Life Science Future – MedTech Speakers

The SEED and SBIR Programs – Latest Updates | 11:35 am – 12:05 pm Thursday, July 16

Ms. Stephanie J. Fertig is the new HHS Small Business Program Lead in SEED (Small business Education and Entrepreneurial Development) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). She currently oversees the Health and Human Services (HHS) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs, which includes the NIH SBIR and STTR programs. The HHS SBIR and STTR programs are congressionally mandated set-aside programs that provide over $1.2 billion dollars per year to small business concerns. Prior to joining SEED, she managed the SBIR and STTR Programs at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). During her over 15 years at NIH she has led the development and implementation of multiple programs focused on small businesses and translational research. Ms. Fertig has a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry with a major in Physics from the University of Virginia and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business.

Emergency Use Authorization in COVID-19 Era | 10:50 am – 11:20 am Wednesday, July 15

Pete DeComo has served as Chairman and CEO of ALung Technologies, Inc. since 2010.  ALung has developed a revolutionary artificial lung for patients suffering from Acute Respiratory Failure.  He has raised in excess of $100MM to complete development of ALung’s technology.  Prior to ALung he was founder, Chairman and CEO Renal Solutions, Inc. (RSI).  RSI developed a revolutionary dialysis technology system for patients suffering from kidney failure. In late 2007 RSI was acquired by Fresenius Medical Care Holdings for a total consideration of $200MM.  Mr. DeComo is the past Chairman and is a current Director on the Board of the Pittsburgh Life Sciences Greenhouse. He is the past Chairman of the Community College of Allegheny County Educational Foundation Board and has served on the Boards of numerous early stage medical device companies. He is the recipient of the Ernst & Young and Pittsburgh Venture Capital Association “Entrepreneur of the Year Awards” in 2008. 

Breakthrough Device Designation for the PoNS Device – The Ups and Downs of the Process | 12:10 pm – 12:40 pm Thursday, July 16

Phil joined Helius Medical Technologies in 2013. He has more than 28 years of experience in pharmaceutical and healthcare commercialization gained at Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS) and as CEO of GSW Worldwide and, later, at MediMedia Health.

Before joining Helius, Phil led MediMedia Health Marketing Services, where he was responsible for strategic development, nurturing the company’s clients and developing nonpersonal products and services in the healthcare industry.

As GSW’s president and CEO, Phil was responsible for worldwide operations in 15 major global markets and a turnover of $160 million with 700 employees globally. His primary work included global marketing, commercialization and new business model development for pharmaceutical, device and diagnostics companies.

Phil’s role as director of neuroscience marketing at BMS saw him serve as a member of several prelaunch global marketing teams in the neuroscience and pain therapeutic areas. He also held marketing positions in the neuroscience, pain, and metabolic therapeutic areas.

He is a leader in developing new global business models for the healthcare industry, including outsourcing solutions that seek to increase commercialization effectiveness and increase resource flexibility while reducing risk and driving efficiency and cost reduction. His experience as a global healthcare commercialization expert will guide Helius in its development and acquisition of non-invasive treatments designed to help patients affected by neurological symptoms caused by disease or trauma.

Phil graduated from the University of Ottawa with a degree in Chemistry. He is fluent in French and English. He resides in Newtown, PA, with his wife Nicole and two children. Learn more about Phil on LinkedIn. 

An Introduction to JLABS: Who We Are, What We Do | 11:00 am – 11:30 am Thursday, July 16

Stephen Pitt, Ph.D. is the Head of Johnson & Johnson Innovation, JLABS US North East which includes the JLABS @ NYC, JPOD @ Boston, JLABS @ LabCentral, JLABS @ M2D2 and JPOD @ Philadelphia. He is responsible for external engagement, innovation sourcing, company onboarding, portfolio management, operational excellence, educational programming and P&L. He catalyzes and supports the translation of science and technology into valuable solutions for patients and consumers across the pharmaceutical, medical device, consumer and healthtech sectors.

Steve joined JLABS from GlaxoSmithKline, where he was Senior Director of Emerging Science Innovation and Head of the Digital Innovation Hub R&D Team. At GSK, Steve led externally focused R&D teams that shifted pipeline strategies from basic symptom relief to holistic disease management to transform self-care. He also created partnerships with academic institutions, start-ups, corporate partners, hospital systems, and other novel outsourcing collaborators with the aim to build breakthrough technology platforms and products.

