Board Members

Rena Bradham is an accomplished Global Marketing Executive with over 25 years of experience in the medtech and life science industries. She has a strong background in various aspects of marketing, including strategy development and execution, product development, launch excellence, and lifecycle management. Rena’s expertise extends to customer insights, product innovation, market development, sales and marketing communications, and training development.

She is now leading the global marketing team at 10x Genomics, where she is responsible for global strategic marketing tasks such as commercialization strategy, brand, demand generation, sales enablement, and product launch. Before that, she led a global segment marketing and strategy team for Illumina, generating $4.5 billion in revenue. Her career also includes leadership roles at Qualcomm Life, BD/CareFusion, Smiths Medical, Intraluminal Therapeutics, and Boston Scientific, covering areas from genomics research to clinical applications in the hospital and clinic.

Rena holds a double Bachelor of Arts in Economics and History from the University of California, Los Angeles, and an MBA from Santa Clara University. She joined the Board of the San Diego Blood Bank in 2019.

Kenneth M. Cohen is an independent adviser to entrepreneurs, companies, and investors, primarily in the life sciences, and an experienced corporate director and board chairman. Ken was previously Co-founder, President and CEO of Somaxon Pharmaceuticals, a specialty pharmaceutical company. He was President and CEO of Synbiotics Corporation, a veterinary diagnostics company, and was Executive Vice President and COO for Canji, a gene-therapy company, until its acquisition by Schering-Plough Corp. He served as Vice President of Business Affairs at Argus Pharmaceuticals and VP of Marketing & Business Development for LifeCell Corporation. Ken held numerous positions during 10 years at Eli Lilly and Company, including Director of Business Planning for Medical Instrument Systems, which became Guidant Corp., and managed the launch of Prozac®, one of the most successful pharmaceutical products in history.

Ken received his A.B. degree from Dartmouth College and an M.B.A. from the Wharton School. In 1999, in recognition of his contributions to French-American business cooperation, the President of France named Ken a Chevalier of the National Order of Merit.

Mr. Cohen has consulted to and been a director of multiple pharmaceutical, medical device, and biotechnology companies. Ken is presently Trustee and Chairman Emeritus of the San Diego Humane Society. Ken is also a lecturer at the Fowler School of Business at San Diego State University, where he teaches multinational business management. Mr. Cohen joined the board in 2022.

Kazeem Omidiji is Director of Community Relations for the San Diego Gas & Electric Company (SDG&E), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sempra Energy, a Fortune 500 company based in San Diego, California. Kazeem is responsible for SDG&E’s corporate philanthropy and relations with non-profit and community-based organizations in San Diego County and south Orange County. Previously, he worked for KPMG US LLP as a Manager within the Deal, Advisory, & Strategy practice focusing on strategy consulting in the digital transformation space for the Utilities and Transportation sectors.  His career includes several positions in engineering, external affairs, regulatory affairs, and construction within the Energy sector.
 
Kazeem holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Nevada – Las Vegas. He previously served on Boards for the Central San Diego Black Chamber of Commerce, Villa Musica, the National Society of Black Engineers, and the Sempra Employee Giving Network. Mr. Kazeem Omidiji joined the SDBB Board in 2021.

Gabe Gutierrez is a Program Coordinator for the Strategy and Innovation Division of the County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency. Gabe earned a Master of Public Administration from San Diego State University, School of Public Administration. With respect to boards and commissions, Gabe is the former Chairman of the Chula Vista Planning Commission. He is also proud to be a 15-gallon donor with the San Diego Blood Bank. Gabe is married with two daughters. In his spare time, he enjoys visiting the region's parks. Gabe joined the Board in 2021.

Steve Rowles is an attorney and Chair of Morrison Foerster San Diego Corporate Group, Managing Partner of the San Diego office, and firmwide co-chair of the Emerging Companies & Venture Capital Group. He has practiced in San Diego for over 25 years and has a wealth of experience as corporate counsel to public and private companies, and the venture capital and private equity funds that invest in those companies.

He counsels companies at all stages in their life cycles. He distinguishes himself by achieving successful outcomes for clients utilizing best in class negotiating skills and creative and strategic thinking. He has been instrumental in starting, building and exiting numerous emerging growth companies in a broad range of industries including biotech, medical devices, digital health, diagnostics, healthcare services, clean technology and renewable energy, cybersecurity, fintech, agtech, software, 5G, semiconductors, telecommunications, e-commerce, new media and social networking.

Steve joined the SDBB Board of Directors in 2021.

Hilary Cocalis is the Founder & CEO of Sipwell Wine Company. Previous to starting her own venture, she was Vice President of Marketing for San Diego-based craft brewery Ballast Point Brewing Company and Constellation Brands. With over a decade of brand marketing expertise in consumer goods, she also currently serves as a consultant and advisor to several CPG food & beverage brands.

