Nicole Kho is a strategic leader driving transformative sustainability initiatives. As Senior Director within Gilead Sciences' Corporate Sustainability Team, she spearheads the company's Sustainability Strategy and reporting, ensuring alignment with global best practices and delivering tangible environmental and human health benefits. With over a decade at Gilead, she has evolved from leading environmental compliance to shaping the company's overarching sustainability vision. Nicole's expertise is further amplified by her advisory roles with Cal Poly SLO's NRES department, Board role for the International Institute of Sustainable Labs (I2SL), and the My Green Lab steering committee. Her foundation in molecular biology from UC San Diego and toxicology from San Diego State University, combined with her experience in environmental consulting and biotech research, provides a unique and powerful perspective on driving sustainable solutions.

Katie Sheehan is the Director of Sustainability for Breakthrough Properties, a joint venture between Tishman Speyer and Bellco Capital. In her role she oversees Breakthrough’s Sustainability and Climate strategy and co-leads the firm’s ESG Task Force. Prior to Breakthrough, Katie was a member of Tishman Speyer’s Global ESG team where she supported the firm’s corporate, project, and asset-level sustainability initiatives – particularly in the areas of energy and decarbonization, climate risk and resiliency, policy and regulation tracking, building certifications, and building materials/embodied carbon.

Katie joined Tishman Speyer in 2019 in Corporate Finance before transitioning to the ESG team in 2022, after working in Asset Management for two hotel REITs - Chesapeake Lodging Trust (now Park Hotels & Resorts) and LaSalle Hotel Properties (now Pebblebrook Hotel Trust). She holds a BS in Hotel Administration with a minor in Real Estate from Cornell University, and a MS in Sustainability Management from Columbia University. Katie is a LEED Green Associate, Living Future Associate, and Fitwel Ambassador.

John Swift, a partner and the global science and technology practice leader, has more than 30 years of experience in high performance building systems engineering design. He has delivered solutions for research, commercial and academic facilities that require effective and reliable infrastructure for the optimization of occupant health, safety and comfort, while minimizing energy and water consumption. He is recognized as an authority in the profession, helping write standards for the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air- Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), the Environmental Protection Agency – and has been an official reviewer for NIH grant submissions since 2009. His portfolio includes developments for leading research institutions such as Draper, Novartis, Brown University, MIT, and Harvard Medical School. Recently, he oversaw the completion of 400 Summer Street, the new, LEED Platinum, home for Foundation Medicine in Boston’s Seaport District.

Eric serves as project director for many of LPA’s largest laboratory and R & D projects, and oversees operations, strategic planning, and financial management for the San Diego studio. He is involved from the earliest stages of project design, from conceptual design to project completion, providing quality control and emphasis on collaboration and communication. His organizational, analytical, and creative skills have led to a seamless delivery process on diverse and complex projects, including more than 80 laboratory and research projects.

Eric specializes in tailoring client services to the unique needs of each project, based on his more than 20 years of project experience and design expertise. On a wide variety of life science projects, he has drawn praise for his positive attitude, thoughtful approach, and clear direction. His attention to detail and deep knowledge of the science and technology industry is essential in his role working with national life science companies, as well as his leadership in developing the firm’s lab planning discipline.

Lisa is a passionate advocate for sustainable structures, serving as rotating Chair of the Structural Engineers Association of California’s Sustainable Design Committee since 2009 and co-authoring several papers on sustainable design and construction, including one of the first studies on the life cycle impacts of structural systems. Highly engaged in California’s AB2446 embodied carbon workshops, she continues to lead efforts that advance low-carbon building strategies. Building on her expertise in timber innovation and sustainability, she supports clients and project teams through feasibility planning, design management, cost planning, and pre-construction, guiding early decisions to deliver pioneering, environmentally responsible projects.

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.

Corinne Peek-Asa, Ph.D., joined UC San Diego in 2022 as the Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation, and Distinguished Professor in the Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science. In her role as VCRI, she supports UC San Diego’s $1.76 billion research and innovation portfolio and works extensively with internal and external partners to support the campus and region. She has successfully expanded innovation activities in climate, national security, health, and broadening EDI programs for entrepreneurs. She is the Principal Investigator on grants from the Office of Naval Research and the State of California to expand UC San Diego’s research-to-innovation pipeline.

