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.
Jennifer Griffin, Ph.D.
Vice President, Industry Strategy and Investments
Jennifer Griffin, Ph.D.
Vice President, Industry Strategy and Investments
Jennifer joined the MLSC in September of 2017 as the Vice President, Industry Strategy and Investments. In her role, she develops and manages the investment strategy for initiatives and partnerships 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 Jennifer spent time in both the academic and private sectors of the industry. She began her career in technology licensing as an Associate Licensing Officer at MIT’s Technology Licensing Office where she worked alongside faculty, researchers, investors, and entrepreneurs to commercialize early-stage life science technologies.
Most recently, as a Sr. Consultant with Back Bay Life Science Advisors, Jennifer provided a variety of strategic advisory services to private and publicly-traded biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and medical device clients. Jennifer is a proud Massachusetts native having received degrees from both UMass Amherst (BS, Microbiology) and UMass Medical School (Ph.D., Biomedical Sciences).
Allyson McLaughlin Huntington
General Counsel
Allyson brings over 30 years of experience to the MLSC, combining her years 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 an educator in a private school.
Allyson’s career as an attorney began with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as a prosecutor, serving as an Assistant District Attorney in the Domestic Violence Unit before moving to the private sector. Immediately prior to joining the MLSC, Allyson served as in-house counsel in the role of Chief Legal Officer for a venture capital fund focused on life sciences, and as CLO for several life sciences companies.
Outside of her role as General Counsel, Allyson dedicates her energy to 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
Acting 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 & 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 nearly 5,000 internships for college students with over 850 companies. The success of the program has led to the creation of a high school internship and lab training program, as well as an internship program for students with advanced data science skills. 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.
Cheryl Sadeli, CPA, CGMA
Vice President of Finance
Cheryl joined the Center in January 2015. In her role as the Vice President of Finance, Cheryl oversees the Center’s entire accounting and finance function. In addition to finance, accounting, and budgeting, Cheryl also manages the Center’s tax incentive program and serve as a Board Observer to the Accelerator Loan portfolio companies. Prior to joining the Center, Cheryl worked at Jobs for the Future, a Boston based national non-profit, and KPMG LLP. Cheryl received her Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting and Computer Information Systems from Rhode Island College and her MBA from Bryant University. She is a licensed Certified Public Accountant in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and a Chartered Global Management Accountant. In her free time, Cheryl enjoys yoga, traveling and reading mysteries and historical fiction.
Joseph P. Sullivan
Acting Vice President of Marketing and Communications
Joseph P. Sullivan
Acting Vice President of Marketing and Communications
Joe Sullivan joined the MLSC in January 2018 as Public Affairs Manager. Joe helps oversee the development and implementation of the MLSC’s government relations and communications strategies, which aim to raise the profile of the Center and support the life science industry across the Massachusetts ecosystem. He also serves as a primary contact for elected officials on the local, state, federal, and international levels. Prior to his current role, 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 M. Brewer. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Northeastern University. Joe enjoys keeping up with current events, finishing dead last in marathon distance and trail/adventure races, and spending time with his family and friends.
Sharon Tapper
Operations Director & Executive Assistant to the CEO
Sharon Tapper joined the MLSC in April 2017 in the role of Executive Assistant and Office Coordinator. Sharon’s responsibilities involve high-level, direct support to the CEO including scheduling, project work and internal/external coordination of group meetings. Sharon also supports the Center’s Board of Directors, Board Committees and Scientific Advisory Board. Prior to her work at the MLSC, Sharon was a Business Manager at a private law firm in Newton. Through her career she has worked in various Administrative, Accounting, and Office Management positions. Sharon holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management from Simmons College.
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.
Monica Anc
Manager of Industry Strategy and Investments
Monica Anc joined the MLSC in the spring of 2016 as a Senior Program Associate. In this role, Monica assists in the execution of the MLSC’s industry programs, which include initiating program launch, implementing application processes, and coordinating applications evaluation through peer and Scientific Advisory Board review processes. Prior to joining the MLSC, Monica worked as an Immigration Paralegal and held earlier roles in state and federal government. Monica graduated from Northeastern University with a Master of Arts degree in Political Science, where she was awarded a grant in connection with a Department of State internship in the Political and Economic Section of the U.S. Embassy in Budapest, Hungary. She enjoys learning photography, traveling, and playing soccer in her spare time.
Henrietta Binortsor
Office Administrator
Henrietta joined the MLSC in January 2020 as an Office Administrator. Her responsibilities include coordinating new employee on-boarding, planning and tracking inventory, and coordinating with vendors to maintain computer software and hardware licenses. Henrietta has worked across various industries including oil, finance, and the life sciences. Prior to joining the MLSC, she worked as an administrative assistant at Thermo Fisher Scientific where she analyzed survey responses to generate reports, assisted in webinar setup, and invitation distribution. Henrietta is a service woman in the United States Army Reserve. She received her bachelor’s in Sociology from the University of Ghana and is currently a graduate student at Northeastern University studying Project Management.
Meghan Gerardo
Senior Marketing Associate
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 2014 as Staff Accountant & Programmatic Compliance Associate. In this role, Nancy’s primary responsibility is the collection, tracking and maintenance of documentation and financial information in compliance with grant agreements. She supports the Vice President of Finance and the Senior Financial Analyst with daily internal finance operations. 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. Nancy’s hobbies include creating and viewing art, hiking and volunteering for animal causes.
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.
Ciara Murphy
Finance Manager
Ciara Murphy joined the MLSC in February 2017 as a Senior Staff Accountant. In her role as Finance Manager, she assists the Vice President of Finance in overseeing the Center’s accounting, finance, and budgeting functions . Ciara supports the administration of the Capital, Accelerator Loan and Tax Incentive Programs. She also serves as a Board Observer to Accelerator Loan portfolio companies . Prior to her work at the 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 received her professional accountant qualification and license from Chartered Accountants Ireland. She enjoys traveling and spending time with family and friends.
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.
Carla Reimold, Ph.D.
Director 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.
Annie Walsh
Senior Program Associate
Annie Walsh joined the MLSC in 2017 and currently serves as a Program Associate on the Industry and Academic & Workforce Development teams. In this role, she aids in the management and execution of grant programs. In addition, she performs research and analysis for program implementation and metrics. Prior to joining the MLSC, Annie was a Laboratory Technician at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and a Medical Records Clerk at Capital Care Medical Group. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from Northeastern University. Annie’s hobbies include knitting, doing puzzles, and playing board games with friends.
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.