Leadership Team
Kirk Taylor, MD
President and CEO
Kirk Taylor, MD is a global pharmaceutical executive with expertise in Phase II – IV drug development, including CNS, oncology and rare disease. As Chief Medical Officer, Chief Strategy Officer and SVP Medical Affairs, he has restructured organizations, created strategic operating plans, and shaped corporate culture. His entrepreneurial acumen assisted in leading biotech start-up companies to successful IPOs and multiple funding rounds. He is people-first focused, leading teams with respect and innovation. In recognition of his positive impact, he was awarded the 2023 PharmaVoice 100 Executives Award.
Dr. Taylor received his Bachelor of Arts from Harvard College and studied piano at the Longy School of Music in Cambridge. He completed his Doctor of Medicine from the State University of New York, Downstate, his neurology residency at Einstein College of Medicine, and a post-doc at UCSF. He taught pain management to neurology residents at Yale VA Hospital for two years. Dr. Taylor fulfilled Deloitte University’s Sigma Pi Phi Board Directors Academy Program. With a personal commitment to excellence in corporate governance, he completed a certificate program in corporate governance from Columbia Business School and the Next Generation Board Directors program at UC Berkeley. He is a member of the Executive Leadership Council and serves on three non-profit boards.
Peter Breiling
Chief Financial Officer
Peter Breiling joined the MLSC in April of 2022 and currently serves as the Chief Financial Officer. In this role, he is responsible for all aspects of accounting and financial planning. Peter also oversees the administration of grants awarded by the Center as well as the financial systems used to process payroll, accounts payable and other functions.
Peter has over 30 years of experience in the private and public sector. Prior to joining the MLSC, Peter was the Deputy Director of Administration and Finance at the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) for nearly seven years. In that role, he was responsible for the Authority’s Accounting, Budget and Risk Management departments. Prior to Massport, Peter held a variety of senior level finance roles at a large hotel company and at a major airline. He received a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from Hobart College in Geneva, New York and an MBA from Duke University in Durham, North Carolina.
Peter and his wife are originally from New York, and moved to Massachusetts in 2015 when he accepted the position with Massport. Outside of work, Peter enjoys sailboat racing, skiing and working with non-profits to help those who are facing challenges. Peter is on the Advisory Board for End Hunger New England, a non-profit that produces meals to feed food insecure individuals.
Kathryn Caille
Director, Office Administration
Kathryn Caille joined the MLSC in 2024 as Director of Office Administration. In this position, she serves on Dr. Taylor’s leadership team. Prior to joining the Center, Kathryn served in complex administrative roles at EMD Serono, Inc., the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Tufts Medical Center, and the Connors Family Office.
Kathryn earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC. After graduation, she spent time in Alaska and the Seattle area where she worked for several technology start-ups.
In her free time, Kathryn enjoys skiing, beach walks, cooking, knitting, and family time at home in Marshfield, with her husband Greg, daughter Mary, son Matthew and pets.
Meghan Gerardo
Senior Director of Marketing and Corporate Relations
Meghan joined the MLSC in 2018 and managed the organization’s website and brand refresh in addition to all print and digital marketing and communication efforts. Meghan was promoted to Director of Marketing and Community Relations in the fall of 2021. In this position, she oversees the overall brand of the Center, it’s marketing strategy, and strategic messaging. Meghan also manages the organization’s conferences and sponsorship initiatives.
Prior to joining the Center, Meghan had previous life sciences experiences working in Washington, D.C. as a Communications Manager for the American Pharmacist Association and a Foundation Manager for the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists. Meghan received her Masters in Marketing and Masters in Health Communications from Purdue University and her Bachelors in Communications from Keene State College.
Beth Gosselin
SVP of Public Affairs and Strategic Planning
Beth currently serves as the Senior Vice President of Public Affairs and Strategic Planning at the MLSC. Beth is a seasoned communications and public affairs leader with a distinguished career in the U.S. federal civil service. Her experience spans pivotal roles as a spokesperson, strategic planner, and outreach specialist within the U.S. Department of State, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the U.S. Army. She led high-stakes communications in complex, mission-driven environments in the United States, Japan, and Germany. Beth holds a Master of Science in Peace Operations from George Mason University and a Bachelor of Arts in Public Communication from American University.
