KEYNOTE SPEAKERS & PRESENTERS

Keynote Speakers: 

• Eli Capilouto, President, University of Kentucky 
• Ian McClure, Vice President for Innovation at UK HealthCare and Associate Vice President for Research (AVPR), Innovation and Economic Impact, UK Research
• Ilhem Messaoudi, Acting Vice President for Research, University of Kentucky 
• Jonathan Shell, Commissioner, Kentucky Department of Agriculture 

Emcee: 

• Kayla Meisner, Executive Director, Kentucky Commercialization Ventures (KCV) 

Presenters: 

• Keith Arvin, Director of Quality, Catalent 
• Robert Bockrath, Deputy Vice President for SOF Global Logistics Support Services, Lockheed Martin 
• Landon Borders, Director, Estate Whiskey Alliance 
• Chuck Collins, Director of University Research & Engagement, Fidelity Center for Applied Technology (FCAT) 
• Scottie Day, Physician-In-Chief, Kentucky Children’s Hospital 
• Shaylyn Gammon, Whiskey Director, Blue Run Spirits 
• Kristen Gullo, Senior Vice President, US WorldMeds 
• Lorie Hailey, Director of Communications, Alltech 
• Laura Hammond, Commercial Director, FirstBuild
• Vaughn Holder, Global Beef Research Director, Alltech 
• Jenny Ligon, Ecosystem Liaison, Advanced Technology International (ATI)
• Terry Samuel, President, Kentucky Science & Technology Corporation 
• Rick Suel, Director of Product Engineering, FirstBuild 
• Jason Weller, Global Chief Sustainability Officer, JBS Foods 

Healthcare Panelists: 

• Tariq Chaudry, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky 
• Linda Dwoskin, Senior Associate Vice President for Research and Endowed Professor of Pharmaceutical Education, College of Pharmacy, University of Kentucky 
• Kip Guy, Dean, College of Pharmacy, University of Kentucky 
• Meghan Marsac, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky 

Startup Panelists

• Roger England, Chief Technical Officer, Valvoline Global Operations
• Jake Miller, Industry Transformation Program Advisor, Launch Blue
• Erin Shea, Senior Program Manager, Launch Blue

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

DR. ELI CAPILOUTO

President

University of Kentucky

Dr. Eli Capilouto became the 12th President of the University of Kentucky on July 1, 2011. Under his leadership, the Commonwealth's flagship and land grant research university has grown from $2.7 billion to nearly $8.4 billion in total operations and has gained significant momentum in advancing Kentucky — the institution’s singular yet multifaceted mission. 

President Capilouto has led a more than $7 billion transformation of the campus, aimed at enriching the living-learning experience of UK's students, ensuring their success; strengthening the university's research infrastructure dedicated to solving Kentucky's most intractable health and economic challenges; and expanding UK HealthCare's capacity to teach, heal and serve. Through partnerships with the private sector, increased philanthropy and effective financial management, UK is self-financing much of this aggressive infrastructure development with the purpose of equipping the next generation of leaders who will impact our world for the better. 

Under his leadership, the priorities outlined in the strategic plan and the innovation of the campus has resulted in historic student success; improved care for our people; unrivaled ingenuity; greater trust, transparency and accountability; and a community of belonging. The progress on campus is resulting in a high-quality workforce and improved health and well-being for the Commonwealth UK has served for 160 years — all essential to advancing Kentucky. 

A native of Montgomery, Alabama, Dr. Capilouto previously served as provost of the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) and dean of the UAB School of Public Health — a period of remarkable growth and transformation at one of the leading academic and health sciences institutions in the south. Dr. Capilouto holds several undergraduate and graduate degrees from schools within the University of Alabama system, a Doctorate of Dental Medicine from UAB and a Doctorate in Health Policy and Management from Harvard University. He and his wife, Dr. Mary Lynne Capilouto (D.M.D.) a former Dean of the UAB School of Dentistry, have one daughter. 

IAN MCCLURE

Vice President for Innovation

UK HealthCare

Associate Vice President for Research, Innovation and Economic Impact

UK Research

Ian D. McClure, J.D., LL.M., is the Vice President for Innovation at UK HealthCare and Associate Vice President for Research (AVPR), Innovation and Economic Impact and Executive Director of UK Innovate at the University of Kentucky (UK), where he leads efforts to translate UK discoveries for the public good, seek equitable returns on UK intellectual property (IP), enhance UK’s investments in innovation, catalyze a culture and capacity for entrepreneurship and expand industry and other collaborative research partnerships. 

