Elyse Blazevich leads CBSA’s work to create co-opportunity for Colorado’s life sciences community. Together with the CBSA Board of Directors, team, partners, sponsors, and members, she strategically advances CBSA’s efforts to build a collaborative environment for health innovation.

Elyse brings deep knowledge of life sciences company needs, CBSA as an organization, and Colorado’s business community to offer continuity, connections, and a clear vision for the future of CBSA and the ecosystem it represents. Before joining CBSA, she co-founded Securisyn Medical and led the organization as COO and CFO, transitioning the company from a

founder-led startup to a professionally led, commercial-stage medical device company. She remains a member of the Securisyn Medical Board of Directors.

Ben has a unique ability to become a trusted member of stakeholder teams involved in PMB’s clients’ real estate developments. This includes being part of hospital, physician group, and government agency groups striving to attain similar results from potentially divergent positions.

As SVP, Development, Ben is involved in all facets of project development ranging from pursuing new leads and analyzing healthcare real estate trends to project feasibility and land use approvals. Additionally, Ben focuses on working with PMB’s architects and general contractors in pre-construction and construction scheduling as well as leasing and permitting.

Ben received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science (International Relations) from The Colorado College and obtained his Certificate in Real Estate Finance, Investments and Development from the University of San Diego in 2013.

Chris Bodnar serves as Vice Chairman and Head of U.S. Healthcare & Life Sciences Capital Markets at CBRE. CBRE is the world’s leading commercial real estate services firm and is ranked #126 on Fortune’s 2022 list of the largest U.S.-based public companies. The firm spans more than 100 countries and has more than 100,000 employees.

CBRE’s Healthcare & Life Sciences Capital Markets specializes in providing healthcare real estate investors with acquisition, disposition and recapitalization strategies; assisting providers with strategic capital planning (including monetization and capital raising efforts); and advising health systems, biotech companies and physician groups in the developer selection process.

Chris has advised on some of the industry’s most notable monetization assignments, including over $1 billion in value on behalf of one of the largest Catholic health systems in the United States. Over his career, he has been involved in the disposition of more than 60 million sq. ft. of commercial assets, exceeding a total value of $20 billion on behalf of his clients. He is the youngest investment sales broker to be appointed to Vice Chairman in the company’s history.

In 2013, Chris was named the “Healthcare Real Estate Executive of the Year” by Healthcare Real Estate Insights (HREI). The award was judged based on the demonstration of leadership in the healthcare real estate sector, demonstrated excellence in the use of strategy, innovation and creativity, significant contributions to professional healthcare real estate organizations and other contributions including teaching/mentoring, presenting, judging and publishing.

As President and COO of CoBUILD Construction Services, Ed Wood has developed the most EQ-focused construction team serving the Bay Area and Colorado Front Range. Ed co-founded CoBUILD after more than 25 years as a general contractor and client representative for national developers. He saw that collaboration, creative problem solving, and a willingness to embrace new technologies were the keys to fulfilling CoBUILD’s mission of creating environments for people to succeed. He enjoys working with the mix of scientific innovations, diverse organizations, and natural resources Colorado has to offer to make unique construction projects come to life

Beau joined Dean Callan & Company as a broker associate in 2014, embracing the family legacy of real estate brokerage established by his grandfather and later continued by his mother. With a strong commitment to the firm and its values, he quickly distinguished himself within the company. His hard work, dedication, and leadership were recognized in 2023 when he was named President of the firm, a testament to his significant contributions and vision.

A lifelong Boulderite, Beau is excited to leverage his local market knowledge and contacts. Beau is a graduate of the University of Colorado, where he played basketball for Coach Tad Boyle. Currently, Beau sits on the Board for the Buffs4life non-profit organization and is a member of the Commercial Brokers of Boulder. In 2022, Beau was recognized by Bizwest’s Forty under 40 as one of Boulder Valley’s young emerging leaders.

In his free time, Beau enjoys playing golf, skiing, working out, spending time with friends and family, and loving on his chocolate lab named Charlie.

Dr. Afshin Safavi is a founder, councilman, consultant, board member, entrepreneur, and investor in

biotechnology, pharmaceutical, animal health, technology, and real-estate sectors with multi-billion-

dollar turnovers in biological products and is responsible for multiple drug products in the market today.

He is the founder of Colorado Health and Tech Centers (CHTC). Prior to that, he founded BioAgilytix

Labs, one of the most successful multi-billion-dollar Contract Research Organizations known

internationally. He has extensive experience establishing and leading teams in start-ups, as well as

Fortune 500 biotech and pharmaceutical companies. He has worked with clients and companies in more

than 30 countries. Dr. Safavi obtained his B.S. in Biochemistry from UCLA and his Ph.D. in Biochemistry

from the University of Kentucky Medical School. He completed a two-year postdoctoral assignment at

the Emory University, Department of Pathology.

Ben Woolf has over 20 years of professional experience in real estate investment. He currently serves as the Director of Commercial Real Estate Investments at Conscience Bay Company, where he leads the acquisition and management of unique real estate assets in the Boulder and Denver metro areas in addition to overseeing the financial activities of the company.

Before his role at Conscience Bay, Ben worked across numerous roles in commercial real estate investment and development.

