Leadership Team
Kenneth L. Turner
President and CEO
Kenneth L. Turner
President and CEO
Kenneth Turner is President & CEO of the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center (MLSC), an economic development and investment agency dedicated to supporting the growth and development of the life sciences in Massachusetts. He directs and oversees the center’s operations, investment strategy, programs, and partnerships.
Prior to joining the MLSC, Mr. Turner served as Director of Diversity & Inclusion/Compliance with Massport. He oversaw and managed the Authority’s multiple diversity programs, including business and supplier diversity, workforce diversity, and airport concessions, as well as all compliance initiatives associated with Massport’s Disadvantaged/Minority/Women Business Enterprise programs.
Previously, Mr. Turner served as Deputy Secretary for Administration & Finance for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Veterans’ Services. He has over 20-years of general management and executive experience in various Fortune 100 media and package goods companies including having served as Senior Vice President of Emerging Markets at AOL Time Warner as well as having held various marketing positions at Hallmark Cards and Hasbro Toys.
A retired U.S. Navy Captain and submarine nuclear weapons system officer with 26-years of service, Mr. Turner holds a B.S. degree in Liberal Arts from Southern University and A&M College, Baton Rouge, LA.
Wayne A. Levy
Chief of Staff
Wayne joined the MLSC in November of 2021. In his role as Chief of Staff, he works closely with MLSC’s President & CEO and Executive Management Team to direct and oversee the Center’s operations, key projects, strategy, programs and partnerships.
Prior to joining the MLSC, Wayne served as Director of Athletic Programs for the Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) where he played an integral role in the organization’s athletic programs, community engagement and DEI efforts.
Wayne, a results-driven civic and community leader, brings more than 30 years of professional experience to the MLSC. Under his leadership, the Boston Celtics organization was nationally recognized as a leader in supporting its community and for its effective social vision campaign. Wayne also served as Director of Communications for the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind and EMD Serono, and was President & CEO for MetroLacrosse, an organization that provides sport-based character education programs to young people from Boston’s underserved communities.
Wayne’s accredited stance on many critical issues surrounding youth and families has led to his previous appointments to the Board of Directors of some of the leading not-for-profit organizations in Massachusetts. Wayne, an avid runner, and his wife resides in Newton, MA, with their three sons.
Allyson McLaughlin Huntington
General Counsel
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.
Ryan H. Mudawar
Vice President of Education & Workforce Programs
Ryan Mudawar joined the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center (MLSC) in 2009 and currently serves as Vice President of Education and Workforce Programs. He oversees the development and implementation of the MLSC’s education and workforce investment 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 Challenge, which has created over 5,000 internships for college and high school students with more than 950 organizations. He also manages STEM equipment and professional development grants for public schools and capital grants for higher education institutions.
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.
Ciara Murphy
Interim Vice President of Finance
Ciara joined the MLSC in February of 2017. In her role as Finance Manager, Ciara oversees the Center’s accounting and finance function. In addition to finance, accounting and budgeting, Ciara also leads the Center’s Tax Incentive program and serves as a Board Observer to Accelerator Loan portfolio companies. Prior to her work at MLSC, Ciara was an Audit Manager at a public accountancy firm in Limerick, Ireland. Ciara holds a BBS in Accounting and Finance from the University of Limerick and is a licensed member of Chartered Accountants Ireland.
Carla Reimold, Ph.D.
Vice President of Industry Strategy and Investments
Carla Reimold, Ph.D.
Vice President of Industry Strategy and Investments
Carla joined the MLSC in April of 2018 as the Director of Industry Programs. 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.
Joseph P. Sullivan
Vice President of Marketing, Communications, and Community Relations
Joseph P. Sullivan
Vice President of Marketing, Communications, and Community Relations
Joe Sullivan joined the MLSC in 2018 on the cusp of the reauthorization of the Massachusetts Life Sciences Initiative. After serving in roles helping oversee the development and implementation of the Center’s government relations and communications strategies, Joe stepped into the role of Vice President of Marketing, Communications, and Community Relations in the summer of 2021. In this position, he has the distinct privilege of serving on President Turner’s leadership team and leading a dynamic group, which aims to raise the profile of the Center and support the life sciences across the Massachusetts ecosystem. Prior to joining the Center, Joe served as Communications Strategist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. Previously, he worked in the public affairs department for the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth and as a legislative aide for former state Sen. Stephen Brewer. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Northeastern University.
