BHI Team Members

Rich Bendis is the Founder, President, and CEO of BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI), a public-private nonprofit based in the BioHealth Capital Region (Maryland/DC/Virginia), focused on accelerating the biohealth industry nationally and internationally. A recognized leader in the global innovation economy, Rich was also the founding President and CEO of Innovation America, a national partnership driving the growth of innovation across the U.S. His career spans roles as a successful entrepreneur, corporate executive, venture capitalist, angel investor, investment banker, and an expert in technology-based economic development. Rich has served on numerous prestigious boards and advisory groups, including the White House U.S. Innovation Partnership Advisory Task Force, the National Association of State Venture Funds, and the Small Business Innovation Research Committee. He was also a founding Chairman of The Kansas Technology Enterprise Corporation and the Founder and CEO of Innovation Philadelphia. Internationally, he has provided global consulting services to over 16 countries and 22 states, several cities and regions, along with international organizations including the United Nations, NATO, UK Trade and Industry, European Commission, French Embassy, the German Marshall Fund, The Canadian Consulate, METI, AKEA, the International Science Parks and Innovation Expert Group and other global entities. Previously, Mr. Bendis successfully leveraged

Renée JG Arnold is currently President & CEO, Arnold Consultancy & Technology, LLC, where she oversees outcomes research and develops affiliated software for pharmaceutical and government programs. Her special interest in evidence-based health derives from her research that deals with use of technology to collect and/or model real-world data for use in rational decision-making by healthcare practitioners and policy makers. She is also Adjunct Professor, Master of Public Health program, Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, where she has developed and teaches the pharmacoeconomics coursework. Dr. Arnold completed her undergraduate training at the University of Maryland and received her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. She also completed a post-doctoral residency at University Hospital in San Diego/University of California at San Francisco School of Pharmacy. Dr. Arnold is a founding member of the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR) and is the Chair of multiple special interest groups (SIGS) there including, most recently, the Open Source Model SIG. Dr. Arnold is an author of numerous articles, book chapters and books in the areas of pharmacology, pharmacoeconomics and

Lynne A. Brisbane has more than 15 years of experience leading accounting and financial teams for both for-profit and nonprofit entities. Most recently she held the role as Director of Finance & Administration/CFO of The IJIS Institute, where her responsibilities included providing strategic leadership in all aspects of the nonprofit whose revenues include grants, contracts, and membership fees. Before her role as IJIS, Lynne held positions as Chief Deputy Treasurer for the Loudon County Government and as an Accountant with MedImmune.

Monique Bennett has been a scientist for 10 years, with specific experience in antibody discovery, vaccine science, and infectious disease. She graduated with her Master’s Degree from the College of William and Mary in Cellular and Molecular Biology before obtaining a PhD in Microbiology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, TN. She next worked as a Research Assistant Professor, performing clinical research targeted towards producing new vaccine targets and therapeutics for bacterial pathogens.

Dr. Charles D. Buchen is a seasoned biopharmaceutical executive with over 15 years of experience in business development, strategic transactions, and drug development across oncology and rare diseases. He currently serves as a consultant and advisor to multiple biotechnology companies while maintaining active involvement in clinical research and translational medicine.

Jennifer Butler is a distinguished global commercial executive and strategic leader with nearly 20 years of experience transforming biotechnology companies from early development through commercial success. She currently serves as Montgomery County's first "Executive in Residence," a pioneering role created through a collaboration between Montgomery County and BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI) to provide technical assistance to local biotech startups.

Joseph DiCesare is a distinguished pharmaceutical industry executive with over 30 years of experience in health economics and outcomes research (HEOR), real-world evidence (RWE), and strategic planning. Throughout his career, he has held leadership positions at major pharmaceutical companies and consulting organizations, establishing himself as a recognized expert in demonstrating the value of pharmaceutical innovations through rigorous economic analysis and evidence generation.

Luis T. Gutierrez, Jr. is a distinguished business leader and entrepreneur with over 25 years of experience bringing new medical technologies to market and helping start-up companies transition into successful commercial enterprises. With a proven track record of driving revenue and profit growth through innovative life science products and services, he currently serves in multiple strategic advisory roles while maintaining active involvement in company building and technology commercialization.

Jemarie Haskin is an accomplished administrative professional and organizational leader who brings over a decade of experience in complex regulatory environments to her role at BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI). With a strong foundation in management studies and human resources, she excels at coordinating intricate activities and supporting mission-critical operations in fast-paced, high-stakes environments.

Dr. Kevin N. Heller is a distinguished physician-scientist and drug development executive with over 20 years of experience in oncology research and biopharmaceutical development. His career spans the complete drug development lifecycle from discovery through commercialization, with particular expertise in immuno-oncology, precision medicine, and regulatory strategy across academia and industry.

Dr. John K. Hsu is a distinguished intellectual property attorney and patent litigator with over twenty years of specialized experience in complex pharmaceutical and technology litigation. With a unique combination of advanced scientific training and extensive legal expertise, he has successfully represented clients in more than sixty high-stakes patent, trademark, and trade secret cases across diverse industries, with particular focus on pharmaceutical drugs, medical devices, computer software, and food processing technology.

Dr. Diane M. Ignar is a distinguished pharmaceutical executive and strategic advisor with over 25 years of comprehensive experience spanning the complete biopharmaceutical value chain from discovery research through commercialization. Her extensive expertise encompasses therapeutic development, business partnerships, emerging markets strategy, and technology innovation across multiple therapeutic areas including neuropharmacology, metabolic diseases, respiratory and allergic diseases, rare diseases, and oncology.