Ian’s portfolio includes oversight of 5 units making up UK Innovate: Ecosystem and Innovation Talent Development, Innovation Connect for industry partnerships, Social Innovation, Technology Commercialization and Healthcare Innovation. Previously as UK Office of Technology Commercialization’s executive director, he oversaw a team of 25+ staff managing the university’s IP, licensing and startup portfolios. Under his oversight, UK OTC increased its commercialization metrics by up to 400%. Ian is the past Chair of the Board of Directors for AUTM and a member of the Advisory Board of the Kentucky Science and Technology Corporation, Launch Blue Accelerator and Level Set Capital. In August 2024, Ian joined the Center for American Entrepreneurship (CAE) as a board member. In 2023, Ian received an Expert appointment advising the NSF’s Directorate for Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships (TIP). In 2022, he was appointed by Department of Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo to the National Advisory Council on Innovation and Entrepreneurship (NACIE), with his appointment ending November 2024. As an innovator, Ian is a principal investigator or co-investigator on five federal grants focused on tech-based economic development (NIH, NSF, & EDA).  

Ian began his career as a Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) and IP transactions attorney at Wyatt, Tarrant & Combs, LLP in Louisville. Following private practice, he helped build a startup company in Chicago, IPXI, that was the world’s first financial exchange for IP and technology rights, which he led through growth to 30+ full-time employees and three offices.  

Before returning to Kentucky, Ian was Vice President of IP Strategy for Black Stone IP (acquired by Houlihan Lokey), a boutique investment bank headquartered in San Francisco focused on IP-rich M&A and technology-driven transactions. In parallel, he teaches graduate courses on the Law & Business of IP Management at the Chicago-Kent College of Law and the University of Kentucky College of Law. In addition, Ian has been named one of the World’s Leading IP Strategists by IAM Magazine for six years. 

DR. ILHEM MESSAOUDI

Acting Vice President for Research

University of Kentucky

Dr. Ilhem Messaoudi was appointed Acting Vice President for Research at the University of Kentucky in September 2024. 

As Acting Vice President for Research, she leads the university’s research enterprise, overseeing the development of research proposals, administration of grants and contracts, human subjects protection, 14 multidisciplinary research centers and institutes, and eight service core facilities. She provides leadership for university’s eight Research Priority Areas focused on addressing Kentucky’s most pressing challenges. 

Dr. Messaoudi serves as principal investigator on several, multi-million-dollar federal grants, with research focusing on the dysregulation of immunity by substance use disorder, age and obesity. Her research has expanded to maternal health, fetal development and the role of the immune system in childhood development. She has published more than 150 scholarly articles and is the recipient of several national research awards.  

Joining the faculty at the University of Kentucky in 2021, Dr. Messaoudi is currently a professor and chair in the Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics in the College of Medicine. She is leading the renovation of the university’s BSL-3 facility, that allows UK researchers to safely study airborne infectious agents. She leads the Consortium for Understanding and Reducing Infectious Diseases in Kentucky (CURE-KY) to combat the threat of infectious diseases through transdisciplinary research. She has a leadership role on the Kentucky Maternal Morbidity and Mortality Task Force, a group collecting data, expanding telehealth, training providers on intimate partner violence, and focusing other statewide collaborations to target obstetrical causes and social determinants associated with maternal death. 

Dr. Messaoudi earned a Bachelor of Science in biochemistry from Lafayette College in Pennsylvania and Ph.D. in immunology from Cornell University and Memorial-Sloan Kettering Cancer Center’s joint Immunology Program. She completed her postdoctoral fellowship at the Vaccine & Gene Therapy Institute at Oregon Health & Science University. She currently serves on the Board of Scientific Counselors for the Division of Infectious Diseases at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and is a Fellow at the American Academy of Microbiology. 

JONATHAN SHELL

Commissioner

Kentucky Department of Agriculture

Jonathan Shell was elected Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner Nov. 7, 2023. A fifth-generation farmer, 

he, alongside his dad Gary, owns and operates Shell Farms and Greenhouses in Garrard County where 

they raise cattle and grow flowers, corn, and pumpkins.

Realizing farming is a way of life for many in Kentucky and agriculture’s vital impact on every Kentuckian, 

Shell is dedicating his administration to ensuring a bright future for Kentucky agriculture. Commissioner 

Shell believes agriculture can be summed up in three words: food, faith, and family. As Agriculture 

Commissioner he will fight for Kentucky’s farm families and Kentucky values, bringing what he has 

learned on the farm to his role. 

His goal is to ensure the important business of the Kentucky Department of Agriculture continues 

seamlessly, while remaining a resource Kentucky farmers can count on as they feed their neighbors and the entire world. 

Prior to being elected Agriculture Commissioner, Shell was elected to the Kentucky House of 

Representatives in 2012, becoming the youngest member of the General Assembly. Before the 2016 

election, he was tapped by Republican leadership to spearhead candidate recruitment. It was that year

Kentucky elected its first Republican House Majority in nearly 100 years.

