East West Life Science Summit 2026

Dr. Julie Akers serves as the Dean of Washington State University’s College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. She is a faculty member in the Department of Pharmacotherapy and teaches pharmacy law and topics in health care systems, pharmacy management, and pharmacotherapy.

Her research includes medication management, HPV education and prevention, and the role of community pharmacists in treating minor illnesses. She earned her Doctor of Pharmacy from WSU. Prior to her academic career, Dr. Akers worked in the private sector. She is a past president of the Washington State Pharmacy Association and currently serves on the APhA Government Affairs Committee. Dr. Akers completed the NACDS Foundation’s Faculty Scholars Program in 2019 and has continued to inspire future generations of pharmacy research leaders through the program

Haluk Beyenal is currently a tenured Professor at Washington State University, in the Gene and Linda Voiland School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering. He's trained many Ph.D. students in the field of electrochemistry and biofilm engineering, and these students are employed by Intel, Academia, Gamry, Illumina, and other companies. Dr. Beyenal is widely known for his biofilm engineering expertise in the area of microscale biofilm characterization and electron transfer processes in biofilms. The research in his laboratories has focused on the fundamental understanding of biofilm processes, their characterization, and applications of biofilm processes. He has developed many research tools for understanding biofilm processes at the microscale, including microelectrodes for monitoring local chemistry and electron transfer mechanism inside biofilms. He has developed mathematical models for predicting biofilm activity, electron transfer rates, and biofilm structure. He pioneered the studies of electron transfer processes in biofilms using microelectrodes and powering electronic devices using microbial fuel cells. He and his collaborators in Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) developed an electrochemical nuclear magnetic resonance microimaging technique to study electron transfer processes in biofilms. The microscale techniques developed in his laboratory are critically used to study biofilms respiring on electrodes. His research group also developed technology to power remote sensors using energy harvested from microbial fuel cells.

His research has been supported by the Office of Naval Research, National Science Foundation program, Department of Energy, Department of Defense, National Institute of Health as well as industry. He and Zbigniew Lewandowski published a book entitled “Fundamentals of Biofilm Research” in 2007 and 2nd edition in 2013 and he received an NSF-CAREER award in 2010. He and Jerome Babauta edited a book entitled “Electrochemically active biofilms in microbial fuel cells and bioelectrochemical systems: From laboratory practice to data interpretation” in 2015. Recently his research group was awarded by the National Institute of Health to develop an electrochemical bandage for wound healing by eliminating biofilms.

Dr. Borjesson joined Washington State University as the dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine in July 2020 after more than a decade at the University of California-Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, where she established herself as a respected pioneer and leader in the field of veterinary medicine.

She served in various leadership roles at UC-Davis, including as chair of the Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology; director of the Clinical Regenerative Medicine Laboratory; and inaugural director of the Veterinary Institute for Regenerative Cures. She specialized in adult-derived stem cell research and spent her last 12 years at UC-Davis examining how stem cells alter the immune system.

A board-certified veterinary clinical pathologist, Dr. Borjesson has more than 100 peer-reviewed publications. She holds two patents in mesenchymal stem cells and immunomodulation, and some of her recent research has focused on naturally occurring inflammatory bowel disease in dogs, chronic gingivostomatitis in cats and spinal cord injury in dogs. She received the Zoetis Research Excellence award in 2014 for the exceptional quality and productivity of her research efforts in regenerative medicine with an emphasis on utilizing mesenchymal stem cells as a therapeutic option for both orthopedic injury (such as bone and tendon damage) and in immunomodulation.

Elizabeth Cross Nichol, MBA, PT, is the Program and Grants Manager for the Life Sciences Washington Entrepreneurship & Venture Services. She supports the team by being a conduit from the funding agency to underserved entrepreneurs across the state. Elizabeth is responsible for the set up and implementation of two new grant programs, the SBIR/STTR Matching Grant and the Washington Competes Grant. A prime focus will be on the support of early-stage, life science, Washington-based entrepreneurs via awareness, recruitment, education, grant awards, and outcomes tracking. These grants are intended to accelerate Life Sciences Research Commercialization in Washington with a prime focus on addressing the different needs of varied applicant types.