Dr. Peek-Asa’s research focuses on the epidemiology and prevention of traumatic injuries and violence. She is an elected member of the National Academy of Medicine and co-chairs the National Academies Accelerating Research in Traumatic Brain Injury Forum. She directs one of six National Institutes of Health-funded International Trauma Training Programs to build capacity in trauma and violence research. She is a founding member and past President of the Society for the Advancement of Violence and Injury Research and was named a ResearchAmerica! Public Health Hero.

Tracy Johnson was appointed dean of life sciences in September 2020. She is holder of the Keith and Cecilia Terasaki Presidential Endowed Chair, and a professor of molecular, cell, and developmental biology.

Johnson, who joined the UCLA faculty in 2013, is recognized for her scientific leadership, contributions to educational innovation, and as a champion of diversity, equity and inclusion. She is a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Professor and has served as associate dean for inclusive excellence in the division of life sciences since January 2015.

Prior to joining UCLA, she was a member of the UC San Diego biological sciences faculty and a Jane Coffin Childs postdoctoral research fellow at the California Institute of Technology. She earned her bachelor’s degree in biochemistry and cell biology at UC San Diego and her doctorate in biochemistry and molecular biology at UC Berkeley.

Jeffrey Roberts was born in California and completed his undergraduate studies there, first at Santa Rosa Junior College and then at the University of California, Berkeley, where he earned a BS in Chemistry in 1982. He earned a PhD in Chemistry from Harvard University in 1988, after which he was a post-doctoral associate in the Department of Chemical Engineering at Stanford University for two years. He joined the University of Minnesota as an Assistant Professor in 1990, and was promoted to Associate Professor in 1996 and Professor in 2003.

He served as Chair of the Department of Chemistry from 2005-09. In 2009, he moved to Purdue University, where he served as Frederick L. Hovde Dean of Science until 2017. He is currently Dean of the College of Sciences and Professor of Chemistry at San Diego State University.

Prof. Roberts has authored or co-authored over 100 peer-reviewed papers, as well as several book chapters and monographs. Prof. Roberts is the recipient of several awards, including a Special Creativity Award from the National Science Foundation (2003) and a Sloan Fellowship (1996). He was elected a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2008. His current research interests focus on aerosol surface chemistry.

Carmen Domingo became the dean of the College of Science and Engineering at San Francisco

State University in 2019, marking historic milestone as the first women and Latina to hold this

position. She oversees the largest college at the university, serving over 7000 majors.

Joining SF State as an assistant professor of Biology in 1997, Carmen later served as associate

chair of Biology from 2007 to 2015 and was the interim dean in 2017. An expert in vertebrate

embryology, she has taught and mentored hundreds of students in both the classroom and

research lab, many of whom have pursued excellent Ph.D. programs and careers in biomedical

sciences.

Carmen has secured numerous grants from the National Institute of Health, National Science

Foundation, California Institute of Regenerative Medicine, private foundations and non-profit

organizations. These grants support her research activities, student training, STEM diversity

efforts, and professional development opportunities for faculty. In 2018 she was elected as a

California Academy of Sciences fellow. Recently, she oversaw the construction of a 125,000 sq.

ft. all-electric science and engineering building dedicated to advancing STEM teaching and

research.

Carmen earned her Ph.D. in Molecular and Cell Biology from UC Berkeley in 1995. She was a

recipient of a UC President’s Postdoctoral Fellowship from 1995 to 1997 in the Integrative

Biology Department at UC Berkeley.

Vladimir Pajkic has extensive international experience envisioning and executing high-profile projects across a variety of building typologies, with an emphasis on research buildings for both academic and private clients. He has also led the design on mixed use, urban design, master planning, museums, high-rise, and hospitality projects. Vladimir joined ZGF following over a decade with Herzog & de Meuron, where as a partner, his experience includes projects in North America, Asia, and Europe. Originally from Croatia, Vladimir earned a Bachelor of Architecture from Cornell University and a Master of Architecture from Princeton University.

An associate partner with Syska Hennessy Group, Robert manages staff and projects across the multi-discipline MEP services. Robert has extensive experience with laboratory and life sciences projects including spaces for ISO cleanroom pharma manufacturing, electron microscopy, mass spectroscopy, BSL-3 containment, NMR environments, neuropharmacology and electrophysiology. He’s worked on projects with The Scripps Research Institute, Takeda Pharmaceuticals, The Burnham Institute, Pfizer and Genentech. Robert’s depth of experience in both design and project management enhances collaboration with owners, architects, and contractors.

