January 5, 2021

Three new appointees join the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center’s Board of Directors @VTCRC

Blacksburg, VA January 5, 2021 – Three new appointees join the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center’s Board of Directors January 2021 after being elected to three-year terms by the Virginia Tech Foundation Board of Directors.

The new appointees are:

Kenna Anderes, Ph.D., RAC

Kenna Anderes has been a scientific leader in oncology drug discovery, biomarker identification and early clinical development in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries for over 20 years. She is trained as a pharmacologist and cancer biologist and has held a number of senior executive and scientific advisory positions at pharmaceutical, biotech and in vitro diagnostic companies. As an early employee in several startup companies, Dr. Anderes acquired very broad, interdisciplinary technical and business skills, with breadth in science, clinical research, clinical operations, regulatory strategy, product/medical device development. Achievements range from lead identification of novel small molecule or biological entities to characterization of clinical development candidates for several distinct first in class molecular targeted agents to treat cancer. Anderes formed Translational Medicine Partners, Inc. and co-founded Wild Type Advisors, LLC to provide bespoke consulting services for the life sciences, biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries. Previously she worked at Pfizer, Cylene Pharmaceuticals, and Molecular Response.

Anderes earned her Bachelor of Science with University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, a Ph.D. in pharmacology from the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, and she performed a postdoctoral research fellowship in pharmacology at the University of California San Diego.

Scott Horner, Ph.D.

Scott is an Investment Director at Middleland Capital where he is responsible for portfolio management and evaluating investment opportunities. Scott led Middleland’s investments in and holds board or observer seats in ZeaKal, Advanced Animal Diagnostics, Virgin Plants, Mycotechnology, Benson Hill Biosystems, Blue Prairie Brands, and Plant Response Biotech.

Prior to joining Middleland in 2013, Scott was a Managing Director at Third Security, LLC, where he was responsible for managing investments in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical sectors. He served on the Board of Directors of Synchrony Inc. (acquired by Dresser-Rand Corp.) and took on interim operating roles within several portfolio companies, including President and Chief Executive Officer of Pinnacle Pharmaceuticals, and VP Chemistry and VP Business Development, Intrexon Corporation (now Precigen). Scott received his Ph.D. in Bioorganic Chemistry and an M.S. in Biophysics from the University of Rochester, and a B.S. in Biochemistry from the State University of New York at Albany.

Kathy de Paolo

Kathy de Paolo, Vice President of Engineering at Disney’s Parks, Experiences, and Products segment, is a technologist who started her career in aerospace engineering, fueled by a passion for aviation and problem solving. She developed an expertise in embedded software and wireless communications engineering, which she applied while directing teams at a Fortune 500 company specialized in systems and software developed for the mobile platform space. In her current role, de Paolo drives emerging technology efforts to reimagine operations and deliver innovative guest experiences.

Previously, she held a 22-year career as Director of Engineering with Qualcomm Incorporated, the world’s leading wireless technology innovator and the driving force behind the development, launch, and expansion of 5G. de Paolo holds two patents.

de Paolo holds a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace and Ocean Engineering from Virginia Tech. In April 2020 she was inducted into the Virginia Tech Academy of Engineering Excellence and is the recipient of the 2019 College of Engineering Distinguished Alumni Award.

In addition to the three newly elected board members, Dan Sui, Virginia Tech’s new Vice President for Research and Innovation, joins the board in an ex-officio position. 

Daniel Sui, Ph.D.

Sui is an internationally renowned researcher in the area of GIS-based spatial analysis and modeling for urban, environmental, and public health applications. Sui succeeded G. Don Taylor, Ph.D., as Virginia Tech’s Vice President for Research and Innovation. A Distinguished Professor of Geography, Sui served as the University of Arkansas’ Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation. During his tenure, Sui grew research expenditures to a historical high of $180 million, which directly contributed to the university’s $2.2 billion economic impact for the state of Arkansas. Sui is an established researcher and invited public speaker who has been published in more than 230 scholarly publications covering various interdisciplinary topics and delivered approximately 70 keynote speeches, endowed, or invited guest lectures over the past five years.

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Media Contact: Melissa Vidmar, Marketing & Communications Manager, melissa.vidmar@vtcrc.com

About the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center → www.vtcrc.com

Nestled in the heart of Virginia’s Technology Corridor and adjacent to the Virginia Tech (VT) campus, the 230-acre research park is home to over 225 research, technology and support companies that employ over 3,500. The research park enterprise includes Tech Center Research Park, a 100-acre mixed use development in Newport News, Virginia.

The VTCRC, established in 1985, is owned and managed by the Virginia Tech Foundation, a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit non-stock corporation established in 1948. The VTCRC strives to continually develop a prestigious research park for high-technology companies and in collaboration with the university, advance the research, educational and technology transfer missions of Virginia Tech.