Rick Morello joined CND Life Sciences as CEO in early 2020 and brings over 25 years of experience with health and life sciences companies, having served in senior executive roles for medical device, digital health, and diagnostics firms. Before joining CND, Rick was the Global President of Life Sciences at Aptus Health, a former subsidiary of Merck, Inc. (acquired by WebMD) and CEO of Plasma Surgical, an innovative medical device company with technology used around the world for complex, tissue-sparing procedures. Rick began his career in strategy consulting, rising to Partner at Mercer Management Consulting (now part of Oliver Wyman), where he helped build the Health & Life Sciences Practice and managed large biopharma and diagnostics clients. A Kellogg MBA and graduate of the University of Virginia, Rick also founded and helped grow three nonprofit organizations that have raised nearly $100 million in the last decade to fulfill health and social impact missions, including Family Reach Foundation, which is working with the Biden Administration’s Cancer Moonshot Initiative to address the financial burden of cancer on patients and families.

Terri Rosov serves as Quality Director and joined CND Life Sciences in 2022. Her laboratory background in diagnostic assay development shows a relentless desire to elevate patient care with a focus on quality processes and continuous improvement in a laboratory setting. Before joining CND, Terri worked at the intersection of research and industry for 10 years on large, grant-funded research projects from BARDA, DARPA, DOE, NIH, AzDHS and others in areas of molecular biology and immunology. In 2020, Terri validated Arizona’s first saliva-based COVID-19 lab-developed test at the ASU Biodesign Clinical Testing Laboratory (ABCTL), using laboratory automation and quality management principles to scale the process to provide test results for up to 2,000 people in 24 hours. As Quality Manager of ABCTL, Terri championed the lab’s initial accreditation with the College of American Pathologists (CAP), and most recently helped CND achieve CAP accreditation in 2023. Terri holds degrees in both Biology and Japan Studies from Earlham College in Indiana and spent a year abroad at Waseda University in Japan.

Bailey joined CND Life Sciences in 2018 as one of the first full-time employees of the organization. In his current role as Senior Manager, Research & Development, Bailey focuses on conducting laboratory process improvement, test optimization, exploratory research, and new product development. His team also supports the execution of Syn-One testing protocols as part of company- and grant-funded clinical studies and industry-sponsored trials involving drug candidates that target alpha-synuclein or related mechanisms of action. As a biomedical engineering graduate of the University of Arizona, Bailey brings foundational science and research capabilities to CND along with an understanding of pharmaceutical, organic chemistry, and personalized medicine disciplines.

Mackenzie joined CND Life Sciences as Senior Manager, Clinical Services in March 2021. In her role, Mackenzie provides personalized support to both clinicians and patients, drives the development of new programs and processes to ensure customer satisfaction, and works closely with the laboratory and other departments to establish cross functional success. Mackenzie studied Biomedical Engineering at the University of Arizona and received her Master of Engineering in Bioengineering at the University of California, Berkeley. Prior to joining the team, Mackenzie managed over 100 neuroscience clinical research trials at HonorHealth Research Institute and was a key player in the development and management of their COVID-19 clinical research program. Mackenzie has also spent time in academic research studying Alzheimer’s disease at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. Personally impacted by the devastating reality of neurodegenerative diseases, Mackenzie has a passion for patient care and support.

Dr. Roy Freeman, one of CND Life Sciences’ three founders and a senior scientific advisor, is a Professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School and director of the Center for Autonomic and Peripheral Nerve Disorders in the Department of Neurology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts. Dr. Freeman is former chairman of the World Federation of Neurology research group on the autonomic nervous system, former president of the American Autonomic Society, and former chairman of the Autonomic Section of the American Academy of Neurology. Currently, he serves on the Executive Committee and the Steering Committee of the Analgesic, Anesthetic, and Addiction Clinical Trial Translations, Innovations, Opportunities, and Networks (ACTTION), a public-private partnership with the FDA. With research and clinical interests in the physiology and pathophysiology of the small nerve fibers and the autonomic nervous system, Dr. Freeman has a special interest in biomarker development in neurodegenerative disease. He is the principal investigator on National Institutes of Health-funded studies on the neurological complications of diabetes, the neurobiology of stress, and biomarker development in alpha-synucleinopathies and neuropathic pain. He is Editor-in-Chief of Autonomic Neuroscience: Basic and Clinical and on the editorial boards of the Journal of the Peripheral Nervous System and Clinical Autonomic Research.