Elizabeth Graham
Chief Operating Officer
Liz Graham joined the MLSC in February of 2026 and currently serves as the Chief Operating Officer. In this role, she oversees the operational effectiveness of the MLSC and partners with the executive team and board to develop and execute the MLSC’s strategy.
Liz is a startup executive who specializes in accelerating high-growth companies to sustainable profitability and scale. Her experience spans AI (Ada IQ), climate tech (Indigo Ag), digital trust services (Notarize), eCommerce (Wayfair), SaaS (HubSpot), and media and technology (Comcast). Liz combines board-level governance experience at public and private companies with hands-on operational leadership. She brings both strategic acumen and execution capabilities to build high-performing teams that deliver results.
Liz is active on several non-profit boards including the global startup accelerator MassChallenge, The Rappaport Institute, an organization dedicated to improving the governance of Greater Boston by strengthening connections among scholars, students & civic leaders, and is a founding member of Women Applying AI. Liz holds an A.B. from Harvard College, a M.St. from the University of Oxford, England (Balliol), and a J.D. from Harvard University.
Allyson McLaughlin Huntington
General Counsel and Chief Legal Officer
Allyson McLaughlin Huntington
General Counsel and Chief Legal Officer
Allyson joined MLSC in early 2021, with over 30 years of experience, combining her decades in law with her previous experience in a not-for-profit corporation working with several government agencies on federally funded research and development projects, and several years as a teacher.
Allyson’s career as an attorney began with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as an Assistant District Attorney in the Domestic Violence Unit, and then as a litigation and trial attorney in the private sector. Prior to joining MLSC, Allyson served as in-house counsel as Chief Legal Officer for a venture capital fund focused on life sciences, and as CLO for several life sciences companies in various stages of development.
Outside of her role as General Counsel, Allyson enjoys time with family, serving as a mentor/board member for non-profit/charity organizations dedicated to the under-served or at-risk demographic, and engaging in various outdoor athletic endeavors.
Jeanne LeClair
Chief Business Officer
Jeanne joined the MLSC in October 2020 and currently serves as the Chief Business Officer. In this role, she develops and executes strategies to enhance life sciences job growth in the Commonwealth by building relationships with key industry stakeholders, workforce training partners, and public agencies.
Prior to joining the MLSC, Jeanne served as the Economic Development Director for the Gateway Hilltown Collaborative, a pilot program unifying community development efforts in six small towns in Western Massachusetts. Jeanne earned her BA from Boston University, and worked at the Cambridge-based political magazine Boston Review. She received her Masters in Public Policy and Masters in Business Administration from the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University, where she focused her efforts on entrepreneurship, economic justice, and community development. After graduate school, she worked at the Boston Public Market in a variety of roles including business operations. Jeanne originally hails from the small town of Clarksville, Missouri where she grew up on a working farm. She enjoys playing music, collecting vintage NASA memorabilia, and running with her Sheprador.
Ryan H. Mudawar
EVP of Educational Partnerships and Workforce Investments
Ryan H. Mudawar
EVP of Educational Partnerships and Workforce Investments
Ryan Mudawar joined the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center (MLSC) in 2009 and currently serves as Executive Vice President of Educational Partnerships and Workforce Investments. He oversees the development and implementation of the MLSC’s education and workforce development strategy and leads efforts that foster partnerships and collaboration with public, private, and nonprofit stakeholders. He manages programs and initiatives focused on enhancing the life sciences talent pipeline, most notably the Internship Programs, which have created over 7,500 internships for college and high school students with more than 1,100 organizations. Other vital investments include equipment for underresourced public schools, teacher professional development, out-of-school time K-12 STEM education, and equipment/lab renovation for higher education and post-secondary training organizations.
