For Immediate Release: March 4, 2026

New Board Chair Byron Hewett, Vice Chair Robin Harper Cowie, and seven new board members strengthen expertise

Denver – Colorado BioScience Association (CBSA), which creates co-opportunity for Colorado’s life sciences community by championing a collaborative ecosystem and advocating for a supportive business climate, announces new leadership for its Board of Directors and welcomes new board members. Byron Hewett, life sciences strategic advisor, is the new CBSA Board of Directors Chair, and Robin Harper Cowie, Chief Financial Officer at Biodesix, moves into the Board Vice Chair role.

“Colorado’s life sciences community continues its drive to become a leading hub for health innovation,” said Elyse Blazevich, President & CEO, Colorado BioScience Association and President, Colorado BioScience Institute. “Byron and Robin bring deep experience leading and scaling life sciences organizations. I look forward to working with our new board leaders and members to accelerate the continued growth of Colorado’s life sciences ecosystem, strengthen our state’s competitiveness, and support our members at all stages of commercialization.”

New Board of Directors Chair and Vice Chair

Byron Hewett, CBSA Board of Directors Chair, is a life sciences board member, executive advisor, and mentor who supports high-growth Colorado companies including HEPQuant, Darwin Biosciences, AOA Dx, and ExOcular Dx. He has led several high-growth biotech and medtech companies, with C-level roles at Colorado companies including LightDeck Diagnostics, Brava Diagnostics, which he cofounded, and SomaLogic. 

Robin Harper Cowie, CBSA Board of Directors Vice Chair, is the Chief Financial Officer at Biodesix. Robin, an executive recognized nationally and locally for her leadership in life sciences, has raised capital through an initial public offering, public follow-ons, private financing, and debt offerings. Biodesix is a leading diagnostic solutions company, driven to improve clinical care and outcomes for patients.

New Officers and Executive Committee Members

• Secretary: Rita Sanzgiri, Ph.D., J.D., Intellectual Property Attorney for Biotech, Pharmaceuticals and Life Sciences; Chair, Community Growth & Engagement (CGE) Committee

• Development Committee: Jennifer Chavez, Senior Director, Leasing, BioMed Realty

• Strategic Planning Committee: April Giles, Executive Director, End Drug Shortages Alliance

• Nominating Committee: Ryan Crisman, Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer, Umoja Biopharma

• Past Board of Director Chairs: Ethan Mann, Ph.D., M.B.A., Life Sciences Executive

New CBSA Board of Directors Members

Laura Goldberg, Site Head, Quality & Regulatory, Agilent Technologies – Leads Colorado quality and regulatory operations at a global leader in contract manufacturing and development of nucleic acid active pharmaceutical ingredients.

Marc Graboyes, J.D., Counsel, Foley Hoag – Corporate attorney focused on representing emerging companies and investors in the life sciences and technology industries.

Kirk McGilvray, Ph.D., Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Vital Foams, Inc. and Associate Director, Orthopaedic Bioengineering Research Laboratory, Colorado State University – Advances innovation at the intersection of biomedical engineering, research translation, and company-building.

Michael Mestek, Ph.D., Vice President, Clinical Research & Medical Science (CRMS), Medtronic Acute Care and Monitoring – Leads clinical research and medical science function that drives clinical and economic evidence generation and medical education for airway management and patient monitoring technologies.

Rachelle Moulton, Assurance Partner, EY – Provides organizations with financial statement audit services and serves as a trusted business advisor to help strengthen performance and accountability. Rachelle will also serve as Board Treasurer and Chair of the Finance & Audit Committee.

Hannah Nelson, Ph.D., Associate Director of Licensing, Venture Partners at CU Boulder – Supports the translation of University of Colorado Boulder and University of Colorado Colorado Springs innovations through licensing and commercialization pathways.

Julie Stiff, Senior Vice President and Boulder Site Head, KBI Biopharma – Leads Colorado operations and growth for a major global Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO).

“I welcome our new board members, and look forward to partnering with Robin, our officers, and the full board as we lead strategy to support the growth and long-term health of Colorado’s life sciences community,” said Byron Hewett, life sciences executive advisor and incoming CBSA Board of Directors Chair. “The CBSA board plays an important role in advancing smart policies, strengthening access to capital, connecting our community, growing our talent, and ensuring Colorado remains competitive. I also want to thank Ethan Mann for his leadership and steady guidance as outgoing Board Chair. He helped position CBSA for continued growth and impact, and we are grateful for his commitment to this community.”

Outgoing Board Members

CBSA also thanks outgoing board members who concluded their service in 2025.

• Gino DiSciullo, Ph.D., CEO, operator, and life sciences board member
• Joseph Guiles, Ph.D., former Head of Development, Agilent Technologies
• Jim Wilson, Partner, EY, former CBSA Board Treasurer and Finance & Audit Committee Chair
• Bob Reddy, Vice President, Global Marketing, Medical Education and Training, Medtronic Enabling Technologies, former CBSA Board of Directors Chair
• Andy Sklawer, Life Sciences Executive
• Tanya Warnecke, Partner, Head of Technology & Operations, DVDT Partners and Chief Technology Officer, Codebreaker Labs
• Michael Weiner, Transition Partner, Kutak Rock LLP
• Dustin Whistler, Principal, Forte Commercial Real Estate

The board transition reflects CBSA’s commitment to strong governance practices and intentional succession planning, ensuring continuity and leadership development aligned with the organization’s long-term strategy.

Board of Directors Impact

Colorado’s life sciences ecosystem employs close to 41,000 Coloradans and generates an estimated $52.4 billion in total economic impact. Colorado BioScience Association’s board members represent the breadth of the state’s health innovation ecosystem. They are C-level leaders at publicly traded companies, serial entrepreneurs who have taken promising concepts all the way to patient bedsides, renowned scientists, academic leaders, recognized experts in finance, law and operations, respected investors, and forward-thinking leaders developing the critical infrastructure our ecosystem needs.

Board members collaborate with the CBSA team to drive the growth of the state’s life sciences ecosystem, and support Colorado Hub for Health Impact, the national economic development campaign attracting new life sciences companies, talent, and investment to Colorado. With significant leadership in infrastructure, lab space, and talent development, Colorado continues to attract innovative companies and founders who are building the future for health innovation.

Names and photos of the full board of directors are available on the CBSA website.   

About Colorado BioScience Association

Colorado BioScience Association (CBSA) creates co-opportunity for the Colorado life sciences community. CBSA champions a collaborative life sciences ecosystem and advocates for a supportive business climate. From concept to commercialization, member companies and organizations drive global health innovations, products and services that improve and save lives. The association leads Capital and Growth, Education and Networking, Policy and Advocacy, and Workforce Cultivation to make its members stronger, together. Learn more: cobioscience.com

About Colorado Hub for Health Impact

Smart, inclusive, forward-thinking, and highly educated people lead life sciences innovation in Colorado, the Hub for Health Impact. Here, in the center of the United States, the country’s top talent transforms every aspect of health and care. Our community is right-sized for high-growth organizations, with excellent infrastructure, lab and office space, outstanding academic and research institutions, and successful companies at all stages of commercialization. More than 20 life sciences organizations, economic development groups, local governments, developers, and builders joined together in 2024, launching the national economic development campaign to attract high-growth health innovation companies to Colorado. More: coloradohealthimpact.com. 

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Media Contact

Sheliah Reynolds
Primavera Group for Colorado BioScience Association
(720) 289-4739
sheliah@theprimaveragroup.com