until the company was sold to Roche in January 2015 for $625MM, Omniome until the company was sold to Pacific Bioscience (NASDAQ: PACB) in September 2021 for $800M, Corthera until the company was sold to Novartis in February 2010 for $620MM and BiPar Sciences until that company was sold to Sanofi in April 2009 for $500MM.
Kim has been part of Domain Associates since 2005 and a Partner since 2010. Prior to Domain, Kim was a Kauffman Fellow at MPM Capital where she participated in the firm’s investments in Transform Pharmaceuticals, Portola Pharmaceuticals and Affymax. Previous to that, she was a research director at Novartis, where she built and led a research team that focused on the biology, genetics and genomics of model organisms. Kim is the author of ten papers as well as the inventor on seven patents. She received her B.A. from Northwestern University and her Ph.D. in biochemistry and genetics from Emory University.
Kim is currently an Advisory Board Member for Dr. Eric Topol’s NIH supported Clinical and Translational Science Award for Scripps Medicine.
Managing Partner, Medical Excellence Capital
Mitchell Kronenberg, Ph.D.
Mitchell Kronenberg, Ph.D.
Professor, President Emeritus, La Jolla Institute for Immunology
Dr. Kronenberg is an internationally recognized scientist and one of the most highly cited immunologists in the world. This distinction is held by less than one half of one percent of all publishing scientific authors. He received his Ph.D. from the California Institute of Technology in 1983, and stayed on to complete his postdoctoral work before joining the faculty of the UCLA School of Medicine in 1986. At UCLA, he rose through the ranks to full professor.
In 1997, he joined La Jolla Institute. In September 2003, Dr. Kronenberg was appointed President of La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI)—a role which he served until 2021. In addition to his executive duties, he served as Chief Scientific Officer until 2023. Now, as a Professor in the Center for Autoimmunity and Inflammation and the Center for Infectious Disease and Vaccine Research at LJI, he conducts an active research program on the development of the immune system and the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases, and is a world-renowned expert in the field of mucosal and innate immunity.
Over the years, Dr. Kronenberg has received many major awards, including a prestigious Merit Award for scientific achievement from the National Institutes of Health and the Distinguished Service Award by the American Association of Immunologists. He has also been a Burroughs Wellcome Fund Visiting Professor at Harvard University, delivered the Joseph S. Ingraham immunology lecture at the Indiana University School of Medicine, and has been elected a fellow of the American Associations for the Advancement of Science as well as most admired CEO by the San Diego Business Journal.
Professor, President Emeritus, La Jolla Institute for Immunology
Carolee Lee
Carolee Lee
Founder and CEO, Women’s Health Access Matters (WHAM!); Founder and CEO, AccessCircles
Carolee Lee is an innovative trailblazer dedicated to transforming the health of women. In 2020, she founded WHAM (Women’s Health Access Matters), a nonprofit organization focused on increasing awareness of the unique health challenges women face and investing in women’s health research through data-drivenstrategies to accelerate scientific discovery and quantify economic impact.
As an entrepreneurial thinker, Carolee believes that convening and motivating thought leaders from across the ecosystem is essential for creating sustainable, lasting change. Her commitment to improving women’s health through collaboration has been recognized globally: in 2024, TIME named her one of the 100 Most Influential Leaders in Global Health for shifting the dialogue on women’s health by examining the ethics, empirical data and economic impact of while coalescing others to drive effective change.
Under Carolee’s leadership, WHAM collaborates with leading partners including the Connors Center, Brigham/Harvard as its Lead Scientific Partner; the RAND Corporation, American Heart Association, La Jolla Institute of Immunology, Northwell Health, KPMG and many others. In 2025, WHAM, in collaboration with KPMG and the KPMG Foundation, released a landmark report “The Business Case for Accelerating Women’s Health Investment,” addressing the lack of investment in companies focused on the health of women.