Dr. Christopher Gibbons, one of CND Life Sciences’ three founders and a senior scientific advisor, has played an integral role in translating key science in the field to help develop the company’s core diagnostic technology. A clinician-scientist involved in the investigation, evaluation, and treatment of patients with autonomic and peripheral nerve disorders, Dr. Gibbons’ clinical expertise extends to the investigation and treatment of autonomic and peripheral neuropathies. He has served as Chair of the Clinical Affairs Committee for the American Autonomic Society, Chair of the Autonomic Section of the American Academy of Neurology, President of the American Autonomic Society and Chair of the International Diabetes Neuropathy Consortium. Dr. Gibbons has established the neurocutaneous skin biopsy lab at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC), where he oversees all clinical testing. He has also received several grants to study cutaneous α-synuclein expression in nerves within the skin. Dr. Gibbons completed his medical training at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and his residency in Neurology at Johns Hopkins Hospital. He also received a Master in Medical Science degree through a combined Harvard and MIT training program. Dr. Gibbons is a Professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School.

Dr. Todd Levine is one of the three founders of CND Life Sciences and serves as its Chief Medical Officer, playing a key role in the delivery of diagnostic services and ongoing technology development. Dr. Levine also serves as the Director of Neuroscience Research at HonorHealth Research Institute and has over 25 years of experience as a clinical neurologist with a sub-specialty in disorders of the peripheral nervous system. In 2010, he founded his first medical diagnostics company called Corinthian Reference Lab (CRL). Based in Fort Worth, Texas, CRL has processed over 50,000 skin biopsies, receiving specimens from over 4,000 different neurologists across the US and Canada. He received his medical degree from Duke University and did his residency and fellowship at Washington University in St Louis. He has served as the Chairman of the Neuromuscular Division of the American Academy of Neurology and has served as the Medical Director of Neurology for HonorHealth in Phoenix, Arizona.

Dr. Sarah Jelliffe joined CND Life Sciences Pathology Services Group in 2023 as a board-certified Anatomic and Clinical Pathologist. In her role, Dr. Jelliffe is responsible for reading, interpreting, and reporting on CND’s innovative suite of cutaneous neurodiagnostic tests ordered by neurologists and other clinicians nationally. Dr. Jelliffe applies traditional and digital pathology methods in her work at CND, leveraging 15 years of experience in surgical pathology and her time as medical director for several clinical laboratories across the world. Her previous position was on staff at a large, community-based hospital, where she chaired a multidisciplinary cancer committee and led the surgical pathology team through thousands of diagnoses. Prior to that, as the Chief of Anatomic Pathology, she launched whole-slide scanning and digital pathology programs in the Air Force. She has published and presented on a diverse range of topics within the field of pathology. Dr. Jelliffe is passionate about leading patients to a better understanding of their pathology findings so they can make meaningful and informed decisions.

Dr. Jelliffe completed medical school at Pikeville College of Osteopathic Medicine, followed by residency training at Duke University Medical Center, where she was chief resident. She served on active duty in the United States Air Force for seven years and is currently a Reservist.

Kathryn joined CND Life Sciences as Vice President, Strategy & Business Development in February 2024. In this role, Kathryn focuses on key strategic initiatives including CND’s biomarker capabilities for pharmaceutical clinical trials, international market expansion, and growing CND’s partnerships leveraging complementary technologies. 

Prior to joining CND Kathryn spent more than 10 years at Vertex Pharmaceuticals, a global biotechnology company headquartered in Boston. During that time, Kathryn worked as Corporate Counsel and held strategic roles in Marketing and Commercial Strategy & Operations.

Kathryn received her Juris Doctorate with honors from the University of North Carolina and BAs in Spanish and Public Relations from Auburn University.

Steve Mastrian joined CND Life Sciences as Director, Research Operations in the fall of 2023 and brings 25 years of experience in technology, operations, and commercial leadership roles at translational research and diagnostics companies. In his role at CND, Steve leads key project management initiatives for R&D, clinical trials, and scientific affairs, including alliance management for CND’s biopharma clients.