The following year, Shell’s colleagues elected him Kentucky’s first Republican House Majority Floor 

Leader. During his time with the House of Representatives, Shell developed and executed legislative 

strategies to pass policies into law that focused on job creation, support for farmers, and cracking down 

on opioid traffickers.

Shell is a graduate of Garrard County High School and earned a bachelor's degree in agriculture business 

from Eastern Kentucky University. 

He and his wife, Brooke, live in Lancaster with their four children. The Shells attend church at Pilot Knob 

Missionary Baptist Church where Jonathan serves as Sunday School Director.

PRESENTERS

G. KEITH ARVIN

Site Director of Quality

Catalent Pharmaceuticals

As Director of Quality for Catalent’s Winchester, KY manufacturing facility, Keith is responsible for guiding the day-to-day operation of the Quality Control, Quality Assurance, Validation, Data Integrity, Regulatory and DEA Compliance teams as well as the continuous monitoring of all Quality System (QS) programs. He provides direct oversight for all aspects of the site’s quality improvement efforts, such as the development and administration of the QS programs, training and coaching of employees and the facilitation of change throughout the facility.  

Keith has over 37 years of Pharmaceutical Quality experience in various roles across numerous Pharmaceutical Organizations and has held Executive/Senior Leadership Roles with companies such as Fresenius Medical Care, Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals, and Xanodyne Pharmaceuticals. 

He previously worked at the University of Kentucky for the Center for Pharmaceutical Science and Technology (CPST) and was part of the original design team for Coldstream Laboratories, which is now Piramal Pharmaceuticals.  

Keith received his bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Eastern Kentucky University and has two separate Commissions for Kentucky Colonel by former Governors Paul E. Patton (D) and Ernie Fletcher (R) of the Great Commonwealth of Kentucky. He currently resides in rural Eastern Kentucky and loves spending time with his wife Jackie, being “Pa” to his three grandchildren, playing ice hockey, and, most recently, acting in film and theatre. 

ROBERT BOCKRATH

Deputy Vice President for SOF Global Logistics Support Services

Lockheed Martin

Robert Bockrath serves as the Deputy Vice President for SOF Global Logistics Support Services, Missiles and Fire Control at Lockheed Martin Corporation in Lexington, KY. In this role, he is responsible for overseeing program cost, affordability, schedule, and technical execution across the $850M SOF portfolio, which encompasses aviation, ground, and maritime platforms, as well as engineering, production, maintenance, and sustainment support for SOF-peculiar systems. 

Previously, Mr. Bockrath held the position of Director, Rotary and SOF Systems, where he had direct oversight of SOF Rotary Wing, Unmanned Aerial Systems, Maritime and Ground vehicle platforms, as well as life cycle sustainment of survivability, readiness, and C4I systems that outfit the SOF warrior. He was responsible for ensuring technical, cost, and schedule performance for all aspects of this portfolio, serving customers including the United States Special Operations Command, United States Army Special Operations Command, Joint Special Operations Command, Marine Corps Special Operations Command, Naval Special Warfare Command, US Army, US Air Force, and US Coast Guard. 

Before joining SOF GLSS, Mr. Bockrath served as Senior Program Manager of the Joint, Engineering & Logistics Services business, where he was responsible for programmatic and operational aspects of multiple contracts encompassing systems engineering, system integration, information systems, logistics, training, field engineering, and Combat Systems/C4ISR SME support worldwide for Joint, US Navy, and FMS Navy programs. 

Throughout his 25-year career at Lockheed Martin, Mr. Bockrath has held multiple positions with increasing levels of leadership, including Project Engineer for Tactical Tomahawk Weapons Control System integration, Functional Operations Manager, Business Operations Manager, and Program Management of a portfolio of support contracts. Prior to joining Lockheed Martin, Mr. Bockrath worked as a Systems Engineer on prototype US Navy combat systems and overhaul/modernization of Aircraft Carrier systems. 

Mr. Bockrath holds Bachelor of Science degrees in Physics from Longwood University and Electrical Engineering from Old Dominion University, as well as a Master of Business Administration from Old Dominion University. He is also a graduate of the Lockheed Martin Executive Development & Growth Enhancement program, the Program Management Institute (PMI), and the Leadership and Executive Assessment Development program.

LANDON BORDERS

Director

Estate Whiskey Alliance

Landon Borders is the Senior Associate Director for Innovation Economic Development and Industry Partnerships at UK Innovate and the Executive Director of R&D Partnerships. He leads efforts to support corporate research and development partnerships, as well as to advance innovation economic development in alignment with Kentucky’s priority industries and the University of Kentucky’s research focus areas. Landon is also the Director of the Estate Whiskey Alliance®, a global consortium dedicated to discovering, advancing and promoting the virtues of estate-produced whiskey. Additionally, he is a OneUK Core Team member, supporting innovation initiatives with partner companies.