Prior to founding WHAM, Carolee was a creative force in the fashion world, building a global brand that was successfully acquired by Luxottica in 2001.
Carolee has served on numerous prestigious public and private boards. She currently participates on the boards of: La Jolla Institute for Immunology, The Women’s Health Advisory Board, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, The Leadership Board at the John F Kennedy School of Government. Previously, she served on the boards of DSW, the Museum of Arts and Design, NY, and The Breast Cancer Research Foundation, where she was actively involved for 20 years. Additionally, she played a leadership role in the Committee of 200, an organization of leading businesswomen, serving as both Chair and Chair of its Foundation Board.
Founder and CEO, Women’s Health Access Matters (WHAM!); Founder and CEO, AccessCircles
Rob Martinez, DLP
Rob Martinez, DLP
Founder and CEO, Transult, Inc.
Rob Martinez, DLP, is the Founder and CEO of Transult, Inc., a San Diego–based transportation consulting firm that advises private equity sponsors, portfolio companies, and enterprise shippers on logistics strategy, cost optimization, and transaction diligence. With more than 30 years of experience in transportation and supply chain, he is widely regarded as a leading authority in parcel economics and carrier negotiations.
Mr. Martinez is also the Founder and former CEO of Shipware, LLC, a consulting and technology platform that enables large shippers to reduce transportation spend and improve operational visibility. Under his leadership, Shipware scaled rapidly, earning multiple Inc. 5000 designations and national recognition as a Best Place to Work, before being successfully acquired by a private equity-backed strategic buyer.
In addition to his operating experience, Mr. Martinez brings deep expertise in value creation, pricing strategy, and operational efficiency across complex distribution environments. He has advised on numerous M&A transactions, providing commercial diligence and post-acquisition optimization strategies for sponsors and management teams.
Mr. Martinez is an active board member and advisor, currently serving on the boards of SIB Holdings and the La Jolla Institute for Immunology. He is also a member of Tiger 21, a global network of entrepreneurs and investors. Earlier in his career, he held leadership roles in sales and operations at Airborne Express.
He holds a B.A. from UCLA, graduating cum laude, and is a Distinguished Logistics Professional (DLP), a designation awarded to industry leaders for sustained contributions to transportation and logistics.
Mr. Martinez resides in San Diego, California.
Founder and CEO, Transult, Inc.
Fred Miller, MBA
Fred Miller, MBA
COO, GHR Foundation
Fred Miller serves as chief operating officer of GHR Foundation. In this role, he leads strategic planning for the foundation and manages its health program, which focuses on curbing the impact of Alzheimer’s disease by investing in prevention research and therapies.
Miller is a director emeritus of McKinsey & Company, having served the company for more than 27 years. He launched McKinsey’s Minneapolis office and spent the past decade as a leader in the firm’s healthcare practice, where he helped guide business strategy, new product development and commercial operations for Fortune 500 healthcare companies. Miller has experience leading corporate strategies with a focus on growth and innovation.
Miller earned his master’s degree in business administration from the University of Chicago, where he was a Kemper Fellow. He received his bachelor’s degree in mathematics and economics summa cum laude from DePauw University where he was a National Merit Scholar.
COO, GHR Foundation
Gail K. Naughton, Ph.D., MBA
Gail K. Naughton, Ph.D., MBA
Chief Executive Officer, Regenemed Associates
Dr. Naughton is a highly respected scientist with extensive experience in the field of regenerative medicine. She has been an executive in the life science industry for more than 35 years and has also served as the Dean of the College of Business Administration at San Diego State University for nine years. She is extensively published, is the inventor of over 130 patents, and received the 27th Inventor of the Year Award in 2000 from the Intellectual Property owners Association for her pioneering work in tissue engineering.
