Entrepreneur-in-Residence Team

Dr. Kuldeep Neote is a seasoned biotechnology executive and venture capital professional with over 25 years of experience in external innovation, business development, and strategic partnerships across the life sciences industry. His career encompasses roles at leading pharmaceutical companies, innovative biotech ventures, and investment organizations, with particular expertise in immunology, oncology, and gene therapy development.

John P. Reinhart is an accomplished C-suite executive and serial entrepreneur who specializes in Longevity Economy innovation, with nearly two decades of recognition for transformative contributions to healthcare and aging services. As a visionary leader in the intersection of technology, healthcare, and demographic change, he has co-founded multiple ventures and led organizations that address the evolving needs of America's aging population while creating scalable business solutions.

Dr. Loleta Robinson is the President & CEO of Fortis Industries, LLC and a physician entrepreneur and healthcare investment strategist. She is known for her ability to bridge clinical insight with business acumen—advancing innovation, guiding commercialization strategies, and aligning cutting-edge medical solutions with market needs. Throughout her career, Dr. Robinson has held pivotal roles at Thermo Electron Corporation and MedImmune Vaccines, and has served as an Entrepreneur in Residence at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Nebraska and the NIH SEED program. As a trusted advisor to startups, she offers strategic guidance on product development, payer engagement, and market access, with a steadfast commitment to clinical relevance, patient safety, and ethical rigor. She holds an MD from the University of Kansas School of Medicine, an MBA in Health Administration from the University of Colorado–Denver, and a Certificate in Venture Capital Finance from UC Berkeley School of Law. Dr. Robinson’s interdisciplinary expertise positions her at the forefront of healthcare innovation, driving growth and impact in a rapidly evolving landscape.

Dr. Ethel Rubin is a biotech strategy and finance executive with over 20 years of experience at the intersection of healthcare investment and commercialization. With a proven track record in leading high-impact business and corporate development activities, driving product and portfolio strategies, and engaging with investors and industry partners, she currently leads a team of venture professionals helping NIH portfolio companies navigate rapid growth cycles, prepare for capital raise, progress to valuation inflection points and exit.  In addition, she is an active business consultant to biotech, partnering with strong scientific and clinical teams to bridge the gap between breakthrough research and institutional-grade commercial strategy, building the financial architecture and strategic roadmap necessary to attract institutional investment or scale to an exit. In previous roles as an EIR for the NHLBI, she deployed a $40M pre-seed fund, resulting in over $1B in exits. From 2009-2015 she led global clinical strategy, external innovation and medical affairs at Medtronic, plc, with a focus on interventional technologies including the fast growing Afib ablation business. Prior to that, she was CSO/COO of two successful early stage companies: BioFortis, Inc. (acquired by IQVIA) and CSA Medical, Inc. Over the course of her career, Dr. Rubin took part in over 25 commercial product launches, was instrumental in multiple M&As, partnerships & collaborations, and capital raises totaling more than $2B. Ethel currently sits on the Board of a multinational biotech company, Volition Rx (NYSE:VNRX), a world leader in nucleosome detection and quantitiation, and was previously a Director at Innara Health, Inc., where she helped attract strategic investment and exit in 3 years via acquisition by Cardinal Health (NYSE:CAH). She is an advisor or mentor to numerous companies through both private engagement as well as NYU Stern School of Business’ Endless Frontier Labs. Dr. Rubin earned a PhD in Biochemistry and Biophysics from the University of Rochester School of Medicine & Dentistry and was a research fellow at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, where she led independent breast cancer research that identified developmental gene re-expression in adult tumors. She earned a certificate in Corporate Governance from The George Washington University School of Business and is an LP in VC funds focused on women’s health as well as an advisor to First Bight Ventures. Ethel maintains media presence as a sought-after speaker, moderator or pitch judge. Check out her articles on www.linkedin.com/in/ethelrubinphd/.

John Sullivan is a proven leader in healthcare innovation with extensive experience building, operating, and acquiring market-leading businesses that leverage technology to improve health outcomes, drive operational efficiencies, and reduce healthcare costs. Throughout his career, he has demonstrated exceptional ability to work closely with customers, understand complex market needs, and develop products and services designed for rapid marketplace adoption. His comprehensive background spans multiple healthcare sectors including medical devices, biotechnology, healthcare IT, digital health, consumer health, pharmacy, and supply chain management.