With over twenty years of experience, Landon has been a driving force in developing new products and technologies that have made a lasting impact on Kentucky’s industries. He previously served as the Director of Product Development at Bullard, where he oversaw the global patent portfolio, technology development and new product introductions. Landon led multi-disciplinary design and engineering teams worldwide. Prior to Bullard, he worked at Big Ass Fans and Lexmark International, where he developed and commercialized internet-connected devices, software solutions and imaging systems in various roles.

Landon has served on the Advisory Board for Launch Blue and as a Board Director for the Thread Group, The Connected Lighting Alliance and JSRDF. He is a proud graduate of the University of Kentucky, holding a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering.

CHUCK COLLINS

Director of University Research & Engagement, Fidelity Center for Applied Technology (FCAT)

Chuck Collins is the Director of University Research & Engagement at the Fidelity Center for Applied Technology (FCAT). Since joining FCAT in 2021, Chuck has built meaningful collaborations with universities, driving research and innovation initiatives that support FCAT and Fidelity. Before his time at Fidelity, Chuck contributed significantly to entrepreneurship education at Harvard Business School and Babson College. He developed programs that helped aspiring entrepreneurs and early-stage joiners bring their ideas to life through both new market exploration and technology translation. As an intrapreneur, Chuck has launched several new products and programs, drawing on his experience as an educator, coach, and investor. His dedication to nurturing new technologies and business ventures highlights his passion for making a positive impact in the industry.

DR. SCOTTIE B. DAY

Professor & Chair

Department of Pediatrics

Physician-In-Chief

Kentucky Children’s Hospital

With his kids, wrangling his 10 chickens, 1 rooster, 2 dogs and 5 cats or enjoying a day on the lake. Dr. Scottie Day, a Kentucky native, received his undergrad degree from the University of Kentucky, graduating Summa Cum Laude, and earned his medical degree from the University of Kentucky, College of Medicine. He completed his medicine-pediatric residency at Indiana University and his fellowship in pediatric critical care at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. He is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics, Critical Care Medicine and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. He is a member of the Society of International Child Health, the Society of Critical Care Medicine, the Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Society, and numerous other professional societies. 

Dr. Day has been involved in national and international speaking engagements, authored several textbook chapters and abstracts, and serves on several editorial and review committees. In September 2017, he began serving as Interim Chair of UK Department of Pediatrics and Physician in Chief of Kentucky Children’s Hospital and was appointed Chair in February 2019. He was the President of the AAP-Kentucky Chapter from 2019-2021 and is currently serving on the Executive Council for the Learning and Engagement Committee for Children’s Hospital Association. In 2024, Dr. Day was nominated to the board for the Kentucky Youth Advocates, which partners with the Governor and legislators to change and enact policies for families and youth, while working with a variety of advocates and families to improve the overall health of children in Kentucky. He has been married to his wife, Kristi for 22 years and has 4 kids ranging in age from 12-19. Outside of work, he can be found playing soccer.

SHAYLYN GAMMON

Whiskey Director

Blue Run Spirits

As Head of Whiskey Innovation and Development for Molson Coor’s Spirits Division, Shaylyn Gammon takes pride in creating meaningful, lasting sensory experiences for customers through every product released. Having left Campari North America as the chief innovator, scientist and supertaster in 2021, Shaylyn joined the on-fire Blue Run Spirits as Whiskey Director and their first official hire. Gammon’s products have won numerous awards across the spirits industry including Best in Class, Double Gold, Gold, Silver, and Bronze at the Beverage Tasting Institute, San Francisco World Spirits Competition, and the International Wine and Spirits Competition. With her first-ever Bourbon product in 2014, it received an impressive 97 points from the acclaimed Wine Enthusiast Magazine. Quite recently, a bourbon she created while pregnant received Fred Minnick’s coveted #1 spot in the 2021 Best American Whiskies. Nicknamed the “Flavor Whisperer”, her otherwise nerdy party trick of being able to dissect the aroma molecules of most any drink placed in front of her has proven to help her construct true-to-fruit vodka flavors and stellar bourbons. As a career-oriented woman and mother working in an evolving industry, Shaylyn takes great pride in her role within STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). She is a self-acclaimed lifelong learner that enjoys exploring new parts of the industry while educating and empowering women and men in the sometimes-intimidating world of brown spirits.  

KRISTEN GULLO

Senior Vice President

US WorldMeds

Kristen L. Gullo is the Senior Vice President at US WorldMeds, a specialty pharmaceutical company based in Louisville, Kentucky. In this role, she oversees the company's research and development, regulatory affairs, medical affairs, and business development functions.  

