Executive Leadership
Sherry Farrugia
As the CEO of Global Center for Medical Innovation (GCMI), Ms. Farrugia leads all strategic initiatives associated with GCMI’s mission in advancing medtech innovation. She is also charged with successfully executing key business initiatives to improve outcomes, efficiency, effectiveness and processes associated with medtech innovation working with researchers, industry, and entrepreneurs. She provides executive level leadership for
business and operational functions including providing insight into the innovations, new technologies, and start-ups developed as a result of the partnership with GCMI. Prior to her role as the Interim CEO, Ms. Farrugia was the Chief Operations and Strategy Officer for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta’s Pediatric Technology Center (PTC) at Georgia Tech. The PTC is supported through a public-private partnership between Georgia Tech and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta with a mission of providing extraordinary opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration in pediatrics, creating breakthrough discoveries often only be found at the intersection of multiple disciplines. She has also successfully impacted healthcare in her role as the Managing Director of Health IT at Georgia Tech. In this role she was responsible for developing the health IT strategy specifically as it relates to digital health, connecting faculty to health IT/digital health industry partners, and mentoring health IT and digital health startups.
Before joining Georgia Tech, Sherry owned a successful consulting company where she worked with healthcare companies advising them on new market opportunities, launching new verticals, and worked with startups advising them on market strategy and business plan. She also co-founded and sold a health IT company to McKesson HBO & Company in the early ’90s whose technology was focused on point-of-care documentation and tracking both clinical and financial outcomes – technology McKesson is still using in their systems today.
Ms. Farrugia is currently an advisory board member of Atlanta Ronald McDonald House Charities; board member of MUSC Foundation for Research Development, International Society of Pediatric Innovation, Southeast Life Sciences, and MedTech Women@SEMDA; active member of the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce.
Dr. Jeff White
COO/CFO
Dr. White is a biomedical operations executive with over 15 years’ broad experience in bringing various medical device and therapeutic agents (50+) to market as well as capable general management experience within startups, transitions and turnarounds. Skilled in accounting, fiscal budgets and responsibility, revenue projections, contract negotiations, cost containment, managing change and interfacing with Boards. Focused on integrity, confidentiality, preservation of intellectual property, corporate accountability and team building. At GCMI, he is responsible for providing corporate administration and general management including; research and training infrastructure services, quality assurance, regulatory compliance, and financial performance. Prior to joining GCMI, as a Senior Director he was the principal in establishing LyChron’s Midwest AAALAC accredited contract research facility dedicated to GLP compliant research within the Veterans Administration in Minneapolis, MN. As the company’s Chief Veterinarian for more than 7 years, he developed a wide-ranging knowledge base of research techniques for medical devices and therapies in most therapeutic areas. His technical experience includes complex anesthetic cases, techniques in interventional radiology, various transcutaneous imaging modalities such as ultrasound and fluoroscopy as well as surgical expertise in multiple species. He holds a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine and a Bachelor of Arts in Biology from the University of Kansas.
Evan Goldberg, PhD
Director of Scientific Affairs
Evan is a biomedical engineer and scientist with 20+ years of experience working with industry and academic institutions to bring medical products from concept to commercialization.
His core competencies include project and program management, business development, data analysis/report writing, Good Laboratory Practices (21 CFR Part 58) and preclinical study design.
GCMI Board Members
Russell M. Medford, MD, PhD, Chair
Chief Executive Officer and Chairman, Covanos
Robert Foy, Treasurer
Senior Director, Institute Finance Support, Georgia Institute of Technology; Treasurer
Tanesha Steward, Secretary
Counsel, Office of Affiliated Organizations, Georgia Institute of Technology
Andres J. Garcia, PhD, FBSE
Executive Director, Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, Petit Director’s Chair in Bioengineering and Bioscience, Regents’ Professor, George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology
Chaouki Abdallah, PhD
Executive Vice President for Research, Georgia Institute of Technology
David Hartnett
Chief Economic Development Officer, Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce
Elizabeth A. Krupinski, PhD, FSPIE, FSIM, FATA, FAIMBE
Professor & Vice Chair for Research, Department of Radiology & Imaging Sciences, Emory University
Robert Crutchfield
Chief Executive Officer, TeleHealth Solution
Wilbur Lam, MD, PhD
W. Paul Bowers Research Chair, Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering; Department of Pediatrics; Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta; Chief Innovation Officer, Pediatric Technology Center; Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University
Ashley Cornelison
Vice President, Venture Development, Georgia Research Alliance (GRA)
Preclinical Testing and Bioskills Training Team
Preclinical Testing Program Leadership
The preclinical testing program leadership is comprised of personnel qualified to serve as study director, principal investigators, contributing scientists and program managers. The team manages the day to day preclinical testing activities including study design, protocol writing, data collection, report writing, and all other logistics related to executing a successful preclinical study.
Bioskills Training and Clinical Partnership Program Leadership
The bioskills training and clinical partnership team is comprised of personnel that work with physicians, sales force and inventors to conduct all bio skills training activities and voice of customer projects. This team also conducts physician recruitment activities as well as establishes clinical partnerships with physicians, innovators and healthcare systems across the country.
Veterinary Operations Team
The veterinary operations team comprises of clinical and DACLAM veterinarian(s), research technicians, veterinary technicians, animal care technicians and laboratory manager(s) who are responsible for the day to day veterinary and bioskills activities including husbandry, anesthesia, pain management, surgical procedures, clinical observations and care, data collection and any other activities supporting preclinical testing and bioskills training.
Quality Assurance Team
Our preclinical testing facility has an independent quality assurance staff that maintains and updates standard operating procedures (SOP), keeps us current with accreditations/registrations and ensures compliance with regulatory standards. Our QA team reviews all study protocols and conducts multiple audits of the various stages of GLP studies. Additionally, our QA team also hosts sponsor and state/federal audits, as well as audits our third-party vendors to ensure good standards and adherence to SOPs.
Customer Experience Team
This team comprises of a customer experience manager and front desk staff that is responsible for ensuring our sponsors, visitors and vendors have a quality experience at our preclinical testing facilities. The team assists with conference room bookings, lodging, travel & food and beverage requests, shipping and receiving as requested or needed.
Facilities Team
Our facilities team consists of engineers, technicians, custodial activities. This team is responsible for facilities upkeep, equipment repair, purchase and maintenance.
Finance Team
Our finance team consists of financial analyst(s) and purchasing associate(s). This team is responsible for billing and reconciliation, accounting, accounts payable and receivable, supply management and purchasing.
Design and Development Team
The Design and Development Team leads and supports Early Stage and Product Realization projects, covering all aspects from project management to design. The team has wide ranging biomedical and mechanical engineering backgrounds, with experience in medical device fields such as orthopedics, urology, cardiology, pediatrics, general surgery, radiology and women’s health.