We believe Dr. Hrustanovic is qualified to serve on our Board because of his extensive leadership and investment experience in the life sciences sector and strong scientific background.
Class II Directors Continuing in Office
Franklin Berger. Mr. Berger has served as a member of our Board since May 2020. Mr. Berger has served as Managing Director at FMB Research LLC, a consulting firm, since June 2005. From January 2007 to June 2008, Mr. Berger worked at Sectoral Asset Management Inc., an investment management firm, as a founder of the small-cap focused NEMO Fund. Prior to that, he served at J.P. Morgan Securities, a securities brokerage company, most recently as Managing Director, Equity Research and Senior Biotechnology Analyst and served in similar capacities at investment banking firms Salomon Smith Barney and Josephthal & Co. Mr. Berger also serves on the board of directors of biotechnology companies, including BELLUS Health, Inc. (Nasdaq: BLU), Atreca, Inc. (Nasdaq: BCEL), ESSA Pharma Inc. (Nasdaq: EPIX), Kezar Life Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: KZR) and Atea Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: AVIR). Mr. Berger previously served as a member of the board of directors of Immune Design Corp., an immunotherapy company, Tocagen Inc. (Nasdaq: FBRX), a biotechnology company, Proteostasis Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: PTI), a biopharmaceutical company, and Five Prime Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: FPRX), a biotechnology company. Mr. Berger earned his A.B. in International Studies and M.A. in International Economics and International Relations, both from Johns Hopkins University, and his M.B.A. from the Harvard Business School.
We believe Mr. Berger is qualified to serve on our Board because of his extensive experience in the areas of finance, business transactions and management in the life sciences sector.
Stefani A. Wolff. Ms. Wolff has served as a member of our Board since March 2021. Ms. Wolff has served as the Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President of Product Development at Nurix Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: NRIX), a biopharmaceutical company, since June 2021. Previously, she served in a variety of roles at Principia Biopharma Inc. (Nasdaq: PRNB), a biopharmaceutical company, including as Chief Development Officer from June 2017 to December 2020 and as Senior Vice President of Strategy and Operations from December 2016 to May 2017. From December 2015 until November 2016, Ms. Wolff was an independent biotechnology consultant. From May 2013 until December 2015, she was Vice President of Development at Onyx Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company. Earlier in her career, Ms. Wolff served in a variety of roles at Genentech, Inc., a biotechnology company, from 1997 to 2010; as well as Eli Lilly & Co. from 1989 to 1997. Ms. Wolff earned her B.A. in Chemistry and B.S. in Pharmacy from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
We believe Ms. Wolff is qualified to serve on our Board because of her extensive experience in areas of management, business transactions and operational experience in the life sciences sector.
Class III Directors Continuing in Office
Avanish Vellanki. Mr. Vellanki co-founded Rain and has served as our Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer since our founding in April 2017. Mr. Vellanki also served as our President from April 2017 to April 2021. Prior to founding Rain, Mr. Vellanki served as Senior Vice President and Chief Business Officer at Aptose Biosciences Inc. (Nasdaq: APTO), a biotechnology company, from November 2013 to March 2017. From August 2011 to November 2013, Mr. Vellanki served as a Senior Vice President at Wedbush Securities, Inc., an investment bank. Mr. Vellanki served as a Senior Director of Corporate Development at Proteolix, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, from February 2009 until Proteolix’s acquisition by Onyx Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, in December 2009. From November 2006 to February 2009, Mr. Vellanki served as a Vice President at Citigroup, an investment bank. Mr. Vellanki began his career at Bear, Stearns & Co., an investment bank. Mr. Vellanki earned his B.A. in Biology from Carleton College, his M.B.S. in Biochemistry from the University of Minnesota and his M.B.A. from the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota.
We believe Mr. Vellanki is qualified to serve on our Board because of his extensive experience in leadership and management roles at various life sciences companies.
Tran Nguyen. Mr. Nguyen has served as a member of our Board since April 2018. Mr. Nguyen has served as Chief Financial Officer of Prothena Corporation PLC, a neuroscience company, since March 2013, and as Chief Strategy Officer since October 2021. From April 2010 until its sale to Pernix Therapeutics Holdings, Inc.,