Kwame Ulmer is a distinguished medical technology executive and regulatory strategist with over 20 years of experience navigating the complex intersection of innovation, regulation, and commercialization in healthcare. As Managing Partner of MedTech Impact Partners, a specialized regulatory strategy consulting firm, Kwame has established himself as a trusted advisor to medical device companies seeking to successfully navigate FDA requirements and bring life-changing technologies to market.

Dr. Stephen D. Wolpe is a distinguished biotechnology executive and scientific pioneer with over 30 years of experience in therapeutic and diagnostic development, particularly renowned for his groundbreaking discoveries in immunotherapy and inflammatory mediators. As a discoverer of the chemokine superfamily of inflammatory mediators, Dr. Wolpe has fundamentally shaped our understanding of immune system regulation and hematopoiesis.

Anna Zornosa is a seasoned healthcare entrepreneur and executive with deep expertise in building, scaling, and transforming life sciences companies at the intersection of digital technologies and health. As both a successful CEO and strategic advisor, she brings a unique combination of operational excellence, fundraising acumen, and extensive industry networks to help early-stage companies navigate the complex path from innovation to market success.

Joseph DiCesare is a distinguished pharmaceutical industry executive with over 30 years of experience in health economics and outcomes research (HEOR), real-world evidence (RWE), and strategic planning. Throughout his career, he has held leadership positions at major pharmaceutical companies and consulting organizations, establishing himself as a recognized expert in demonstrating the value of pharmaceutical innovations through rigorous economic analysis and evidence generation.

Dr. Raymond "Ray" Blanchard is a seasoned life sciences executive and current Entrepreneur-in-Residence at ARPA-H, bringing over two decades of experience in the life sciences tools industry. With deep technical expertise in genomics and extensive business development experience, Ray has established himself as a skilled navigator of the complexities within the diagnostics and research tools sectors. Dr. Blanchard earned his Ph.D. in biochemistry/molecular biology from the University of California, Riverside. His academic foundation was strengthened through postdoctoral training in the Food Science & Human Nutrition Department at the University of Florida, where he later held a faculty research position and co-founded the department's Nutritional Genomics Laboratory with Dr. Robert J. Cousins. His research contributions include numerous articles and book chapters on nutritional regulation of gene expression, novel gene/biomarker discovery, and mammalian zinc physiology.

Jessica E. Foley is a dedicated senior regulatory professional with 18+ years of expertise and leadership in healthcare, due diligence, global biopharmaceutical development strategy, and regulatory submissions. As the Principal Consultant and Founder of Gaia Regulatory Sciences, LLC in Cambridge, MA, she provides strategic regulatory services and project management support for pharmaceutical and biotech companies worldwide. Dr. Foley holds a Master of Science in Regulatory Affairs for Drugs, Biologics, & Medical Devices from Northeastern University (2009), a Graduate Certificate in Biopharmaceutical International Regulatory Affairs (2008), and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of New Hampshire (2005). She is also a certified Regulatory Affairs Professional (RAC-Global) through the Regulatory Affairs Professionals Society (RAPS).

Marcella Garcia is a seasoned regulatory, quality, and compliance professional with extensive expertise in medical devices, Software as Medical Device (SaMD), and digital health technologies. Currently serving as a Principal Consultant working with multiple early-stage startups globally, she specializes in guiding companies through complex regulatory pathways while building robust quality management systems from the ground up. Marcella earned her Bachelor of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Vanderbilt University (1997-2001) and has continued her professional development with specialized certifications including Healthcare Information Security and Privacy Practitioner (HCISPP) from (ISC)², Certified SAFe Agile Scrum Master, and Cybersecurity for Managers from MIT Professional Education. Her career is distinguished by her ability to thrive in the complex environments that startups inherently present, where rapid change, limited resources, and accelerated timelines are commonplace. She has a particular talent for guiding startups through the critical inflection point of building out their cross-functional teams, leveraging her focus on clear, direct, and honest communication to foster collaboration and drive organizations forward.