RA Capital

BRIGID O’BRIEN, PhD

Managing Partner

Brigid O’Brien joins RA Capital as a Managing Partner, Planetary Health. Brigid's primary responsibility at RA is to lead investments in private companies that are developing innovative solutions to address climate change and environmental sustainability. Prior to joining RA, Brigid was the Head of Venture Investments for BHP Ventures, the internal venture capital unit within the world’s largest mining company, where her investment mandate was to help the decarbonization of BHP’s operations and to improve the sustainability of resource extraction. Brigid was responsible for starting the venture fund and led investments in multiple sectors, including advanced analytics platforms, biomining and bioremediation, novel chemical leaching, long-duration energy storage, traceability of products, carbon removal, and green steel. Prior to BHP, Brigid was at In-Q-Tel (IQT), the strategic investment arm of the CIA and the US Intelligence Community; she co-founded IQT's Australian subsidiary, served as its Managing Director, and built an international program to support a global innovation initiative through investing in the Asian-Pacific region. Brigid holds a BS in Chemistry (Hons) from the Commonwealth Honors College at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst (2002) and a PhD in Materials Science and Engineering from Johns Hopkins University (2009).

KYLE TEAMEY

Managing Partner

Kyle Teamey joins RA Capital as a Managing Partner, Planetary Health. Kyle's primary responsibility at RA is to lead investments in private companies that are developing innovative solutions to address climate change and environmental sustainability. Prior to joining RA, Kyle was a Partner at Breakthrough Energy Ventures (BEV), where he led investments and served on company boards that span the utilities, energy storage, chemicals, agriculture, automotive, recycling, and consumer products sectors. Prior to BEV, Kyle was a Principal at In-Q-Tel, the strategic investment arm of the CIA and US Intelligence Community, where he invested in early stage manufacturing, materials, energy, computing, and defense companies. Kyle was also the CEO and co-founder of Liquid Light, developer of a proprietary process to make major chemicals from CO2, which was sold to Avantium in 2016. Kyle also recently retired as a Colonel in the US Army Reserve after 24 years of service. He holds a BA in Environmental Engineering from Dartmouth College (1998), an MA in International Finance and Energy Policy from John Hopkins University (2008), an MS in Materials Science from Columbia University (2012), and a Masters of Strategic Studies from the Army War College (2020).

KATHRYN MENG, PhD

Investment Director

Kathryn Meng is an Investment Director within the Planetary Health division of RA Capital. Kathryn’s primary responsibility at RA is to invest in companies developing solutions that address climate change and environmental sustainability. Prior to joining RA, Kathryn was SVP of Strategy at Energetic Insurance where she addressed regulatory-driven commercial lender limitations to enable financing for renewable energy and efficiency via financial insurance products. Before Energetic, she was Head of Carbon Strategic Partnerships at Indigo Ag, where she led external innovation focused on solutions that minimize or sequester agricultural GHG emissions and deliver additional environmental, social, and economic co-benefits. Prior to Indigo, Kathryn was Investment Principal at the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) where she invested in enterprise and consumer-facing clean energy companies, including software and hardware companies focused on utility and grid resilience, grid edge, next-generation renewables, efficient mobility, industrial efficiency, sustainable buildings, and the water-energy nexus. Kathryn holds a BA in Geography and Peace and Conflict Studies from Colgate University, a MSc in International Development: Environment and Development from the University of Manchester (UK), and a MA and Ph.D. in Geography from Clark University (2016).

MICHAEL GILLESPIE, MD

Investment Director

Michael Gillespie is an Investment Director within the Planetary Health division. Michael conducts due diligence on various companies at RA Capital. Previously, Michael worked closely with the Healthcare Investment Team, to originate conviction in potential investments by identifying breakthroughs and putting data into context, as well as advising RA's portfolio companies on many aspects of program and pipeline strategy. Michael's previous experience includes venture development at Health Wildcatters Seed Accelerator and product development in various roles at the Institute for Environmental and Exercise Medicine and as an Aerospace Medicine Clerk at NASA. Michael holds a BS in Exercise Science from Brigham Young University and an MD from the University of Texas Southwestern School of Medicine.

CHRIS BROWN, PhD

Associate

Chris Brown is an Associate within the Planetary Health division at RA Capital Management. His primary responsibility is to create detailed competitive landscapes of planetary health solutions. Prior to RA, Chris worked as a post-doc in the Johnson group at MIT, and he has eight first-author publications in research that spans degradable polymers, energy-efficient catalysis, and low-energy lighting devices. Chris has a Master of Chemistry in Organic Chemistry from Newcastle University and a PhD in Inorganic Chemistry from the University of British Columbia.

WALTER DAUKSHER

Associate

Walter Dauksher is an Associate within the Planetary Health division of RA Capital Management. Walter's primary responsibility at RA Capital is to create competitive landscapes of biotechnology and planetary health. Walter has a BS in Biology from Davidson College and a MS in Genetics from University of Georgia.

JAIMIE KIRKPATRICK, MPH

Senior Research Assistant

Jaimie Kirkpatrick is a Senior Research Assistant at RA Capital Management. Jaimie's primary responsibility is to conduct research and analysis for competitive landscapes of drugs and medical devices across a range of disease indications and capabilities. Jaimie previously held roles as data analyst at Massachusetts Department of Public Health and Anne Arundel Medical Center Department of Medicine. Jaimie holds a BA in Biology Boston College, with Minors in Medical Humanities and Sociology, and a Master of Public Health from Boston University School of Public Health.

CELI KHANYILE-LYNCH, MBA

Associate

Celi Khanyile-Lynch is an Associate within the Planetary Health division at RA Capital Management. Her responsibilities include creating competitive landscapes of climate change solutions and analyzing investment opportunities across climate technology. Prior to RA, Celi served as a Sustainability Analyst for Private Investments at Wellington Management, where she developed market maps, conducted due diligence on investments, and integrated environmental, social, and corporate governance factors across the platform. She served in a similar capacity at Morgan Stanley and Manulife Investment Management. Celi holds an MBA from MIT Sloan School of Management and an MPA from Harvard Kennedy School.

DANIEL SLESINSKI

Associate

Daniel Slesinski is an Associate within the Planetary Health division at RA Capital Management. Daniel’s primary responsibilities include creating competitive landscapes of climate change solutions and analyzing investment opportunities across climate technology and applied biotech. Previously, Daniel spent time working at ARPA-E and the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, and has published research examining potential early markets for fusion energy as well as techno-economic synergies between direct air capture and advanced nuclear. Daniel has a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Lehigh University and a MS in Energy Policy & Climate from Johns Hopkins University.

ADISON BECKER

Senior Executive Assistant

Adison is a Senior Executive Assistant RA Capital Management. Adison’s primary responsibilities are to coordinate calendars, events, and company meetings for the Investment Team. Adison previously held posts as an Administrative Assistant and Office Manager at Dyer Brown Architects and as an Executive Assistant to the Principal and Office Manager at bKL Architecture. She has a BA in Communication Studies from University of Minnesota, Twin Cities.

BRIAN BENNETT

IT Operations Manager

Brian is a IT Operations Manager at RA Capital Management. Brian's primary responsibility at RA Capital is to manage the firm's IT Operations needs. Brian previously worked at the Kraft Group LLC, where he led their system admin, network, and desktop engineering groups. Brian has a B.S. in Business Administration in Management Information Systems from Northeastern University.

MATT BEVERLY, PhD

Senior Software Engineer

Matt Beverly is a Senior Software Engineer at RA Capital Management. Matt’s primary responsibility at RA Capital is to help guide internal software development to support competitive landscapes of drugs and medical devices across a range of disease indications and capabilities. Matt has a BA in Biology with minors in Mathematics and Physics from Ithaca College, a Master of Science in Bioinformatics from Northeastern University, and a PhD in Molecular Biology with a specialization in quantitative biology from Brandeis University. Matt comes to RA from Localytics where he served as a Senior Software Engineer for the past two years. Prior to Localytics, Matt served as software engineer at Mathworks.

JEFF BREAY

Head Trader

Jeff Breay is a Head Trader at RA Capital Management. His responsibilities include managing the portfolio’s public equity positions, monitoring market, sector, and individual equity dynamics, and maintaining relationships with broker/dealer counterparties. Jeff holds a BA in Economics and Psychology from Georgetown. Prior to joining RA Capital, Jeff worked for over 10 years as an institutional equity sales trader, primarily at KCG Holdings, Inc., where he managed the Boston office.

CHRIS CALIRI

Chief Information Officer

Chris Caliri is the Chief Information Officer at RA Capital Management. Chris’ primary responsibility at RA Capital is to oversee the firm’s information technology program, including operations, development, and security. He holds a Master’s degree in Software Engineering from Brandeis University and a BA in Psychology from Providence College. He worked previously as the Director of Business Systems at Bain Capital Credit, and as a Senior Systems Analyst at eSecLending, LLC.

HARVEY CHAN

Controller

Harvey is a Controller at RA Capital Management. Harvey’s primary responsibility is to oversee all accounting related activities for the firm. Harvey most recently served as Assistant Controller at Charles River Ventures. His prior posts include Fund Accountant at Nautic Partners and HLM Venture Partners. Harvey holds an MS in Finance from Bentley University McCallum Graduate School of Business and a BS in Corporate Finance and Accounting from Bentley University.

LORENA CHEN, CPA

Fund Controller

Lorena Chen is a Fund Controller at RA Capital Management. Lorena's primary responsibility is to oversee all accounting related activities for the firm. She has spent the last five years as a Senior Finance Associate at Great Hill Partners. Prior to GHP, Lorena served as an Assurance Senior at EY. Lorena has dual degrees from Beijing Foreign Studies University: a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting and a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature. She also has a Master's in Accounting from Boston College and is a CPA.

SAMUEL CHOWDHURY

Software Engineer

Samuel Chowdhury is a Software Engineer at RA Capital Management. Sam’s primary responsibility is to help guide internal software development to support competitive landscapes of drugs and medical devices across a range of disease indications and capabilities. He holds a BS in Computer Engineering and a Minor in Mathematics from Northeastern University.

LAURA CLOSE

Executive Assistant

Laura is an Executive Assistant at RA Capital Management. Laura’s primary responsibilities at RA Capital are to coordinate calendars, events, and company meetings for the TechAtlas division. Laura has a BS in Human Services; Clinical Concentration and a Minor in Disabilities Studies from the University of Delaware. Laura previously worked at WinterWyman where she served as a Senior Associate.

ERIN CLUTTER

Head of Graphics

Erin Clutter is the Head of Graphics at RA Capital Management. Erin’s primary responsibilities at RA Capital are to manage the design and creation of all internal and external documents and resources for the company, including competitive landscapes of drugs and medical devices for disease indications and capabilities, set brand standards, and oversee internal and external marketing efforts. Erin holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the Massachusetts College of Art & Design. She worked previously in desktop publishing and as a freelance designer.