Alicia Mistry Hinds serves as COO at Alloy Properties, a national life sciences platform formed by TPG Real Estate Partners in the spring of 2020 that focuses on investing in life sciences and innovation campuses in the major life science markets, including Boston, Raleigh-Durham, San Francisco, San Diego, Seattle and Atlanta. Prior to joining Alloy, Alicia spent a few years at Longfellow Real Estate Partners, primarily focusing on West Coast leasing and asset management. Before Longfellow, Alicia worked on a variety of different types of real estate under Goldman Sachs’s Merchant Banking Division. In her spare time, she enjoys scuba diving.

Martin L. Togni is a partner in the San Diego office of Allen Matkins with a practice focusing primarily on Life Sciences, representing a variety of landlords and tenants in the development and leasing of Life Science and Biotech projects. He has successfully completed major leasing transactions totaling more than 40 million square feet in California, the Midwest, and East Coast over the past 25 years, representing some of the nation's leading real estate and end-user companies. Martin also represents a wide variety of clients in the acquisition, disposition, development, financing and ground leasing of shopping centers, industrial projects, office buildings and other commercial and mixed-use projects throughout the country

Jonathan Parot serves as Vice President at Breakthrough Properties, where he leads development efforts across West Coast markets and the Asia-Pacific region. A recognized technical expert, Jonathan specializes and focuses on acquisitions, land use planning, entitlements, design, client programming, leasing, and preconstruction strategies for life science real estate. With over 15 years of experience, Jonathan has managed the design and construction of more than 5 million sq. ft. globally, encompassing ground-up developments, asset repositioning, and turnkey fit-outs for critical facilities including R&D, cGMP, manufacturing, clinical, vivarium, and US Pharmacopeia spaces.

Jonathan has worked closely with leading pharmaceutical, biotech, and healthcare organizations such as Pfizer, Becton Dickinson, Illumina, Abbott Vascular, the University of California, Sharp Healthcare, and the Veteran Affairs Healthcare System, among other private, federal and state agencies. He has recently served on the Torrey Pines Community Planning Board and actively involved on the Sharp Healthcare Real Estate & Construction Committee.

Before joining Breakthrough Properties, Jonathan was the Managing Director of Project & Development Services at Cushman & Wakefield in San Diego, and prior to that, Senior Project Manager and Deputy Resident Engineer with the US Army Corps of Engineers. He holds an MBA from San Francisco State University, a BS in Engineering, and is a commissioned officer in the US Army. With over 22 years of military service, Jonathan continues his commitment as a US Army Reserve officer, with experience ranging from emergency response at the Southern Border, leading liaison in Korea and the United Nations Command, to deployments in Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Kyle serves as Vice President and Market Executive for Phoenix and is responsible for new

developments, marketing, leasing, community engagement, design, construction, and

operations. His experience includes master planning and predevelopment for 800 PBC, 843 PBC,

and predevelopment in other West Region markets. He led development and leasing for 850

PBC, a 227,000 SF building in partnership with Arizona State University and the City of Phoenix at

the Phoenix Bioscience Core, which includes the first-ever Connect Labs by Wexford location. 850

PBC provides a bioscience-focused innovation and research space for ASU, CEI, NIH, and dozens

of private companies, resulting in the beginning of a vibrant Knowledge Community in downtown

Phoenix.

Prior to joining the Wexford team, Kyle was a Development Manager for a full-service real estate

firm based in Utah. He has completed extensive underwriting and due diligence throughout the

United States and brings development experience in a variety of asset types and markets. He led

the development of student housing, apartments, and hotels in multiple states.

He received his Bachelor of Science in Facility and Property Management from Brigham Young

University and a Master of Business Administration in Real Estate from the University of Utah.

Kyle currently serves on the Downtown Phoenix Inc Board, Phoenix Community Alliance Board,

ULI committees, and the BYU Facility and Property Management Industry Advisory Council.

As IMEG’s Director of Science & Technology, Brandon is involved with teams across the country delivering successful projects. His work includes projects in the pharmaceutical, biotech and semi-conductor industries, institutions of higher learning, and federal and local governments, including experience in high containment, clean room, life science, and vibration/temperature sensitive applications. With a passion for sustainability and energy conservation, Brandon’s work has led to numerous project awards, and he is a sought-out speaker at conferences.