Ms. Gullo holds a Bachelor's degree in Biotechnology from the University of Kentucky. Ms. Gullo began her career at US WorldMeds in 2006 as a clinical research associate with rapidly evolving responsibilities for the management of comprehensive drug development projects. She has since held several leadership positions, including Director, Clinical and Strategic Operations and Vice President of Development & Regulatory Affairs.  

Throughout her tenure, she has enjoyed leading high functioning teams to implement innovative pipeline development strategies while ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements.  In her time at US WorldMeds, she has contributed to the design and implementation of more than 30 clinical trials and led cross-functional teams to 6 FDA approvals across multiple therapeutic areas.  

In 2023, Ms. Gullo's leadership contributed to the FDA approval of IWILFIN™ (eflornithine), a medication named in part for her nephew, Finn, a survivor of high risk neuroblastoma, a rare and aggressive childhood cancer which the product is approved to treat.  This approval was a significant milestone being the first oncology product approved based on an externally controlled trial. This important new precedent offers new hope to patients and their families and paves the way for more flexibility in rare disease drug development. 

LORIE HAILEY

Director of Communications

Alltech

Lorie Hailey is director of communications at Alltech, where she guides a global team of communications professionals as they develop content and messaging that advances Alltech’s purpose of Working Together for a Planet of Plenty™. Hailey previously led Alltech’s copyediting team and managed the communications team’s editorial content strategy. 

Before joining Alltech, she worked for 10 years as an editor and writer at The Lane Report, a Kentucky business news magazine. Prior to The Lane Report, she spent 16 years in community journalism, most recently as editor of the Richmond Register, a daily newspaper in Richmond, Kentucky.  

Hailey is passionate about storytelling and is dedicated to raising awareness of the role agriculture plays in nourishing the world and preserving the planet. In addition to several Alltech thought leadership projects, she leads communications for World Without Cows, a feature-length documentary that examines the cultural and economic significance of cows, their role in feeding the world and their impact on the environment.  

Hailey is a member of ACES: The Society for Editing and the Public Relations Society of America. She lives in Lexington, Kentucky, with her husband, Steve, and their son, Evan. 

LAURA HAMMOND

Commercial Director

FirstBuild

Laura Hammond is the Commercial Director at FirstBuild, where she’s helped launch dozens of products and led five major crowdfunding campaigns. In her role, she plays a key part in bringing innovative, first-to-market products to life and building strategies that connect with diverse audiences. 

With a background in journalism and a career rooted in entrepreneurial environments, Laura combines big-picture thinking with an eye for detail to help drive brand clarity and market success. She brings extensive experience in content strategy, national public relations, product development and cross-functional team leadership. She has led award-winning communications efforts, overseen major product launches and developed event strategies that align with business goals. 

Laura holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia and a Master of Science in Integrated Marketing Communications from West Virginia University. 

DR. VAUGHN HOLDER

Global Beef Research Director

Alltech

Dr. Vaughn Holder is the global beef research director at Alltech. In this role, he oversees Alltech's beef research around the world and works to improve the scientific understanding of the role beef cattle play in ecosystems and food systems. 

Holder first joined Alltech in 2012 as a post-doctoral trainee, with a focus on advanced technical support in ruminant protein nutrition. In 2013, he transferred to Alltech’s office in Stellenbosch, South Africa, where he served as the company's national research and technical director. Holder returned to Alltech’s research headquarters in Nicholasville, Kentucky, in 2015 to lead the company's global nutritional research in beef species. He later served as the director of Alltech's global ruminant research group, heading up global nutritional research in ruminant species, before being appointed to his current role in 2024.  

Holder holds a bachelor's degree in animal science and a master's degree in ruminant nutrition and microbiology from the University of Pretoria, South Africa. He also holds a doctoral degree in ruminant nutrition from the University of Kentucky, where his research focused on nitrogen utilization and protein nutrition in cattle. 

JENNY LIGON

 Ecosystem Liason

Advanced Technology International

As Ecosystem Liaison for the Medical & Threat Countermeasures leadership team at Advanced Technology International (ATI), Jenny Ligon identifies and connects key stakeholders across the healthcare innovation landscape to develop transformative solutions that improve health outcomes for all Americans. Through ATI consortiums like ARPA-H Customer Experience Hub and BioMap, she works to identify and link promising technologies with dilutive and non-dilutive funding opportunities and encourage cross-sector collaboration. 

Before joining ATI, Jenny spent 16 years at the Texas A&M University System (TAMUS), where she held leadership positions in applied research and workforce development. Most recently, she served as Senior Associate Director of the National Center for Therapeutics Manufacturing, advancing global vaccine and biologics manufacturing. She also played pivotal roles as the inaugural Director of Education for a DHS-sponsored Center of Excellence in border security and supply chain defense, and as Executive Director of Workforce Development for an HHS-sponsored Center for Innovation in Advanced Development & Manufacturing. 