In the 1980s, Dr. Naughton co-founded Advanced Tissue Sciences, Inc., a biotechnology company focused on the development of tissue-engineered products for wound care, orthopedics as well as aesthetic and reconstructive purposes. She served as the Company’s President for eight years. In June 2007, Dr. Naughton became Chairman & CEO of Histogen, Inc, a regenerative medicine company that uses a unique technology, developed by Dr. Naughton, to create therapeutic and biomedical applications in the areas of skincare, oncology, orthopedics and wound care.
Dr. Naughton earned a Ph.D. in Hematology and M.S. in Histology from New York University Medical Center. She also earned her M.B.A. in Executive Management from the UCLA Anderson School of Business Administration and a B.S. from St. Francis College in Brooklyn, New York.
Chief Executive Officer, Regenemed Associates
Erica Ollmann Saphire, Ph.D., MBA
Erica Ollmann Saphire, Ph.D., MBA
President & Chief Executive Officer, La Jolla Institute for Immunology
Erica Ollmann Saphire, Ph.D., MBA, is President and CEO and a Professor at the La Jolla Institute for Immunology. An international leader in pandemic and emerging viruses and a pioneer in structural immunology, her work has delivered foundational “firsts” revealing how some of the world’s most lethal viruses function at the molecular level and how to provide medical defenses.
Recognizing that biological sex is a fundamental variable in health and disease, Dr. Saphire launched an institute-wide initiative to uncover sex-based differences in immune function, revealing why women and men experience different susceptibilities, symptoms, and outcomes across infectious disease, cancer, and autoimmunity. These insights are opening new paths to more accurate diagnosis, safer therapies, and more effective prevention for women and men.
Dr. Saphire is also widely recognized for building global, multidisciplinary collaborations that translate discovery into vaccines and antibody therapies. Her work has been recognized with numerous national and international awards, including the Presidential Early Career Award in Science and Engineering, the Pantheon Award for Academia, Non-Profit and Research from the California Life Sciences, and the Marion Spencer Fay Award.
President & Chief Executive Officer, La Jolla Institute for Immunology
Sandor W. (Sandy) Shapery, J.D.
Sandor W. (Sandy) Shapery, J.D.
Founder, Shapery Enterprises
Mr. Shapery is the founder of San Diego-based Shapery Enterprises, a real estate holding company involved in the ownership, design, and development of high-rise office buildings, high-rise hotels, commercial centers, and raw land. Emerald Plaza, which he developed on West Broadway in the early 1990s, was architecturally innovative with its futuristic, multi-tower hexagonal design.
Born in Chicago, Mr. Shapery and his family moved to San Diego in 1947 when his father took over a wholesale food distributorship. He graduated from San Diego State University with a B.S. in Political Science and earned his J.D. cum laude from the University of San Diego School of Law. Mr. Shapery worked as a law clerk with famed attorney Melvin Belli and later argued a case before the U.S. Supreme Court.
On the technology side, Mr. Shapery designed a vertical takeoff aircraft engine system that he developed with the help of a NASA grant. More recently, through his Transportation Systems Corporation, Mr. Shapery is developing advanced transportation infrastructure technology, including zero emissions induction-powered rail and magnetic levitation trains capable of traveling 300 miles an hour on existing railroad platforms. One of his patents has been licensed to the Elon Musk-designed Hyperloop transportation project.
Founder, Shapery Enterprises
Linda Sherman, Ph.D.
Linda Sherman, Ph.D.
Professor Emeritus, Scripps Research
Linda Sherman, Ph.D., is a former President of the American Academy of Immunology and Professor Emeritus at Scripps Research.
Dr. Sherman has helped shape the national scientific community as a member of numerous NIH committees and National Advisory Councils designed to review grant applications and write policy on federal funding priorities. She served as a member of the Board of Trustees at Scripps Research and also led promotions and faculty recruiting committees for many years. In her own laboratory, Dr. Sherman made substantial contributions to the fields of autoimmunity, immune tolerance and tumor immunity. Dr. Sherman was the first woman to be promoted to the position of Full Professor at Scripps Research. Along with her late husband Dr. Norman Klinman, Dr. Sherman was involved in the early growth and direction of a successful San Diego charitable organization, Kids Included Together (KIT). KIT provides opportunities for inclusion of children with developmental disabilities in child care, after school, and recreational programs throughout the community.