Ms. Cocalis holds an A.B. degree in African and African American Studies from Harvard University and an M.A. in Specialized Journalism from the University of Southern California. She previously served on the Board for the arts non-profit Young Audiences of San Diego (now Arts For Learning San Diego). She lives in North County, San Diego, with her husband and two daughters. Ms. Cocalis joined the SDBB Board in 2022. 
 

Laura Clapper, M.D., the Chief Medical Officer of FemTec Health, has 30+ years of multi-industry experience with small, mid-sized companies and iconic companies such as Cigna, Anthem, Aetna, and Health Net as well as serving in the Navy for 14 years. Currently, as the CMO of FemTec Health, she is leading their vision for reinventing women’s health by providing a modern wellness home including women’s health primary/urgent care and incorporating women-centric digital health solutions leveraging predictive analytics, technology, and science. In leading the FemTec Health Clinical team, Dr. Clapper brings her experience in analytics, consumer marketing, health promotion, and healthcare systems to FemTec Health’s execution. She has served in the physician leadership at several health plans and provider organizations where she has been responsible for clinical strategy population health management, total medical cost and provider partnerships, and leadership in National Accounts. 

Throughout her work with plans and the providers, Dr. Clapper focused on improving medical operations management, integration of Behavior Health and pharmacy, and enhancing programs to provide patients with the highest quality of care. As a Navy veteran, she has provided care from a global perspective and early on, learned the power of virtual care and technology to enhance the quality and experience of care in the community, hospital, and in remote locations. While a hospital medical director, Dr. Clapper led her hospital to the first WHO certification of a California hospital as Baby Friendly. She received her undergraduate degree from Stanford University, her Medical Degree from The Uniformed Services University School of Medicine in Bethesda, MD, and a Master’s in Public Policy and Health Economics from Claremont’s Drucker Business School and completed her residency at the National Medical Center Bethesda, MD in Pediatrics.  

Dr. Clapper is a board-certified pediatrician and lactation consultant. Dr. Clapper has taught at Stanford University on topics related to healthcare technology, services, and innovation, and is a mentor in the new Stanford Clinical Informatics Management Master’s Program. In addition, she holds an academic appointment with the University of California, San Diego. Dr. Clapper joined the Board in 2016.

Ms. Roemer recently retired as Chief Operating Officer of Verenium, an industrial biotechnology company. Prior to that, she was a senior executive in the chemical industry and has extensive experience in the operational management of large-scale, global businesses. Ms. Roemer holds a B.S. in chemistry from Miami University and an MBA from the University of Chicago. She has three grown children and enjoys travel, golf, and hiking with her dog. She joined the Board in 2015.

David Hsiao is the Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer at BioMed Realty, a San Diego-based Blackstone Portfolio Company that is a leading provider of real estate solutions for the life science and technology industries. Mr. Hsiao joined BioMed Realty in 2006 and drove the strategic IT/Business transformation that contributed to its success as a public company. Since privatizing and joining Blackstone in 2016, Mr. Hsiao concentrates his efforts on developing cutting edge business intelligence platforms along with innovative approaches to cybersecurity and information assurance.

David received his Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science and Engineering from the University of California, San Diego. Mr. Hsiao joined the Board in 2022.

Dr. Susan Stone is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Sharp Coronado Hospital and Senior Vice President of Hospital Laboratory Services for Sharp HealthCare. Dr. Stone joined Sharp HealthCare in 1986 holding numerous leadership positions including Chief Nursing Officer for two of Sharp’s seven hospitals.

Dr. Stone’s research has been featured in the peer reviewed Health Environments Research and Design Journal, she was a contributing author to the 2008 Patient-Centered Care Improvement Guide and she served on the Planetree International Board of Directors from 2013-2019. In recognition of Dr. Stone’s ongoing efforts to improve the lives of women and girls and her efforts to improve community wellness, she was named as the 2019 Soroptimist of Coronado Legend. She earned her Bachelor of Nursing Science at San Diego State University, a Master and Doctorate of Philosophy in Nursing Science at the University of San Diego and is a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives. Dr. Stone joined the Board in 2020.

Ms. Benton serves as the SDBB Board Chair effective January 1, 2022. Ms. Benton is an entrepreneur who has experience managing both for-profit and non-profit organizations. She was a general partner in a private equity firm in Washington DC for 25 years. She is the founder and board member for Vehicles for Change, Inc., a non-profit that awards automobiles to working poor families and trains previously incarcerated individuals to become auto mechanics. Ms. Benton is a graduate of the Harvard Business School.  In addition to being Chairman of the San Diego Blood Bank, she serves on the board of the Moores Cancer Center at UCSD, the San Diego Humane Society, and the Salk Institute Cancer Advisory Board. Ms. Benton has lived in San Diego since 2011.