KAYLA MEISNER

Executive Director

Kentucky Commercialization Ventures

Kayla Meisner is the Executive Director of KCV, an initiative of KSTC. In her role, she leads efforts to grow the statewide innovation ecosystem through technology transfer from our regional and rural universities and community & technical college institutions. Meisner provides oversight of all KCV programs that aim to translate Kentucky ideas into impactful intellectual property, establish inclusive innovation practices, fund and support opportunities for early-stage research and development, and expand the Kentucky entrepreneurial ecosystem. She is highly motivated by this opportunity to build a sustainable commercialization-drive network for the success of Kentucky and our greater region. 

Meisner obtained a Bachelors in Science (Bioengineering) and Masters in Engineering from the University of Louisville. In her free time, you may find her playing soccer, listening to podcasts, or trying a new recipe. 

TERRY SAMUEL

President

Kentucky Science & Technology Corporation

Terry Samuel joined the Kentucky Science & Technology Corporation as COO in January, 2017 and was appointed president in January, 2018. KSTC is a state-wide non-profit cultivating knowledge, talent and innovation to propel Kentucky’s growth and competitiveness on a national and global scale. Its programs include K-12 STEM education and advocacy, higher education research and technology commercialization, investing in and developing Kentucky-grown technologies and startups, and working with Kentucky businesses to expand their revenue and talent.​

​Samuel spent 30 years with IBM and Lexmark in various operational, technical and general management roles. Samuel’s final role at Lexmark was as Vice President in the Global Service Operations group. Previous to this assignment, Samuel was the VP and GM of Lexmark’s Global OEM & Alliances business unit, serving customers in Asia, Europe and North America. As part of this role, Samuel spent 2½ years on assignment in Singapore. Samuel’s other roles included a broad cross section of leadership roles including General Management, International Sales, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Finance, Product Development and Service Operations​. Samuel also chaired Lexmark’s Global Diversity Council.​

Samuel holds a BS in electrical engineering from the University of Massachusetts and an MBA from Xavier University. ​

He has served on the boards of the Urban League of Lexington, Kentucky Science & Technology Corporation, Kentucky Science Center, Opportunity for Work & Living, the Good Shepherd Day School, and Space Tango as well as various leadership roles within the Boy Scouts and his church. Within the University of Kentucky, Samuel serves on the External Advisory Board for the Lewis Honors College and on the Advisory Board of Launch Blue. Samuel lives in Lexington with his wife Jane. They have three daughters.

RICK SUEL

Director of Product Engineering

FirstBuild

Rick Suel is the Director of Product Engineering at FirstBuild, where he leads a team of engineers and makers in bringing new products to life through open innovation and collaboration with passionate communities. With over 25 years of engineering experience, he has a strong track record of turning ideas into market-ready products. One of his standout achievements is the launch of an indoor smoker that expands the smoker market in a new and unexpected direction, creating opportunities for entirely new users to join the space. Rick thrives on fostering creativity, collaboration, and hands-on problem-solving to push the boundaries of product development. 

JASON WELLER

Global Chief Sustainability Officer

JBS Foods

Jason Weller joined JBS in 2022 where he serves as the Global Chief Sustainability Officer, leading a team spanning 20 countries that is partnering with farmers, supply chain companies, and conservation organizations to improve the resiliency and environmental quality of the JBS food system.  

Weller previously served as President at Truterra, the sustainability business of Land O’Lakes, one of the largest farmer-owned agricultural cooperatives in the U.S. Prior to his five years at Land O’Lakes, Weller led the Natural Resources Conservation Service at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the largest private lands conservation organization in the country. He also served as senior professional staff covering agricultural and natural resource programs for the U.S. House Appropriations Committee, U.S. House Budget Committee, and White House Office of Management and Budget. 

HEALTHCARE PANELISTS

DR. TARIQ CHAUDRY

Assistant Professor of Pediatrics

College of Medicine

Dr. Chaudry earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of California, San Diego, MD from the University of Oklahoma and completed Pediatric Residency at the University of California, Irvine. With over two decades of experience as a pediatric hospitalist, Dr. Chaudry is board-certified in both General Pediatrics and Pediatric Hospital Medicine. He is currently pursuing an MBA from UK’s Gatton School of Business  

During a 15-year tenure at Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Dr. Chaudry held leadership roles supporting operational management, quality improvement, digital health, and innovation. Recognized for contributions to healthcare innovation, he received multiple grants that facilitated the development of an Epic platform for Pediatric Critical Care Transport and a prototype virtual agent designed to support new parents and breastfeeding. He also supported the development of pediatric critical care telemedicine program for the Northern California region. Dr. Chaudry later joined the University of Kentucky as Vice Chair for Quality and Safety and, in 2021, was promoted to Associate Chief Quality Officer. He serves as a quality, safety, and quality improvement expert for UK and has implemented and transformational safety culture program for the children’s hospital that is spreading through UK HealthCare. He sponsors a machine learning initiative aimed at predicting and identifying pediatric sepsis at Kentucky Children’s Hospital that has helped improve mortality and length of stay. He supports evaluation and collaboration with technology startups interested in the pediatric space.  