ANDREW COSTENOBLE

Senior Software Engineer

Andrew is a Senior Software Engineer at RA Capital Management. Andrew’s primary responsibility is to help guide internal software development to support competitive landscapes of drugs and medical devices across a range of disease indications and capabilities. He holds a BS in Computer Science from Northeastern University.

DAVID CROWE

Director of Operations

David is Director of Operations at RA Capital Management. David’s primary responsibility is to oversee the development and implementation of treasury functions for the firm. Most recently, David served as Director of Operations at Corbin Capital Partners, LP. Prior to that, David worked as Director of Operations for Wingspan Investment Management, LP and held operations positions at Brencourt Advisors and Silver Point Capital, LP. David holds a BS in Economics with a minor in Business Administration from University of Colorado Boulder.

THOMAS CULMAN

Engagement Associate

As Engagement Associate at RA Capital Management, Thomas Culman leverages qualitative and quantitative skills to manage a variety of educational, outreach, and advocacy-oriented projects. Prior to this role, Tom conducted research and analysis for competitive landscapes of drugs and medical devices across a range of disease indications and capabilities as a Senior Research Assistant. Tom holds a BS in Health Sciences with a minor in Journalism from Northeastern University. He worked previously as a Patient Coordinator at Massachusetts General Hospital.

CAMERON DECKER

Compliance Analyst

Cameron Decker is a Compliance Analyst at RA Capital Management. Cameron is responsible for the oversight of RA Capital's employee compliance platform. In addition, she conducts monitoring and testing activities relating to RA's core research and investment activities. Prior to RA, she served as Researcher and Collaborator at New Care, a startup focused on improving access to early childcare for lower income families, and was a Student Researcher at Boston Children’s Hospital Labs of Cognitive Neuroscience. Cameron has a BA in Neurobiology from Harvard University.

JOE DeMAIO

IT Operations Associate

Joe DeMaio is IT Operations Associate at RA Capital Management. Joe’s primary responsibility at RA is to provide technical assistance and support for issues related to computer systems, the network, and server environments. Joe brings to RA fifteen years of IT experience, beginning at the Apple Store and then transitioning to Boston Public Schools as an Apple Support Specialist. At BPS, Joe provided technical support for teachers and staff and was Jamf certified to manage Apple products. Most recently, Joe led the administration and support of all Apple products at Curriculum Associates as an IT Systems Engineer. He also provided additional system administration and training for the desktop engineering team. Joe holds a BS in Information Technology from UMass Lowell.

MALIN DEON

Senior Executive Assistant

Malin is a Senior Executive Assistant at RA Capital. Her primary responsibilities are to provide strategic administrative support and assist the co-founder in various external and internal projects. Malin previously held posts as an Executive Assistant and Office Manager at Abata Therapeutics and as an Executive Assistant at Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Merrimack Pharmaceuticals, and Jounce Therapeutics. Malin received her MS in Historic Preservation from the University of Vermont and a BA in History from Rollins College.

MATT FERESTEN

Senior Business Systems Analyst

Matthew Feresten is a Senior Business Systems Analyst at RA Capital Management. Matt’s primary responsibilities at RA Capital are to gather team input to help guide internal software development to support competitive landscapes of drugs and medical devices across a range of disease indications and capabilities, and to provide software training and coordinate with outside technology vendors. He holds a BS in Biology from the College of William and Mary, where he studied the impact of ecological fragmentation on the prevalence of ticks and their bacterial pathogens.

RENNY GLEESON

Managing Director, Marketing

Renny Gleeson is a Managing Director, Marketing, at RA Capital. He founded the Threatcasting/Futurecasting firm Business Innovation Group (BIG), and served as the Chief Strategy Officer for SciFutures, a science fiction prototyping firm that helps clients envision and action inspired futures. Previously, Renny built and led Wieden + Kennedy Advertising's Interactive Strategy practice globally, launched its tech accelerator and business strategy practices and worked with clients including Samsung, Nokia, Nike, Booking.com, Target, Old Spice, Coca-Cola and Magic Leap. Renny is a published author, thought leader and TED speaker whose work covers the future of brands and advertising, emerging dual-use tech, evolving customer experience, AI/ML; 5G/6G; Future Cities/Energy Grids, digital twinning and A2A (Algorithm-to-algorithm) marketing. Renny holds a BA in Fine Arts from Yale University and a MFA from University of Pennsylvania.

CAROLINE GLEN

Investor Relations Manager

Caroline Glen is an Investor Relations Manager at RA Capital Management. Caroline has broad experience in the biotech and alternative assets areas. Prior to joining RA Capital, she worked at Relay Therapeutics, focusing on the strategic and tactical execution of their public investor relations strategy; Bain Capital, leading the high-net-worth channel fundraising activities for the private and capital markets funds; and Cambridge Associates, assisting with alternative asset portfolios in the private wealth practice. Caroline earned a BA from the University of Virginia.

ERNESTO GONZALEZ

Business Systems Manager

Ernesto Gonzalez is a Business Systems Manager at RA Capital. Ernesto’s primary responsibility at RA Capital is to coordinate various technology related initiatives across the company and oversee their initiation, planning, and execution. He previously held roles as VP Product Manager - Data Services at Charles River Development (a State Street Company) and Senior Business Analyst in Capital Markets at Bain Capital Credit and State Street Global Exchange, DataGX. He holds a BA in History from University of Massachusetts, Amherst and a Master's of Urban Affairs from Boston University.

RYAN GOWER

Database Engineer

Ryan Gower is a Database Engineer at RA Capital. Ryan's primary responsibility is to continue to evolve the capabilities of our enterprise data management system (EDM). He was previously a Senior Database Administrator at Glytec Systems where he built and administered SQL Server databases and their supporting infrastructure. Prior to that, he was a Storage and Backup Engineer and a Technical Services Engineer Team Lead at Epic Systems. He graduated from the University of Texas at Dallas with a BS in Information Technology and Systems and a minor in Physics.

KADY O'GRADY

Chief People Officer

Kady serves as the Chief People Officer at RA Capital. In this role, Kady leads and drives integrated people strategies to attract, develop, engage, and retain talent to meet the business and client needs. Before joining RA Capital, Kady served as Chief People Officer at Enterra Solutions, responsible for all Human Resources and people matters. Prior to Enterra, Kady served as Chief Talent Officer at Innosight, a global strategic innovation consultancy and a practice within Huron Consulting Group. While at Innosight, Kady built the human resources and people development functions, supported the expansion of the firm into Europe and Asia, and the transition and integration into Huron Consulting Group in 2017. Her prior experience includes various Human Resources and Professional Development roles at PatientKeeper, McKinsey & Company, and Ernst & Young. She is also a member of the Aspen Institute First Movers Fellowship and has served in advisory roles for non-profits. Kady received her bachelor’s degree in social sciences and psychology from Harvard University.

EMILY GREEN

Visual Identity Designer

Emily Green is a Visual Identity Designer at RA Capital Management. Emily’s primary responsibility at RA Capital is designing and overseeing the brand management for RA Capital's internal and external communications as well assisting with the brand identity for portfolio companies founded through RA Capital's incubator, RA Ventures. Emily holds a BS in Graphic Design from James Madison University.

DAN GUGLIELMO

IT Operations Associate

Dan Guglielmo is IT Operations Associate at RA Capital Management. Dan’s primary responsibility at RA Capital is to provide technical assistance and support for issues related to computer systems, the network, and server environments. Prior to RA, Dan spent three years in Systems Engineer and Technical Consultant roles at Withum Smith + Brown, where he provided cloud and hybrid implementation guidance for clients within industries such as healthcare, construction, and fitness. Prior to external consulting and engineering, he gained experience in Helpdesk Specialist and Systems Administrator roles at Withum and Edelstein and Company, LLP. Dan studied Network Communications & Information Services at Lincoln Technical. He holds Microsoft 365 and Microsoft certifications as Messaging Administrator Associate, Teams Administrator Associate, Teamwork Administrator Associate, and Azure Administrator Associate.

BENJAMIN HICKS

Investment Operations Associate

Benjamin Hicks is an Investment Operations Associate at RA Capital Management. Benjamin’s primary responsibilities at RA Capital are to coordinate various projects across the Venture Team and oversee their initiation, planning, and execution. He holds a BA in Neuroscience with a minor in Molecular and Cellular Biology from Colorado College. Benjamin previously worked in clinical research as a Site Operations Associate for a contracted research organization specializing in Ophthalmology.

LE HO

Senior Business Systems Analyst

Le Ho is a Senior Business Systems Analyst at RA Capital Management. Le’s primary responsibility is to coordinate various technology related initiatives across the company. She previously held roles as a Senior Business Analyst at Cambridge Associates and a Systems Analyst at Wellington Management Company. She holds a BA in Public Administration with a minor in International Affairs from Texas State University.

SHANNON HOLT

Executive Assistant

Shannon is an Executive Assistant at RA Capital Management. Shannon’s primary responsibilities are to coordinate calendars, events, and company meetings for the Operations team. Shannon has a BA in Special Education and English from Bridgewater University and a MS in Elementary Education from Boston College.

MARIAGRACE HOULLAHAN

Executive Assistant

Mariagrace Houllahan is an Executive Assistant at RA Capital Management. Her primary responsibilities are to support our Venture Team by coordinating management agendas, calendars, and external events. Mariagrace has a BS in Sociology from Suffolk University. Mariagrace previously worked as an Executive Assistant at MPM Capital. Prior to MPM, she worked as an Executive Assistant at Charles River Ventures.

BRENDAN JOYCE

Tax Director

Brendan is a Tax Director at RA Capital Management. Brendan’s primary responsibility is managing all aspects of the tax function. Brendan has more than 18 years of experience as a tax professional. Most recently, Brendan served as Tax Director at PwC Asset & Wealth Management. Prior to PwC, Brendan worked as Senior Tax Analyst for Highfields Capital Management LP and held tax and accounting positions at Citi and Investors Bank & Trust / State Street. Brendan holds a MS in Accounting with a concentration in Taxation from Merrimack College and a BA in Economics from University of Massachusetts Amherst. He is an Enrolled Agent, admitted to practice before the IRS.

STEPHANIE KOH

Senior Executive Assistant

Stephanie Koh is a Senior Executive Assistant at RA Capital. Her primary responsibilities are to provide strategic administrative support and assist the Senior Manager Director in various internal and external projects. Stephanie brings to RA Capital nearly three decades of administrative and client service experience. She previously held posts as an Executive Administrator at Scorpion Therapeutics, Executive Assistant at Atlas Venture and Fidelity Biosciences (now F-Prime Capital), Practice Administrator at J. Robert Scott/Fidelity, and Manager, Client Services at Great Point Investors. Stephanie received her BA in Studio Arts and English at the University of Vermont.

TYLER KOWALSKI

Interactive Designer

Tyler Kowalski is an Interactive Designer at RA Capital Management. Tyler’s primary responsibility at RA Capital is designing and maintaining the RA Capital website and assisting in the creation and design of interactive platforms at RA Capital and it's portfolio companies founded through the firm's incubator, RA Ventures. In addition, he designs graphics for all internal and external materials. Prior to RA Capital, Tyler worked as a freelance graphic designer. Tyler holds a BA in Finance from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and a certificate in Interactive Design from Rhode Island School of Design.