Prior to joining the MLSC, Ryan worked at several non-profit organizations throughout Greater Boston. He is a lifelong Massachusetts resident, receiving his Master’s in International Relations in 2007 from Suffolk University and a Bachelor’s in Political Science from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 2005.
Carla Reimold, PhD
EVP of Scientific Innovation and Strategic Investments
Carla Reimold, PhD
EVP of Scientific Innovation and Strategic Investments
Carla joined the MLSC in April of 2018 and currently serves as the Executive Vice President of Scientific Innovation and Strategic Investments. In her role, she develops and manages the investment strategy for several initiatives with the life sciences industry, including private, public, and nonprofit stakeholders, in order to support the needs of the Commonwealth’s life sciences ecosystem. Prior to joining the MLSC, Carla was the recipient of a NIH F32 NRSA fellowship to support her postdoctoral research at Boston Children’s Hospital, as well as a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program recipient which supported her graduate research.
Most recently, as Principal, Technology Development Fund (TDF) at Boston Children’s Hospital, Carla coordinated the TDF funding cycles and proposal evaluations, served as a project manager for funded technologies, and negotiated agreements with contract research organizations and external collaborators. Carla received her Bachelor of Science in biological and agricultural engineering from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, LA. She earned a PhD in biomedical engineering from the Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering at North Carolina State University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Carla has authored and co-authored 16 peer-reviewed publications in the fields of tissue engineering and wound repair.
Staff Team
Kylie Arvidson
Senior Manager, Marketing and Communications
Kylie joined the MLSC in December 2021 and currently serves as Senior Manager, Marketing and Communications. In In this role, she supports the Center’s Marketing, Communications, and Community Relations team through content development to promote programs and services externally. Prior to joining the MLSC, Kylie interned at Encoded Therapeutics as a member of their corporate communications team. She was also a marketing intern for Massachusetts Biomedical Initiatives and led their website redesign.
Kylie earned her Bachelor of Arts in International Business from the Grenon School of Business at Assumption University. Kylie enjoys traveling around the world, cooking with her family, and caring for her pets.
Henrietta Binortsor
Manager, Economic Development and Partnerships
Henrietta joined the MLSC in January 2020 and currently serves as the Manager of Economic Development and Partnerships. In this role, she supports all aspects of the Center’s Economic Development initiatives, this includes stakeholder engagements and relationship management, overseeing program operations, and accounting. She is passionate about meaningful partnerships that drive workforce success.
Prior to joining MLSC, Henrietta worked with Thermo Fisher Scientific as an Administrative Assistant where she provided administrative, and operations support to the HR and Internal Communications team.
Henrietta earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from the University of Ghana and is currently pursuing her Master’s degree in Project Management at the Northeastern University.
Richard Bourgeois
Senior Staff Accountant
Rich joined the MLSC in August 2022 and currently serves as the Senior Staff Accountant for the finance and accounting team. In his role as staff accountant, Rich supports the finance and accounting team by assisting with the monthly A/P and closing process, as well as booking vendor invoices. Aside from that, Rich also lends help to our Senior Grants Analyst by reimbursing grants, as well as any other ad hoc accounting or financial projects that need an extra hand.
Prior to working at the MLSC, Rich had been working in public accounting for just under three years. He worked at the Big 4 under Ernst and Young for two years and then decided to take his skills to a smaller firm, LGA LLP. Rich holds a bachelor’s degree with a double concentration in accounting and finance from Merrimack College.
Jessica A. Briand
Contracts Manager and Paralegal
Jessica Briand joined the MLSC in April, 2023 as Paralegal to the General Counsel. As Paralegal, she will support the Center’s Legal team as well as the Operations and Program teams. Prior to joining the MLSC, Jessica was a Real Estate Paralegal and has over a decade of paralegal and legal operations/administration experience. Jessica also has over a decade of experience in the medical industry, working as a Licensed Nursing Assistant. Jessica has a degree in Business Administration and a degree in Occupational Studies – Advanced Paralegal. In her free time she enjoys spending time with her family, being out in nature hiking, camping, boating, fishing, and gardening.
