Leader in Cook Medical’s first dedicated Corporate Development team driving organizational focus on inorganic growth via M&A, strategic partnerships, and divestitures. Identifying strategic focus areas with C-suite and commercial executive leadership, including business case development, technical and commercial diligence, and transaction valuation/structuring. Enabling maturity of innovation pipelines through M&A, investments, joint ventures, and IP licensing.

Acted as a senior leadership team member contributing to company innovation strategy and R&D stage-gate decisions. Directed medical device/technology development teams, fostered external partnerships, and led M&A/investment opportunity project teams across all of Cook’s Vascular and MedSurg programs. Provided global technical expertise in developing ISO standards since 2012 as a US nominee to ISO, AAMI, and ASTM for degradable materials, blood interactions, nanomaterials, and implantation.

Led group of 30+ multidisciplinary high performers focused on early-stage research, technology enablement, and engineering/scientific support delivery on R&D projects. Partnered with Vascular Business Development and upstream Product Management to identify and evaluate technologies, including diligence and collaborations with external companies. Worked on core technology areas, comprising drug-eluting devices, novel device designs, and absorbable/advanced materials. Directed entire aspects of employee hiring and talent development/mentoring. Defined annual goals and critical metrics to track performance.

Oversaw end-to-end operations of the Product Discovery group leading device concept research across all Cook business units, including aortic and peripheral vascular intervention, urology, women’s health, surgery, and critical care. Implemented unmet needs-focused project process to identify clinical, technical, and business needs. Developed preclinical disease models to evaluate novel treatment methods and technologies, including atherosclerosis, vascular occlusion & thrombosis, and aneurysms.

Led and supported multiple projects from ideation through clinical evaluation & manufacturing transfer, including: - ConnectSX Covered Stent: Led development of vascular covered stent from concept, through V&V, and transfer to manufacturing, culminating in PRESERVE clinical study.- Zenith® Connection Endovascular Covered Stent: Led process validations and clinical builds for pilot study of aortic aneurysm branched endograft covered stent (also in PRESERVE study).- Platform Technology: Developed multiple stent product concepts based on the covering technology platform, including fenestrated endografts, TIPS, embolization, and trauma indications.- Next-Generation Aortic Endograft platform: Developed ultra-low profile aortic endograft technologies; resulted in 25% reduction in device French size.- Combination devices: Supported global R&D teams with drug-eluting device development for endovascular and endourological indications.

- Developed anti-thrombogenic surfaces for the Penn State mechanical circulatory support program, focusing on left ventricular assist devices, pediatric devices, and vascular grafts.- Received Young Investigator Award for work on blood clot resistant surfaces and two internal grants for self-initiated research into the effects of degradable polymer surface properties on cellular responses.

- Lead engineer developing medical devices for rapid detection of bacterial / viral contamination of blood products; reduced bacterial analysis time by 95%; commercialized as the Bac-Detect system.- Filed two patents on microelectromechanical medical devices.