Dr. Sherman was the ninety-eighth president of The American Association of Immunologists (AAI) from 2014 to 2015 and served as an AAI Council member from 2009 to 2016. She was elected a Distinguished Fellow of AAI in 2019.
Dr. Sherman holds several US patents and has served on the Scientific Advisory Board for several biotech companies. She currently serves on the Advisory Board of the San Diego Biomedical Research Institute.
Professor Emeritus, Scripps Research
Takashi Shimada, Ph.D.
Takashi Shimada, Ph.D.
Global Research Head, Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd.
Takashi Shimada, Ph.D., is the Global Head of Research at Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd., a Japan-based global specialty pharmaceutical company.
He began his career in 1997 as a research scientist in the fields of bone and nephrology at the Pharmaceutical Research Laboratories of Kirin Brewery. One of his major research achievements was the cloning of FGF23 from an ultra-rare bone metabolic disorder, tumor-induced osteomalacia (TIO). Through a series of studies, he demonstrated that FGF23 is a key physiological regulator of phosphate and vitamin D metabolism, as well as a causative factor in several phosphate-wasting disorders. This work contributed to the development of Crysvita, a monoclonal antibody targeting FGF23.
His contributions have extended beyond bench research. In 2014, he was appointed to the research management office within the Nephrology Unit, where he successfully initiated multiple collaborations with major Japanese pharmaceutical companies to co-develop novel therapeutic assets, one of which has advanced to the clinical stage.
In 2020, he joined Global Medical Affairs as Therapeutic Area Head for Nephrology. In 2023, he returned to the Research Division, serving as Head of the Research Management Office and subsequently as Head of the Research Strategy and Planning Department. In 2025, he was appointed Head of the Innovation Center, an early-stage drug development laboratory based in Tokyo. In 2026, he assumed the additional role of Global Head of Research.
Dr. Shimada received his Ph.D. from Kyoto University and was a visiting scholar at the Endocrine Unit of Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, from 2008 to 2010.
Global Research Head, Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd.
Dan Shoemaker, Ph.D.
Dan Shoemaker, Ph.D.
Entrepreneur
Daniel D. Shoemaker, Ph.D., is a seasoned biotechnology executive with a distinguished career spanning cell therapy, immuno-oncology and systems biology. He previously served as Chief Scientific Officer at Fate Therapeutics, where he led discovery and development efforts in programmed cellular immunotherapies for cancer and immune disorders. He also held the role of CSO at GHC Technologies and senior leadership positions at Merck and Rosetta Inpharmatics.
Dr. Shoemaker earned his Ph.D. from Stanford University and his B.S. in Biochemistry from UC Santa Barbara.
Entrepreneur
Eric Thomas, MS
Eric Thomas, MS
Founder, Art For Your Home
Eric Thomas, MS, spent his childhood across the United States and internationally, living in New Jersey (twice), Sicily, Florida, Rio de Janeiro, London, and New York. He began his undergraduate studies in Syracuse before transferring to the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, where he graduated magna cum laude, and later pursued graduate studies in molecular biology and biochemistry at the University of California, Santa Barbara.
After graduate school, Eric relocated to San Diego to continue research, where he developed an interest in the business infrastructure supporting science. Following a role in biotechnology, he founded his first laboratory supply company.
In 1996, Eric founded FreedomVoice, a telecommunications company focused on helping businesses start, operate, and scale. Under his leadership, it grew to more than 90 employees and nearly $20 million in revenue before being acquired by GoDaddy in 2016. Following the sale, and a stint in a VP role at GoDaddy, he served as CFO of Rancho Biosciences, a leading biomedical data science firm specializing in data curation and analytics for pharmaceutical and biotechnology research, now primarily owned by private equity.