Having worked as a clinician and a hospital administrator, Elizabeth is well aware of the need to bring safe and effective products and solutions to deliver great patient care.  She has conducted health technology and services assessment as both a purchaser and an investor. Working with several early-stage medical device concepts from ideation to commercial implementation, Elizabeth understands the challenges of moving through product lifecycle. As the past president of ORCANW, Elizabeth enjoys the opportunity to engage with regulatory colleagues on determining appropriate regulatory routes, while pursuing a lean business model for early monetization. Elizabeth has an MBA in Health and Business from Boston University and a Bachelors in Science from McMaster University.

As President & CEO of Life Science Washington (LSW), Marc sets the strategic direction, guides policy priorities, and directs business operations to ensure our members have the talent, investment, and partnerships needed to sustain the industry’s robust growth and solidify Washington state’s reputation as one of the top life science clusters in the nation. Marc also serves as the Chair of the Life Science Washington Institute, which is an affiliated non-profit focused on supporting life science entrepreneurs and growing start-up companies in Washington.

Before taking the helm as President & CEO, Marc served as Vice President, Public Policy & External Affairs for LSW. Prior to joining Life Science Washington, he served as Director of Policy & External Affairs for Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), where he was actively involved in creating and advocating for several statewide bioscience initiatives including the Life Sciences Discovery Fund. He was also deeply involved in a range of PNNL’s philanthropic science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education partnerships and science education initiatives. Prior to moving to Washington state, Marc held a variety of policy and consulting positions in Washington, D.C.

Dr. Guy Hamilton partners with local biotechnology companies to develop programming and career opportunities in the School of STEM’s Center for Biotechnology Innovation & Training (CBIT).

Guy received his Bachelor of Science in Microbiology from Indiana University and his doctorate in Biology from the University of Oregon. He was a post-doctoral scholar at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle. He is the principal investigator for a National Science Foundation Advanced Technical Education grant to create a national resource center to support the development of immunotherapy workforce training programs and is a national leadership team member for the NSF’s InnovATEBIO program.

Tae is an entrepreneur, investor, and drug developer. He has extensive experience across multiple drug modalities and therapeutic areas including oncology, neuroscience, cardiovascular, and metabolic. Since starting his career at Merck, he has held positions of increasing responsibility at multiple companies at the forefront of science and medicine (Seattle Genetics/Seagen, Stemcentrx, AbbVie, and Amphivena). Tae co-founded ProfoundBio (acquired by Genmab for $1.8B in May, 2024), where he served in multiple roles, including board member, President, Chief Operating Officer, and Chief Strategy Officer. Tae has a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Washington and a Ph.D. in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering from UCLA. He also received a NIH postdoctoral training grant to study Cardiology at UCLA.

Dr. Jeff Haney is the Senior Vice Provost for Health Sciences and the Vice Dean for Clinical Affairs at Washington State University's Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine. In his role as Senior Vice Provost, Haney leads the development of a system-wide strategic roadmap for health sciences. This initiative strengthens health professions programs and support services, and advances WSU’s commitment to meeting the evolving healthcare needs of Washington communities. Additionally, he maintains a dual role as the Vice Dean for Clinical Affairs, underscoring the institution’s commitment to growing the clinical enterprise of WSU’s health science programs.

A proud Coug, Haney earned his BA in Biology from WSU Pullman before completing medical school at the University of Washington. After residency, he served as faculty and program director for the Santa Rosa Family Medicine Residency Program, a partnership between Sutter Health and the University of California San Francisco. Since joining the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine in 2017 as clinical education director, Haney has played a key role in shaping the college’s educational foundation since welcoming its first cohort of students.

Srikant is the Director of Workforce Development and Education Partnerships at Life Science Washington. Srikant works to develop, drive and align partnerships that nurtures and cultivates a diverse STEM workforce ecosystem to support the growing life sciences industry in Washington. He liaises with industry, colleges, universities, non-profits, and partners throughout the state and nationally to support diverse and underserved communities.

Srikant strongly believes that a diverse workforce is the key to innovation and has extensive experience in building capacity on an individual and organizational level to strive for inclusion and belonging within the STEM ecosystem. He received his Ph.D. in Chemistry and Chemical Biology from Cornell University and pivoted to workforce development and solutions and utilized an evidence-based and data-centric approach to drive equity and inclusion within the STEM ecosystem.

Contact: srikant@lifesciencewa.org

Bill Kalivas is the Co-founder and Executive Director of LaunchPad INW, providing long-term ecosystem context, regional relationships, and strategic leadership for InnovateINW. His work centers around two areas: 1. Enterprise Technology & Business Development - Helping organizations understand and implement technology that improves operations, scales infrastructure, and prepares them for the future; 2. Innovation Ecosystem Development - Connecting founders, companies, universities, and investors to help regions build stronger innovation economies.

