BOARD OF DIRECTORS

 

Aaron Olver

Managing Director - UNIVERSITY RESEARCH PARK (URP)
President -
FORWARD BIOLABS

 
 

Aaron Olver is the Managing Director of the University Research Park. Established in 1984, University Research Park, a University of Wisconsin-Madison affiliate, is an internationally recognized research and technology park that supports early-stage, and growth-oriented businesses in a range of sectors, including engineering, computer and life sciences. Before joining University Research Park, Olver served as Director of Economic Development for the City of Madison. Prior to joining the City, he spearheaded Wisconsin’s economic development efforts serving as the Secretary of Commerce under Governor Jim Doyle. He held a handful of roles over two terms in the Doyle administration and led numerous economic development initiatives including the development of the Governor's plan, Grow Wisconsin, and the creation of an entrepreneurship agenda that launched programs such as Wisconsin's Angel and Venture Capital tax credits (Act 255).

Olver transitioned into public service and economic development after working as management consultant with McKinsey & Company in Chicago, IL where his practice focused on business development and growth strategy. Olver earned an undergraduate degree in Economics from the University of Wisconsin - Madison and a graduate degree in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics from Oxford University, Oxford, UK, where he was a Rhodes Scholar. He serves on the boards of the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce, the Wisconsin Technology Council, Forward BioLabs, the Madison Symphony Orchestra, and the Waisman Biomanufacturing Advisory Board. 

 
 

Robert Drape

Chief Executive Officer - WICELL
Co-founder -
FORWARD BIOLABS

 
 

Robert Drape is the CEO of the WiCell Research Institute, a nonprofit organization supporting research on stem cell technologies at the University of Wisconsin – Madison and the development of stem cell technologies worldwide. Prior to joining WiCell in 2007, his prior experience includes roles in senior management and project management in organizations concentrating on vaccine development, clinical research and mammalian cell line production. Robert earned an Executive MBA from the University of Wisconsin – Madison and a bachelor’s degree in Biology from Augustana College (IL) and currently serves as an advisor to the Forward BIO Initiative and is a member of the Waisman Biomanufacturing Advisory Board. 

Robert has spent his entire life in the Madison area, being part of the biotechnology community for over 30 years. Recognizing the need for fully equipped, maintained, and supported affordable lab space for startups, WiCell utilized excess capacity to initially help one startup spun out from UW- Madison in 2016. Forward BIOLABS was born out of the desire to expand this idea to help multiple companies and strengthen Wisconsin’s biotechnology community by filling this gap in the ecosystem.

 
 
 

Pam Christenson

Director – Customer and Community Relations
MADISON GAS AND ELECTRIC (MGE) 

 
 

Pam Christenson is the Director of Customer and Community Relations for Madison Gas and Electric, a local utility company that generates and distributes natural gas and electricity to over 150,000 customers in south-central Wisconsin. In this role, Ms. Christenson partners with business, education and government leaders to ensure well-planned and beneficial economic growth occurs in the MGE service area. She currently serves on the boards of Downtown Madison Inc., Clean Lakes Alliance, Forward BioLabs, StartingBlock Madison, Fitchburg Chamber of Commerce, Workforce Development Board of South-Central Wisconsin, Utility Economic Development Association, the Wisconsin Economic Development Institute, Wisconsin Business Development, Friends of Nolen Waterfront and Tri4Schools. Prior to her work with MGE, Pam held positions in both the public and private sector including 15 years in a number of different roles with the State of Wisconsin.  While working at the Wisconsin Department of Commerce, she served as the Director of the Bureau of Entrepreneurship and Technology Development and the Administrator for the Division of Business Development which housed the agency’s economic development and financial programs.

On the private sector side, Ms. Christenson spent several years working at the Wisconsin Petroleum Marketers & Convenience Store Association, the statewide trade group for gas station and c-store owners as their Director of Public Affairs.  She also did promotions and special events for a Miller Brewing Company local distributor.  She and her husband co-own Christy’s Landing, a third generation bar and restaurant on the Madison side of Lake Waubesa. Pam is an avid runner, having completed 14 marathons and two Ragnar Races.  She is also a five -time Ironman triathlon finisher and Tough Mudder survivor.   

 
 
 

Lisa Johnson 

Chief Executive Officer
BIOFORWARD

 
 

Lisa Johnson was appointed CEO of BioForward in May, 2015. Lisa began her bioscience career in 1989 joining three other business founders in launching Novagen, a successful life science reagents company focused on protein expression & purification. For nine years, Lisa worked as Finance and Business Development Director responsible for administration, sales and business development functions. She led teams in managing licensing and OEM agreements, distributor relations and the integration process during the 1998 buy-out with CN Biosciences & Merck KGaA. With Merck KGaA, Lisa held a variety of positions as General Manager for EMD Biosciences, managing teams to achieve global sales of $80M. She was promoted to Vice President of Operations for EMD Biosciences and later to Vice President of Corporate Development for EMD Chemicals North America. In June, 2009, she joined Semba Biosciences, Inc. as Chief Business Officer. In 2011, she left the life science world to join state government as VP, Entrepreneurship and Innovation for the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation.

To BioForward she brings startup, international and government experience to an action-oriented association that meets member needs through initiatives to strengthen talent and promote the capabilities of our region, collaborations to develop partnerships, educational and networking events, and legislative advocacy.

 
 

Tom Livelli

Vice President of Life Sciences
PROMEGA

 
 

Tom Livelli is the Vice President of Life Sciences at Promega Corporation, bringing with him over 40 years of experience in Molecular Cell Biology. Tom is responsible for the Pharma/Biotech and the Academic/Government market segment SBU’s at Promega, working with the business teams to drive the strategy for these markets. Tom also manages the Strategic Collaboration Management Team (SCMT) and the Elite Access service group. 

Prior to joining Promega, Tom was Vice President, Cellular Assay Systems and Collaborations Management at Invitrogen/Life Technologies Discovery Sciences. Before Invitrogen/Life Technologies, Tom was the President & CEO of Cell & Molecular Technologies Inc. (CMT), a biotechnology company he founded in 1997 and took public in 1998. CMT was acquired by Invitrogen in December, 2006. Tom has done research in and managed the laboratory of Nobel Laureate Dr. Richard Axel at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute at Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons from 1986 to 1997.  Tom’s research was focused on building cell-based assays to interrogate GPCR biology. Tom received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology from Columbia University in 1977. 

 
 

Michael Partsch 

Chief Venture Officer
WISCONSIN ALUMNI RESEARCH FOUNDATION (WARF)

 
 

Mike Partsch is the chief venture officer of the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF), a nonprofit, mission-driven organization that has supported scientific research within the UW–Madison community for more than 90 years. WARF partners with university researchers on patenting and licensing their discoveries and then providing grants back to UW–Madison to continue that cycle of innovation. Partsch is a veteran healthcare venture capitalist and startup CEO with extensive operational experience in early-stage management.

Prior to joining WARF, he led AcceleMed Management, a medical device incubator, for 11 years. His venture experience includes being a co-founder and managing director at Accuitive Medical Ventures, an associate at Versant Ventures and a Kauffman Fellow (Class 4) at EDF Ventures. He holds an MBA from Carnegie Mellon University and a B.A. in biology and philosophy of science from the University of Pennsylvania.