Jean-Claude "JC" Kyrillos is a medical device and digital health executive. Most recently he served as SVP and president for Diagnostics and Digital Solutions at Envista Dental (NYSE:  NVST) and prior as SVP and general manager for Qualcomm Life until it was acquired by private equity investor Francisco Partners. Mr. Kyrillos has over 30 years of diversified business experience, including over 20 years of executive leadership in the medical device industry serving acute care, homecare, and diagnostics. Prior to Qualcomm Life, he was the worldwide vice president and general manager of BD’s (Becton Dickinson) global Infusion Solutions business (previously CareFusion).  In this role, he led BD’s Alaris infusion pump systems, including embedded and enterprise software with over $1 billion in annual revenues and ~5,000 global employees. Before BD/CareFusion, Mr. Kyrillos was president, ResMed Ventures and Initiatives and previously co-leader for ResMed, Americas, focused on sleep-disordered breathing, including obstructive sleep apnea.  Earlier in his career, he held several positions at Honeywell International, including finance leader for a $500 mil in annual revenues electronic materials business where he was based for three years in Hong Kong.  Mr. Kyrillos previously served on the Board of Directors for the Sharp Healthcare Foundation and serves as a student mentor for children who are the first generation from their families to attend college via A Bridge for Kids and the Georgetown Scholarship Program.  He earned an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BA with Honors in History from Colgate University. Mr. Kyrillos joined the SDBB Board in 2016.

Mr. Finzi, now retired, was a Senior Advisor to Credit Suisse serving on the Investment Committees of Credit Suisse Direct Equity Partners and Hudson Clean Energy. Previously he served as Managing Partner of the Sprout Group, Credit Suisse’s venture capital affiliate, and a General Partner of Merrill Lynch Venture Capital, which was merged into Sprout in 1991. Mr. Finzi serves on a number of for-profit and not-for-profit Boards of Directors. Mr. Finzi has a BS & MS in Industrial Engineering from Lehigh University and an MBA from Harvard Business School. He has twin daughters, is fluent in Italian and his hobbies include fishing and cooking. Mr. Finzi has served on the Board since 2015. 

headshot-CherylKim

Cheryl Kim has served in finance leadership roles over her 30+ year career. Most recently she served as CFO for Healthline.com, the leading healthcare information platform where she served on the executive team driving exponential growth under private equity ownership. She led the sale of Healthline.com twice as well as several acquisitions for the company. She currently is performing consulting services for multiple fast-growing healthcare companies. She obtained her B.B.A in accounting from the University of Iowa and obtained her CPA in California. 

Ms. Kim joined the Board in 2021.

Catherine (Cat) serves as CFO and Treasurer of Innovative Industrial Properties, Inc (IIPR)—an NYSE- traded REIT. IIPR targets medical-use cannabis facilities for acquisition, including sale-leaseback transactions, with tenants that are licensed growers under long-term triple net leases. 

Prior to joining IIPR, Cat served as vice president, internal audit of BioMed Realty Trust, Inc. (formerly NYSE: BMR), a REIT specializing in acquiring, leasing, developing, and managing laboratory and office space for the life science industry. She also was director of financial accounting and audit for The Corky McMillin Companies, a privately held real estate land developer and homebuilder, and a senior manager with KPMG LLP, where she audited the financial statements for public and private companies in a broad range of industries, with a focus on real estate.

Cat received her Master of Science in Accountancy from San Diego State University and her Bachelor of Arts in Economics and minor in Management from the University of California, Irvine. She is a Certified Public Accountant (inactive), a Certified Internal Auditor, and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, CalCPA, and the Institute of Internal Auditors. Cat resides in San Diego with her husband and two teenage daughters. Mrs. Hastings joined the board in 2023.

Omid Bakhtar, MD serves as vice president of Analytic Pathology Medical Group / Pacific Rim Laboratory and as medical director for Sharp Healthcare Outreach Laboratory.  Having received his medical school training at the Medical College of Wisconsin followed by pathology residency and fellowship at University of California, San Diego, Dr. Bakhtar brings over 20 years of experience in surgical and clinical pathology (laboratory medicine). He has a diverse background with emphasis in breast pathology and outpatient laboratory medicine.  As a board member of California Society of Pathologists (CSP), he is involved in laboratory-related regulatory and legislative interests.  Past duties have included medical directorship of Sharp Chula Vista laboratory and blood bank and Dr. Bakhtar actively provides expertise to the Sharp Healthcare blood banks. Most recently, he has focused on COVID related testing and has served as one of the trichairs on the San Diego County testing taskforce.  Dr. Bakhtar has contributed to many COVID related publications in addition to establishing the first school-based COVID testing program in California. Dr. Bakhtar joined the Board in October 2023. 

Michael is a partner in Baker Tilly’s San Diego office, national life sciences practice leader, and an audit partner serving many of our clients in the life sciences and technology industries. His experience in public accounting is coupled with several years of leadership in the private sector, serving both public and private life sciences companies. His wealth of knowledge in the field makes him a valuable asset for our clients. Michael serves on the Board of Directors for the Humane Society and the Association of Biotechnology Financial Officers. Michael joined the Board in December 2023.