SafeShot Leadership
- SafeShot CEO
Dr. Robert W. Beart is an Emeritus Professor of Surgery and the past chairman of the University of Southern California’s Department of Colorectal Surgery, the first Colorectal Surgery Department in an academic institution in the United States. In addition, Dr. Beart was the Costello Chair for Colorectal Diseases and the Skirball-Kenis Chair for Colorectal Diseases.
Dr. Beart graduated from Harvard Medical School and had his surgical training at the University of Colorado and the Mayo Clinic. He is board certified and recertified in General and Colorectal Surgery. He worked at the Mayo Clinic from 1976 to 1992, where he pioneered the ileal pouch-anal anastomosis procedure. He also launched the USC Center for Colorectal Diseases at USC University Hospital and USC/Norris Cancer Center and Hospital.
Dr. Beart is well recognized in the field, having published more than 400 peer reviewed articles, 100 book chapters, and multiple other presentations, movies, and books. He has served as editor-in-chief for Diseases of the Colon and Rectum, and has served on the editorial boards for Contemporary Surgery, the Journal of the American College of Surgery, the Journal of Laparoendoscopic Surgery, the Annals of Surgical Oncology, the Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery, the Archives of Surgery, and Outpatient Surgery.
Education:
- Doctor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, 1971
Internships:
- University of Colorado Medical Center, 1971 - 1972
Residencies:
- University of Colorado Medical Center, General Surgery, 1972 - 1975
- University of Colorado Medical Center, Chief Resident, General Surgery, 1975 - 1976
Fellowships:
- University of Colorado Medical Center, Transplant Fellow, 1974 - 1975
- Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Colon and Rectal Surgery, 1977 - 1978
Board Certification:
- American Board of Surgery
- American Board of Colon/Rectal Surgery
Professional Society Memberships:
- American Board of Colon and Rectal Surgery (Vice Chairman1988-1998)
- American Cancer Society (Colon and Rectal Surgery Advisory Committee)
- American College of Surgeons
- American College of Surgeons - Commission on Cancer 1983-1993 (Chairman 1985-1987, Executive Committee Member 1983-1987, Council Representative 1983-1987, Chairman-Committee on Patient Education and Research 1983-1985)
- American Gastroenterological Association
- American Joint Committee on Cancer
- American Federation of Clinical Research
- American Medical Association
- American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons (President 1991-1992, Executive Council 1990-1993)
- American Surgical Association
- International Society of University Colon and Rectal Surgeons (President 2004-2006, Council Member)
- Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract (Chairman of the Board 2004-2005, President 2003-2004, Chairman-Membership Committee1996-2001, Council Member 1996-2007)
- Society of Surgical Oncology (Executive Council 1990-1993, Chairman-Publications Committee 1990-1993)
- Society of American Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Surgeons
- Society of Pelvic Surgery
- Society of Clinical Surgery
- Board Member
From October, 2006 until his retirement at the end of 2009 Michael served as Vice President of Advocacy and Development, for Providence Health & Services, a 26-hospital, $6 billion nonprofit health system covering five states.
From 1993 to 2006, he served as the Providence leader in California as Vice President/Chief Executive for Providence Health & Services – Southern California Region. In 1993, he took over the Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center operation, which was a 600-bed hospital with annual revenues in 1992 of $168 million and a loss of $11.7 million from operations. The Providence presence in Southern California has grown under his leadership to include four acute care hospitals, several nursing homes, physician groups, Hospice, and Home Care organizations. The Region has over 1,000 acute beds and 7,600 employees located in Burbank, Mission Hills, Torrance, and San Pedro. In 2006, total revenues for the Region were $940 million with income from operations of $36.6 million.
Before coming to Providence, he worked for the Sisters of Mercy Health Corporation in Farmington, Michigan, most recently as Executive Vice President, Central Michigan Region. He holds a B.S. Degree from the University of Wisconsin, a M.H.A. Degree from the University of Minnesota, and attended the Advanced Management Program at Harvard.
Currently, he serves on the American Hospital Association board and chairs the Regional Policy Board of AHA for the Western region.