ALYSSA LARSON, PhD

Healthcare Specialist, Investor Relations*

Alyssa Larson is an Associate Director within the TechAtlas division at RA Capital Management. Alyssa’s primary responsibilities are to drive internal and external strategic and diligence initiatives and oversee the workflow and professional development of TechAtlas Associates. Prior to this role, Alyssa mapped a number of competitive landscapes of drugs and medical devices for disease indications and capabilities. Alyssa holds a BS in Biochemistry from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and a PhD in Biochemistry from MIT. Her graduate research investigated inhibitors of influenza virus and characterizing hydrophobic polycationic antimicrobial surfaces. Alyssa previously worked as a Senior Scientist at Eagle Pharmaceuticals.

*Member of both TechAtlas and Investor Relations teams.

SRI MAHENDRA

Senior Software Engineer

Sri Mahendra is a Senior Software Engineer at RA Capital Management. Sri’s primary responsibility at RA Capital is to help guide internal software development to support competitive landscapes of drugs and medical devices across a range of disease indications and capabilities. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Electronics and Communications from Anna University, and a Master’s degree in Computer Science from Northeastern University. He previously worked as a Software Engineer for several companies, including Autodesk, the Advisory Board Company, and Maveric Systems.

CHRISTINE MASELBAS

Executive Assistant

Christine Maselbas is an Executive Assistant at RA Capital Management. Christine's primary responsibilities at RA Capital are to coordinate calendars, events, and company meetings for the Investor Relations division. She worked as an executive assistant at various firms, most recently at Three Cairns Group, a private-family office dedicated to climate-focused investing. Prior to Three Cairns Group, she cultivated a 16-year career at Evercore contributing to several departments over the years including supporting the Head of Business Development and the CEO of Evercore Trust Company. While at Evercore, she initiated volunteer programs within the community through NY Cares and served on Evercore’s volunteer committee. She graduated from Saint Michael’s College with a BA in Journalism.

ALDEN MASTERS

Human Resources Business Partner

Alden is a Human Resources Business Partner at RA Capital Management. Alden supports the firm in its daily people operations and strategic planning to help achieve the firm’s human resource goals. Previously, Alden served as the HR Manager for Nova Ventures Group. Prior to that, she specialized in recruiting for Palantir Technologies and benefits for Bright Horizons Family Solutions. Alden holds a BA in Art History from Hamilton College and is certified by the Society for Human Resources Management.

KATE MCKENNA

Compliance Associate

Kate McKenna is a Compliance Associate at RA Capital Management. Kate's primary responsibility is to work with both the Legal and Compliance Teams in support of their programs. Her contributions involve engagement with teams across RA Capital, including the processing of CDA's. Kate previously served as Health Law Assistant at Mintz. Prior to Mintz, Kate held a Paralegal role at Loughran & Corbett, Attorneys, Inc. Kate holds a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science from Bridgewater State University and is a certified Paralegal in Massachusetts.

TOM MICHALIK, CFA, CAIA

Senior Operations Analyst

Tom is a Senior Operations Analyst at RA Capital Management. Tom’s primary responsibility is to support all aspects of trade and treasury operations. Tom has more than nine years of operations experience. Most recently, Tom served as Director of Operations at TPRV Capital, LP. Prior to that, Tom held an Operations Supervisor role at Bracebridge Capital, LLC and operations positions at Harvard Management Company and State Street Corporation. Tom has a BA in Business Administration from St. Anselm College and earned both his Chartered Financial Analyst and Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst designations.

CHRIS MORRISON

Editor

Chris Morrison is an Editor at RA Capital Management. Chris’s primary responsibility at RA Capital is to cover the biotech and pharma industry. Chris has a BS in Neurobiology and Behavior from Cornell University and a MA in Journalism from New York University. Prior to RA, Chris was at Elsevier Business Intelligence, where he served as Writer/Editor and eventually became the Editor in Chief for Biopharmaceuticals and Consumer Products.

KEEGAN MUELLER

Fund Accountant

Keegan is a Fund Accountant at RA Capital Management. His primary responsibilities are to assist with accounting, financial reporting, and investment valuation. Prior to RA, Keegan was a Senior Audit Associate at PwC. Keegan has a BS in Business Administration in accounting and finance from Boston College.

JOEY O'NEILL

Investor Services Associate

Joey O’Neill is an Investor Services Associate at RA Capital Management. Joey’s primary responsibility is to manage workflows for investor transaction processing and investor reporting in collaboration with the fund's administrator. Joey previously served as Private Client Associate at Bernstein Private Wealth Management. Prior to Bernstein, Joey held a Consultant role at FactSet. Joey holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance from American University and is FINRA-certified in Series 7, Series 63 and Securities Industry Essentials.

CRAIG RANDALL

Assistant General Counsel (RA Capital), RAVen Counsel

Craig Randall is Assistant General Counsel at RA Capital Management and Counsel at RA Ventures, RA Capital's incubator for new companies. His primary responsibilities are to advise RA Capital on private investments, coordinate with portfolio companies regarding deal structures and terms, and counsel RA Ventures on new company formation. Craig holds a BA in Political Science from Bridgewater State College and a JD from Boston College Law School. Prior to RA Capital, he represented emerging companies and venture capital investment funds at two international law firms. Craig is admitted to practice law in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

SARAH REED

General Counsel

Sarah Reed is the General Counsel at RA Capital Management. Sarah joined our team from MPM Capital where she served as the COO & General Counsel. Prior to MPM, Sarah was the General Counsel for Charles River Ventures and before that, at Palomar Medical Technologies. Sarah began her legal career with Foley, Hoag, & Eliot LLP. Sarah earned her BA from Harvard College in East Asian Studies and her JD from Harvard Law School. Sarah is the only lawyer to have received the NVCA’s Outstanding Service Award, for her leadership role in conceiving of and spearheading the NVCA Model Legal Documents. Sarah teaches a course at Harvard Law School on venture capital fund formation.

ERIC ROSE, CFA, CPA

Chief Compliance Officer

Eric is the Chief Compliance Officer at RA Capital Management. Eric previously served as Director, Chief Risk and Compliance Officer, Americas at Aberdeen Asset Management. Prior to joining Aberdeen, Eric worked as a Compliance Examiner at the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Eric holds a MAcc from Bentley University and a BS in Finance from George Mason University.

RYAN RUSSELL

Fund Accountant

Ryan Russell is a Fund Accountant at RA Capital Management. His primary responsibilities are to assist with accounting, financial reporting and investment valuation. Prior to RA, Ryan was at KPMG where he was a Senior Associate. Prior to KPMG, Ryan worked at Morris and Morris, P.C. as a Staff Accountant. Ryan has a BS in Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting and Sports Management from Isenberg School of Management at University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

JESSICA SAGERS, PhD

Head of Engagement

Jessica Sagers is Head of Engagement at RA Capital Management. Jess's primary responsibility is to direct a concerted effort to analyze, design, and shape internal and external narratives. She works with RA’s newcos to develop optimal pitch decks and public messaging, authors articles, and runs the firm’s internal and external business courses. Jessica manages RA's Innovator Resources and co-founded RApport, our biotech communications platform. She is on the Steering Committee for No Patient Left Behind, a non-profit focused on reforming American healthcare to make medicines affordable to patients and promote innovation. Jessica holds a BA in Linguistics from Brigham Young University and a PhD in auditory neuroscience from the Division of Medical Sciences at Harvard University. Her graduate research investigated novel small molecule approaches to treating vestibular schwannoma and neurofibromatosis type 2.

MICHAEL SAULNIER, CPA

Chief Financial Officer

Michael is the Chief Financial Officer at RA Capital Management. He oversees the firm's financial functions, including middle office operations, accounting, valuation, tax and financial reporting. Prior to RA, Michael was a Special Projects Manager at Baupost, LLC where he led a large project to transition the business model to utilize third party fund administration, including management of the implementation. Prior to Baupost, he spent over five years as a Controller at Centerbridge Partners, LP, where he was responsible for accounting and valuation for the credit fund business, as well as the management company (US and Europe) and associated functions. In addition, Michael served on the firm's Luxembourg Board of Directors where he was responsible for accounting and financial reporting. Michael held leadership positions at Citigroup Hedge Fund Services in both Fund Accounting and Product Management before joining Centerbridge. Prior to Citigroup, he held various accounting and analyst roles at EY, Morgan Stanley, BBH, and Deloitte. Michael has a BS in Business Administration from Boston University with concentrations in Finance and Accounting.

BRETT SCHELLER

Director, Compliance

Brett Scheller is a Director, Compliance at RA Capital Management. Brett’s primary responsibilities are to advise on regulatory matters and develop, implement, and test the compliance program. Brett holds a BS from Washington University, St. Louis and a JD from Duquesne University School of Law and is admitted to practice law in PA. Brett previously served as a Clerk for the Washington County Court of Common Pleas in PA.

EMILIE SCHLEER

Associate Director, Investor Relations

Emilie Schleer is the Associate Director, Investor Relations within the Operations Team at RA Capital Management. Emilie’s primary responsibility at RA Capital is to manage current and potential investor relationships. Prior to joining RA Capital, Emilie was a Vice President of Investor Relations at THL Credit. Emilie has previously held similar roles at FLAG Capital Management and Bain Capital. She holds a BS in Finance from Elon University and an MBA from Babson College.

JAMES SCHNEIDER

Deputy General Counsel

James Schneider is the Deputy General Counsel at RA Capital Management. James’ primary responsibilities are to advise RA Capital on public and private investments, coordinate with portfolio companies regarding deal structures and terms, and provide counsel and oversight on regulatory matters. James holds a BS in Journalism from Boston University and a JD from Boston College Law School. He previously worked as a corporate attorney at Foley Hoag LLP and Cooley LLP. James is admitted to practice law in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

DING SUN

Senior Software Engineer

Ding Sun is a Senior Software Engineer at RA Capital Management. Ding’s primary responsibility at RA Capital is to help guide internal software development to support competitive landscapes of drugs and medical devices across a range of disease indications and capabilities. He holds a BS in Computer Science from The University of California, San Diego, and worked previously as a Software Engineer at IBM and Fidelity Investments.

PHI THACH

Executive Assistant

Phi Thach is an Executive Assistant at RA Capital Management. Phi's primary responsibilities at RA Capital are to support the Operations team by coordinating calendars, events, and company meetings. Phi previously worked as an Executive Assistant at Relay Therapeutics. Prior to Relay, she worked as an Executive Assistant at Bullhorn, Inc. Phi holds an Associate in Science Business Administration from Middlesex Community College.