Kimberly is a Senior Project Manager with over 15 years of specialized expertise in life sciences construction, having successfully delivered dozens of state-of-the-art laboratories, research centers, and office facilities for biotech and pharmaceutical clients throughout the San Diego market. She excels at aligning complex technical execution with evolving scientific requirements, ensuring seamless coordination between design teams, construction stakeholders, and end-user research organizations. Her strategic focus centers on creating future-ready, high-performance laboratory environments that anticipate emerging research methodologies and support long-term innovation and discovery.

Brian Kenworthy is an award-winning designer with over 25 years of experience, leading Science+Technology, Workplace, and Cultural design teams across SmithGroup's west region. He works fluidly across these market types, allowing influences from each to inform each project.

His expansive portfolio includes clients such as Wexford Science & Technology, the University of Washington, the University of Illinois at Chicago, the California Institute of Technology, and the California Department of General Services (DGS).

To Brian, creativity is a cultivated skill, a trained ability to weave together disparate elements in novel and inspiring ways imbued with both beauty and intellect. He is passionate about nurturing creativity within himself and others, with a focus on mentoring the next generation of designers.

Peter Dowley was appointed Senior Vice President, Investments Lead, San Diego & Life Science at Kilroy Realty Corporation. Mr. Dowley has been primarily focused on Life Science investment opportunities throughout the Company’s portfolio since joining Kilroy in 2018.

Prior to joining Kilroy, Mr. Dowley held progressive leadership roles with Strata Equity Group, Inc., BioMed Realty, and Ernst & Young.

Mr. Dowley holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Arizona.

Chris has 25+ years of experience in advancing biomedical technologies. He is Regional Innovation Officer for the MDM2 Consortium in Phoenix and Managing Director of Xcellerant Ventures, Arizona’s HealthTech-focused VC fund. A serial entrepreneur and angel investor, Chris has founded and led companies in oncology, cognitive computing, and personalized medicine. He actively supports startups through Yoo & Co Accelerators and mentorship at ASU, where he also teaches molecular diagnostics, bioengineering, and entrepreneurship. Chris holds a Ph.D. from Yale, completed a postdoc at UC Berkeley, and earned a B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania. He has also worked with Cisco, Oracle, and IBM on early personalized medicine strategies.

I operate at the intersection of strategy, execution, and capital. Typically in sectors where complexity is high and stakes are real.

My background spans consulting, venture investment, and operating leadership as a serial entrepreneur of several companies (and their exits). I currently serve as a senior partner at Crain & Company, where we advise biotech, animal health, healthcare services, energy, and professional service firms on hardcore strategy, scaling operations, entering new markets, and unlocking value that others overlook.

Much of my work centers on pattern recognition — identifying structural inefficiencies, underleveraged assets, or mispriced risk — and then designing strategies and operational systems to exploit them. That may take the form of scrapping and restarting strategic planning, turnaround execution, investment planning, restructuring a team, reworking a distribution model, or guiding a board through strategic recalibration.

As an investor, my approach favors binary events, asymmetric opportunities, and quiet fundamentals over loud storytelling. Here I span early-stage ventures and the public markets.

Howard Kozloff is the Founder & CEO at Noblespace, a real estate development platform serving emerging science and technology businesses with flexible work and lab facilities. Noblespace offers customizable spaces that complement and enhance surrounding business, research and educational institutions. Especially for sectors with unique infrastructure or compliance requirements, the platform helps companies optimize costs while maintaining agility to scale when ready. Kozloff is also co-founder of HATCHspaces, and lives in Los Angeles where he is active with a number of youth recreation and education programs.

Bill Hunter is Managing Director at Perceptive Real Estate Equities, Inc. With more than two decades of experience as a life sciences and healthcare real estate investor, developer and operator, his career spans a period dating back to when institutional life sciences real estate was still emerging as a distinct asset class. His career spans acquisitions, leasing, development, and asset repositioning across major US life sciences markets, with involvement in more than $10.5 billion of acquisitions, 12.4 million square feet of leasing, and 4.6 million square feet of campus repositioning projects in Boston, the Mid Atlantic, Research Triangle Park, San Francisco, San Diego, and Miami. Bill was a pre-IPO hire at BioMed Realty Trust and an early team member at Wexford Science and Technology, where he helped build two of the platforms that shaped the modern life sciences real estate market. His experience spans the full life cycle of laboratory, GMP, clinical, and R & D environments, including technical infrastructure, regulatory requirements, and the operational needs of pharmaceutical, bio technology, medical device, CDMO, and university research users. More recently, Bill has focused on complex and dislocated situations, supporting owners, lenders, and investors in navigating stalled projects, capital structure challenges, and asset repositioning decisions, with an emphasis on restoring stability and long-term optionality.

