Upcoming Events
Biotech Innovations
Sept. 15, 2017
Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum (Google Maps)
Speakers
- James Treanor - President and Chief Executive Officer, ADRx
- Frank Watanabe - Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer, Kanan Therapeutics
- Hai Yan - Co-founder, President and Chief Executive Officer, REMD Biotherapeutics
James Treanor
James Treanor is president and CEO of Thousand Oaks–based ADRx Inc., a biotechnology startup focused on novel therapies for amyloid diseases. Treanor joined ADRx Inc. in 2014 after a 20-year career in drug discovery and development at Amgen Inc., where he rose to the rank of scientific executive director of neuroscience research and contributed to the development of therapeutic candidates for Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s, schizophrenia, chronic pain and migraines. Since joining ADRx., he has worked with the two scientific founders to industrialize the company’s drug discovery platform. Treanor conducted his postdoctoral research at Genentech Inc. and his doctorate in the University of Bristol (U.K.), researching treatments for Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
Frank Watanabe
Frank Watanabe is the co-founder and chief operating officer of Kanan Therapeutics Inc., a cardiovascular drug development company in Westlake Village, and president of Arcutis Inc., a dermatology drug development company in Menlo Park. During more than 20 years in the industry, he has held various executive, business development, marketing and sales positions with Amgen, Eli Lilly and Company, and Kanan. Prior to entering the biotech field, he held positions with the U.S. government, and is a commander in the Navy Reserve.
Hai Yan
Hai Yan is president and CEO of REMD Biotherapeutics, the company he co-founded in 2011. An expert in the discovery and early development of monoclonal antibodies and other protein therapeutics for cell surface receptors implicated in human metabolic diseases, he began his biotechnology career at Amgen in 1994 as research scientist in metabolic disorders. His accomplishments at Amgen include the isolation of a therapeutic monoclonal antibody for the potential treatment of diabetic patients. He was recognized with numerous promotions, including to scientific director. Yan graduated with a B.S. in biochemistry from Nanjing University in China, obtained his Ph.D. from Cornell University Medical College, and performed postdoctoral research at New York University School of Medicine. He is the key inventor or co-inventor behind more than a dozen patents and has authored more than 30 peer-reviewed scientific papers in cell signaling and metabolic disorders.
Melissa Baffa (Moderator)
Melissa Baffa serves as a development officer in charge of foundation and corporate relations at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. Previously, she held leadership positions with the Girl Scouts and nonprofits on the Central Coast, taught middle school science in Simi Valley and marine biology in Cal Lutheran’s Upward Bound program, and worked as a research associate at Amgen. Baffa is a science communication fellow with the Ocean Exploration Trust, having made two voyages on the E/V Nautilus, exploring the deep sea and sharing her experience through blogs and newspaper articles. A nature and outdoor enthusiast, she is also active on the board of directors of the Ventura County Leadership Academy and the Ventura County Women’s Political Council, and with the Ventura County Women’s Economic Roundtable and the Steering Committee of the Nonprofit Leadership Council. A graduate of Cal Lutheran, she lives in Ventura with her husband and two children.
Messaging in Today's World
Nov. 10, 2017
Warner Center Marriott, Woodland Hills (Google Maps)
Speaker
- John Davies - Chief Executive Officer, Chairman, Davies Public Affairs
John Davies
John Davies, CEO of Davies Public Affairs, is a highly regarded communication strategist and an expert on public persuasion and mobilizing grassroots support for controversial projects and legislation. He has provided strategic counsel and executed strategic communication programs for clients in the energy, oil and gas, mining, chemical and real estate industries in 47 states and Canada. John clearly understands the art and science of public persuasion. He applies his lifelong study of human behavior and effective communication strategies to influence decision-makers and help his clients achieve their strategic business objectives. Consistently ranked as one of the top public affairs firms in the U.S., Davies Public Affairs has won numerous awards including Best Public Affairs Campaign 2015 for Dominion LNG.
Changing the World of Charities
Feb. 1, 2018
The Fess Parker, A Doubletree by Hilton Resort, Santa Barbara (Google Maps)
Speaker
- Thomas Tighe - President, Chief Executive Officer, Direct Relief
Thomas Tighe
Thomas Tighe has served since October 2000 as president and CEO of Direct Relief, a nonprofit humanitarian medical organization. Since Tighe’s arrival, the privately funded, award-winning nonprofit has provided grants of more than $40 million and furnished more than $4 billion in essential medicines, equipment and supplies to support health services for low-income people in 88 developing countries and all 50 U.S. states. Previously, Tighe served as chief of staff and COO of the Peace Corps, rising from associate general counsel. He had been associate counsel for the U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs. The graduate of UC Berkeley and the UC Hastings College of the Law taught in rural Thailand as a Peace Corps volunteer. He is a 2003 Henry Crown Fellow, the South Coast Business and Technology Forum’s 2006 Executive of the Year, an editorial adviser to Pacific Standard magazine, a member of the Pacific Council on International Policy and a visiting professor at UC Santa Barbara.
The MindBody Story
March 20, 2018
Ventura Beach Marriott (Google Maps)
Speaker
- Rick Stollmeyer - Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, MindBody
Rick Stollmeyer
Rick Stollmeyer co-founded Mindbody in his garage in 2001 and serves as CEO, ensuring that everything from the product line to business development to team member enrichment serves the company’s vision: Leveraging Technology to Improve the Wellness of the World. In 2005, Rick led the industry by taking Mindbody’s business management solution fully to the cloud. Today, the company remains the leading SaaS platform for the wellness services industry, streamlining business management and making it easier for wellness practitioners to improve the lives of customers. Mindbody is also the creator an online marketplace connecting health, wellness and beauty professionals to millions of wellness seekers worldwide. The company powers over 58,000 wellness businesses in more than 130 countries, and connects over 326,000 wellness practitioners to millions of people worldwide. Stollmeyer lives with his wife, Jill, and four children near the company headquarters in San Luis Obispo, California.
Private Equity Insights
May 1, 2018
Lundring Events Center, Cal Lutheran University, Thousand Oaks (Google Maps)
Speakers
- Eyal Gluzman - President, Martha's Senior Gourmet
- Stan Luker - Partner, Moss Adams Transaction Services
Eyal Gluzman
Eyal Gluzman, president of Martha’s Senior Gourmet, has been in the senior care industry since 2007. While running his own senior care agency, he saw a need for a quality meal service dedicated to addressing dietary and medical challenges. As a result, Martha’s Senior Gourmet was born in 2011. Since then, the company has grown to serve markets in California, Texas, Arizona and Florida,and now offers a nationwide currier delivery service of its products. Prior to his senior care career, Gluzman owned a construction and development company and built custom homes in Southern California. He holds a Master of Business Administration degree from Loyola Marymount University.
Stan Luker
Stan Luker has worked in public accounting and consulting since 1996. At Moss Adams, he leads the Transaction Services Practice in Southern California and specializes in mergers and acquisitions for transactions ranging up to $10 billion. Prior to joining Moss Adams, Luker led the due diligence and restructuring practice of a California-based management consulting firm and also served as interim chief financial officer. He began his career with a Big Four firm, where he worked on strategic and private equity acquisitions in the software, technology, and oil and gas industries. He also led numerous due diligence teams for corporate and private equity clients. A member of the Institute of Management Accountants, Luker received bachelor’s degrees in humanities and accounting from the University of Calgary.