KATHRYN TIRRELL

Executive Assistant

Kathryn Tirrell is an Executive Assistant at RA Capital Management. Kathryn's primary responsibilities at RA Capital are to coordinate calendars, events, and company meetings for the TechAtlas division. Kathryn previously held roles as Executive Assistant and Office Manager at Kojin Tx. and Ultragenyx Pharmaceuticals. She also gained administrative and client services experience in roles she held at Life Time Athletic, EF Education First, and at Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital ICU. Kathryn has a BS in Exercise and Health Science from the University of Massachusetts Boston.

KATIE TRAN

Finance Associate

Katie is a Finance Associate at RA Capital. Her primary responsibilities are to assist with all finance operations related to the Firm. She holds an Associate of Science in Accounting and a Bachelor of Science in Management from Bay State College.

SEANNA VILLARREAL

Office Administrator

Seanna is an Office Administrator at RA Capital Management. Seanna’s primary responsibilities at RA Capital are to manage the front desk and support daily office operations. Previously, she was a Legal Assistant at a law firm. Seanna holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from University of Massachusetts Lowell.

TJ WARWICK

Senior Fund Accountant

TJ is a Senior Fund Accountant at RA Capital Management. His primary responsibilities are to assist with accounting, financial reporting and investment valuation. Prior to RA, TJ was at KPMG where he was a Senior Audit Associate. Prior to KPMG, TJ worked within the AP/Office Admin function with the Boston Red Sox. TJ has a BS in Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting from Northeastern University.

BETHANY WRIGHT

Senior Finance Associate

Bethany is a Senior Finance Associate at RA Capital Management. Her primary responsibilities are to assist with all finance operations related to the Firm. She previously worked as a Finance Associate at the MFA Companies. She holds a BS in Corporate Finance & Accounting and an MBA from Salem State University.

JOEL C. BARRISH, Ph.D.

Venture Partner

Joel is currently a Venture Partner at RA Ventures focusing on new company creation. Joel brings 40 years of BioPharma drug discovery and development experience to that role. Prior to joining RAVen, Joel was co-founder, President and Chief Scientific Officer at Jnana Therapeutics, a platform company focused on unlocking hard-to-drug targets. Joel’s first role in Biotech was as Chief Scientific Officer at Achillion Pharmaceuticals, where he led discovery efforts on Factor D inhibitors for the treatment of Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria and C3 Glomerulopathy. Most of Joel’s career was spent as a medicinal chemist in pharma, where he capped a 28-year career at Bristol-Myers Squibb by spending the last five years as Vice President and Global Head of Discovery Chemistry, working across all therapeutic areas. In that role, Joel led teams responsible for advancing more than 40 compounds into clinical development, including Sprycel (dasatinib), which he co-invented. While at BMS, Joel and his colleagues made notable advances in the area of kinase inhibitor drug discovery, particularly in immunology and oncology. He is a co-author on over 140 publications and is a co-inventor on 40 issued U.S. patents. Prior to moving to BMS, he spent five years at Hoffmann La-Roche as a research scientist. Joel received his doctorate in Organic Chemistry from Columbia University and his bachelor’s in Chemistry from the University of Pennsylvania.

MARIO BARRO, PhD

Venture Partner, Head of Infectious Disease Team

Mario is a Venture Partner, and Head of the Infectious Disease Team at RA Capital. In his Venture role, Mario is focusing on early-stage investment and company creation. As Head of the Infectious Disease Team, he is leading the RA vaccine team to support our evidence-based investment strategy. Mario is responsible for partnering with several of our portfolio companies as Board Member or Technical Advisor. Mario has more than two decades of experience in vaccinology, virology and immunology in large pharma, government, academy, and biotech settings. Prior to joining RA Capital, Mario was Associate Vice President for Advanced Research at Sanofi Pasteur and Head of the team executing a strategy for integrating influenza vaccine development with machine learning and antigen design. Mario held a Project Director position at BARDA working on Universal Flu Vaccine and leading the technical selection and completion of multiyear/multi million vaccine development programs. Mario received postdoctoral training at the NIH and Mount Sinai School of Medicine in innate immunity and bioinformatics, earned a PhD in microbiology at University of Chile and a MS in Nuclear Physics.

ALLY BOERTZEL

Executive Assistant

Ally Boertzel is an Executive Assistant at RA Ventures (RAVen). Her primary responsibilities are to coordinate calendars, events, travel and meetings for the Venture Partners and Entrepreneurs-In-Residence within RAVen. Ally brings to RAVen nearly a decade of administrative experience. Most recently, Ally spent over five years at Akebia Therapeutics (previously Keryx), where she held Commercial Team Administrator/Internal Meetings Specialist, Sales Team Administrator/Training Specialist and Senior Administrative Assistant roles. Prior to Akebia, she gained Administrative and Resource Management experience at Wellington Management and Signature Consultants, respectively. Ally coached Women's Lacrosse at Muhlenberg College in PA. Prior to her stint coaching, she received her BS in Psychology with a Minor in History from Union College in NY.

KATRINA BOGAN-BROWN, PHD

Senior Director of Grant Writing

Katrina Bogan-Brown is Senior Director of Grant Writing at RA Ventures (RAVen). Prior to joining RAVen, Katrina was founder of Brownian Consulting, a firm dedicated to securing nondilutive funding for clients. In this position, Katrina provided grant writing and scientific consulting services to clients from colleges, universities, research centers, start-up and established science and technology companies, and non-profits. She secured funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Science Foundation (NSF), Department of Defense (DOD), Department of Energy (DOE), Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Economic Development Administration (EDA), National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and numerous private foundations. To date, Katrina has designed and executed funding strategies that led to acquisition of more than $150 million in nondilutive funds for clients. Katrina received a BS in Biology from Providence College and a PhD in Biochemistry from the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth College.

MARK BOSHAR

Venture Partner

Mark Boshar is a Venture Partner at RA Ventures (RAVen), focusing on new company creation. Mark brings to RAVen more than twenty-five years of leadership experience in the life sciences industry—spanning operations, corporate development, legal affairs, and intellectual property. Prior to RAVen, he was a member of the founding team and Chief Operating Officer at Catamaran Bio, a CAR-NK cell therapy company. In his role at Catamaran, he helped secure a Series A financing with a syndicate of leading investors, rapidly recruit an experienced cell therapy team, access enabling technologies, build a broad patent estate, and design external communication strategies. Prior to Catamaran, Mark served as Vice President, Legal Affairs at Rubius Therapeutics where he was responsible for leading internal legal activities in support of Rubius’ IPO and its growth to a clinical-stage company. Before joining Rubius, Mark spent a decade launching, building or advising a portfolio of early-stage venture backed life-sciences companies, including Visterra, Living proof, Kala Pharmaceuticals, and Homology Medicines. Previously in his career, he served as Associate General Counsel at Millennium Pharmaceuticals (now Takeda Oncology) where he built the legal department and led internal legal activities supporting several transformative pharmaceutical partnerships, a substantial global patent estate, and the company’s IPO. Mark began his professional career as a life sciences attorney with the law firm of Hale and Dorr (now WilmerHale). He holds a JD from Northeastern University School of Law and a BS in Biology from Tufts University.

NEIL BUCKLEY

Entrepreneur in Residence

Neil Buckley is an EIR at RA Capital. In this role, he works closely with the RA Venture team to evaluate and incubate early-stage therapeutic programs. Neil was a founder or founding team member of six companies incubated within RA Ventures, including Lusaris Therapeutics, Eliem Therapeutics ($ELYM), Aerovate Therapeutics ($AVTE), Imbria Pharmaceuticals, and Athenen Therapeutics (acquired by Eliem). Neil has spent five years at RA Ventures where he was most recently Vice President, CMC and worked across new company formation and in support of portfolio companies. Previously, Neil was Director, Business Development and Project Management at CiVentiChem (acquired by Sterling Pharma Solutions). He holds a MS from Northeastern University and a BA from Hamilton College.

NATALIE CAMACHO

Executive Assistant

Natalie Camacho is an Executive Assistant at RA Ventures (RAVen). Her primary responsibilities are to coordinate calendars, events, travel and meetings for the Venture Partners within RAVen. Natalie brings to RAVen more than six years of Administrative experience. Prior to RAVen, Natalie served as an EA for three years at Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (MassTech), a Boston agency supporting business formation and growth in the state's technology sector. Prior to MassTech, Natalie held varying Administrative roles at Northeastern University, Framingham Public Schools, and Bright Horizons Family Solutions. Natalie holds a BA in Psychology from William Paterson University and a MA in Psychology from Seton Hall University.

HABIB DABLE

Venture Partner

Habib Dable is a Venture Partner at RA Ventures (RAVen), focusing on advising and supporting newcos, portfolio companies and executives within RAVen. Habib brings to RAVen nearly three decades of experience as a strategic leader in Big Pharma and emerging Biotech. Prior to joining RAVen, Habib spent five years as President and CEO at Acceleron Pharma. In this role, he propelled the company to the next stage of growth and increased shareholder value by altering the course of this formerly research-based company to prioritize innovation, speed to commercialization, and culture transformation. While at Acceleron he successfully launched the company's first blockbuster asset - REBLOZYL® - and brought in the company's lead drug - Sotatercept - prior to Acceleron's eventual sale to Merck in 2021. Prior to Acceleron, Habib held various leadership roles at Bayer AG during his ~22-year tenure with the company. As President, U.S. Pharmaceuticals at Bayer, he directed a multi-billion-dollar portfolio of products across multiple therapeutic areas (cardiovascular disease, hematology, neurology, oncology, and women's health). Prior to that, he held roles as Executive Vice President, Global Head Specialty Medicine and Vice President, Ophthalmology/Global Launch Team Head, EYLEA®. Habib received his BBA in Marketing & Finance and his MBA in International Business from University of New Brunswick. He completed the Executive Program at Stanford University, Graduate School of Business, as well as the Executive to Leader Institute at Korn/Ferry International. Habib has earned his Director Professionalism® Certificate from the National Association of Corporate Directors.

KATIE DAHLSTROM

Vice President of Clinical Operations

Katie Dahlstrom is Vice President of Clinical Operations at RA Ventures (RAVen). Katie's primary responsibilities at RAVen are to lead the development and oversee the implementation of best practices in clinical strategies in RA's newcos and portfolio companies. Katie was previously Vice President of Clinical Development Operations at Theseus Pharmaceuticals where she built the development operations organization and executed the early-stage oncology portfolio. Before Theseus, she held increasing levels of responsibility in Clinical Operations at Agios Pharmaceuticals where she oversaw the operational execution of the TIBSOVO® (ivosidenib) program for R/R AML from IND to NDA and the PYRUKIND® (mitapivat) program for pyruvate kinase deficiency from Phase 2 to NDA. Katie has prior clinical operations experience from Takeda Oncology and pharmacovigilance experience from Genzyme, a Sanofi Company. Katie has a BS in Biology from Stonehill College and an MA in Clinical Investigation from Boston University Medical School.