CRISPR QC is at the forefront of biosensor innovation, enabling the Internet of Biology through its groundbreaking platform. As Chief Executive Officer with over 6 years in biotechnology, leadership focuses on empowering teams to revolutionize diagnostics, therapeutics, and bioinformatics. The organization thrives under a vision of operational excellence and strategic business development.

Previous roles include co-founding and scaling Cardea Bio Inc., where contributions transformed the biotechnology sector. Expertise spans corporate strategy, process improvement, and analytical decision-making, ensuring impactful outcomes. Dedicated to leveraging cutting-edge science to deliver meaningful value for customers, partners, and society.

Adam has more than 25 years of experience in laboratory design with an ability to fine tune a program and create high fidelity. As Science & Technology Strategist and Director of Lab Planning for SmithGroup, Adam drives strategy and thought leadership to ensure research environments meet current and future design challenges. He specializes in identifying the complex needs of clients and helping create spaces that enhance their capabilities. His highly technical knowledge of lab and design trends deliver future-forward buildings.

Glen Bayliff is a Project Executive at BNBuilders with more than three decades of experience in leadership, engineering, and construction. His career path has taken him from civil and structural engineering, to serving as a Marine Corps officer, to global real estate and construction leadership roles where he oversaw complex developments across multiple markets.

Over the past 11 years, Glen has specialized in the life sciences sector, guiding clients through the full lifecycle of campus and facility development. He is known for his ability to align project vision with technical execution, ensuring that highly complex research environments are designed and built to meet both current and future needs. His background in both engineering and leadership allows him to bridge the gap between design, construction, and operations, providing strategic oversight and practical solutions.

At BNBuilders, Glen continues to build trusted partnerships with industry leaders by delivering innovative, collaborative, and mission-driven facilities that advance research and discovery.

Sonia joined King Street in 2021 with over 15 years of experience in commercial real estate and finance. As Managing Director and West Region Market Leader, she is responsible for overseeing the firm’s activities in the Western United States. She holds a B.S. in Business Administration and B.A. in Economics from the University of California at Berkeley as well as a Master of Business Administration degree from Harvard Business School.

Chris Tipre is based in San Diego, serves as Principal for Trammell Crow Company (TCC), and leads the national developer’s local expansion into San Diego. He re-established the firm’s office in the market and is responsible for overseeing the business, which currently includes three life science facilities, and three multifamily projects, which are under construction or in predevelopment. While building the team in San Diego, Chris also manages capital relationships, and works alongside brokers, architects, contractors, and consultants in the sourcing, shaping, and execution of new development projects.

Chris leads the company’s local land and deal sourcing, financial analysis, due diligence, entitlements, debt and equity capital relationships, development coordination, and project leasing for life science, office, multifamily, mixed-use and industrial developments. His efforts have created a San Diego pipeline encompassing more than 1.3 million square feet of off-market development opportunities equating to over $1.1 billion in expected total project costs.

Alicia Michael serves as the National Life Sciences Lead at Johns Manville, a Berkshire Hathaway company, where she collaborates with top building owners, developers, architects, and design-build firms to deliver advanced commercial roofing solutions for critical life sciences environments.

With a background that spans entrepreneurship, executive leadership, and global health, Alicia has founded four companies across diverse industries and previously served as CEO of a global public health organization operating in five African countries and India. Her work has involved developing public-private partnerships with the CDC, in-country ministries of health, and some of the world’s leading pharmaceutical innovators.