Calista Carter
Senior Associate, Economic Development and External Relations
Calista Carter
Senior Associate, Economic Development and External Relations
Calista joined the MLSC in August 2024 currently serves as its Senior Associate for Economic Development and External Relations. In this role, she manages partnerships with public and private stakeholders and advances the Center’s external engagement efforts in coordination with both the Economic Development and Public Affairs teams.
Prior to joining the MLSC, Calista was Employment Coordinator for the Office of Massachusetts Governor Maura T. Healey and an intern under the Baker-Polito Administration. During her time within the Governor’s Office, Calista was able to build and perfect her skills in government affairs, strategic communications, and interpersonal relations.
Calista earned her Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Massachusetts Boston. In her free time, Calista enjoys playing music, spending time in nature, and gaming with her friends.
Asmi Chakraborty, PhD
Director, Scientific Innovation and Strategic Investments
Asmi Chakraborty, PhD
Director, Scientific Innovation and Strategic Investments
Asmi joined the MLSC in August 2024 and serves as the Director of Scientific Innovation and Strategic Investments. In this role, she develops and manages investment programs that drive innovation and commercialization across the Commonwealth’s life sciences sectors, including public, private, and non-profit organizations.
Before the MLSC, Asmi gained experience in biotech startups and venture capital. At Palleon Pharmaceuticals, she worked as a translational scientist, focusing on the pre-clinical and clinical development of first-in-class cancer therapeutics. During her time as a Biotech VC intern at Breakout Ventures, Asmi contributed to deal sourcing, due diligence, and ecosystem building. Her postdoctoral research at Harvard Medical School, supported by The PhRMA Foundation fellowship, centered on solid tumor glycobiology and immunology. This research led her to co-found a neuro-glycobiology startup, Precision Glycomics in Neuroinflammation, at the Harvard Innovation Labs.
Asmi holds a Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She has authored 13 papers and holds 1 patent in the fields of tumor biology, organoids, immunology, and glycobiology.
Matthew Cote
Senior Associate, Public Affairs and Engagements
Matt joined the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center in June 2024 and serves as a Senior Associate of Public Affairs and Engagement on the Public Affairs team. He manages the MLSC’s online newsroom and weekly newsletter, leads written content development and storytelling initiatives across all digital channels, and supports the Center’s media and government relations efforts.
Prior to joining the Center, Matt gained experience in writing and content creation through internships with the Athletics Department of Fitchburg State University, the Fitchburg Art Museum, and Cushing Academy.
Matt earned his bachelor’s degree at Fitchburg State University, where he majored in Communications Media with a minor in Business Administration. Matt enjoys reading, basketball, and spending time with his friends and family.
Meghan Davis, MS
Senior Program Associate, Scientific Innovation and Strategic Investments
Meghan Davis, MS
Senior Program Associate, Scientific Innovation and Strategic Investments
Meghan Davis is a Senior Program Associate at the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center (MLSC), where she supports strategic investments that advance scientific innovation and promote economic development across the state. Meghan holds dual master’s degrees in Biomedical Engineering and Innovation & Management from Tufts University, as well as a bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Engineering with a minor in Cellular Agriculture.
Prior to joining MLSC full-time, she interned on the Scientific Innovation & Strategic Investments team, contributing to the development of a statewide, disease-focused biobank and evaluating the impact of translational research programs. Meghan also co-founded SilkMed, a startup focused on silk-based wound care technologies, where she led product development and business strategy. She is passionate about improving patient outcomes through cross-sector collaboration, emerging technologies, and equitable access to innovation.
Vidhartha Deonarain
Director, Economic Development and Partnerships
Vidhartha joined the MLSC in November 2022 and currently serves as the Director of Economic Development and Partnerships. In this role, she develops program solutions for workforce development and industry partnerships to support life sciences job growth in the Commonwealth.