Prior to GSK, he continually increased his responsibility as an R&D leader over 15 years in drug discovery, pharmaceutical development and consumer healthcare at Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, Bayer, and in biotech. His experiences include drug discovery and advancing compounds to clinical trials, pharmaceutical development and commercialization of novel Rx Drugs, and consumer health product development in upstream innovation groups to shape and launch new external technologies.

Steve earned his Ph.D. in Molecular Pharmacology from Cornell Medical School and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. At Cornell, Steve pioneered computational molecular dynamic drug discovery approaches. He also holds several patents and has published in top scientific journals.

COVID-19: Testing, Testing, Testing | 11:00 am – 11:30 am Thursday, July 16

Susan Van Meter is executive director of AdvaMedDx. AdvaMedDx represents manufacturers of in vitro diagnostic (IVD) tests and technologies. AdvaMedDx member company innovations allow early detection of disease, facilitate evidence-based medicine, improve patient health and health care, and enable personalized medicine, while often lowering overall health care costs. AdvaMedDx is the only advocacy organization exclusively addressing policy issues facing diagnostics manufacturers in the U.S. and around the world. 

AdvaMedDx operates as a division of AdvaMed, the Advanced Medical Technology Association. AdvaMed is the world’s largest medical technology association, with over 400 member companies that develop medical devices, diagnostic tools, and health information systems. 

Prior to joining AdvaMedDx in 2018, Ms. Van Meter served as senior vice president at the Healthcare Association of New York State (HANYS), focused on hospital and health system policy, payment, quality and health information technology priorities. Ms. Van Meter has an undergraduate degree in Political Science and French from Villanova University and a MA in Political Science from Boston University. 

Creating the Future: Investing in Life Sciences | 12:45 pm – 1:15 pm Thursday, July 16

Dr. Shante Williams is currently the CEO of Black Pearl Global Investments, a $25M venture capital fund. She is a distinguished Venture Capitalist, business owner, Inventor, Intellectual Property Strategist, and Private Investor. In her career years, she has used her wealth of scientific knowledge as well as her passion for innovation to solve multiple complex problems across the industries of health, finance, and real estate. Best known for her creative problem-solving approach, Dr. Williams’ impressive professional qualities and ethics make it easy for her to transition into various career paths seamlessly. Her proven track record of excellence and leadership has been an integral part of growth for many individuals and businesses. She is a proud graduate of Winston-Salem State University (BS, Chemistry), The Ohio State University (PhD, in Integrated Biomedical Science specializing in Neuro-Oncology and Pharmacology), Queen’s University of Charlotte (MBA). Dr. Williams has received numerous awards for her business and entrepreneurship efforts. 

Accessing Clinicians in the New Normal: Education and Industry Collaborations | 10:15 am – 10:45 am Friday, July 17

John H. Rundback, MD, is the Managing Partner of Advanced Interventional & Vascular Services and Partner at New Jersey Endovascular & Amputation Prevention. He is a graduate of SUNY Downstate Medical Center, and completed his fellowship in Interventional Radiology at Washington Hospital Center in Washington, DC. He is a member of the Board of Directors of VIVA Physicians, and has served as Principal Investigator of multiple trials evaluating new device and drug therapy for peripheral arterial disease. Dr. Rundback has authored or contributed to nearly 100 scientific manuscripts and has been an invited speaker at numerous medical meetings world-wide. His primary research activities are in the area of complex endovascular interventions, and amputation prevention.

Funding and Investments: What I’m Seeing Right Now – Key Considerations in Light of COVID-19 | 10:15 am – 10:45 am Wednesday, July 15

Justin Klein, MD, JD is a co-founder and Managing Partner at Vensana Capital, a leading venture capital and growth equity firm dedicated to medtech innovation. Justin was previously a partner and leader of the medical technology investing practice at NEA, one of the largest and most active venture capital firms in the world.  Justin also worked at the Duke University Health System where his experience included roles in strategy, finance and operations as Duke built one of the nation’s first integrated healthcare delivery systems. Justin currently or previously served on the board of directors of Cartiva (acquired), ChromaCode, CV Ingenuity (acquired), Epix Therapeutics (acquired), FIRE1, GPB Scientific, Intact Vascular, Metavention, Personal Genome Diagnostics, PhaseBio Pharmaceuticals (IPO), Relievant Medsystems, Senseonics (IPO), Topera (acquired), Ulthera (acquired), Vertiflex (acquired), Vesper Medical, and VytronUS (acquired).  