MILIND DESHPANDE, PhD

Venture Partner

Milind Deshpande is a Venture Partner at RA Capital, and President & CEO of Nayan Therapeutics, a RA Capital portfolio company. Milind has more than 25 years of leadership and operational experience through all stages of drug discovery and development. He is the co-founder and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Spero Therapeutics, and past President, CEO and member of the Board of Directors of Achillion Pharmaceuticals. Prior to joining Achillion, Milind was Group Leader at Bristol-Myers Squibb for all early stage discovery programs in infectious diseases and neuroscience. He is the co-inventor of first-in-class HCV NS5A inhibitors, which led to the approval of DaklinzaTM, the first marketed drug in its class. Milind has co-authored more than 80 scientific articles, is co-inventor on 30 patents, and is a frequent speaker at international scientific conferences. He received his doctorate in Organic Chemistry from Ohio University, and was a Fellow and Instructor in Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine. Milind attended the residential Executive Program at The Wharton School of Management.

GUNNAR ESIASON, MBA, MPH

Director of Patient Engagement

Gunnar Esiason is Director of Patient Engagement at Blackbird, a NewCo within the RAVentures Incubator. Gunnar is a cystic fibrosis and rare disease patient leader, who is passionate about early-stage drug development, patient empowerment, and health policy. Professionally, he is an accomplished patient advocate who has also developed a patient engagement platform for a medical nutrition company, built a venture philanthropy practice at the Boomer Esiason Foundation. He has consulted on clinical trial development, a real-world evidence population health study, and a cystic fibrosis-specific mental health and wellness screening tool. Gunnar holds an M.B.A. from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, an M.P.H. from the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy & Clinical Practice, and a B.A. from Boston College.

ERIKA FIGUEROA

Executive Assistant

Erika Figueroa is an Executive Assistant at RA Ventures (RAVen). Her primary responsibilities are to coordinate calendars, events, travel and meetings for the Venture Partners in addition to providing support to the Operations team within RAVen. Erika brings to RAVen nearly two decades of administrative experience. Most recently, Erika spent over two years at Bain Capital Life Sciences (BCLS), where she held an Executive Assistant role supporting the Co-Head of Life Sciences. Prior to BCLS, she gained Administrative and Project Management experience at Wellington Management, Wells Fargo Asset Management and PIMCO, respectively. Erika received her BS in Technical Management from DeVry University in Long Beach CA.

COSMAS GIALLOURAKIS

Venture Partner

Cosmas Giallourakis is a Venture Partner at RA Ventures, focusing on new company creation. Cosmas brings to RAVen over a decade of leadership experiences at the interface of basic science, drug development and clinical care. Prior to RAVen, Cosmas was an Entrepreneur in Residence at Third Rock Ventures and was part of the teams that built Asher Bio (cell targeted biologics for oncology/autoimmune diseases) and Septerna (GPCR focused drug discovery) as well as other NewCOs in development. In addition, Cosmas has co-founded companies including Design Pharma (synthetic bio) and a company in stealth focused on RNA based genetic medicines. Prior to this, Cosmas was a Director at Takeda Pharmaceuticals where he was responsible for developing multiple partnerships and platforms on emerging technologies, along with leading drug development teams in cell and gene therapies. Before transitioning to industry, Cosmas was a faculty member at Harvard Medical School/Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), where he had an active gastroenterology clinical practice and ran a lab whose research centered on fundamental aspects of RNA and epigenetics. Cosmas’s academic research has been published in journals such as Cell, Science, and Nature. Cosmas received his BS in Physics from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and his MD from Rutgers-New Jersey Medical School. He completed his residency in internal medicine at Yale-New Haven Hospital and completed his clinical gastroenterology fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital / Harvard Medical School as well post-doctoral training with Frederick Alt, an HHMI investigator, in molecular immunology.

EMILY GRANSKY

VP, Recruiting

Emily Gransky is VP of Recruiting at RA Ventures (RAVen). In this role, Emily works closely with senior leaders, Venture Partners and Managing Directors within the Venture Team at RA Capital and within RAVen. Her primary responsibility is leading and executing full cycle recruiting across all newcos and portfolio companies. Prior to RAVen, Emily worked as Director, Talent Acquisition, at Generation Bio, leading hiring across all functions and building out systems to support that growth. Prior to this, she served as Director, Talent Acquisition and Operations at Flagship Pioneering, a role in which she built talent systems to support the growth of 30+ pre-series B biotech startup companies. Prior to Flagship, Emily held roles as Associate Director, Head of Global Talent Acquisition and Associate Director, Recruiting Operations & Analytics at bluebird bio. While in these roles, Emily helped Bluebird grow from 300 to 1000 employees. Emily has her BS in Chemical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in NY.

KEVIN GROSSELIN, PhD

RA Ventures Associate

Kevin Grosselin is RA Ventures Associate at RA Ventures (RAVen). Kevin's primary responsibilities is to research early-stage projects in collaboration with RAVen team members, Venture Partners, and Entrepreneurs-in-Residence. Prior to RA, Kevin was a postdoctoral associate at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard and an EMBO fellow. Kevin has a ME in Chemistry and Chemical Engineering from Chimie ParisTech in France, a MS in Biotechnology from the Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden, and a PhD in Physics and Chemistry from Paris Sciences et Lettres Research University in France.

ALLISON HARRIGAN, MBA

Senior Director Corporate Development

Allison Harrigan is Senior Director of Corporate Development at RA Ventures (RAVen) focusing on new company creation. Prior to joining RAVen, Allison was Executive Director of Strategy and Business Development at a neuroscience biotech company operating in stealth. Previously, Allison spent over three years at Valo Health in positions of increasing responsibility. As Director of Corporate Strategy, she was responsible for driving strategic initiatives, held a key role in fundraising, and led key business development efforts, including the diligence, acquisition and integration of a drug discovery company and two clinical drug programs. Prior to Valo Health, she spent over three years at McKinsey where she primarily served pharmaceutical and biotech clients on topics including R&D strategy, portfolio management, and innovation. Allison started her career at the National Institutes of Health in a drug discovery group focused on rare and neglected diseases. Allison received her MBA from MIT Sloan School of Management, and her BS degree in Chemistry from Georgetown University.

GARRETT HEFFNER, PhD

Entrepreneur in Residence

Garrett Heffner is an EIR at RA Ventures, focusing on genetic medicines. In this role, he will work to evaluate and incubate early-stage therapeutic programs. Garrett has over 20 years of experience in cell and gene therapy, including over 12 years in roles of increasing responsibility in biotech companies, including with Bluebird Bio, Audentes Therapeutics, and Ambys Medicines, and he was most recently the VP of Gene Therapy at Voyager Therapeutics. Garrett has worked cross-functionally across the landscape of in vivo and ex vivo genetic medicine modalities, often at the interface of payload design, platform research and manufacturing, IND-enabling activities, bioanalytical and computational biology, and strategy. Garrett received a BS with honors from the California Institute of Technology while publishing his first paper with Dr. Paul H. Patterson, holds a PhD in Immunology from Stanford University, where he studied hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells with Dr. Irving L. Weissman, and completed his post-doctoral training at Childrens Hospital Boston/Harvard Medical School studying ES/iPSC specification to the hematopoietic fate with Dr. George Q. Daley.

JACLYN HENDERSON, PhD

Entrepreneur in Residence

Jaclyn Henderson is an EIR at RA Ventures, focusing on new company creation. Jaclyn joins RA from Arclight Therapeutics where as VP Early Discovery, she was responsible for developing a diverse portfolio of early-stage assets across neurodegenerative diseases. Her prior roles include Pfizer, Biogen, Vertex and Jnana Therapeutics. During her career, she has worked on developing four clinical stage compounds across several therapeutic areas including Parkinson’s Disease, and Phenylketonuria. Jaclyn holds a PhD in Organic Chemistry from the University of Edinburgh and completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Aberdeen.

PEYMAN HOSSEINCHI, PhD

RA Ventures Associate

Peyman Hosseinchi is an Associate at RA Ventures. Peyman's primary responsibility is NewCo creation in collaboration with Ventures Partners and EIRs at RA Ventures. Prior to joining RAVen, Peyman was an Associate within the TechAtlas division of RA Capital, focusing on identifying emerging therapeutics and advising RA Capital's portfolio companies on their pipeline. Peyman holds a dual B.S. in Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering from Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran and a PhD in Molecular Engineering from Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago.

SONIA KARTHA, PhD

RA Ventures Associate

Sonia Kartha is an Associate at RA Ventures. Sonia's primary responsibility is NewCo creation in collaboration with Ventures Partners and EIRs. Prior to joining RAVen, Sonia was an Associate within the TechAtlas division of RA Capital where she worked closely with members of the investment team and portfolio companies to deeply understand competitive landscapes, evaluated investment opportunities in a variety of therapeutic areas across all stages, and advised portfolio companies on program and pipeline strategy. Sonia has a BA in Chemistry and a PhD in Bioengineering, both from the University of Pennsylvania.

ALBERT KIM, MD/PhD

Venture Partner

Albert Kim is a Venture Partner at RA Ventures focusing on new company creation. He is a physician-scientist experienced in novel therapeutic product development, translational science, and clinical medicine. He was Chief Medical Officer at Cytel, Inc. where he led clinical and medical development interests across business units including the Solara© software platform for clinical trial design, and served as general manager for the Therapeutics Development Team. Prior to Cytel, Dr. Kim held leadership roles at Novartis and Pfizer. During his Pfizer tenure, he was the Vice President, Clinical Research Head for the Internal Medicine Research Unit and oversaw clinical research efforts for the legacy neuroscience portfolio and cardiometabolic diseases. Dr Kim contributed to development programs for Ilaris®, Gilenya®, bococizumab, clesacostat, Comirnaty®, egromab, and danuglipron.

Prior to Novartis and Pfizer, Dr. Kim worked at the FDA in the Division of Cardiac Devices as a medical reviewer and project lead for the industry guidance document on catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation. Dr. Kim achieved board certification in internal medicine, cardiology, and clinical cardiac electrophysiology and practiced clinical medicine for 18 years, He has held academic appointments with VA Boston Cardiac Electrophysiology Section, Boston University, and Harvard Medical School. Additionally, he is a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology (FACC) and the Heart Rhythm Society (FHRS). Dr. Kim earned his undergraduate degree in biomedical engineering from Harvard, MD and PhD degrees from UCLA, completed his residency in internal medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital, cardiology fellowship training at Massachusetts General Hospital, and clinical cardiac electrophysiology training at UCSF.

DAVID LUBNER

Venture Partner

David Lubner is a Venture Partner at RA Ventures. Prior to joining RA, David was Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Ra Pharmaceuticals Inc. from 2016 until it was acquired by UCB S.A. in 2020. Previously, David served as Chief Financial Officer of Tetraphase Pharmaceuticals from its inception in 2006 to 2016, as Chief Financial Officer of PharMetrics from 1999 until it was acquired by IMS Health in 2005 and as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of ProScript from 1996 to 1999, where Velcade® (bortezomib), a therapy widely used for the treatment of the blood cancer multiple myeloma, was discovered. Independent from RA, David serves as a member of the board of directors of Arcellx, Inc. (Nasdaq: ACLX), Dyne Therapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq:DYNE), Vor Biopharma Inc. (Nasdaq:VOR) and Point Biopharma, Inc. (Nasdaq:PNT) and several other private companies. David previously served on the board of directors of Nightstar Therapeutics plc from 2017 until it was acquired by Biogen in June 2019.