Outside of his UK duties, he has become actively involved in the startup ecosystem since relocating to Kentucky. He currently serves as the fractional Chief Medical Officer at Maro, a pre-seed startup focused on mental health screening in schools. His company was a graduate of the KidsX Children’s Hospital accelerator program. Dr. Chaudry values time with his wife, Christie, to whom he has been married for 13 years, and their two daughters. 

DR. LINDA DWOSKIN

Senior Associate Vice President for Research and Endowed Professor of Pharmaceutical Education

College of Pharmacy

Dr. Linda P. Dwoskin is Professor in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences in the College of Pharmacy at the University of Kentucky (UK) and she serves as a Senior Associate Vice President for Research in the Office of the Vice President for Research and as the Co-Director of the Substance Use Research Priority Area at UK. Dr. Dwoskin obtained her BS in psychology in 1974 from Syracuse University, Syracuse NY and her PhD in Pharmacology in 1983 from the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis MN. Her predoctoral training was supported by a National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) T32 Training Grant. She continued her training as a postdoctoral fellow with Dr. Nancy Zahniser in the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver CO. She received a competitive NIH NRSA Postdoctoral Fellowship from NIDA. In 1986, Dr. Dwoskin was promoted to Instructor and she won an NIH First Award to pursue her independent program of addiction research. In 1988, Dr. Dwoskin accepted an Assistant Professor position in the UK College of Pharmacy. She rose through the academic ranks being promoted to Professor in 1999. She served as Associate Dean for Research in the College of Pharmacy from 2010–2020. Each year since 2002, Dr. Dwoskin has received the Wethington Award for Meritorious Performance in Research. In 2003, she was inducted into the Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels. Since 2002, Dr. Dwoskin has been an Endowed Professor, most recently holding the University Professorship in Graduate Medical Education. She was named a University of Kentucky Research Professor in 2005. More recently, Dr. Dwoskin was inducted as a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors, and she received the prestigious Innovator Award from the College on Problems of Drug Dependence. Dr. Dwoskin’s primary research interests are in neuropharmacology and drug discovery, specifically the development of novel pharmacotherapies for psychostimulant use disorders. Her research bridges chemistry, pre-clinical animal models and clinical research and between basic chemical biology, neuropharmacology and neurobehavior. She has led two NIDA consortia focused on the discovery of new addiction therapeutics for tobacco smoking cessation and for methamphetamine use disorder. Dr. Dwoskin has been funded continuously by the NIH for the past 37 years, including as Director of a NIDA T32 Training grant, a National Cooperative Drug Discovery Group grant (U19), a Grand Opportunity for Medications Development grant (U01), and a Research Evaluation and Commercialization Hub (REACH 2.0) grant entitled “Kentucky Network for Innovation and Commercialization (KYNETIC)”, which is focused on nurturing innovators and innovations across the commonwealth of Kentucky by providing funding, mentoring, education, and a network of relevant expertise to translate academic discoveries to commercialization and improvement of human health. Dr. Dwoskin has published 292 papers and book chapters and is an inventor on 25 issued patents owed by UK. She has served as a member of a number of different NIH study section panels, including her ongoing service on the Medication Development Research Subcommittee for NIDA (NIDA-L). Dr. Dwoskin’s commercialization expertise arises from being a co-founder and Vice President of Yaupon Therapeutics/Ceptaris Inc., a biotech start-up, acquired by Actelion Inc. for over $300M following FDA approval of Valchlor®/Ledaga®, a treatment for Stage 1A and 1B mycosis fungoides-type cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, which is currently on the market in the USA and around the world. More recently, Drs. Dwoskin and Guy have founded a start-up company, MUDRx Inc., which is focused on the development and translation to the clinic of a late-stage lead compound as a therapeutic for methamphetamine use disorder, for which there are no FDA-approved pharmacotherapeutics.