Juan Cueva is Senior Director, Search and Evaluation, West North America at Johnson & Johnson Innovation (JJI). In this role, he leads a team charged with identifying and evaluating cutting-edge life science innovations for all of J&J’s therapeutic areas of interest. Previously, Juan was a Senior Director of Early Innovation Partnering at JJI where he transacted on licensing and collaboration opportunities for Neuroscience and Discovery, Product Development, and Supply Groups. Before joining JJI, Juan was an Investor at Action Potential Venture Capital where he led sourcing, research, and due diligence in bioelectronic therapeutic technologies. Juan has also held various roles in venture capital at Applied Ventures as well as key operational roles including Business Development Manager at Ultragenyx Pharmaceuticals. Juan is a proud mentor to underrepresented students and professionals in STEM-related fields and is a board member for the Hispanic Foundation of Silicon Valley. Juan completed his Postdoctoral Fellowship at Stanford University, where he focused on neuroscience, molecular biology, and genetics. Juan earned his B.S in Neuroscience and Ph.D. in Neurobiology from the University of California Los Angeles, and his M.B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley.

Steve has dedicated his career to ensuring science thrives. He leads CannonDesign's award-winning Science & Technology Practice and guides teams in designing projects that supercharge discovery—from buildings designed to develop life-saving cancer treatments to environments that further exploration of space’s outer limits. Steve’s goal on any project is to ensure scientists and researchers across government, health and commercial sectors have optimized, healthy and exhilarating environments where they are able to perform at their best. He partners with top organizations to break barriers, demand more change and take the next steps to achieve their research potential.

Tim Schoen has served as BioMed’s CEO since 2016. Under Mr. Schoen’s leadership, BioMed

Realty has grown its portfolio, including development to 17 million square feet across six core

markets, while providing its tenants with mission-critical infrastructure that expands their

innovation capacity to advance human health. In addition to expanding the business, Mr.

Schoen has earned numerous awards including Dealmaker of the Year award in 2020, and was

selected as a Leader of Influence list in 2023.

Mr. Schoen currently serves on the Executive Committee and Board of Trustees for the Salk

Institute in San Diego and is the chair of Salk’s Conquering Cancer Initiative Advisory Committee

and the Finance Chair. He also serves on the Board of Directors for CoreGiving, a nonprofit that

seeks to fight childhood hunger and food insecurity. The organization has provided more than

66 million meals since its inception and mobilized over 3,000 volunteers in excess of 80 cities

across North America, Europe, Asia and Australia on CoreGiving Day 2024.

Prior to joining BioMed Realty, Mr. Schoen was Executive Vice President and Chief Financial

Officer of Healthpeak, an S&P 500 real estate company, from 2011 to 2016. Mr. Schoen served

as Vice President of Corporate Finance at Kilroy Realty Corporation for nine years before his

time at Healthpeak. Mr. Schoen received a BS in finance and international business from

Minnesota State University and earned his MBA from the University of California, Irvine’s Paul

Merage School of Business, where he was a Dean’s Scholar.

As of January, 2025, Mr. Panetta has transitioned from Biocom’s President & CEO to President Emeritus. In his new role, he will champion all of the organization’s international initiatives. From 1999-2024 Mr. Panetta was President and CEO and a member of the Board of Directors of Biocom California, the state’s largest and most-experienced leader and advocate for the life science industry. Biocom CA works on behalf of over 1,700 members to drive public policy, build an enviable network of industry leaders, create access to capital development, introduce cutting-edge STEM education programs, and create robust value-driven purchasing programs.

Mr. Panetta is co-founder of the Biocom Political Action Committee; the Biocom Institute for education and workforce development; and the California Biotechnology Foundation, a joint initiative to inform legislators and the media about the life science industry in the state, of which he is Chairman. Since 2014, Mr. Panetta has been a member of the Independent Citizens Oversight Committee, which serves as the governing and oversight board for the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) and is responsible for providing grant funding under the $5.5 billion California Stem Cell Initiative.

Mr. Panetta holds a Bachelor of Science degree in biology from LeMoyne College, and a Master of Public Health degree in industrial and environmental health from the University of Pittsburgh. Mr. Panetta brings a depth of experience to his role, having worked in the life science industry at companies including Dow AgroSciences, Mycogen, Shearing AG, and Pennwalt Corp. He also served as a senior policy analyst at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in Washington, D.C.

Danielle Benford is the Senior Vice President at VOC Associates, where she leads the Medical

Equipment, Implementation, and Transition & Activation Teams. She plays a key role in

managing complex projects across the United States, with a focus on Transition & Activation

Services for a wide range of healthcare environments—including laboratories, pharmacies,

radiological suites, surgical suites, central sterilization departments, clinics, hospitals, and

medical office buildings.