DANIEL MACAYA, PhD

Senior Director of Corporate Development

Daniel Macaya is Senior Director of Corporate Development at RA Ventures (RAVen), focusing on new company creation. Prior to RAVen, Daniel co-founded and led strategy and operations for Seeker Biologics, Series A funded multi-specific biologics platform company aimed at discovering precision medicines for inflammatory disease. Prior to this, Daniel was an Associate Director within the TechAtlas division of RA Capital Management where he drove internal and external strategic and diligence initiatives and oversaw the workflow and professional development of TechAtlas Associates. Prior to this role, as an Associate at RA Capital, Daniel mapped a diverse range of competitive landscapes, spanning autoimmune, oncology, neurologic, and metabolic diseases, as well as the pipelines of several large pharma. Daniel holds a PhD in Medical Engineering from the Harvard-MIT division of Health Sciences and Technology, where his research focused on the development of tissue engineered grafts capable of restoring function after spinal cord injury, and a BS in Materials Science from Cornell University.

KARA MAKOWSKI

Manager, Human Resources

Kara serves as the Manager, Human Resources at RA Ventures. In this role, Kara supports the various aspects of human resources including payroll, benefits, and assists with building infrastructure of newly formed companies. Kara brings over 15 years of Human Resources experience. Before joining RA Ventures, Kara was the Human Resources Manager at PSPDFKit where she was responsible for the provision of global human resources. Prior to PSPDFKit, she was the Senior Human Resources Manager at Intelerad Medical Systems where she facilitated the company’s growth from 60 to 350 employees; and led the HR integration process for five mergers and acquisitions. Her prior experience includes various leadership roles in Human Resources and Operations at Tiverton Advisors and Prometheus Group. Kara received her Bachelor of Science in Gerontology from the University of South Florida.

EMILY MINKOW

Venture Partner

Emily Minkow is a Venture Partner at RA Ventures. Prior to joining RA, Emily was Chief Business Officer of Prevail Therapeutics from the company’s inception in 2017 until its acquisition by Eli Lilly in 2021. At Prevail, Emily led business functions including business development, strategy, commercialization, public relations, patient advocacy, and intellectual property, and co-led financings generating $250 million in proceeds, including the company’s IPO in 2019. Previously, Emily spent over seven years at Celgene Corporation in positions of increasing responsibility in business development, marketing, operations, and as Principal to the Chairman and CEO. As Executive Director of Business Development at Celgene, Emily was responsible for all aspects of deal evaluation, negotiation, and execution for licensing deals, mergers and acquisitions, and collaborations, with a focus on immune-inflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases. As Director of Global Marketing, she provided global leadership for the launch of Otezla for the treatment of patients with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. Emily started her career in strategy consulting at Frankel Group. She received a BA from Princeton University and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

ED MONAGHAN, PhD

Entrepreneur in Residence

Ed Monaghan is an EIR at RA Capital. In this role, he works closely with the RA Venture team to evaluate and incubate early-stage therapeutic programs. Ed has 30 years of experience in preclinical and clinical drug development, and in regulatory affairs for pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. After joining RA Ventures as Chief Development Officer, Ed built the development team, oversaw development of six compounds from discovery-stage through to clinical-stage, and led the formation of several new companies, including Lusaris Therapeutics. Ed began his career working with neurologically active compounds at Allergan, CoCensys, and Serono. Since 2002, he has been working in start-up pharma companies, including co-founding Thesan Pharmaceuticals and NeoKera, where he assumed responsibilities for all development activities, including regulatory affairs. Ed holds a PhD in neuroscience from the University of California Berkeley, an MS in psychology from Villanova University, and a BA from La Salle University.

ROBERT NICOL, PhD

Venture Partner

Robert Nicol is a Venture Partner at RA Ventures (RAVen), focusing on company creation. Prior to RA, Rob spent 21 years at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, most recently as the Senior Director of Technology Development and a Principal Investigator. His laboratory at the Broad focused on advanced high throughput biotechnology tools including DNA synthesis, single cell analysis, synthetic biology derived biomolecule libraries, and microbiome profiling. Robert has led multiple DARPA, IARPA, and NIH advanced technology development programs. He is also the co-founder of multiple biotechnology companies including HiFiBiO and Design Pharmaceuticals. He served on the Scientific Advisory Boards of multiple companies including DNA Script, Danaher Life Sciences, and CircBio. Robert also led the Sequencing Operations and Technology Development groups at the Broad for over 12 years, implementing industrial process control methods, developing multiple generations of high-throughput DNA sequencing technologies, and establishing an agile learning culture in the organization. Prior to his career at the Broad Institute, Robert was an MIT Leaders for Manufacturing Fellow, and a project manager for Fluor Corporation, where he managed large-scale petrochemical design and construction projects. Robert received his BS in mechanical engineering from the University of Houston. He earned an MS in chemical engineering and his MBA and PhD in engineering systems from MIT.

ANGELA PONTIUS

Vice President of Clinical Operations

Angela Pontius is Vice President of Clinical Operations at RA Ventures (RAVen). Angela's primary responsibilities at RAVen are to lead development and oversee implementation of best practices in clinical strategies in RA's newcos and portfolio companies. Angela previously held roles as Senior Director of Clinical Operations and Patient Advocacy at Vigil Neuroscience and at Ra Pharmaceuticals. Angela also gained experience in prior roles as Clinical Trial Manager at Roche, Sarepta, and other companies, and Clinical Research Coordinator at Tufts Medical Center and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Angela has a BA in Pre-Medicine and French Studies from the University of Minnesota.

KAT RIESEN

VP, Finance

Kat Riesen is the VP, Finance at RA Ventures (RAVen). Kat’s primary responsibility is supporting newcos, portfolio companies and executives within RAVen, focusing on strategic finance. Prior to joining RAVen, Kat was a Partner at van den Boom & Associates where she provided accounting and finance services including new company formation through IPO and public company accounting support, SOX compliance implementation, and financial modeling to several public and private life science companies. Before entering the life science space, Kat held various accounting roles in the retail industry and started her career at Ernst & Young. Kat has a BS in Business Administration, majoring in Accounting from the University of Minnesota, Carlson School of Management. She is a CPA.

PAUL ROTHMAN, M.D.

Venture Partner

Paul Rothman, M.D. is a Venture Partner at RA Ventures. Prior to joining RAVen, he was the former Dean of the Medical Faculty for the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and CEO of Johns Hopkins Medicine from 2012 until 2022. A rheumatologist and molecular immunologist, he came to Hopkins after serving as Dean of the Carver College of Medicine at the University of Iowa. Previously, he served as Head of Internal Medicine at the University of Iowa, and Vice Chairman for Research and Founding Director of the Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. Dr. Rothman received his BS from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Medical degree from Yale University. He trained at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center in internal medicine and rheumatology and held a postdoctoral fellowship at Columbia University. Dr Rothman's research focused on immune system molecules known as cytokines. Specifically, he investigated the role these molecules play in the normal development of blood cells, as well as the abnormal development of these blood cell that leads to leukemia. Dr. Rothman serves on the boards of Merck, Labcorp as well as the King Faisal Specialty Hospital.

GERALD SEWACK, PhD

Vice President of Scientific Operations

Gerald is Vice President of Scientific Operations at RA Ventures (RAVen). In this role, Gerald is responsible for evaluating new technology and novel biology to originate and support the generation of new companies in collaboration with RAVen’s Venture Partners and EIRs. He also supports select RAVen portfolio companies in active strategic operating roles and serves as Board Director for GIVax, Summation Bio, and Astro Therapeutics. Prior to this, Gerald was Director of Scientific Operations for RA Capital. He worked previously at Global Prior Art, an intellectual property analysis firm, as a Partner and the Director of the Life Sciences Division. Gerald holds a PhD in Molecular and Cellular Biology from Harvard Medical School. His research investigated chromatin structure and transcription factor binding.

BIMAL SHAH, MD

Venture Partner

Bimal Shah, M.D. is a Venture Partner at RA Ventures. He is a cardiologist who was formerly the Chief Operating Officer and Co-founder of Homeward. Previously, Dr. Shah was the Chief Medical Officer at Teladoc after its merger with Livongo Health. In these roles he oversaw clinical product strategy and, value and insight analytics, behavioral health strategy, quality and credentialing, and commercial enablement. Prior to Livongo, he was the Chief Medical Officer for Emerging Technology and Informatics and Service Line Vice President for Life Sciences at Premier Inc.

Prior to Premier, Dr. Shah served as an Assistant Professor in both the Department of Medicine and Fuqua School of Business at Duke University as well as Director of Quality for the Department of Medicine. He remains on faculty at Duke. Dr. Shah received his bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill and earned both a MD and MBA from Duke University. He completed his residency in Internal Medicine at Stanford University before finishing a general cardiology fellowship at Duke University.

MICHAEL SHERMAN, MD

Venture Partner

Dr. Michael Sherman serves as a Venture Partner at RA Ventures and on the faculty of the Dept of Population Medicine at Harvard Medical School. Prior to joining RAVen, he served as EVP and chief medical officer at Point32Health, formed by the merger of Harvard Pilgrim Health Care and Tufts Health Plan, two leading not-for-profit health plans insuring over 2 million members. Prior to the merger, Dr. Sherman served as chief medical officer of Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, nationally recognized for both innovation and quality. He has been widely recognized as a pioneer in bringing advances in transformational therapeutics, precision medicine, and digital therapeutics to Point32Health’s members by launching structured pilots that balance access and affordability and also generate real world evidence. Dr. Sherman holds board appointments with the Personalized Medicine Coalition, the Harvard Business School Healthcare Initiative, and NEHI (Network for Excellence in Health Innovation). Prior to joining Harvard Pilgrim in 2011, Dr. Sherman held executive roles at Humana, UnitedHealth Group, Thomson Medstat (now part of IBM Watson Health), and Da Vita, as well as several early stage companies. Before pursuing an M.B.A. at Harvard Business School, Dr. Sherman received his M.D. from Yale and practiced as a cardiac anesthesiologist. He also holds a B.A. in Anthropology and Natural Sciences and an M.S. in Biomedical Anthropology from the University of Pennsylvania.

ALISON TISDALE, PhD

Entrepreneur in Residence

Alison Tisdale is an EIR at RA Ventures, focusing on the discovery and development of novel biologics. Before joining RA, Alison was most recently Vice President of Therapeutic Discovery at Seeker Biologics, where she led the development of a high-throughput functional screening platform for multi-specific biologics, and oversaw discovery efforts for the company’s pipeline of antibodies targeting pathologic cell types in autoimmune diseases. Prior to that, Alison was a founding employee at Immunitas Therapeutics, a clinical stage biotech, where she built their discovery and engineering platform and helped shepherd the company’s lead immuno-oncology program into the clinic. Alison has also held roles leading programs and teams at other biotech startups including Generate Biomedicines and Eleven Biotherapeutics. She has a BS and MS in Chemical Engineering, and earned her PhD in Biological Engineering from MIT.

