Meet the people moving ideas forward.
Discover the expertise behind AWCS. Confirmed 2027 contributors will appear separately from the previous speaker record.
The 2027 speaker directory.
Confirmed speakers will be published here as the line-up is announced. Register for updates to hear when new contributors are added.
Previous AWCS contributors · 2026
Chris Mortimer
I’m a highly motivated, passionate product development specialist in antimicrobials and biofilm in wound care. I’m currently CEO at Hybrisan. With extensive experience in developing and implementing effective solutions for complex wound care issues, my work is driven by my commitment to improving the quality of life of those affected by chronic infection. With a PhD in nanotechnology, focused on the scale-up electrospinning of antimicrobial nanofibres, I bring a unique combination of academic expertise and practical experience to my work. As a product development specialist, I have dedicated my career to advancing the field of wound care and developing innovative new treatments that can make a real difference in patients' lives. Throughout my time at Hybrisan, I have successfully led efforts to secure grant funding from the Welsh Government and Innovate UK, and have led several highly successful equity fundraising initiatives. I am proud to work with a dynamic team of professionals who share my commitment to innovation, quality, and excellence in healthcare.
Jack Schlechtweg
I lead commercial strategy at the intersection of growth, execution, and market reality within the biotech and medical device space. Over the past decade, I have built and led national sales organizations, driven multi-fold revenue growth, strengthened competitive market positioning, and supported value creation through disciplined execution and strategic asset acquisition. I am known for aligning teams around clear commercial priorities, fostering strong customer partnerships, and translating innovation into measurable impact for both businesses and patients.
Anthony Kerr
I’m a founder, builder, and problem‑solver at heart. I launched my medical communications startup with a simple belief: scientific communication can be smarter, faster, and far more impactful.
In an industry often defined by traditional models and slow-moving structures, I set out to create a company built on agility, creativity, and entrepreneurial thinking - a partner that helps life sciences organisations communicate science with clarity, credibility, and real-world influence. I’m passionate about turning ideas into scalable solutions.
Whether it’s elevating medical affairs strategy, building digital-first scientific content, or helping emerging biotechs shape their scientific narrative, I’m driven by the challenge of creating something that didn’t exist before. I thrive on building teams, forging partnerships, and pushing boundaries in how science is communicated. My mission: build the most innovative, future-ready med comms business of our time.
Rob Odell
Rob Odell is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Bobber Biotech, where he leads the company’s vision, strategy, and culture with a strong focus on innovation, integrity, and patient-centered care.
Under his leadership, Bobber Biotech is committed to advancing regenerative medicine and biotechnology solutions that help providers improve patient outcomes through ethical, evidence-based care.
Rob’s mission is to build a purpose-driven organization that delivers meaningful impact to healthcare providers, partners, and the communities they serve while positioning Bobber Biotech as a trusted leader in regenerative medicine and healthcare innovation.
Chris Broderick
Chris Broderick brings over 15 years of biotechnology industry experience to his role as Founder, President and Chief Executive Officer of Merakris Therapeutics. Since founding Merakris in 2016, Mr. Broderick has leveraged his deep expertise across business development, sales management, product launches, quality and regulatory affairs, and market access to lead the company's pioneering investigational drug development program. This program received FDA clearance in 2021. Prior to launching Merakris, Mr. Broderick held various leadership positions in the human tissue technologies sector before expanding into regulatory and biopharmaceutical manufacturing. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Appalachian State University and is currently a Master of Science in biomanufacturing candidate from North Carolina State University with a research focus in bioprocess optimization of cell-free therapeutics. A co-author on several peer-reviewed publications in leading journals, Mr. Broderick completed additional regulatory affairs training at Duke University. His vision and leadership have been instrumental in building Merakris into an emerging leader in novel therapeutics development.
Carrie Powers
Carrie Powers is the Founder, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Reprise Biomedical and an accomplished healthcare executive with nearly two decades of experience advancing innovative medical devices that improve patient outcomes. She brings a rare combination of clinical insight and commercial leadership, having begun her career as a Registered Nurse in the Interventional Cardiac Catheterization Lab before transitioning into medical device innovation.