Over the years, Bill has also helped start several initiatives focused on entrepreneurship and innovation in the Inland Northwest: Connect Northwest, LaunchPad Inland Northwest, and ViVo Publications Group.

Through LaunchPad INW and the InnovateINW initiative, Bill is currently focused on helping grow the region’s innovation economy by connecting Founders, universities and researchers, industry leaders, and investors and capital partners with a particular focus on AI, advanced computing, and emerging technologies.

Leen Kawas is the co‑founder and Managing General Partner of Propel Bio Partners, a life sciences investment firm that supports early-stage biotechnology companies. The firm concentrates on backing entrepreneurs developing technologies with a meaningful impact on human health, with a particular emphasis on diverse and underrepresented founders. Leen is also the CEO of EIT Pharma, Inc., where she leads a team developing treatments for infectious diseases with significant unmet need, including hepatitis D and acute respiratory infections. The company’s patient‑centric strategy reflects her conviction that no patient should be left behind. She is a pioneering biotechnology executive and investor who has established herself as a voice in life sciences innovation and diversity advocacy.

Her biotechnology career began after immigrating to the United States from Jordan in 2008. She earned a PhD in Pharmacology from Washington State University, then co‑founded what is now LeonaBio, where she served as CEO and co‑invented multiple drug candidates. Under her leadership, she advanced multiple drug development programs through clinical trials and successfully took the company public in September 2020, raising over $400M. This achievement made her the first woman in 20 years in Washington State to lead a company through an IPO. She was one of only 22 women founders in the United States to accomplish this milestone at the time.

She has received numerous awards and recognitions, including Life Science Entrepreneurial Achievement Award (2020), French-American Foundation Leader (2019), and GeekWire Startup CEO of the Year (2019). Leen serves on the boards of Inherent Biosciences and Persephone Biosciences, and is a member of the Springboard Network. Kawas lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two children, where she continues advocating for innovative research and supporting the next generation of scientists and entrepreneurs.

Dr. Ryan Hunt, FNP, is the Clinical Assistant Professor and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Program Director for the Washington State University (WSU) College of Nursing Spokane campus. Dr. Hunt completed his post-master’s Doctor of Nursing Practice with a subspecialty of Nurse Educator at the University of South Alabama. He received a Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Eastern Washington University (EWU) and WSU and went on to earn his Master of Nursing Family Nurse Practitioner degree at WSU College of Nursing.

Hunt started teaching in the Family Nurse Practitioner program at WSU in the 2023. He has practiced in a variety of clinics as a family nurse practitioner, including family practice clinics in Grandview and Prosser, WA, and at the Kadlec Family Medicine Residency clinic in Richland, WA. At the Residency clinic, he had the opportunity to be an employee health provider and work with a multidisciplinary team to care for families from a variety of socioeconomic backgrounds.

His collaborative spirit extends to interdisciplinary teamwork, fostering a positive work environment that enhances the quality of care he provides. Dr. Ryan Hunt serves as a beacon of excellence, showcasing the collective impact of nurse practitioners in elevating healthcare standards and delivering outstanding patient care.

Dr. Courtney Meehan is the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and a Professor of Anthropology at Washington State University. Dr. Meehan has served in various additional leadership positions, including as Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies in the College of Arts and Sciences from 2018-2024. She is a first-generation college student and alum, awarded her M.A. in 1999 and Ph.D. in 2005 from Washington State University’s Department of Anthropology.

As Dean, she leads the College of Arts and Sciences’ 19 departments and programs, and 18 research centers and institutes across six campuses. She is dedicated to the educational, research, and service mission of the College, which provides over 50 percent of the educational instruction for the system and is a leader in WSU’s research, scholarship, and creative arts enterprise.

Dr. Meehan is a biological and cultural anthropologist, specializing in maternal-infant health and human milk composition. Her research has investigated how cannabis and COVID-19 effects human milk composition and how the environment and human behavior influence the human milk microbiome and milk immune factors. She has conducted longitudinal research in the Central African Republic, Ethiopia, and the United States, and studies on global variation in human milk composition around the world.