Eric currently oversees three companies, including two focused on real estate investment, and leads Art for Your Home, an art photography initiative supporting Rady Children’s Hospital.
Outside of his professional activities, Eric enjoys skiing in Deer Valley, electric mountain biking and off-roading in Southern California and Utah, fishing, and traveling to photograph wildlife and landscapes worldwide.
Founder, Art For Your Home
Robin Toft
Robin Toft
Chief Executive Officer, Curebound
Robin Toft, CEO of Curebound, is a 20-year colon cancer survivor dedicated to advancing cancer cures. She brings extensive life sciences expertise and a proven track record in building high-performing leadership teams for oncology organizations. Robin formerly served on the Curebound board of directors for two years leading the implementation of the governance and revenue committees, before taking on the CEO leadership role. With over two decades in life sciences leadership, Robin most recently held the industry role of Senior Vice President at Roche Molecular Diagnostics.
In 2010, she became CEO and founder of Toft Group Executive Search, now a ZRG Partners company, where she placed hundreds of executives from VP to CEO and board levels, with a strong focus on oncology, diversity and inclusion. She continues to advise ZRG Partners, a global executive search firm following its acquisition of Toft Group in 2019. She is a philanthropist and impact investor, serving as a limited partner at How Women Lead and advisor to the American Cancer Society’s BrightEdge venture fund.
Robin has authored several career advancement books, including WE CAN: The Executive Woman’s Guide to Career Advancement and Ignite Your Board Career: Board IQ Playbook. She remains committed to empowering leaders and building organizations that create meaningful change. Robin currently serves on the Board of American Cancer Society San Diego and La Jolla Institute for Immunology.
Chief Executive Officer, Curebound
Geneviève Tremblay
Geneviève Tremblay
Owner and Founder, GenJoue LLC
Ms. Tremblay is a health and science advocate and the owner and founder of GenJoue LLC, a provider of cloud-based services for document management. She started her career serving as a medic in the Canadian army for three years before entering Concordia University in Montreal, where she studied physical geography. After discovering her passion for the ocean, she finished her degree in Marine Science at the Université du Québec à Rimouski. While studying there, she worked as an oceanographer in Italy on the Corilla Project in the Venice lagoon. Ms. Tremblay also received a Bachelor’s degree in Education from University of Ottawa, where she graduated cum laude.
After teaching elementary and high school in Hawkesbury, Ontario, Ms. Tremblay found her way into pharmaceutical sales. In just three years at Warner Chilcott, she became one of the company’s highest-performing sales representatives. She currently splits her time between Montréal and San Diego.
Owner and Founder, GenJoue LLC
David R. Webb, Ph.D.
David R. Webb, Ph.D.
Adjunct Professor, The Scripps Research Institute
Dr. Webb is currently an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology at The Scripps Research Institute. Additionally, he is the current Chairman of Rev-Therapeutics. Formerly, Dr. Webb was Chairman of the Board at Agragene, Inc. and the former Chief Executive Officer of Synbal, Inc., a platform technology company that is commercializing CRISPR-based breakthrough active genetic technologies developed at the University of California, San Diego. He was also the former Vice President and Research Site Head at Celgene-San Diego. Between 1995 and 2003, he held a series of senior management positions in several biotechnology companies where he developed and led drug discovery programs focused on inflammation, asthma, cancer, and diabetes. Notable companies include Syrrx, OSI Pharmaceuticals, and Cadus Pharmaceutical Corporation, where he was the Vice President of Research and Chief Scientific Officer from 1995 to 1999. Dr. Webb was also an Adjunct Professor of Microbiology and Immunology at New York Medical College. From 1987 to 1995, Dr. Webb was at Syntex, Inc. where he held the positions of Distinguished Scientist and, later, Director of the Institute of Immunology and Biological Sciences. Dr. Webb was also a Consulting Professor of Cancer Biology at Stanford University. From 1973 to 1987, he was a member of the Department of Cell Biology at the Roche Institute of Molecular Biology and Adjunct Associate Professor at Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons. Dr. Webb earned his Ph.D. in Microbiology/Immunology from Rutgers University and both a B.A. and M.A. in Biology from California State University, Fullerton.