Carrie spent over a decade at Vascular Solutions, rising from Associate Product Manager to Senior Vice President of Marketing and contributing to the development and launch of more than 50 medical devices. She continued in senior leadership roles following the company’s acquisition by Teleflex and later served on the executive management team at CHF Solutions, where she led marketing and commercial operations for advanced heart failure therapies.
Since co-founding Reprise Biomedical in 2019, Carrie has led the development and commercialization of novel collagen-based tissue products addressing acute and chronic wounds. Known for her strategic vision, passion for education, and ability to translate clinical needs into impactful innovation, Carrie remains deeply committed to advancing healthcare through leadership, collaboration, and purpose-driven innovation.
Deborah Samenow
Deborah Samenow advises healthcare and life sciences companies on complex reimbursement and coverage matters. A former Health & Human Services (HHS) administrative judge, she guides healthcare industry clients through Medicare and Medicaid audits and appeals, overpayment disputes, billing and coding issues, reimbursement strategies, and other healthcare regulatory matters such as those associated with provider enrollment and credentialing, internal and external audits and investigations, risk management, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) compliance reviews and investigations, telehealth, digital health, fraud and abuse, and corporate practice of medicine considerations. Deborah counsels clients through complex healthcare transactions, regulatory and compliance matters, government enforcement, and litigation.
She has extensive experience advising clients in the healthcare and life sciences sectors including physician groups, medical device and pharmaceutical manufacturers, durable medical equipment suppliers, pharmacies, laboratories, digital health businesses, substance use disorder providers, healthcare adjacent technology companies, as well as institutional providers, hospitals, and health systems. She assists clients on effectively navigating regulatory hurdles and managing risk so that they can focus on patient care.
During her tenue as an administrative judge with HHS, Deborah adjudicated Medicare claims on appeal from the Office of Medicare Hearings and Appeals and issued final agency decisions on behalf of the Secretary of HHS. Before serving as a Judge, she was Deputy Director of the division that supports the Medicare Appeals Council. In that role, she collaborated with leadership on internal rulemaking, policy formation, and operational management within the Department.
Preeya Noronha Pinto
Preeya Noronha Pinto assists life sciences manufacturers with strategic reimbursement planning during all stages of the product life cycle. She also engages in healthcare regulatory and policy advocacy before government agencies and Congress. A former Health and Human Services (HHS) Acting General Counsel and Department of Justice (DOJ) litigator, Preeya helps life sciences and healthcare clients seek regulatory and policy change and combat adverse government action arising from the Medicare and Medicaid programs, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulation, fraud and abuse matters, and ongoing healthcare reform.
Preeya represents pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers, clinical laboratories, and other healthcare suppliers and providers in a wide range of healthcare policy and regulatory matters. She helps clients design and execute reimbursement strategies for drugs and medical devices, including navigating and anticipating the complex and changing world of coverage, coding, and payment, particularly with emerging technologies.
Drawing upon her extensive experience in government service, Preeya advocates with HHS agencies such as the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the FDA, as well as senior levels of the Executive Branch and the Legislature, to help clients maximize the success of their healthcare mission while maintaining compliant business practices. A former DOJ trial lawyer, she also represents life sciences and healthcare clients in judicial and administrative disputes and enforcement matters brought by DOJ, the HHS Office of Inspector General (HHS OIG), and similar government agencies.
A frequent author and speaker, Preeya has made presentations on a wide range of life sciences and healthcare regulatory, policy, and advocacy matters.
Melissa Bailey
Melissa Bailey is the Digital Integration Sales & Marketing Director for the U.S. and Asia at Mölnlycke Health Care. She leads the strategy and commercialization of digital wound care solutions and supports Mölnlycke’s M&A initiatives, bringing more than a decade of wound care expertise to investment and growth opportunities. Prior to Mölnlycke, she held executive leadership roles across wound care services and digital health, including commercial leadership for an AI‑powered imaging company.
Kevin Richardson II
Kevin is CEO of Northern New England Wound Care, the largest mobile wound care provider in New Hampshire. He is also Co-CEO AIX Crypto Holdings, formerly Qualigen Therapuetics, where he was CEO and CFO of a cancer therapy company. He is the former Chairman, CEO, and Head of Strategy for Sanuwave Health, a medical device company in the advanced wound care industry.