Prior to joining the MLSC, Vidhartha served as Program Director at Action for Boston Community Development (ABCD) where she focused on the development, launch, and expansion of adult career training programs. Vidhartha earned her BA in Business Management from the University of KwaZulu Natal in Durban, South Africa. Vidhartha received her Masters of Public Administration (MPA) from Suffolk University. Prior to moving to Boston, Vidhartha lived in South Korea and China for over five years where she worked in different roles in the education industry. Vidhartha is from Durban, South Africa and has lived on four continents. Vidhartha enjoys traveling, attending film festivals, cooking, and spending time with her daughter and husband while exploring Massachusetts.
Luther Tweneboah Evans
Program Associate, Educational Partnerships and Workforce Investments
Luther Tweneboah Evans
Program Associate, Educational Partnerships and Workforce Investments
Luther Tweneboah Evans earned a B.S. in Computer Science from Framingham State University. He previously served as an HMS MEDscience teacher supporting Lab Operations and as a Bioinformatics Specialist at the Center for Genomic Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital in the Talkowski Lab, where he contributed to computational methods for detecting copy number variants in large-scale genomic datasets. As an undergraduate, Luther conducted research through the Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center CURE Scholars Program and at the MGH Martinos Center in the Cheng Lab, focusing on metabolite analysis for cancer diagnostics.
Luther currently serves on the CURE Scholars alumni board and is an alumnus of the Congress–Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX) for Young Professionals, a fellowship funded by the U.S. Department of State and the German Bundestag. Luther also serves on the School Committee Board for Framingham Keefe Tech Vocational High School. He is passionate about advancing medicine, global health, and public service. Outside of the work office, Luther enjoys quality time with family & friends, mentoring students, coaching basketball with the Junior Celtics Academy, reading, watching documentaries, and playing musical instruments.
Hawa Fall, PharmD, MBA
Manager, Business Development
Hawa Fall joined MLSC in July 2021 and currently serves as the Manager of Business Development. In this role, Hawa collaborates with the Vice President of Economic Development & Partnerships to advance the MLSC’s business development strategy, targeting companies nationally and internationally that are well-positioned to relocate to or expand within Massachusetts, thereby enhancing life sciences job growth in the state.
Hawa regularly meets with executives and C-suite leaders of life sciences companies to discuss the Massachusetts life sciences ecosystem and the resources available through the Commonwealth to support their growth. Additionally, Hawa attends life sciences events and conferences to engage with new leads and stay current with industry trends and innovations.
Hawa is a registered pharmacist in Massachusetts. Prior to joining the MLSC, Hawa worked as a community and clinical pharmacist, collaborating with medical doctors to provide exceptional patient care services. Hawa also co-founded a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering those in need through workforce development and career advice.
Hawa holds a BS in Chemistry from Worcester State University, a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) from the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) School of Pharmacy, and an MBA from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Pierre Fumat
Data Analytics Manager
Pierre Fumat joined the MLSC in February 2026, where he supports data-driven strategy, financial analysis, and performance monitoring with reports and dashboards. He plays a role in developing internal and external reports that provide leadership and stakeholders with clear, actionable insights into program performance and financial activity.
Prior to joining the MLSC, Pierre worked as a Business Intelligence Analyst in the internet and telecommunications industry as well as at the City of Boston, where he focused on analytics, performance reporting, and supporting strategic decision-making. He brings experience working with databases, data analysis tools, and cross-functional teams to translate complex information into meaningful reports and dashboards.
Outside of work, Pierre enjoys cooking, exploring national parks, and continuously learning about emerging technologies and innovation.
Nancy T. Goryl
Grants Manager
Nancy Goryl joined the MLSC in January of 2014. In her role as Grants Manager, Nancy’s primary responsibility is collecting and reviewing financial information for compliance with payment requests and grant agreements across various programs, including capital, industry and discretionary grants. She supports the finance team with internal finance operations and assists with the administration of the Tax Incentive program. Her previous position was at IMN, a digital marketing company in Waltham, MA. She has a B.A. from Connecticut College and a Certificate in Accountancy from Bentley University.