Marcelo Morales is the founder of A4Ventures, a Washington state-based health technology investment company with activities in the United States, Canada, and Chile. He is the Co-founder, President and CEO of Allele Diagnostics, a diagnostics laboratory focused on rapid genetic testing and genetic research. He is also the Co-founder of Amend Health, a digital health care technology integrator. Marcelo has either sold or continues to sit on the board of directors of several Washington State based companies including Celere Talent, a biotechnology talent acquisition and advisory firm; Arevo Health, a cloud-based SaaS organization focused on providing health care cost transparency; ChalkLabs, a data visualization and analytics company, Share Farm, a peer-to-peer food delivery and distribution company. Marcelo is an acting Adjunct with Washington State University Ellison S. Floyd College of Medicine.
Prior to founding A4Ventures, Marcelo held the position of Chief Executive Officer for Jubilant HollisterStier, a subsidiary of Jubilant Life Sciences. Prior to joining Jubilant HollisterStier, Marcelo was the Canadian Industry Segment Leader for the Life Sciences practice of Deloitte & Touche LLP, and a member of their global Life Sciences leadership team, based in Toronto, Canada.

Marcelo either currently serves or has recently served on the following not-for-profit boards: Greater Spokane Incorporated; The Innovia Foundation; The World Economic Forum’s Health Care Initiative, and the Spokane United Way Association.

Marcelo is a graduate of the University of Toronto where he received a Masters of Business Administration, and a graduate of McMaster University where he received a Bachelors of Sciences specializing in Biochemistry.

In her role as knowledge economy lead, Jessica Roberto spearheads industry development strategy and planning for the global health, life sciences and information and communications technology (ICT) sectors. Jessica connects communities and businesses with like-minded partners from across the state to increase access to resources that strengthens Washington state’s position as both a national and global leader in these industries. Prior to Commerce, Jessica worked at the University of Washington Michael G. Foster School of Business, focused on program support for student entreprenuers, including the annual Hollomon Health Innovation Challenge, and held a variety of roles within the Seattle-area life sciences startup ecosystem, including venture capital groups, consulting organizations and innovation-focused nonprofits. She holds a PhD in Pathobiology from the University of Washington, where she studied the innate immune response to viral infections of the liver.

Erin Williams Hueter joined Health Sciences and Services Authority of Spokane County in January 2023 as Executive Director. She discovered her passion for service at an early age and has been working in human services, public health, and violence prevention for thirty years. While completing an internship serving victims of domestic violence, she developed deep compassion for this population and devoted much of her career to it. She served for over twenty years at Lutheran Community Services Northwest in several leadership roles in trauma recovery programs providing crime victim advocacy, behavioral health and refugee foster care. She proudly concluded her service with nearly five years as the Inland Northwest District Director.

Erin is a graduate of Pacific University and Leadership Spokane, and has served on numerous Boards, Commissions and Task Forces. She is thrilled to share her skill and passion for community and economic development with the life sciences community in our region.

Dr. Frank Yin brings a diverse background spanning biotech, pharma, computer science and business administration to his role as WRF’s senior investment associate. He sources and evaluates new startup investment opportunities—primarily in the life sciences—in addition to managing investments within the foundation’s active portfolio.

Dr. Yin spent seven years at GlaxoSmithKline as a principal investigator in research and development, where he leveraged artificial intelligence and machine learning to advance drug discovery and development. His investment experience includes roles at private equity and venture capital firms Health Catalyst Capital in New York City, Qiming Venture Partners in Shanghai, China, and Lilly Asia Ventures in Menlo Park, California, where he focused on life sciences, healthcare IT and tech-enabled services companies.

Dr. Yin completed his MBA at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in May 2025. He holds a doctorate in chemical engineering from the University of Virginia, a master’s in computer science with a specialization in machine learning from the Georgia Institute of Technology, and a bachelor’s in chemistry from Peking University in Beijing, China

Jane Zhang, PhD, MBA, is the Founder and CEO of Remmie Health, an AI-powered ear-nose-throat health platform to streamline patient intake and monitoring for healthcare providers and payers. Partnering with providers and major healthcare institutions in 6 countries, Remmie is currently serving thousands of providers and patients. Jane is a 4-time NIH, FDA consortia, and foundation grant awardee and was on the scientific panel for 5 NIH SBIR sections. She is an Affiliate Assistant Professor at the University of Washington in Mechanical Engineering specialized in medical diagnostics. Jane has 15 years of experience in healthcare product R&D and operations including in Becton Dickinson and Amgen. Her experiences dealing with her young son’s recurring ear infections and dad’s hearing loss prompted the idea of Remmie Health. She majored in Engineering Science from University of Toronto, PhD in Biomedical Engineering from Boston University, with MBA from UCLA Anderson.