MARYANN VIGLIOTTA

Vice President of Operations and HR

Maryann Vigliotta is the Vice President of Operations and HR at RA Ventures (RAVen). In this role, Maryann supports start-up business infrastructure development for newcos as well as provides strategic HR guidance for founding team members. Prior to joining RAVen, Maryann was Director of Business Operations and HR at Q32 Bio where she wore many hats helping to establish the company’s business infrastructure including IT, contract management, facilities, administrative support, Human Resources, recruiting, internal communications and was a strong driver of company culture. Prior to Q32 Bio, Maryann worked as the Operations Manager for Surface Oncology and several other biotech start-up companies from discovery research through end of Phase 2 Clinical trials. Maryann received her Bachelor of Science in English from Northeastern University.

JOSH XIAO, PhD

Entrepreneur in Residence

Josh Xiao is an EIR at RA Ventures, focusing on developing novel biologics. Prior to joining RA Ventures, Josh served as Vice President and Head of Research at Binacea Pharma, a clinical stage biotech with a focus on first-in-class bi-/multi-specific conditional-active biologics for immuno oncology and autoimmune diseases. Prior to that, Josh led data driven antibody target and drug discovery at Amgen, where he led several antibody projects in both ADC and CD3 bispecific modalities. Josh has also previously worked at 23andMe, where he led target and drug discovery efforts in oncology, NASH and related metabolic diseases. Josh began his biotech career at Millennium Pharmaceuticals and has also worked in several biotech startups. Josh earned his Ph.D. in Biochemistry from Louisiana State University and completed his post-doctoral training in Dr. James Manley’s lab at Columbia University.

MIKE CLOONAN

Advisor

Mike is President and Chief Executive Officer of Sionna. He is a respected biotech leader with over twenty years of biopharma experience across global organizations. Most recently he served as Chief Operating Officer at Sage Therapeutics leading all the business functions (commercial, medical affairs, government affairs, business development, technical operations, strategy and program management) and G&A functions. During his four years with Sage, he helped lead the growth of the organization through multiple capital raises, the launch of the company’s first product, and execution of a transformational, multi-billion collaboration.

Prior to Sage, he had a 14-year tenure at Biogen in various business and commercial roles. His most recent role at Biogen was as Senior Vice President, U.S. Commercial, where he was the general manager of the MS, hemophilia, and SMA franchises. Prior to Biogen, Mike worked at Bain & Company as a consultant specializing in healthcare. Mike earned his MBA from the Darden Graduate School of Business Administration

RAMIN FARZANEH-FAR

Advisor

Ramin Farzaneh-Far is the Chief Medical Officer at Capstan. Previously, as Venture Partner at RA Capital he worked closely with RA’s Venture Team to evaluate drug discovery platforms and initiate novel therapeutics programs. He was Chief Medical Officer of Ra Pharmaceuticals from 2016 until it was acquired by UCB in 2020. Ramin is an experienced clinical trialist and previously led global clinical development programs at Akebia Therapeutics and Gilead Sciences. A trained cardiologist, he has held academic faculty positions at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) and the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. Ramin completed his internal medicine residency at Brigham & Women’s Hospital in Boston and trained in cardiovascular medicine at UCSF. He holds BA and MA degrees in immunology from the University of Cambridge, an MD from University College London, and an MAS in clinical research from UCSF.

DANIEL GRAU

Advisor

Daniel Grau, an experienced biotech entrepreneur and operating executive, currently serves as CEO and Director at Avilar Therapeutics, a leading extracellular protein degradation company. He is also an Advisor to HotSpot Therapeutics and recently served on the Board of Directors at Research Alliance Corporation I (merged with POINT Biopharma) and at TetraGenetics (acquired by AbCellera). Prior to Avilar, Mr. Grau was CEO at Sojournix, President at Heptares Therapeutics (acquired 2015), CEO at Cortria (acquired 2010), and COO at CombinatoRx (IPO 2005). He also served as member of the Product Advisory Board at Concert Pharmaceuticals and as an Advisor to Nimbus Therapeutics. Early in his career, Mr. Grau worked with multi-national pharma companies including Pharmacia, Pharmacia & Upjohn, and Eisai as a management consultant focused on corporate strategy, M&A, and new product launch. Prior to management consulting, Mr. Grau was Director of Marketing & Business Development at a clinical information technology startup. Mr. Grau earned his BA with High Honors from Davidson College, where he was awarded a Dana Honor Scholarship and elected to Phi Beta Kappa, and his MPhil, MA, and MAR degrees from Yale University, where he was awarded the Day Graduate Prize and was the recipient of a Mellon Fellowship in the Humanities.

SADIK KASSIM, PhD

Advisor

Sadik Kassim is a scientist and executive with extensive experience in the biotechnology industry with a specific focus on cell and gene therapy bioprocessing and translational research. Currently, he serves as Chief Technology Officer at Danaher, with a focus on new genomic medicines. Most recently, he was Chief Technology Officer at Vor Bio where he built the technical operations team responsible for process development, analytical development, supply chain and manufacturing support of a CRISPR gene-edited HSPC product and oversaw the company’s CAR-T efforts. Prior to Vor, Sadik served as Executive Director at Kite Pharma and led the development of manufacturing processes for autologous CAR-T and TCR-based cell therapies. As the Chief Scientific Officer at Mustang Bio, Sadik managed the foundational build-out of the company’s preclinical and manufacturing activities. Earlier in his career, he was Head of Early Analytical Development for Novartis’ Cell and Gene Therapies Unit and worked on research teams at the National Cancer Institute with Dr. Steven Rosenberg, the University of Pennsylvania Gene Therapy Program with Dr. Jim Wilson, and Johnson and Johnson’s Immunology Discovery group. Sadik and his teams have contributed to the successful BLA and MAA applications for three of the commercially available CAR-T therapies: Kymriah®, Yescarta®, and Tecartus®. Sadik holds a bachelor of science degree in Cell and Molecular Biology from Tulane University, and earned his PhD in Microbiology and Immunology from Louisiana State University.

SOPHIE PAPA, FRCP PhD

Advisor

Sophie is Chief Medical Officer at Enara Bio, a company focused on novel targets for cancer immune therapy drug discovery. She is a Clinical Reader at King’s College London with a laboratory working on translational adaptions to CAR T cell engineering to optimize clinical utility. Prior to joining the team at Enara Sophie was a medical oncologist at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust in London, UK (GSTT). She has twenty years of oncology experience with a strong focus on skin cancers, especially malignant melanoma. Sophie led the cell therapy program, working with teams across the Trust to build capabilities to deliver industry and academically sponsored complex cell therapy trials for solid tumor cancer patients. Sophie was a principal investigator in the Early Phase Trials Team at GSTT and has extensive experience in the delivery of early to late phase oncology trials. She has published over fifty papers in peer reviewed journals.

Sophie received her doctorate in CAR T cell therapy from King’s College London, her pre-clinical medical degree from St John’s College, University of Oxford, and her clinical medical degree from Imperial College London, where she won the Norman C Lake prize for Surgery. In 2013 was awarded a Medical Research Council Clinical Scientist Fellowship. Sophie is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, London, UK.

MICHAEL ROSENZWEIG DVM, PhD

Advisor

Michael is Executive Vice President at Capstan Therapeutics. In his most recent role as Entrepreneur In Residence at RA Ventures (RAVen), Michael worked closely with the Venture Team to evaluate drug discovery platforms and initiate novel therapeutic programs. Michael has more than two decades of experience in immuno-oncology and immunology research in both large pharma and biotech settings. Prior to joining RA, Michael was Associate Vice President at Merck Research Labs. In this position, he played a critical role in building Merck’s oncology pipeline into one of the most robust in cancer immunotherapy, focusing on a modality-agnostic strategy with a broad biology of targets and Keytruda combination strategies. He was also responsible for initiating the transition of the autoimmunity strategy from one based on systemic immunosuppression to a targeted immunomodulation approach. Prior to his time at Merck, Michael held discovery leadership roles at Immunext and Tolerx. Michael earned a DVM at the University of Pretoria and a PhD in Immunology at the University of Pennsylvania.

PATRICK TROJER, PhD

Advisor

Patrick joined TRIANA Biomedicines in December of 2021 as President & CEO and Board member after a successful career at Constellation Pharmaceuticals where he served as the company’s CSO. As a founder and member of Constellation’s executive team Patrick materially contributed to several successful financing rounds and deals, including a crossover round, an IPO and the ultimate acqusition of the company. Patrick was instrumental to building Constellation‘s discovery platform, establishing a portfolio of competitive clinical candidates and drove the maturation of the company‘s development efforts, leading to one PhIII and two PhII assets and three additional clinical candidates. Prior to this, he was a Postdoctoral Fellow at NYU Medical School in the laboratory of Dr. Danny Reinberg, exploring the functional downstream consequences of changes to the histone posttranslational modification landscape on processes that require access to DNA, including the regulation of gene expression. Patrick received his PhD in Natural Sciences, specifically Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, from the Leopold-Franzens University, Innsbruck, Austria.

JESSE CHEN, PhD

Jesse Chen was an EIR at RA Capital. In this role he worked closely with RA’s Venture Team to evaluate various drug discovery platforms and initiate novel therapeutics programs. Jesse has more than a decade of discovery research and management experience, from early discovery through preclinical development. Prior to joining RA, Jesse was Senior Director of Discovery at Kymera Therapeutics. As the first and founding member of Kymera’s scientific team, Jesse was responsible for building the company’s industry-leading targeted protein degradation platform and pipeline, and he helped secure the company’s Series A and B financings as well as a partnership with Vertex. Jesse also held research leadership roles at Moderna Therapeutics and Millennium Pharmaceuticals, where he was responsible for developing novel platforms and leading discovery programs. Jesse earned his Ph.D. in Biological Chemistry from MIT and was a Harvard Origins Research Fellow.

BEN DAKE, PhD

Ben Dake was a Venture Associate at RA Capital Management. Ben’s primary responsibility at RA Capital was to identify compelling assets to help facilitate new company creation or investments in emerging seed-stage companies. Ben has also mapped competitive landscapes with a focus on cardiovascular diseases and regenerative medicine as a member of the Cardio-Renal Team within the TechAtlas division of RA Capital. Ben holds a BS in Biology and an MS in Virology from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, and a PhD in Cancer Biology from the Tufts University School of Medicine. His doctoral research focused on breast cancer metastasis. Ben previously worked as a Research Assistant in a Neuroinflammation lab at Brigham and Women’s Hospital/Harvard Medical School, and was an Internet Application Developer at the Gallup Organization.