DR. KIP GUY

Dean

College of Pharmacy

Dr. R. Kip Guy is the Dean of the College of Pharmacy at the University of Kentucky and a Professor in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences. Dr. Guy obtained his BA in chemistry from Reed College in Portland, OR in 1990. After college, he worked as a process development chemist in the Process Translation Unit at IBM-Almaden in San Jose, CA. In 1996, he received his PhD in Organic Chemistry based on the total synthesis of taxol from the Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) La Jolla, CA. While at Scripps he held an Office of Naval Research Graduate Research Fellowship, George Hewitt Medical Research Fellowship, and ACS Organic Division Fellowship. He also carried out additional training in Physiology at the Woods Hole Research Institute in Woods Hole, MA in 1995. From 1996 to 1998, he was a Helen Hay Whitney Postdoctoral Fellow in Cellular Biology focusing on the relationship between hedgehog signaling and sterol homeostasis with Drs. Brown and Goldstein at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX. In 1998 he joined UCSF as an Assistant Professor with joint appointments in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology. In 2005 he was promoted directly to Full Professor. In 2002 he founded the Center for Chemical Diversity at UCSF, which provided access to high throughput chemistry to the campus. In 2003 he founded the Bay Area Screening Center, a joint endeavor between UCSF and the Gallo Institute that provided high throughput screening. These were subsequently merged into the Small Molecule Discovery Center, which is still in operation at UCSF. In 2005 he was recruited to St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, to found and chair the new department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics where he was the Robert J. Ulrich Chair in Chemical Biology and Therapeutics. He has held adjunct academic positions at UCSF (Adjunct Professor of Pharmaceutical Chemistry), the University of Tennessee (Adjunct Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Pathology), and Vanderbilt University (Adjunct Professor of Biochemistry). In 2016 he moved to UK as Dean of the College of Pharmacy and Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences. In 2020, he was elected a Fellow of the American Association of the Advancement of Science and in 2023 he won the Phil Portoghese Award for Medicinal Chemistry from the ACS. His primary interests are in evidence-based practice, health disparities, pharmacy education, and drug discovery. His research is focused on the discovery and development of novel small molecules for orphan diseases, particularly small-morbidity oncology and protozoal infectious diseases. Most of his group’s work falls into the areas of chemical validation of novel targets, lead discovery and optimization of novel chemical matter for validated disease targets, and use of non-targeted whole-cell strategies for lead discovery and optimization. He is the author of 202 papers and book chapters, and the inventor on 27 issued patents.

DR. MEGHAN MARSAC

Associate Professor of Pediatrics College of Medicine

Dr. Meghan Marsac is a pediatric psychologist, tenured Associate Professor, and Division Chief of Psychology in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Kentucky. She serves as the Associate Director for the Center for Pediatric Traumatic Stress. She is also the CEO of the Cellie Coping Company (www.celliecopingcompany.com), a company with the mission of making medical care better for children and their families. Dr. Marsac is a leader in the field of pediatric medical traumatic stress, having published approximately 75 academic articles, 12 chapters, blogs in Psychology Today and a book for parents to help support their children through medical care and care for themselves: Afraid of the Doctor, Every Parent’s Guide to Preventing and Managing Medical Trauma. Dr. Marsac’s program of research centers on medical traumatic stress and includes conducting grant-funded studies to identify predictors of emotional and physical outcomes in the context of acute or chronic medical conditions, developing and validating assessment tools, and creating and evaluating programs to promote recovery and/or adjustment to medical conditions in children and families. In addition, Dr. Marsac specializes in training medical teams in the implementation of trauma-informed medical care. Clinically, Dr. Marsac implements evidence-based practices to facilitate families' management of medical treatment and emotional adjustment to challenging diagnoses and medical procedures. 

STARTUP PANELISTS

DR. ROGER ENGLAND

Chief Technical Officer

Valvoline Global Operations

Dr. England is currently Chief Technical Officer of Valvoline Global Operations. He joined Valvoline in 2017, and prior to that he had been working for Cummins Inc. for 4 decades. A renowned metallurgist, Dr. England received his PhD in mechanical engineering from Florida State University. 

JAKE MILLER

Senior Industry Transformation Program Advisor

Launch Blue

Jake Miller is CEO of Toggle Health, a med-tech company that aims to dramatically improve surgical workflows by providing surgeons with a wireless, sterile controller to access their digital world without having to leave the sterile environment. 

Jake has 25 years of product development experience, 20 of which were focused on launching new businesses & startups in the healthcare space for companies such as Target, Walgreens, & Humana. He holds a B.A. in Chemistry from Bellarmine University and an MBA from Vanderbilt University. 

Jake is an Entrepreneur-in Residence (EIR) for the Launch Blue Pre-Seed Accelerator, Incubator, and Startup Labs.

ERIN SHEA

Senior Program Manager

Launch Blue

Erin Shea is the I-Corp Program Manager with Launch Blue for UK Innovate at the University of Kentucky (UK), where she is responsible for managing recruitment, program facilitation and participant support.

Before coming to UK, Erin was a marketing and communications director at an equine nonprofit and a journalist covering the sport of horse racing. In addition to her equine journalism work, she has also covered luxury business, fashion, travel, music, and dog sports for various local, national, and international media outlets. She holds a Bachelor of Science in agricultural communications from the University of Kentucky and a Master of Science in journalism from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.