Michael is the past Chairman of the Board of the California Healthcare Association and is the immediate-past Chair of the Board of the Alliance of Catholic Health Care Systems (the association of Catholic hospitals within California). Michael is also former Chairman of the Board of the Hospital Association of Southern California. He has also served as the Board Chairman of the Sycamores, a boys’ mental health program in Pasadena. He is currently a Board Member of the Providence High School Board of Regents.
Michael and his wife Annette live in Pasadena, California.
- Board Member
Kevin Hanly is currently a teacher of Engineering and Bio Medical Manufacturing at the Institute of Technology in Salt Lake City, Utah for the Granite school district. He recently retired from the industry in June of 2009 as the V.P. of Manufacturing for ICU Medical.
Kevin has over 25 years of experience in managing Medical Device Manufacturing Operations within a highly FDA regulated environment. His primary skill and strength has been focused throughout his career in "High Volume, Lights out, Disposable Injection molding and High speed Automation Technology.
Kevin is currently a Board Member for SafeShot Technologies, LLC and is focusing his efforts towards the industrialization of the Epiphany™ safety syringe.
Kevin's experience in engineering, automation & manufacturing make him ideally suited for this position which include all areas of design qualification, process validation and start up of a new manufacturing facility.
Kevin's background includes all aspects of engineering and manufacturing including designing, implementing and validation of thermoplastic and liquid silicone molding operations, form fill seal packaging equipment, sterilization, tooling engineering, automation, prototype tooling development as well as designing and building computer integrated class 100,000 clean rooms.
- Board Member
Norman is a mechanical engineer with 30 years of diverse experience in the medical industry including research, development, manufacturing and clinical programs. Norman is a General Manager at ArthroCare, was VP R&D at Opus Medical, Inc., and was co-founder and Vice President/R&D of Laurus Medical, a laparoscopic specialty device company. He also directed laparoscopic development at Applied Medical Resources and held engineering, regulatory affairs and quality assurance positions at Gish Biomedical.
As General Manager of R&D for ArthroCare Norman has managed remote R&D office, headed product development, help define future product portfolio for a company business unit.
As Sr. Director, R&D, at ArthroCare Norman managed remote R&D group, focusing on novel implants and surgical instruments primarilly for orthopedic markets.
From December 1999 — November 2004 Norman was Vice President, Engineering for Opus Medical, Inc. and directed R&D effort, built Intellectual Property portfolio for startup and sold to Arthrocare Corp.
From January 1992 — April 1998 Norman was Vice President, Engineering at Laurus Medical Corporation. As a Founder of the startup, developed suturing instruments for pelvic floor reconstruction and sold to Boston Scientific.
Education
- University of California, Irvine
- BS , Mechanical Engineering , 1977 — 1980
- Board Member and Co-Founder
Dan comes from a highly entrepreneurial background starting in the auto industry as both a race car driver and test driver for Toyota USA, GM, Mercedes, BMW, Anson and Tiga race cars as well as a skilled engineering problem solver. Dan quickly learned that there are two key ingredients in bringing a teams efforts to a successful finish. You need the best technology to be competitive and, even more important, you need to surround yourself with the right people.
As one of the founders of the industry changing SafeShot technology, Dan put his broad experience to use to co-develop the overall strategy that, today, clearly puts SafeShot and its products in a position to "change the world" in health-care and specifically sharps safety going forward. Working together with key founding members and council Dan oversaw product development strategy as well as the patent strategy. His efforts have led to several technological breakthroughs and helped to assemble the finest team in the business.
Today, SafeShot stands alone in a clearly non litigious, highly protected patent space with a product that has been termed "next generation" technology ( MedTech Insight), designed to protect health-care workers and their patients.
- SafeShot Advisory Council
Karen A. Gibbs is the Vice President of Litigation at Applied Medical, one of the most highly integrated global medical device companies headquartered in Orange County, California.
Before joining Applied Medical, Ms. Gibbs was a partner of the Washington, D.C.-based, international law firm of Crowell & Moring LLP and was an antitrust and intellectual property litigator at other top law firms, including Howrey and Cooley Godward.
Ms. Gibbs has focused her career on strategic counseling, distribution-related challenges, and litigation for a variety of biomedical and other technology-driven companies. In the medical device space in particular, she has handled a broad variety of matters relating to various surgical, diagnostic, implantable, patient-care, patient-monitoring, and drug-delivery devices and systems. Her experience includes numerous intellectual property, distribution, international, healthcare compliance, general corporate and competition-related matters.
