Georgia Life Sciences Board of Directors Update 2026
Georgia Life Sciences Announces New Board Members and Executive Committee Leadership
February 4, 2026. Georgia Life Sciences (GLS) is pleased to welcome five new leaders to its Board of Directors and announce its newly appointed Executive Committee, strengthening the organization’s leadership at a pivotal time for Georgia’s growing life sciences ecosystem.
New Board Members
- Kenny Cordell, Senior Audit Manager, Crowe
- Lori Chmura, CEO, Nyra Medical
- Emily Dinu, Founding Partner, Numinous Capital
- Courtney Law, Vice President, Life Sciences Commercial Banking, J.P. Morgan
- Samir Patel, President & CEO, Moonlight Therapeutics
These new board members bring deep expertise across finance, investment, entrepreneurship, and life sciences innovation, reflecting the breadth and momentum of Georgia’s sector.
New Executive Committee
- Dave Penake, Saol Therapeutics – Chair
- Scott Rizzo, Bend Bioscience – Vice Chair
- Wayne Elowe, Greenberg Traurig – Secretary
- Nathan Caplinger, Avantor – Finance & Audit Committee
- Ashley Cornelison, Portal Innovations – Governance & Nominating Committee
“This leadership team represents the strength, diversity, and ambition of Georgia’s life sciences community,” said Maria Thacker Goethe, President and CEO, Georgia Life Sciences. “Their collective experience will help guide GLS as we advance policies, partnerships, and programs that enable companies to start, scale, and stay in Georgia.”
Georgia Life Sciences looks forward to the contributions of its new board members and executive leadership as it continues to support innovation, workforce development, and economic growth across the state.
January 20, 2026. Paulding County has been designated a BioReady Silver Community by Georgia Life Sciences, the state’s leading life sciences membership organization. The BioReady designation recognizes communities that demonstrate strong zoning practices, infrastructure capacity, and readiness to support biotechnology and life sciences development. “We are proud to recognize Paulding County as our newest BioReady Silver community,” said Maria Thacker-Goethe, President and CEO of Georgia Life Sciences. “Paulding County’s proactive planning, growing workforce, and access to regional healthcare and transportation infrastructure position it well to support life sciences manufacturing and commercialization. Through the BioReady program, we champion communities that are intentionally preparing to compete for industry investment and job growth.” Paulding County’s designation reflects its commitment to thoughtful land-use planning, scalable infrastructure, and business-friendly development policies that support life sciences and advanced manufacturing uses. Located in the northwest Atlanta metro region, the county offers access to a strong labor pool, major transportation corridors, and regional healthcare systems, making it an attractive option for biotechnology, medical device, diagnostics, and related life sciences companies seeking room to grow. “Georgia BioReady designation validates Paulding County’s readiness to support bioscience investment and strengthens our position as a growing hub for advanced industries,” said Alex Almodovar, President & CEO, Paulding County Economic Development Inc. & Industrial Building Authority The BioReady rating system evaluates communities across three tiers—Bronze, Silver, and Gold—based on their readiness to attract and support life sciences facilities. Through these ratings, Georgia Life Sciences helps municipalities better showcase biotech-appropriate sites, strengthen infrastructure planning, and clearly identify life sciences-friendly locations. This approach enables communities like Paulding County to compete more effectively for private investment and high-quality job creation. Georgia Life Sciences advances innovation, strengthens the workforce pipeline, and grows Georgia’s life sciences economy through the BioReady Community program, modeled after MassBio’s nationally recognized rating system, which assesses a community’s readiness to host life sciences facilities based on zoning practices and infrastructure capacity. About Georgia Life Sciences Georgia Life Sciences, founded in 1989, is a non-profit, membership-based organization that promotes the interests and growth of the life sciences industry. It is the state’s largest and most influential life sciences advocacy and business leadership organization working to improve access to innovative discoveries that have lifesaving impact. The association connects business, academia, government, and other allied entities involved in the application of life sciences products to fuel growth and collaboration through policy development, community programs, national industry initiatives, and a portfolio of educational and networking events. Learn more at galifesciences.org.
What happens when students see real work before choosing a future
By: Patrick Plues | RealClearHealth January 8, 2026 For decades, America has led the global biotech industry – thanks, in part, to state-level policies that encourage research and manufacturing investments. But other countries, including China, are sparing no expense in the bid to overtake us. Beijing has officially made biotechnology a national strategic priority and is pouring billions into state-backed research and manufacturing efforts. All states should consider impactful biotech policies that grow and strengthen our domestic biotechnology industry. If states fail to utilize and replicate what are considered to be the best and most successful policies in biotech-focused economic development, the United States will soon lose its long-term leadership in developing medicines and medical technologies, which underpin our health, our economy, and our national security. Thankfully, many governors and state legislatures around the country are already answering this call -- as our new study, The U.S. Bioscience Industry: A Powerful Engine for State Economies, demonstrates. Keep Reading at https://www.realclearhealth.com/2026/01/08/americas_biotech_leadership_depends_on_the_states_1157584.html
