Key Players Named for June 23 Triad BioNight 2022

Triad Bio Night logo
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The keynote speaker, co-chairs, events team and awards committee have been selected for Triad BioNight, a much-anticipated celebration of bioscience growth and recognition of industry leaders in North Carolina’s Piedmont Triad region.

The event will be held Thursday, June 23, from 6 to 9 p.m., at the Qubein Arena and Conference Center at High Point University in High Point. To register, visit the event web page, ncbiotech.org/events/triad-bionight-2022.

Anthony Atala
Keynote speaker Anthony Atala, M.D.

“Triad BioNight is a marquee event that catalyzes important interactions with over 400 high-level and diverse attendees from industry and academia, to entrepreneurs and investors,” said Nancy Johnston, executive director of the North Carolina Biotechnology Center’s Piedmont Triad Office, sponsor of the celebration along with NCBiotech’s Piedmont Triad Regional Advisory Committee.

The event, orchestrated by volunteers, will include networking time, dinner, a keynote address, and announcement of Biotechnology Excellence Awards winners, a key aspect of the evening. In addition, two-minute pitches from the regional finalists in the NC BIONEER Venture Challenge will be featured, followed by the announcement of a first-place statewide winner.

Kelly Genevra
Genevra Kelly, M.P.H.

It will be the eighth time for Triad BioNight, a bi-annual celebration dating back to the first event in 2005. The latest version was held in 2019.

Anthony Atala, M.D., director of the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine (WFIRM) in Winston-Salem and an internationally recognized leader in the field, will give the keynote address. He will speak about regenerative medicine as a regional effort and its global impact.

The event co-chairs are Genevra Kelly, M.P.H., chief philanthropy program officer at WFIRM, and Wendy Walker-Fox, executive director of the Piedmont Triad Regional Workforce Development Board in Kernersville.

Wendy Walker-Fox
Wendy Walker-Fox.

Kelly focuses on developing public- and private-sector collaborative partnerships and resources in support of WFIRM’s work. She has an extensive background in higher education, health care, and nonprofit markets.

Walker-Fox leads workforce programs and initiatives to prepare people for education and careers while connecting businesses to skilled workers. Her organization serves Caswell, Davie, Forsyth, Rockingham, Surry, Stokes and Yadkin counties.

Team leaders for Triad BioNight include:

  • Awards Chair: Sherine Obare, Ph.D., dean, Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering UNC Greensboro and North Carolina A&T State University
  • Hospitality Team:  Ashley R. Barker, Novex Innovations
  • Marketing Team: Nichole Donohue, vice president of account management and media, Trone Brand Energy
  • Sponsorship Team: Michael Kelly, advisor, and Russ Read of the National Center for the Biotechnology Workforce

Members of the Awards Team include:

  • Manju Bhat, M.V.Sc., Ph.D., interim associate dean, Winston-Salem State University
  • Yonnie Butler, executive director, Biotechnology Center of Excellence, Alamance Community College
  • Cyndi Dancy, principal, Dancy Research
  • Monica Doss, principal, Business of Science
  • Dan Erb, PT, Ph.D., provost, High Point University
  • Walter Farabee, MBA, director of economic retention, expansion and real estate development, Greater Winston-Salem, Inc.
  • Loren Hill, Carolina Core regional economic development director, Piedmont Triad Partnership
  • Rick Leander, CEO, LFB Holdings
  • Shea Overcash, associate director, Quality Assurance, Javara
  • Kenneth Russell, director of technology development, Wake Forest Innovations
  • Daniel Yohannes, Ph.D., MBA, Yohannes Pharmaceutical Consulting

Call for awards nominations

Regional Biotechnology Excellence Awards will be given in five categories: Academic Development, Biotechnology Community Leadership, Biotechnology Service/Support, Entrepreneurial, and Research & Development.

Nominations are being accepted through May 26 via NCBiotech’s event webpage.

Barry Teater, NCBiotech Writer
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