Linda Lee
Director, Educational Partnerships and Workforce Investments
Linda joined the MLSC in 2023 and currently serves as the Director of the Educational Partnerships and Workforce Investments Team. With a focus on building a robust talent pipeline for life sciences, she oversees and manages all the education and workforce grant programs and the MLSC Internship Programs. Linda represents the team on various external committees and advisory groups, cultivating relationships with various stakeholders.
Prior to joining the MLSC, Linda served as Director of the Biotech Scholars Pathway Program at Framingham State University where she developed the program in partnership with MassBay Community College and the MetroWest Scholars Early Start Program. This program offers biotechnology focused college courses and hands-on training to high school students followed by internships in the industry, which will lead them to great career opportunities while they earn their higher education degrees.
Linda holds a Master’s Degree in Molecular Biology and worked in the Plant Biotechnology field for more than 15 years as the managing director of an ornamental plant cloning company in Brazil. Linda enjoys traveling, watching movies with her family and volunteering at the local senior center.
Michelle Kalaw
Program Associate, Educational Partnerships and Workforce Investments
Michelle Kalaw
Program Associate, Educational Partnerships and Workforce Investments
Michelle is a Program Associate on the Educational Partnerships and Workforce Investments team at the MLSC. Prior to joining the MLSC, Michelle taught upper elementary and middle school science/STEM in New York City and Massachusetts. She has also worked as an instructor at the Sposato Graduate School of Education in Boston, a professional development provider with the Wade Institute for Science Education, and a science instructional coach with Boston Public Schools.
She holds a bachelor’s in Biology and Sociology from Columbia University, a master’s in Curriculum & Instruction from Lesley University, and a Master’s in Science Education from Gordon College.
Danielle McCarthy
Facilities and Technology Integration Manager
Danielle first joined the MLSC in 2017 as an Office Administrator. After gaining experience in a variety of operations management roles within biotech and SaaS organizations, she returned to the MLSC in March 2024. In her current role, Danielle oversees the organization’s operational and information technology functions, ensuring efficient, reliable workflows across all departments.
Prior to rejoining MLSC, Danielle held operations roles at Funnel, a marketing data hub, and Apiiro, an application security posture management (ASPM) platform. She holds a degree in Paralegal Studies and brings over 15 years of experience across IT, technical support, and operations. Outside of work, Danielle enjoys reading, photography, traveling with her Yorkie, Gus, and participating in the Peloton running community.
Audrey (Medeiros) Bryne, PhD
Program Manager, Scientific Innovation and Strategic Investments
Audrey (Medeiros) Bryne, PhD
Program Manager, Scientific Innovation and Strategic Investments
Audrey joined the MLSC in December of 2024 as Program Manager on the Scientific Innovation and Strategic Investments team. In this role, Audrey manages life science investment programs to drive scientific innovation, growth, and collaboration across public, private, and non-profit sectors.
Audrey’s more than 10 years of experience in life science research began during her undergraduate studies at the University of Connecticut, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Pathobiology, during which time she joined a research group at Yale School of Medicine as an Undergraduate Research Associate. Audrey then spent 3 years at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, MA as a Research Assistant I/II working on models of Parkinson’s Disease. Audrey obtained her PhD in Neuroscience at Brown University and subsequently worked as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow studying how synapses are formed, organized, and modulated for specific functions within the nervous system. From these experiences, Audrey has gained particular expertise in using light and electron microscopy to advance biomedical research.
Audrey was awarded a competitive F31 NIH grant to fund her graduate work and has authored 10 publications in the field of cellular neuroscience and neurodegeneration.
Ciara Murphy
Vice President of Finance
Ciara joined the Massachusetts Life Science Center (MLSC) in February of 2017 and has held several key roles on the Finance team, including Finance Manager and Controller. She currently serves as Vice President of Finance where she leads the Center’s accounting, finance and IT operations.
She also oversees the administration of the Center’s annual $40M Tax Incentive program and serves as a Board Observer to Accelerator Loan portfolio companies.
