Brian is the Director of Manufacturing at the Kite Pharma manufacturing facility in Frederick, MD. He has experience in biotechnology process development, clinical and commercial manufacturing, project management, and Manufacturing Sciences spanning 20 years at Eli Lilly, MedImmune / AstraZeneca, Lonza, and Kite. He has led or contributed to multiple facility design and startup programs, in addition to leading Manufacturing teams and Manufacturing Sciences teams. Brian lives in Middletown, MD with his wife and three teen-age daughters.

Judy Costello is the Managing Director, Economic Development for BioHealth Innovation, Inc., which works to grow the biohealth industry in the BioHealth Capital Region (Maryland, DC and Virginia). A longtime supporter of the region’s entrepreneur and innovation communities, Judy joined BHI in 2017 after serving as Director of the Maryland Department of Commerce's Office of BioHealth and Life Sciences and as Deputy Director of the the department's BioMaryland Center. She previously worked for fifteen years as Executive Director of the Business Alliance organizing venture pitch forums, entrepreneur bootcamps, technology transfer showcases, educational seminars, and other programs connecting entrepreneurs, faculty innovators, students, and industry leaders in Maryland, DC and Virginia with each other and with those providing funding and other resources to young companies.

Christy Wyskiel is the Senior Advisor to the President of Johns Hopkins University on

matters of innovation, commercialization, and entrepreneurship. In this role, she leads

Johns Hopkins Technology Ventures, a division of the university responsible for

technology transfer, industry research partnerships, and company incubation under the

brand ‘FastForward’. Since her appointment in 2013, Christy has transformed the

culture of commercialization at Johns Hopkins, opening 44,000 square feet of

FastForward innovation space to support startup companies, securing over $100mm of

new corporate partnership revenue, and facilitating the creation of 50+ companies. JHU

companies have raised over $2.0 billion in venture capital during her tenure. Christy is a

fierce advocate for the future of Baltimore and the role that Johns Hopkins University

can play in populating the city skyline with companies borne, built and grown locally.

Christy is a seasoned entrepreneur, investor, and ecosystem builder with 25 years of

experience primarily focused on the life sciences and healthcare industries. Prior to her

role at Johns Hopkins, Christy co-founded two Baltimore based startups and served as

a formal and informal advisor to many others. Prior to that, Christy worked as an

institutional investor where she had a long track record of successful investing in both

public and private companies.

In 2018, the Baltimore Sun named Christy as one of 25 Women to Watch. Also in 2018,

the Baltimore Business Journal named Christy to the Power 10, a group of leaders who

are making a significant impact on their companies and communities. In 2016, she was

a Baltimore Business Journal “Tech 10” Award recipient, and in 2015, one of 10 “Faces

to Watch.”

Christy serves on the Maryland Life Sciences Advisory Board as an appointee of

Governor Hogan, working across sectors to drive Maryland’s preeminence in the life

sciences industry. Christy also co-chairs Baltimore’s Next Generation Investing Event,

an event she co-founded in 2009, which has raised over $500,000 for three K-8

education initiatives in Baltimore City. In 2015, Christy served as a member of the

Maryland Economic Development and Business Climate Commission, known as the

“Augustine Commission.” In 2014, she was added to the Board of Trustees of the Abell

Foundation and the Baltimore Development Corp. From 2012-2014, she served on the

board of the Maryland State Retirement Plan (MSRP), which oversees $3 billion in

defined contribution assets of state employees. She was part of Leadership Maryland’s

2016 Class.

Christy has a BA in Economics and German from Williams College and an MBA in

Accounting and Finance from the Stern School of Business at New York University. She

lives in Baltimore City with her husband, two children, and a cat. In her free time, she

enjoys Baltimore’s farmers’ markets, biking on her Peloton, yoga, and golf (where she is

regularly outmatched by her 14 year old son).

Greg Harraka joined Coakley & Williams Construction in 1986 and has almost 40 years’ experience in the

construction industry. As Partner and Senior Vice President he oversees the successful execution and

completion of projects, establishes and implements corporate policies relating to performance

standards, purchasing, subcontracting, scheduling, cost control, safety, quality control, commissioning,

project close out, and warranty service. Greg is currently the Principal in Charge on the 260,000 SF Kite

TCF05 Cell Therapy Manufacturing Facility project off I-270 in Urbana, MD. This project will be a cutting-

edge biomanufacturing facility for the production of T-Cell therapies focused on curing cancer.

As a Principal with StonebridgeCarras, Kent Marquis focuses on financial strategies relative to acquisitions, asset management, and dispositions. He manages relationships with current and prospective financing partners, directs the underwriting of potential investment properties, manages the firm’s investment assets, and reports on all investments to lenders and investors. He has more than twenty years of experience in the real estate industry with complex joint venture structures spanning a diverse range of property types.