Staff Team
Shannon Ambrose
Finance & Business Systems Analyst
Shannon Ambrose joined the MLSC in May of 2019 as the Finance & Business Systems Analyst. Shannon will be responsible for the maintenance and general software configuration of our current systems i.e. CRM and Smart Simple, documenting system issue logs, resolving system problems, and developing reports. She will also be assisting us and playing a key role in the implementation of NetSuite ERP system and ongoing training. Prior to joining the MLSC, Shannon worked on implementing software solutions, most recently working on projects at Shire and Anika Therapeutics as Senior Financial Analyst.
Kylie Arvidson
Marketing and Communications Associate
Kylie joined the MLSC in December 2021 as the Marketing and Communications Associate. 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. She 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
Program Associate
Henrietta joined the MLSC in January 2020 and currently serves as a Program Associate on the Education and Workforce programs team. In this role, she manages the STEM Equipment & PD Grants program which focuses on training diverse STEM workforce pipeline for the life sciences industry, and also assists with managing the Centers’ Internship Programs including; College, High School and Data Science internships. She is a service woman serving in the US Army Reserve. Prior to joining the MLSC, Henrietta worked as an administrative assistant at Thermo Fisher Scientific.
Henrietta received her bachelor’s degree in Sociology from the University of Ghana and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Project Management at the Northeastern University.
Hawa Fall, PharmD, MBA
Business Development Associate
Hawa Fall joined the MLSC in July 2021 as the Business Development Associate. In this role, Hawa works with the Director of Business Development to execute and advance the MLSC’s business development strategy targeting companies (nationally or internationally) that might be well-positioned to move to or expand in Massachusetts.
Hawa is a registered pharmacist in the state of Massachusetts and prior to joining the MLSC, she worked in retail and long-term care pharmacy. Hawa is also a co-founder of a non-profit organization that has a mission of helping those in need through empowerment and workforce development. Hawa received her bachelor’s in chemistry from Worcester State University, her doctorate in pharmacy (PharmD) from Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) School of Pharmacy, and her MBA in Health Care Administration from UMass Amherst. She enjoys spending time with her family and volunteering for community services.
Meghan Gerardo
Director of Marketing and Community Relations
Meghan Gerardo joined the MLSC in September 2018 as Senior Marketing Associate. In this role, Meghan manages the center’s web content and event partnerships. Prior to joining MLSC, Meghan worked as the Communications & Donor Relations Manager for the American Pharmacists Association. She also served as Foundation Manager for the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists previously. Meghan received her Bachelor of Arts in Communication from Keene State College.
Nancy T. Goryl
Senior Grants Analyst
Nancy Goryl joined the MLSC in January of 2014. In her role as Senior Grants Analyst, 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.
Jeanne LeClair
Director of Business Development
Jeanne joined the MLSC in October 2020 and currently serves as the Director of Business Development. In this role, she develops and executes strategies to enhance life sciences job growth in the Commonwealth by building relationships with key industry stakeholders, prospective partners, and public agencies.
Prior to joining 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, poverty alleviation, 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.
Cheryl Purnell
Senior Education & Workforce Associate
Cheryl Purnell joined the MLSC in 2015 in the role of Program Associate. She supports all aspects of the Academic and Workforce Development Program, Internship Challenge and STEM programs and represents MLSC at job fairs and meetings. Prior to joining MLSC, Cheryl worked in the Wellesley, MA school system, most recently in the Middle School special education department. Cheryl holds a Bachelor’s degree in Corporate Systems from Boston College. She enjoys cooking/nutrition, needle crafts, and spending time with family and friends.
Pierre Saget
Operations Associate
Pierre M. Saget joined the MLSC in December of 2021 as the Operations Associate. Pierre will be responsible for keeping the day-to-day operations of the Center running smoothly and provide support as needed for various departments including Finance, Academic and Workforce Programs, and the Office of the CEO.
Pierre brings an impressive and competent background of Compliance and Administration over the past 8 years in Quasi-Governmental work. His most recent work comes from the Massachusetts Port Authority where he served as a Compliance Audit Associate. Before working in this capacity, Pierre served as an Executive Assistant and maintained the highest performance standards within a diverse range of administrative functions. He brings with him a multitude of skills including organization, attention to detail, prioritization, and excellent customer service to name a few.
Andre Terrell
Executive Business Administrator/Operations Manager
Andre joins us as our new Executive Business Administrator/Operations Manager. He’s a versatile and results-driven professional with 19 years’ of progressive leadership. With a background in Business Management. Andre comes to us from Massport where he managed a unit under the Administration & Finance department. He participated in the advancement of the Authorities Surplus and Records/ Retention programs and also managed the Administration operations for their Logan Office Center. Prior to joining Massport Andre worked in various leadership roles with the Walgreens Co. starting in Pharmacy Operations and transitioning Store Ops where he served as General Store Manager.
MLSC Team
Meet the dedicated staff committed to supporting the growth and development of the life sciences with innovative programs.
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.