Adjunct Professor, The Scripps Research Institute
Sandy Boek Werness, J.D.
Sandy Boek Werness, J.D.
Executive Director, Global Autoimmune Institute
After Sandy’s father, Walter E. Boek, passed away, in 2013, she accepted the leadership of the nonprofit he founded in 1967, to which her mother, Jean K. Boek, also dedicated decades of her working life. She sought to establish a new direction for the organization, centering on research and education. Because of Sandy’s immediate family’s experience with delayed and misdiagnosed autoimmune disease, it was apparent to her that the huge gap in understanding, awareness, and knowledge of autoimmune disease needed to be addressed, and the patients and families needed support and validation. Developing the Global Autoimmune Institute to propel advancement in diagnosis and treatment naturally followed Sandy’s parents’ love of science and education, and their early career as leaders in public health.
Sandy began her legal career as a member of the D.C. and Virginia Bar Associations, on Capitol Hill, rising to Assistant Minority Counsel to a U.S. House of Representatives select committee, followed by eleven years in private law practice, ten years as Vice President of Northern Virginia Pathology, P.C., and eleven years leading the Global Autoimmune Institute. She is a graduate of Duke University and the law school at the College of William and Mary. She attended high school at the National Cathedral School. Sandy has regularly devoted her time to a variety of organizations, including legal professional associations, organizations furthering science, supporting the arts, education, helping refugees, and many events and activities at each of her children’s schools.
Sandy and her husband Bruce have three adult children and live in beautiful Great Falls, Virginia.
Executive Director, Global Autoimmune Institute
Chair Emeritus
John E. Major, ENGD, HC
John E. Major, ENGD, HC
Chair Emeritus, La Jolla Institute for Immunology
Mr. Major is the founder and President of MTSG, a private investment, consulting and governance company. He previously serves as Chairman of the Board of Broadcom, Inc., a major technology innovator and global leader in semiconductors for wired and wireless communications.
Mr. Major has also held Chief Executive positions at Novatel Wireless, Inc., a wireless data access solutions company, and Wireless Knowledge, a San Diego-based joint venture between Microsoft Corporation and QUALCOMM. Prior to joining Wireless Knowledge in 1998, Mr. Major served as corporate Executive Vice President of QUALCOMM and President of its Wireless Infrastructure Division. He is currently on the boards of Lennox International Inc., Littelfuse Inc., Lattice Semiconductor Corporation, and ORBCOMM Inc.
Mr. Major participates in several industry, research, and educational organizations and is currently Chairman Emeritus of EvoNexus, a nonprofit organization created to support the growth and success of the San Diego area communications industry. He is the former Chairman of the University of Illinois Chicago Engineering School Advisory Board and the University of Rochester Hajim School of Engineering and Applied Science Dean’s Advisory Committee.
He has a B.S. in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from the University of Rochester and an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Illinois. Mr. Major holds an M.B.A. with Distinction from Northwestern University Kellogg School and a J.D. from Loyola University. Mr. Major received an honorary doctorate from Westminster College and in 2019, an honorary Doctorate of Engineering from the University of Illinois at Chicago. In 2002, he received the Meliora Citation for Career Achievement from the University of Rochester. He holds 10 US patents.