Prior to joining StonebridgeCarras, Mr. Marquis worked in public accounting with Reznick Group in audit/compliance. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance and Accounting from Husson University and is a Certified Public Accountant. Mr. Marquis served as co-chair of the District of Columbia Building Industry Association Capital Markets Committee from 2014-2016. He is a member of the Urban Land Institute (ULI) and serves as a mentor in the ULI Mentorship Program.

Since joining Scheer Partners in 2003, Matt Brady, Senior Vice President has successfully completed commercial real estate transactions for over 1,000,000 square feet of office, R&D and industrial space totaling close to $100 million in transaction value. For over six years Matt has concentrated his efforts on providing comprehensive real estate services and has extensive experience in executing complex projects consisting of leasing, strategic facility planning/consulting, acquisitions and financing. Matt’s knowledge of the market and dedicated problem-solving skills has enhanced his ability to add value to transactions through skilled and professional advice, superior negotiating skills and unique technical aptitude.

Raj Vora is a life sciences core market leader at DPR Construction, one of the top technical builders and the #1 ranked pharmaceutical contractor in the U.S. for the last 5 years (ENR 2017-2021).

Raj has more than 20 years of experience in the A/E/C industry, with emphasis on Life Sciences where he has delivered complex engineering and construction projects at a high level of quality while maintaining budget and schedule requirements. Focused on cell/gene therapy projects and companywide resources, he works across DPR to help our teams excel in the life sciences core market, which is focused on understanding and better serving customers in the areas of biotechnology, pharmaceutical, bio-agricultural, medical device and research institutes.

Lynne Stein Benzion is MCEDC’s Director of Economic Development, charged with helping

businesses locate, grow and expand in the county. For much of her 20-year economic

development career, life sciences has been her main area of focus. She has assisted

companies at every stage including startups (On Demand Pharmaceuticals, Autonomous

Therapeutics), emerging companies (Seraxis, Deka Biosciences), commercial-stage businesses

(REGENXBIO, Vigene Biosciences, Supernus) and global corporations (QIAGEN, Novavax).

Her knowledge in life sciences and the local business community gives her unmatched

expertise. Lynne also initiated and led an MCEDC team that worked with the International

Economic Development Council (IEDC) for a year to develop MCEDC’s Equity Economic

Development Plan, and now leads the team executing the plan.

Previous to MCEDC, Lynne was the Vice President of Strategic Planning for the Business

Development Board in Palm Beach County, Florida, where she was responsible for short-and

long-term planning, special projects, and strategy development. She also served as Deputy

Director for much of her ten years at Rockville Economic Development, Inc. In addition to

retention and redevelopment duties covering a wide range of industries, she orchestrated major

conferences including the Annual Postdoc Conference and Career Fair, and was a public face

of the organization, regularly tapped by media for her business expertise.

A graduate of the University of Virginia, she holds a Certified Economic Developer (CEcD)

designation, earned by only 1,300 people nationwide. It indicates extensive experience and

continuous education in the field. She is active on IEDC’s Higher Education Advisory Committee

and its Redefining Equitable Economic Development Committee and as a CEcD mentor, and

is also a graduate of Leadership Montgomery, Class of 2012.

Marc Elrich was elected as Montgomery County Executive on Nov. 6, 2018. He had previously served three terms (12 years) on the Montgomery County Council as an at-large member, being first elected in 2006. He served as a Councilmember on the Takoma Park City Council from 1987-2006. For 17 years, he was a teacher at Rolling Terrace Elementary School in Takoma Park.

As a County Councilmember, he was the chief sponsor of several landmark pieces of legislation and programs. He led the successful effort to increase the Montgomery County minimum wage in coordination with surrounding jurisdictions to $11.50 an hour and subsequent legislation that will eventually increase the minimum wage to $15 an hour. He was the first elected official to propose building a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system throughout the County to address Montgomery's transportation and environmental problems. Ground was broken in Fall 2018 for the first BRT line, which will run along Route 29.

Throughout his political career, he has been a champion of improving tenants' rights and for making developers pay for a greater share of the infrastructure cost to build schools and transportation solutions. He was a leader in the fight to preserve Ten Mile Creek in the Clarksburg area by limiting the proposed development that would have threatened the health of Montgomery County's last best stream which flows into the County's backup water reservoir.

As a market president for United Bank, Steve is responsible for the management and operation of all bank offices in the Suburban Maryland area, including client relationships and new business development. Prior to this role, Steve was a commercial lender with United for 13 years, working with international, national and local real estate developers who focus on multifamily development, retail, office, residential homebuilding and industrial properties. He also serves on the board for the Catholic Charities Golf Classic and is involved in the corporate work study program with Don Bosco Cristo Rey high school, which allows students to apply classroom learning to the workplace.