Howard Walthall
Howard is an experienced Regenerative Medicine and MedTech executive with proven success in developing and positioning new, technologically advanced products. Howard was previously the CEO of the NuTech companies, where his team built a successful regenerative medicine business focusing on wound care and surgical applications, and Executive Vice President for Organogenesis, Inc., which acquired NuTech in 2017. Howard subsequently led several companies bringing innovative wound care technologies to market. He holds a BSE from Duke University’s School of Engineering and a JD from the Cumberland School of Law.
Michael Anselmo
As the Vice President and Co-Head of the Reimbursement, Health Economics and Market Access, my primary focus is to lead and grow my division by ensuring clients have access to the experts and resources required to solve their economic problems, secure reimbursement, and advance their businesses.
John Fritz
John has over 14 years of experience in navigating complex healthcare landscapes, developing innovative growth strategies, and leading external advocacy efforts to consistently drive impactful change. He is adept at addressing emerging challenges and fostering strategic partnerships to achieve sustainable success and long-term growth.
Nick Frame
Nick Frame is a life sciences investment banking professional experienced in M&A, partnering, & capital raising (private equity) mandates within Pharma/Biotech, MedTech, and Life Sciences Services. Nick draws on his scientific background to define a technology- and market-driven perspective, offering strategic and transaction advisory.
John C. Lantis II MD, FACS
John C. Lanti s II, MD, is currently the site Chief and Professor of Surgery at Mount Sinai West Hospital, and the Icahn School of Medicine; in mid-town Manhattan where he practices as a senior vascular surgeon. He is the past president of the New York Vascular Society, and a founding member of the Vascular Study Group of Greater New York and the American Board of Wound Medicine and Surgery.
William O’Malley
William O’Malley is an experienced entrepreneur and C- level executive with over 25 years of demonstrated ability in launching start-ups or revitalizing organizations, ensuring exceptional profitability within a short period of time leading to successful outcomes. Chief Operating Officer at Engage Health Solutions.
Bent von Eitzen
Bent von Eitzen is CEO of Global Clinical Research Institute (GCRI). With 20 years experience in the wound care industry, he has had leading roles at EWMA, ISDF & ALPS.
Mitch Sanders, PhD
Mitch Sanders is a Serial Entrepreneur, C-Level Executive, and Scientist developing advanced wound care products for the past 30 years with 25 peer reviewed publications and 45 world-wide patents (Google Scholar citations, https://biturl.top/YRruYn). Over the past 20 years Dr. Sanders has secured over $65M in strategic partnerships for new product development for his lab. Dr. Sanders was founder and CEO of ECI Biotech (1998-2016) and his company developed the first infection diagnostic for chronic wounds (Bacterial Status), sold by WoundChek Labs. Mitch later worked at Alira Health as CSO, Board Member, and Founder/CEO of two additional startups (WoundForce Inc., and Firefly Innovations, LLC) that he sold to Alira Health. In 2023, Dr. Sanders used a portion of his equity to buy his lab out of the CRO and is currently the owner and Chief Executive Officer of ProDevLabs LLC, a Premier Wound Care R&D and Preclinical CRO in Southborough MA.
Dr. Thomas E. Serena MD FACS FACHM MAPWCA
Dr. Serena, Founder and Medical Director of The Serena Group, a family of wound, hyperbaric and research companies, is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of The College of William and Mary and Penn State Medical School. To date he has opened and operates wound care centers across the United States and globally.
Zwelithini Tunyiswa
Zweli, a proficient healthcare management professional and seasoned entrepreneur with expertise in quantitative marketing and data science, embarked on his journey in wound care back in 2011. Today, Zweli is the CEO of Open Wound Research, a venture he co-founded.
Kris Flinn
Kris has spent over 20 years in the wound care industry. After starting his career at Smith+Nephew, Kris held senior commercial roles at Advanced Medical Solutions and BioMonde. In his role of General Manager at SmartTRAK, Kris works alongside a team of analysts to support the industry with the latest market insights.
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