Justin currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors of the Medical Device Manufacturers Association and that of AdvaMed Accel, where he is the Chair of its MedTech Investment Working Group.

Justin graduated with an AB in Economics, a BS in Biological Anthropology & Anatomy, and a Minor in Chemistry from Duke University.  He also concurrently earned his MD from the Duke University School of Medicine and his JD from Harvard Law School. 

Leading From Within: How Meditation Can Make you a More Effective Leader | 12:35 pm – 1:05 pm Wednesday, July 15

Chair of the firm’s emerging business and technology practice, Steven M. Cohen represents entrepreneurs, private equity investors, and venture capital funds. He advises clients in such industries as technology, life sciences, chemicals, consumer products, digital health, and fintech. Steve counsels mid-Atlantic region investors and emerging growth companies in a variety of business transaction including equity financing transactions, mergers and acquisitions (M&A), divestitures, initial public offerings (IPOs), joint ventures, and international strategic partnerships. 

With a knack for creating connections between investors and entrepreneurs, Steve helps develop and implement growth strategies, working with companies throughout their entire lifecycle.

Widely recognized on the East Coast for his knowledge and skill, Steve lectures frequently on planning profitable exit strategies, obtaining angel and venture capital financing for early-stage companies and business leadership. Steve is also managing partner of the firm’s Princeton office.

Elective Surgeries: Impact on Patients and the Industry | 12:00 pm – 12:30 pm Wednesday, July 15

As a thought leader on enterprise strategy, Jeff helps both health system and life sciences and industry clients understand the implications of emerging macro- and microlevel trends impacting health care. He plays a key role in the development of Sg2 Intelligence resources and educational offerings and is a frequent presenter and educator on multiple topics, including health care reform, consumerism and patient engagement, ambulatory strategy, value-based care, and leading practices in care redesign.

Jeff has more than 25 years of health care advisory and consulting experience, with specific areas of expertise including strategic planning, process improvement, operational effectiveness and organizational change.

Before joining Sg2, Jeff was the vice president of assessments at Cardinal Health in Dublin, OH, where he identified opportunities for improvement and recommended specific strategies to client organizations. He also led health care consulting projects focused on improving profitability, quality and service for both specific departments and entire organizations. During his tenure, Jeff helped identify opportunities that yielded an average of 12% operating improvement. In his last 5 years, he participated in or led an average of 15 assessments per year. He was integral to the development of Cardinal Health’s “patient throughput” product in 2002.

Prior to his work at Cardinal Health, Jeff served as a project director for West Hudson, Inc (now part of Cardinal Health). There, he facilitated the implementation of hospital-based quality-, service- and cost-related process improvements both inter- and intradepartmentally. Jeff received an MS in organizational psychology from Springfield College in Massachusetts and a BS with a double major in economics and psychology from Texas Christian University.

Elective Surgeries: Impact on Patients and the Industry | 12:00 pm – 12:30 pm Wednesday, July 15

As a vice president at Sg2, Amy is responsible for driving new business for Sg2 in the supplier segment of the market, which includes pharmaceutical, medical device and life science companies. She focuses on identifying emerging trends, industry disruption and partnership opportunities for life science organizations to leverage for growth, and she helps prioritize IDN segmentation and innovation. Previously at Sg2, she was accountable for growing new sales in the Western region of the United States, including California and Texas.

Amy has over 25 years of experience in the health care arena and has held positions spanning a variety of consulting, operational and clinical services. Prior to joining Sg2, she worked with Press Ganey Associates, Inc, and most recently served as vice president of ambulatory services, where she was responsible for the strategic direction, revenue growth, product development, regulatory alliance, sales messaging and marketing of the ambulatory service lines. She also managed product development and collaborated with marketing and sales as vice president of client enterprise solutions, and she provided marketplace and regulatory expertise to large medical practices seeking to grow market share as director of medical services, among other Press Ganey Associates duties and roles.

Additionally, Amy has held positions with GE Healthcare, Per-Se Technologies and the TriZetto Group, Inc. She has extensive consulting experience in medical practice start-ups, physician compensation planning and revenue cycle reengineering. She began her career as a registered nurse.

Amy holds a master of business administration and a master of health administration from the University of Colorado Denver, and she has a bachelor of science in nursing from the University of Virginia.