De Souza, Ehlers, Galen, Ruggiero, Srinivasan Join Board
April 19, 2016 (CAMBRIDGE, MA) – MassBio added five life sciences executives to the organization’s Board of Directors and elected new board leadership at the MassBio Annual Meeting on March 31, 2016.
MassBio members elected Abbie Celniker, CEO of Eleven Biotherapeutics, as the new Chairman of the Board of Directors and David Lucchino, Co-Founder of Frequency Therapeutics, as the new Vice Chairman. MassBio re-elected Michael O’Hara, Partner at Deloitte, as Treasurer and elected Chuck Wilson, President and CEO of Unum Therapeutics, as the new Clerk. Lawrence Wittenberg, senior partner in Goodwin Procter’s Technology Companies & Life Sciences Group and Co-Chair of the firm’s Healthcare Technology and Services Practice, continues on the Executive Committee as counsel.
Joining the board this year are Christopher de Souza, Director at Broadview Ventures; Michael Ehlers, Senior Vice President for BioTherapeutics Research & Development and Chief Scientific Officer for Neuroscience & Pain at Pfizer, Inc.; Michele Galen, Senior Vice President and Head of Communications & Public Affairs at Shire plc; Michael J. Ruggiero, Vice President of US Government Affairs and Policy at EMD Serono, Inc.; and Kumar Srinivasan, Vice President, Scientific Partnering and Alliances and Site Head, R&D Boston at AstraZeneca.
“We are thrilled to welcome our new board members and excited for the significant breadth and depth of expertise that comes with electing these industry executives to the MassBio Board of Directors,” said MassBio President & CEO Robert K. Coughlin. “We rely on our board to represent and advocate for life sciences organizations and their needs, as well as the needs of various stakeholders. We appreciate the time they devote to building the Massachusetts supercluster through MassBio.”
Christopher de Souza, Director at Broadview Ventures, shares responsibility for the day-to-day operations of Broadview Ventures, leveraging 20 years of experience in biopharmaceutical R&D, business development and corporate strategy. Prior to joining Broadview Ventures, de Souza was Vice President of Business Development at SkyePharma US Inc., he founded a business development consulting practice, and he was Director of Strategic Alliances at Novartis in the Metabolic and Cardiovascular Diseases group. De Souza received an MBA from Rutgers University and a PhD in physiology from Louisiana State University. He completed his post-doctoral training at “The Upjohn Company” and the Joslin Diabetes Center/Harvard Medical School.
Michael Ehlers is Senior Vice President for BioTherapeutics Research & Development and Chief Scientific Officer for Neuroscience & Pain at Pfizer, Inc. where he oversees the operation and function of Pfizer’s Cambridge and Boston research sites. Prior to joining Pfizer in 2010, Ehlers was the George Barth Geller Professor of Neurobiology and an Investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute at Duke University Medical Center where he pioneered studies on neuronal organelles and the trafficking of neurotransmitter receptors. Ehlers earned his Bachelor’s Degree in chemistry from Caltech and holds MD and PhD degrees from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
Michele Galen joined Shire in April 2015 as Senior Vice President and Head of Communications & Public Affairs, reporting to the CEO, and serving as an extended member of the Shire Executive Committee. A lawyer and journalist, Galen most recently served as a Managing Director for MPM Capital and as a communication advisor and executive coach to corporate and global health clients. Galen spent 14 years at Novartis in global leadership roles, including as Chief Communications Officer. Galen has a BA from George Washington University, a JD from New York University School of Law, and an MS in Journalism from Columbia University.
Michael J. Ruggiero is Vice President of US Government Affairs and Policy at EMD Serono, Inc. In this role, Ruggiero leads the company’s government policy strategy and engagement with policymakers, industry associations, patient and provider groups, and other stakeholders. Ruggiero sits on the US Country Leadership Team and the Global Government Affairs & Policy Leadership Team. Prior to joining EMD Serono in 2013, Ruggiero was Vice President of Government Strategy for a top-20 global pharmaceutical company. Prior to that, Ruggiero was a healthcare attorney and lobbyist in Washington, DC. Ruggiero earned a BA from Syracuse University and a JD from Georgetown University Law Center.
Kumar Srinivasan is Vice President, Scientific Partnering and Alliances and Site Head, R&D Boston at AstraZeneca. Prior to joining AstraZeneca, Srinivasan was Chief Business Officer at Probiodrug AG, then a private venture-funded German company developing novel treatment for Alzheimer’s and inflammatory diseases. Prior to joining Probiodrug, Srinivasan was Vice President, Global Business Development at Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, where he led business development and licensing activities for pre phase 2 opportunities. Srinivasan earned his MBA from the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business, and a PhD in Organic Chemistry from Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland. He completed his postdoctoral training at California Institute of Technology.
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About MassBio
www.massbio.org
MassBio is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1985 that represents and provides services and support for the Massachusetts life sciences industry. MassBio is committed to advancing Massachusetts’ leadership in the life sciences to grow the industry, add value to the healthcare system and improve patient lives. Representing more than 700 biotechnology companies, academic institutions, research hospitals, and service organizations involved in life sciences and healthcare, MassBio works to advance policy and promote education, while providing member programs, events, industry information, and services.