Ms. Gibbs has been active in various professional and industry associations, including the American Health Lawyers Association's Life Sciences Practice Group, the Advisory Board of BNA's Medical Device Law & Industry Report, the American Intellectual Property Law Association, and the Federal Bar Association. She is admitted to practice law in the State of California and before various federal courts.
Education
- Juris Doctorate, University of California's Hastings College of the Law
- Bachelors of Arts, University of California, Santa Barbara
Becky Merrifield Ettinger RN, MSN, APRN
- SafeShot Advisory Council
Becky Merrifield Ettinger is a member of Association of Women's Health, Obstetric, and Neonatal Nurses and National League of Nursing. Since 1974, Ms. Ettinger has worked as a staff RN, charge nurse, nurse manager, and house supervisor in medicalsurgical, maternal‐newborn, and community‐based nursing. She has served on multiple hospital based committees including the Infection Control Committee, Performance Improvement, Risk Management, Nurse‐Physician Interaction Committee, and assisted in preparing her facility for the Joint Commission Accreditation process as a nurse manager. Since 2006, she has been teaching registered nursing students in the Rancho Santiago Community College District in Southern California.
With a Master's Degree in Community Health Nursing, Ms. Ettinger published her research in a book entitled, "What Every Parent Should Know About Teen Sex: The Secret STD Epidemic," which educates adults about this adolescent challenge gripping the nation. She also speaks to students and parents about the dangers of sexually transmitted diseases.
- SafeShot Advisory Council
Dr. Gary G. Gammon, graduated M.I.T. in 1978 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. Gary went on to pursue a degree in Medicine at the University of Vermont, becoming Board Certified in Internal Medicine in 1985 after completing his Residency at the Ohio Valley Medical Center, located in Wheeling, West Virginia. He then served for 5 years in the U.S. Public Health Service in a Health Man-Power shortage area in W.V. He has been appointed to the position of Chief of Staff for 2 separate Hospital systems (St. Joseph's Hospital, Buckhannon, W.V. and Gaston Memorial Hospital, Gastonia, N.C.). After 15 years in a busy and successful Internal Medicine Practice, Gary left in favor of a position as Medical Director for the Hospitalist Program in Wilson, North Carolina. Gary has now for the last 7 years served as the Medical Director for CaroMont Inpatient Physicians, a 24 Dr. Hospitalist practice in Gastonia, NC. In addition, Gary is a member of the Society of Hospital Physicians, which elected him to a position of Fellow of Hospital Medicine in 2009.
Education:
- BS in Mechanical Engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology 1978
- MD degree from University of Vermont Medical School 1982
- Internal Medicine Residency at Ohio Valley Medical Center, 1982 - 85
- Chief Medical Resident 1984 – 85
- American Board of Internal Medicine certified 1985
Experience:
- 5 years in the US Public Health Service 1985-1990 with solo Internal Medicine Practice in Buckhannon, WV. Serving as the chief of staff for St. Joseph’s Hospital in 1989
- 10 years practicing in traditional internal medicine with Gaston Medical Group, Gastonia N.C. (This group ranged in size from 6 physicians to 22 physicians during that time.) Serving as the Chief of Medical Staff at Gaston Memorial Hospital in 1996.
- In 2001 moved to Wilson, NC to work as a Hospitalist at Wilson Medical Center. Serving as their Medical Director.
- In 2003 was recruited back to Gaston Memorial Hospital to serve as Medical Director and help establish a Hospitalist program (CaroMont Inpatient Physicians) which has grown from 1 physician to 24 physicians in 6 years.
Memberships:
- American College of Physicians
- Society for Hospital Medicine
- NC Medical Society
- Gaston County Medical Society (serving as President 2006 + 07)
- SafeShot Advisory Council
Anne Olin heads The Olin Group, a consulting firm that serves the development, strategic planning, foundation and grants management, and marketing needs of organizations in Southern California. Anne specializes in strategic planning support of nonprofits, charitable foundations, and businesses. She focuses on building organizational capacity in ways that support measured expansion and strengthen existing systems. She also possesses extensive experience developing direct marketing campaigns for nonprofits and businesses. Having previously worked as a community fundraiser and as a philanthropic specialist with Merrill Lynch, Anne brings a wealth of experience to her nonprofit and foundation clients.