CONY D'CRUZ

Cony D'Cruz was a Venture Partner at RA Ventures. Prior RA, Cony was Executive Vice President and Chief Business Officer at Schrödinger for eight years, responsible for business development involving strategic collaborations and new company formation as well as software sales in the US and Japan. Prior to Schrödinger, Cony was President Chief Business Officer at Proteros responsible for all commercial activities. Prior to Proteros, Cony was Senior Vice President, Business Development, North America for Evotec and was responsible for managing all commercial activities of Evotec in North America. In these commercial roles, he initiated innovative discovery deal structures with venture companies, research foundations, and large integrated deals with pharmaceutical companies. Prior to Evotec, Cony worked at IGEN, where he was responsible for the marketing strategy of the life sciences division; in addition, he was involved in investor presentations and fundraising. Prior to IGEN Cony worked for Corning in the US and in Europe. At Corning, he held a number of sales and marketing roles with increasing responsibility; in his last position at Corning, Cony was responsible for marketing at a new business unit focused on high-throughput screening and molecular biology products. Cony received a BSc in Applied Biology from the University of London and an MBA from The Open University, Milton Keynes UK.

DANIELLE FELDMAN, PhD

Danielle Feldman was as an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at RA Ventures and was a Scientific Co-Founder and Associate Director of Corporate Development at Athenen Therapeutics (merged into Eliem Therapeutics; ELYM). Previously, Danielle was an Associate at RA Capital, and worked in IP and tech licensing at Seven Bridges Genomics and the MIT Technology Licensing Office, respectively. Danielle received her PhD in Neuroscience from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

REZ HALSE, PhD

Rez Halse was a Senior Advisor at RAVen, also known as RA Ventures, RA Capital’s company creation incubator. Rez’s primary responsibility was to lead early-stage private investments in, and oversee the creation of, new companies developing therapeutics and other medical technologies. Rez brought to RA over 20 years of experience working in the life-science industry. Prior to RA, he served in a dual role at Merck Research Laboratories (MRL). He was Vice President of Merck business development and licensing where he led BD activities in the US (West Coast), Europe, and Asia Pacific region, as well as President of MRL Ventures where he led equity investing in early-stage therapeutics companies. Prior to Merck, he was a Partner with the Partners Innovation Fund, the corporate venture arm of Mass General Brigham hospital (formerly Partners HealthCare), where he invested in Seed/Series A therapeutics-focused companies. Rez has also held roles at Novartis, a virtual R&D company (BVD), and Xcellsyz Ltd, a UK-based start-up. Rez holds a BSc in biochemistry and PhD in cell biology from Newcastle University, UK.

VIKRAM SHEEL KUMAR, MD

Vikram Sheel Kumar was a Venture Partner at RA Capital where he applyied software to develop drugs and new ventures. He is co-founder and CEO of Clear Creek Bio, an RA Capital portfolio company. Vikram studied engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi before earning a BS in Operations Research with honors from Columbia University. He holds an MD magna cum laude from Harvard-MIT, Program in Health Sciences and Technology, where he was a Paul and Daisy Soros Fellow. He was named an MIT Technology Review 100 innovators under 35 for his MIT Media Lab social enterprise, Dimagi, that has impacted millions with its mobile data collection platform. Vikram trained in clinical pathology at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital where he was chief resident.

JAMES McARTHUR, PhD

James McArthur was an Advisor for RA Capital Management. James was most recently the founder, Chief Executive Officer, and served as a Board Director for Imara, a public company developing therapies for sickle cell disease and β-thallasemia. He was also the co-founder and President of Research and Development of Cydan, a rare disease accelerator. James has over 25 years of industry experience in creating and building biotechnology companies including experience as a co-founder of the lysosomal storage diseases company Vtesse acquired by Sucampo/Malinkrodt, co-founder of the clinical stage neuroendocrine company Tiburio, Board Director of the ocular gene therapy company Nightstar acquired by Biogen, and as founding Chief Scientific Officer of the rheumatology therapy company Synovex/Adheron acquired by Roche. Prior to these companies, James held senior research leadership roles in the gene and stem cell therapy companies Cell Genesys, Phylogix, and Somatix Therapy. James was an entrepreneur in residence at HealthCare Ventures, an advisor to Kurma Ventures, and is on the Scientific Advisory Board and Board of Directors of the Friedreich’s Ataxia Research Alliance (FARA), a patient advocacy group. James was a post-doctoral fellow at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and University of California, Berkeley. He worked with Dr. David Raulet and Nobel Laureate Dr. James Allison before which he received a PhD in Molecular Oncology and BSc in Biochemistry from McGill University in Montreal.

TIMOTHY NOYES, MBA

Timothy Noyes was an Advisor for RA Capital Management & RA Capital and CEO of Arcuate Therapeutics. In this role he worked closely with RA’s Venture Team to evaluate various drug discovery platforms and initiate novel therapeutics programs. Timothy is a veteran biotech leader with deep experience in growing companies and bringing innovative therapies to market. Prior to joining RA Capital and Arcuate Therapeutics, Tim was President and CEO of Proteon Therapeutics, a company focused on developing novel therapeutics to improve the lives of patients with kidney and vascular diseases. Tim was hired as the fourth employee at Proteon and built a team that brought an innovative biologic for blood vessel remodeling from pre-clinical through two Phase 3 clinical trials. Before joining Proteon, Tim was the COO of Trine Pharmaceuticals and he held several management positions with GelTex Pharmaceuticals prior to its acquisition by Genzyme. Tim was responsible for building the commercial team at GelTex and launching Renagel, a novel treatment for patients with kidney failure that grew to a $1B franchise . After the acquisition, Tim was named President of Genzyme’s Renal Division and GelTex Pharmaceuticals. Tim began his career at Merck & Co., serving in multiple commercial roles in its cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, and managed care divisions. Tim received his A.B. from Harvard College and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.

SOUMYA RAY, PhD

In his most recent role as Entrepreneur In Residence and Head of Computation at RA Ventures (RAVen), Soumya Ray supported the creation of two RAVen-incubated newcos. He continues advising both in a consultant capacity. Additionally, he is the interim CTO and Board Observer at New Equilibrium Bio. He works closely with RA's Investment Team on novel drug discovery platforms with emphasis on computational chemistry and machine learning. Soumya has more than two decades of experience in structure-based drug design and molecular modeling both in the areas of small molecules and biologics across multiple target classes and indications. Soumya completed his postdoc at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and held an Assistant Professor of Neuroscience role at Harvard Medical School Neurology Department where he contributed to the Harvard Neurodiscovery Center’s (HNDC) academic drug discovery initiative as a modeler and drug hunter. Many of the assets he contributed to within HNDC have been out-licensed to various Cambridge and Boston-based startups and biotech firms for further development. Soumya spent time as an EIR at IncTank Ventures, where he worked on multiple company creations. After his stay at IncTank Ventures, he joined Schrödinger’s Drug Discovery Application Group and through various roles ascended to a Research Leader within the organization. After leaving Schrodinger in 2018, Soumya founded 3-Dimensional Consulting, a boutique Physics Based and Machine-Learning focused computational chemistry consulting firm that provides scientific support for early-stage drug discovery and company formation within various Boston-based venture firms including: Atlas Venture, 3rd Rock, MPM Capital, and RA Capital. Soumya has contributed to over 75 drug discovery programs ranging from small startups to large pharma, leading to nine development candidates currently in various stages of clinical trials. He has over 20 academic publications, inventorship on numerous patents, and serves as reviewer for multiple journals and NIH grants committee. Soumya obtained his PhD in X-ray Crystallography and Biophysics from the Indian Institute of Science while working as visiting research scholar at Rockefeller University.

ALONSO RICARDO, PhD

Alonso Ricardo was an Entrepreneur in Residence at RA Capital, where he worked closely with RA’s Venture Team to evaluate drug discovery platforms and initiate novel therapeutics programs. Prior to joining RA Capital, Alonso was Chief Technology and Innovation Officer at Ra Pharmaceuticals until it was acquired by UCB in 2020. At Ra Pharma, Alonso held various leadership roles where he initiated and led the scientific efforts for the company in multiple preclinical and clinical programs; working in a wide set of therapeutic areas and using different molecular modalities. In this role, he gained broad expertise across all phases of drug discovery, early development, and clinical research. Alonso completed his Ph.D. in Chemistry at the University of Florida and his post-doctoral work as a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Fellow at Harvard University and the Massachusetts General Hospital. Alonso was also a chemistry professor at the Universidad de los Andes in Colombia.

ADAM ROSENBERG

Adam Rosenberg was an Advisor for RA Capital Management. Adam was most recently President, CEO and member of the Board of Directors of Rodin Therapeutics until its acquisition by Alkermes in 2019. Adam has 20+ years of industry experience in building healthcare and technology companies, including as CEO and co-founder of Link Medicine, a company focused on developing disease-modifying neurodegenerative therapies and as CEO and co-founder of Teleos Therapeutics, an innovative neuroscience drug discovery platform company. Adam has led and advised companies in diverse areas such as digital health, materials and diagnostics, and has served as Director on the board of multiple venture-backed companies. Adam was also an advisor and investor in “A Late Quartet”, an entrepreneurial feature film centered on a cellist diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, starring Philip Seymour Hoffman, Catherine Keener and Christopher Walken. Adam received his JD from the University of Virginia School of Law, and his BA from Whittier College.

J. MICHAEL RYAN, MD

Michael Ryan was an EIR at RA Capital. He most recently served as Chief Medical Officer for Rodin Therapeutics, where he led all clinical development activities from first-in-human through patient studies until the acquisition by Alkermes. He has held multiple senior level clinical development positions including Chief Medical Officer at Asceneuron SA and Neurodegeneration Therapeutic Area Head at Novartis. Michael received his undergraduate degree at Georgetown University and his medical degree at the Medical University of South Carolina. He completed an internship in Internal Medicine and residency in Psychiatry at the University of Utah Health Sciences Center. Dr. Ryan was also a fellow in Geriatric Psychiatry and Neuropsychiatry at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. He was a faculty member at the University of Rochester School of Medicine prior to joining Merck Research Laboratories in 2004.

NADIM SHOHDY, PhD

Nadim Shohdy was an EIR at RA Capital and recently took a fulltime role at Hyku Bioscience as their VP of Corporate Development. Nadim has 11+ years’ experience in commercializing drug discovery across diverse indications and modalities. Prior to joining RA, Nadim was at NYU School of Medicine as Associate Dean of Therapeutics Alliances, a drug discovery accelerator that de-risks academic research towards partnerships with biopharma, investors, and nonprofits. Under his leadership, Therapeutics Alliances advanced 40+ projects, including 11 projects partnered with biopharma or new startups such as Repare Therapeutics and GliXogen Therapeutics. Prior to co-founding Therapeutics Alliances, Nadim worked in NYU’s Industrial Liaison technology transfer group, and was a Research Analyst at the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative. Nadim completed his BS in Biology at Stony Brook University, received his PhD with Distinction in Microbiology at Columbia University, and was an NRSA Postdoctoral Fellow studying the cell biology of HCV in the laboratory of Nobel Prize winner Charles M. Rice at the Rockefeller University.