Before joining VOC Associates, Danielle served as a Construction Project Manager and

Transition Planner at University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics, where she gained deep expertise in

healthcare project delivery and operational readiness.

Danielle is also actively involved in professional development within the industry and is currently

working to establish the Iowa Chapter of the Association of Medical Facility Professionals

(AMFP).

Danielle is dedicated to improving processes and outcomes in the built healthcare

environment—enhancing spaces for both those receiving care and the professionals who

deliver it.

Chris Orlando, RN, BSN is a healthcare professional turned entrepreneur with a passion for

turning complex ideas into practical, high-impact solutions. A dual-degree graduate from the

University of Toledo in Biology and Nursing, Chris is the co-founder of VOC Associates,

LLC—a leading healthcare consulting firm specializing in planning and activation services for

hospitals, laboratories, and clinics. With a hands-on, results-oriented leadership style, he helps

project teams streamline design and construction processes while ensuring clinical teams are

fully prepared to operate efficiently from day one.

Beyond his work in healthcare, Chris is deeply committed to mentorship, community

engagement, and supporting nonprofit initiatives. He thrives on fueling innovation in others and

giving back through meaningful partnerships. An adventurer at heart, Chris embraces challenges

with enthusiasm—whether he's hiking a mountain, cycling long-distance routes, or camping

under the stars—all while inspiring others to push boundaries and pursue excellence.

Nina Armstrong is a passionate sustainability professional dedicated to improving the built environment's impact on climate and society. With a focus on advancing GBI’s Green Globes and Journey to Net Zero programs, Nina helps building owners, portfolio managers, and facility teams improve the sustainability, health, and resilience of their properties. She brings a deep commitment to fostering sustainable and healthy spaces that benefit both people and the planet, leveraging her experience to drive meaningful change in the green building sector.

Salvatore Zinno currently is Senior Vice President, Development, East Coast and U.K. markets before serving as Vice President, Development, East Coast markets. Mr. Zinno will have direct oversight over the 3.8 million square foot development pipeline in Boston, Cambridge and the U.K. He has worked for more than a decade with the city of Boston and surrounding communities on a variety of projects to develop new infrastructure to support the life science industry. Mr. Zinno joined BioMed in 2008 and has held various development and project management positions in Boston and Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Kishore Varanasi is a globally recognized urban designer, educator, and strategic thinker whose work has reshaped urban landscapes and redefined the role of cities in fostering delightful, equitable, resilient, and human-centered futures. As Senior Principal and Director of Urban Design, he leads visionary projects that integrate design excellence with social and environmental purpose.

His portfolio includes transformative master plans such as P&G Fort Point Waterfront, Cambridge Crossing, Boston University, and Suffolk Downs; mixed-use developments like 585 Kendall and Bulfinch Crossing in Greater Boston; and internationally acclaimed initiatives such as Masdar City, Hudayriat Island, Abu Dhabi Climate Initiatives, Plan Capital 2040 in Abu Dhabi, Lincoln Yards in Chicago, and the Durham Innovation District.

Known for his ability to align community, civic, and private interests, Varanasi is a trusted advisor to city leaders, institutions, and developers—championing designs grounded in the highest standards of excellence, long-term value, and sustainability. His work has been recognized by organizations including the American Institute of Architects, Rethinking the Future, World Architecture News, and the Urban Land Institute, among others.

A passionate educator and mentor, Varanasi has taught and served as a visiting critic at MIT, Harvard University, and the Boston Architectural College, where he is also a Trustee. He contributes actively to the civic realm through leadership roles at Boston Harbor Now and the Emerald Network, reinforcing his role as a convener of public dialogue on the future of cities. He has served on prestigious juries such as the Urban Land Institute Americas Awards for Excellence and the World Architecture News Awards, lending global perspective to the recognition of design innovation. His contributions have been widely celebrated, including receiving the Norman B. Leventhal Award for Urban Excellence for leadership in creating cities that foster community, equity, and resilience.

Varanasi holds a Master of Science in Urbanism from MIT, a Master of Architecture from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and a Bachelor of Architecture from Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University in Hyderabad. In his role at CBT, he continues to inspire, innovate, and lead—shaping the cities of tomorrow through visionary design, strategic leadership, and an unwavering commitment to the public good.