Leading projects for the Visioning, Brands, and Experiences group (ViBE) in the Stantec Boulder office, Shannon is an Architect and project manager with a knack for delivering on a high caliber of projects. She began her career with Stantec in Chicago with the VOA acquisition. From there, she moved to the Orlando office which sparked her love for finding the intersection where design and storytelling meet. Working on several entertainment and themed projects, she was able to bring her technical building experience and thoughtful design approach to the Boulder office in 2017. Through listening, understanding, and a commitment to the user experience, she achieves the highest level of desired outcomes for her clients and team. Shannon’s project experience ranges from complex mixed-use entertainment districts to the highly technical building type of science & technology. Her creative problem solving allows her to solve any design solution from various angles. Her positive outlook and willingness to explore all possible scenarios makes working with her a pleasurable experience.

David Oh is a highly experienced leader in lab planning and design with over three decades of experience in various markets, including semiconductors, advanced technology, biotech, biomedical, telecommunications, aerospace, and mission-critical facilities. He has extensive knowledge in the STEM field and the science and pharmaceutical industry, and has worked on diverse projects such as workplace, industrial, institutional, education, public, commercial, and healthcare.

David received his Bachelor of Architecture from Southern California Institute of Architecture and has held various positions such as Designer, Studio Leader, Project Executive, Project Designer, Project Manager, Managing Principal, and Principal-in-Charge. He has provided design, planning, project management and leadership, construction management, and quality control and assurance services for projects in the United States and internationally.

Kurt’s professional engineering career spans over 40 years. His expertise includes structural engineering design for Mission Critical Facilities such as Data Centers, Health Care Facilities such as Hospitals and Clinics and Life Sciences Facilities such as Biopharmaceutical Pilot Plants and Production Facilities around the United States and the World. His area of expertise is in designing buildings to be occupable after natural disasters including Tornados, Hurricanes and Earthquakes. He has been the structural engineer of record for conventional “fixed Base Buildings” ranging from 1-23 stories, “Base Isolated Buildings” ranging from 1-5 stories, and the retrofit and new construction of buildings incorporating Fluid Viscous Dampers ranging from 1-22 stories. He has published numerous papers on passive energy dissipation and presented the findings at various conventions in Boston, San Francisco and Milan.

For over 23 years as the Founding Principal at PARADIGM Structural Engineers, Kurt spends most of his time developing new leaders at PARADIGM and mentoring staff in Chicago and San Francisco.

Christine is a seasoned marketing and business development professional focused on strategic

growth in Kimley-Horn’s Mountain Pacific Region. With over 17 years of marketing experience,

she has a strong background in implementing growth strategies that impactfully connect her

engineering partners with stakeholders and the communities they serve in various markets

across multiple disciplines, including the healthcare and life sciences market sectors.

Christine brings a strategic mindset to her work, excelling in pre-positioning and client

relationship development. Her involvement in numerous industry organizations, such as the

Colorado Association of Healthcare Engineers & Directors (CAHED) and Ripple Intent, is a

testament to her strategic approach. Furthermore, she has served on the Board for Women in

Healthcare—Denver Chapter since 2023.

James Awford is a Principal at BNBuilders and oversees our Southern California operations including offices in San Diego and Newport Beach. He has over 25 years of experience in the Southern California construction market and has worked on a wide range of projects including life science, corporate office, technology, higher education, and multi-family residential. James is also currently on the board of the Design-Build Institute of America Western Pacific Region (DBIA-WPR).

As an architect and leader for DLR Group’s Science+Technology team, Dave advocates for the scientists, researchers, engineers, and others who use laboratory environments. His breadth of experience ranges from tailored laboratory planning for biopharmaceuticals to advising developers on market-driven approaches for speculative life science suites. Among others, he delivers laboratory solutions for federal and local government crime, metrology, electromagnetic measurement, and cancer research labs. Dave is fueled by his passion to provide meaningful impacts in his clients' relentless pursuit of the next big idea, often for the betterment of humanity. He and his team believe these individuals deserve spaces that support their amazing aspirations.

Mr. Gilbert is a Principal and Partner at GMC Commissioning, Inc. His industry experience includes over 25 years in the commercial building design and construction industry, specializing in life sciences, cGMP/Pharma manufacturing, OSHPD/HCAI, and higher education projects, with a focus on commissioning.

Mr. Gilbert has a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Virginia Tech, is a licensed mechanical engineer in the state of California, is a LEED AP, and has also been a guest speaker on sustainable building design, Title-24, and energy modeling.

Mr. Gilbert has provided commissioning solutions in HVAC, emergency power systems, process systems with an emphasis in reliability, maintainability, optimum system operation, and energy and water efficiency. Leading edge technologies and systems applied to high-performance buildings are some of his favorite challenges.

Robyn is an experienced global executive who understands the value of the essential tools in the strategic management toolbox — from financial analysis to market forecasting to operational visibility. She also knows that all those elements combined won’t deliver success if they aren’t connected to a shared, meaningful organizational purpose.

She has made it her mission to not only align resources across business areas and geographic regions, but also ensure priorities stay closely linked to the company’s decades-long fuel for innovation: To make a difference in patient lives and serve unmet medical needs.

Robyn assumed the vice president role in 2023 after several years as a noted champion for long-term enterprise strategy and more than 25 years at the organization, mostly in finance positions. In her current role, she focuses on creating the strategic direction for the enterprise — using her passion for the impact the company has around the world to lead and motivate others.

Robyn earned an MBA at the University of Denver and holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Plattsburgh State University in New York. Throughout her career, she has been selected for prominent leadership programs, including ones affiliated with the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) in Lausanne, Switzerland, and the Institute of Higher Business Studies (IESE) in Barcelona, Spain.

Robyn and her family are based in Colorado, where she serves on the Board of Directors for The Action Center, a nonprofit resource organization assisting community members facing hardships. In her spare time, she finds inspiration from activities like mountain biking, skiing, and traveling.