Anne founded The Olin Group out of a desire to marry her passion for the nonprofit sector with her belief in effective business and communication practices. She has helped develop and launch local programs, developed marketing campaigns for both nonprofit and for-profit corporations, supports proposal development efforts to secure private, state and federal funding sources, and continues to provide strategic support on fundraising projects. She currently serves as the Executive Director for The Nicholas Endowment, and is the Executive Administrator for the Orange County Funders Roundtable, a collaborative of local funders seeking to promote philanthropy in the region. In 2007 she launched a new nonprofit, Charitable Ventures of Orange County, dedicated to supporting local nonprofits through fiscal sponsorship services. The Olin Group is based in Santa Ana, California.
In addition to her consulting work, Anne holds an M.A. in American History with an emphasis in immigration policy from Claremont Graduate University and is a member of Phi Beta Kappa and Pi Sigma Alpha national societies. Anne is also an alumnus of UC Irvine, and initiated and teaches Community Development through Grant Writing to Urban Planning graduate students in that institution’s Department of Planning, Policy and Design, where she brings more than 15 years of college teaching experience to the classroom. Anne also offers nonprofit trainings in a variety of community settings on grant writing, marketing strategies, and strategic planning.
Anne lives in Irvine with her husband and 7-year-old son, her favorite nonprofit project.
- Patent Attorney
Areas of Practice
Mr. Louis Cullman is a partner with the Law Firm of K&L Gates, focusing on intellectual property. With 35 offices across three continents, K&L Gates represents leading global corporations, growth and middle-market companies, capital markets participants and entrepreneurs in every major industry group as well as public sector entities, educational institutions, philanthropic organizations and individuals.
Prior to joining K&L Gates, Mr. Cullman was a partner at Stradling Yocca Carlson & Rauth, where he practiced patent and trademark prosecution, technology licensing, non-infringement, opinions, freedom to operate opinions, patentability opinions, and litigation support. Additionally, he maintained a generic drug FDA practice.
Prior to entering the legal field, Mr. Cullman co-founded and was the chief scientist of Microbiology Reference Laboratory, the first private sector laboratory in the United States specializing in infectious disease medicine.
Publications
- Author or co-author of over twenty scientific articles in peer-reviewed journals.
Presentations
- Invited Speaker, American Intellectual Property Association Seminar on Changes to the Patent Process. Presented in New York City, April 7, 2006. Procedural formalities to filing a patent application and patent publications.
- Panelist, Center for Entrepreneurship and Engineering Management. University of California, Santa Barbara. Intellectual Property Law Primer for Startup Companies. November 20, 2003
- Panel Moderator, Intellectual Property Law Panel. Global Nanotechnology Conference at NASA. October 17th & 18th, 2002, at the NASA Training Center, Moffett Field, CA
- Panelist, Law and Life Sciences Symposium at the Pepperdine University School of Law, April 13, 2002
- Invited Speaker, 98th General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology, Atlanta, GA “Prospects for Improved Serological Diagnosis of Human Monocytotropic Ehrlichiosis, 1998.”
Professional / Civic Activities
- Member, American Bar Association
- Member, American Society for Microbiology
- Member, American Chemical Society
- Member, American Biosafety Association
- Member, New York Academy of the Sciences
- Member, Intellectual Property Section, California State Bar
- Member, American Intellectual Property Law Association
- President, International Northwestern Conference on Diseases in Nature Communicable to Man, 1998 - 2000
- Vice President Scientific Chair, International Northwestern Conference on Diseases in Nature Communicable to Man, 1997 – 1998
- Los Angeles Public Library Foundation, Board of Directors 2004–2007; Co–chair Technology Committee
Court Admissions
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the Central District of California
- U.S. Supreme Court
Bar Memberships
California
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
Education
J.D., Southwestern University School of Law, 1993 (cum laude)
M.S., Microbiology, California State University, Long Beach, 1986
B.S., Microbiology, California State University, Long Beach, 1980
California State Licensed Clinical Microbiologist