Watch video of: Presentation of honorary Doctorate of Engineering to John Major
Watch video of: Presentation of honorary Doctorate of Engineering to John Major
Chair Emeritus, La Jolla Institute for Immunology
Directors Emeriti
Richard S. (Dick) Bodman, MSIM, BSE, CPA
Richard S. (Dick) Bodman, MSIM, BSE, CPA
Managing Partner of VMS Group, Chairman of TDF Ventures
Mr. Bodman is the Chairman of TDF Ventures, which manages several telecommunications venture capital funds, and co-founder and Chairman of PurThread Technologies, Inc., a maker of antimicrobial textile products for healthcare and consumer use. Mr. Bodman is also general manager of Bodman Oil and Gas LLC, and a Trustee at the Buck Institute for Research on Aging in Novato, California.
In 1996 Mr. Bodman retired as Senior Vice President of AT&T for Corporate Strategy & Development. He was a member of AT&T’s Management Executive Committee and Lead Director of Sandia National Laboratories. Simultaneously, he acquired AT&T Ventures, which he had founded at AT&T, and became its co-managing partner. The firm was renamed Venture Management Services.
Prior to AT&T, Mr. Bodman was CFO of The Communications Satellite Corp. (COMSAT) and, subsequently, President and CEO of Comsat General Corp. and President of Satellite Television Corp. Mr. Bodman also served as Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior and Assistant Director of the Office of Management and Budget during the Nixon administration.
He holds a B.S. in Engineering from Princeton University and an M.S. in Industrial Management from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Managing Partner of VMS Group, Chairman of TDF Ventures
David Dominguez
David Dominguez
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, The Andrew Lauren Company
Mr. Dominguez has a long professional history as a successful entrepreneur spanning a broad array of fields and businesses for more than three decades. Since 1975, Mr. Dominguez has served as Chairman, President, managing Partner, and/or CEO of numerous companies, including EarthCraft, a chain of retail stores; Saunders Telecom, a manufacturer of telecom infrastructure hardware; Polo Ralph Lauren Shops, a chain of retail stores in California, Arizona and Hawaii; Standards of Excellence, a distributor of high end appliances and plumbing fixtures; Central Wholesale Plumbing and Supply; Partner Press, a commercial printing company; and AdDnamix, an internet advertising company. Currently, Mr. Dominguez is CEO of The Andrew Lauren Companies and Chairman and CEO of TechsNow.
Mr. Dominguez has also served on numerous Boards, including Independence One Bank. He has been involved in a variety of community organization Boards, including the Salvation Army, the Village Church Foundation, and Boy Scouts of America. Mr. Dominguez also served as Chairman of the San Diego Young Presidents Organization and Chairman of the World Presidents Organization. Mr. Dominguez is also founder and Chairman of Freedom is Not Free, a non-partisan non-profit organization established with the mission of aiding wounded troops, their families, and the families of the fatally wounded.
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, The Andrew Lauren Company
Larry S. Spitcaufsky
Larry S. Spitcaufsky
Owner and Director, Petroleum Technologies Inc.
Mr. Spitcaufsky is the owner and director of Petroleum Technologies Inc. (PTI), a crude petroleum and natural gas company in Kansas City, Missouri. He is also the founder and Chairman of Hootwinc, LLC., which operates as a restaurant franchisee in California, Oregon and Washington. Mr. Spitcaufsky was previously rhe Chairman of the Board and owner of Arrow Truck Sales in Kansas City, North America’s leading source of pre-owned heavy-duty and medium-duty trucks. Co-founded in 1950 by his father, Melvin Spitcaufsky, Arrow Truck Sales started as a small used truck business and became the largest dealership of its kind before it was sold to the Volvo Truck Corporation in 1998.
Mr. Spitcaufsky has expanded into wide-ranging investments, selling his chain of convenience stores to Circle K, investing in real estate, starting PTI to drill for oil and gas, and becoming majority owner of a chain of 16 Southern California restaurants. He has served as a Board member and partner of Star Fuel Mart and on the Rancho Santa Fe Golf Club governing Board and its Finance Committee.
Owner and Director, Petroleum Technologies Inc.