Prior to moving to Massachusetts Ciara spent over a decade in public accounting, most recently serving as an Audit Manager at a public accountancy firm in Limerick, Ireland. She holds a Bachelor of Business Studies in Accounting and Finance from the University of Limerick and is a licensed member of Chartered Accountants Ireland.
Cinar Efe Sumer, MSc
Senior Investment Associate, Scientific Innovation and Strategic Investments
Cinar Efe Sumer, MSc
Senior Investment Associate, Scientific Innovation and Strategic Investments
Efe joined the MLSC’s Industry Strategy and Investments team in July 2022. As a Senior Investment Associate of Scientific Innovation and Strategic Investments, he is responsible for overseeing MLSC’s involvement in joint programs & partnerships and researching new investment priorities. In this role, he leads the analysis of metrics from all industry programs in the Industry Strategy and Investments portfolio (approximately $25M in investments per year) to build an impact measurement strategy and guide future programming.
Efe received his Bachelor’s degree in Molecular Biology and Genetics, a Master’s degree in Neuroscience, and was a PhD student in Biology at Boston College. He has worked as a Venture Capital Analyst at Merck KGaA as well as a scientist at Boehringer Ingelheim, both in Germany. Since moving to Boston, he has also been heavily involved at Nucleate, helping strengthen the connection between tech transfer and researchers to bring forward innovative discoveries. Most recently, Efe graduated from a certificate program for “Sustainable Investing” from Harvard Business School to measure and manage impact investments.
Yelena Volovich
Staff Accountant
Yelena joined the MLSC in November 2024 as the MLSC’s Staff Accountant. Yelena has over 10 years of experience in GL Accounting, Fixed Assets, R&D, Financial Reporting and Analysis. Before joining the MLSC, she worked for Evident Scientific. Her previous roles also include TJX, Bose, and Massachusetts Medical Society.
Yelena received her degree in Accounting from Suffolk University. She resides in beautiful town of Wayland, with her daughter, husband and Scottish Fold cat, Boston. She enjoys local traveling, dining, and exploring.
Tiffany Walther, PhD
Program Manager, Scientific Innovation and Strategic Investments
Tiffany Walther, PhD
Program Manager, Scientific Innovation and Strategic Investments
Tiffany joined the MLSC in December 2024 as a Program Manager on the Scientific Innovation & Strategic Investments team, responsible for develops and manages investment programs to drive innovation and commercialization across the Commonwealth’s life sciences sectors, including public, private, and non-profit organizations.
Before the MLSC, Tiffany gained experience in pharmaceutical business strategy, science policy development, and biomedical research. At McKinsey & Company, Tiffany developed strategies for pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies on R&D drug development and clinical trial operations. Tiffany also served as the inaugural Chief Science Content Editor at the(sugar)science disseminating new findings in Type 1 Diabetes research and managing partnerships. Additionally, at the FAS, Tiffany crafted policy recommendations related to insulin accessibility as a Health Policy Expert. Tiffany’s doctoral research focused on pancreatic physiology and signaling pathways affecting hormone secretion. Tiffany leveraged pancreatic organoids and advanced microscopy paired with microfluidic systems to identify novel therapeutic targets for diabetes.
Tiffany earned a Ph.D. in Molecular Physiology & Biophysics from Vanderbilt University and a B.A. in Molecular Biology with a minor in Engineering Biology from Princeton University. She authored 8 peer-reviewed publications in the fields of pancreas biology, diabetes pathophysiology, and biophysics of membrane-less organelles.
MLSC Team
Meet the dedicated staff committed to supporting the growth and development of the life sciences through innovative programming and initiatives.
Board of Directors
Meet the Board of Directors responsible for the financial health of the agency and its investment in life sciences economic and workforce development.
Advisory Committees
Meet the Biomanufacturing Advisory Panel, the MassNextGen Executive Coaches, the Data Science Review Panel, and the A.C.T.S. Advisory Panel.