Steve began his career in DNA sequencing at the NIH, where he helped map the first human genome. This led to a career in research and diagnostic testing operations, partnership management, and strategy in startup environments. He built and managed the first technology lab at the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) in Phoenix, AZ, as well as their cancer testing unit, Ashion Analytics, where he led business and commercial operations. Prior to joining CND, Steve was the Director of Biopharma and Healthcare Partnerships at Exact Sciences, a worldwide leader for cancer testing, where he implemented and led partnerships with healthcare, academic, and commercial partners, including two multicenter Cancer Moonshot collaborations. Steve holds a master’s in biotechnology from Johns Hopkins University.

Dr. Thompson joined CND Life Sciences as Senior Dermatopathologist in March 2023 and brings 23 years of post-graduate medical experience, including residency training in anatomical and clinical pathology; a chief residency; and fellowships in surgical pathology, cytopathology, and dermatopathology at UCLA. Dr. Thompson is responsible for interpretation of phosphorylated alpha-synuclein slides, assisting in the optimization of the H&E portion of the Syn-One Test®, and collaborative efforts to develop additional cutaneous neurodiagnostic assays.

Dr. Thompson was a private practice dermatopathologist and then joined Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit, MI as an Assistant Professor of Pathology. During his tenure at Wayne State University, authored numerous articles, including two review articles of molecular studies in malignant melanoma, and won the Excellence in Teaching Award in Anatomic Pathology in 2017. In 2019, Dr. Thompson joined West Virginia University School of Medicine in Morgantown, WV as an Associate Professor of Pathology. There he continued to sign-out a diverse array of dermatopathology cases, including specimens from the dermatology department, skin immunofluorescence, and larger surgical resections of cutaneous malignancies, including metastases to lymph nodes and other anatomic sites.

His undergraduate degree is from Stanford University, where he was chosen for Phi Beta Kappa. He then attended UCLA Medical School and earned a combined MD and PhD in molecular biology via the Medical Scientist Training Program. He is a fellow of the American Society of Dermatopathology, the College of American Pathologists, and the American Society for Clinical Pathology.

Dr. Murphy joined CND Life Sciences in October 2023 as a Senior Dermatopathologist with over 20 years of experience in the field of dermatopathology. In her role at CND, Dr. Murphy focuses primarily on interpreting skin biopsy assays associated with CND’s groundbreaking Syn-One Test® to help clinicians diagnose Parkinson’s disease and related disorders.  Her core pathology activities include reading slides to detect phosphorylated alpha-synuclein in cutaneous nerves, H&E evaluation, and analyzing Congo Red portions of the Syn-One Test.  Dr. Murphy’s career includes notable roles as a staff pathologist with Cockerell Dermatopathology in Texas and as a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Departments of Dermatology and Pathology at UTSW. Recognized as Physician of the Year with Ameripath in 2002, she transitioned to private practice in Florida, where the lab was later acquired by Aurora Diagnostics. During her time with Aurora Diagnostics, she served as a dermatopathologist in both full-time and locum positions across various locations.

Her interest in neurodegenerative diseases led Dr. Murphy to actively participate in Alzheimer’s disease trials as a Clinical Trials Sub-Investigator in Southern California. Following Aurora Diagnostics’ acquisition by Sonic Healthcare USA, she contributed her expertise to Arizona Dermatopathology Labs, a division of Sonic, where she served as Medical Director for approximately two years.

Dr. Murphy is a graduate of the University of Florida College of Medicine and completed her AP/CP residency and Cytopathology fellowship at Wake Forest University/Baptist Medical Center, where she served as Co-Chief Resident. Subsequently, she pursued a Dermatopathology fellowship at Cockerell and Associates/University of Texas Southwestern Medical School (UTSW) in Dallas. Excited about CND’s work and mission, Dr. Murphy is eager to explore additional opportunities within the organization where her diagnostic, interpersonal, and humanistic skills can make a meaningful impact.

Dr. Padma Mahant joined CND Life Sciences as the part-time Director, Medical Affairs. As an experienced neurologist, she also continues to provide direct patient care in private practice specializing in movement disorders.  At CND, Dr. Mahant plays a key role in many areas including education and guidance on CND’s diagnostic technologies for Parkinson’s disease and related disorders, physician case reviews and discussions regarding results of the Syn-One Test® and CND’s support services for clinicians and patients.

Outside of CND, Dr. Mahant is a board-certified neurologist specializing in movement disorders at Foothills Neurology in Phoenix, Arizona, where she is active in the clinical education of future physicians, as Clinical Assistant Professor of Neurology with the University of Arizona Medical School in Phoenix, Arizona. Her clinical interests include blepharospasm, exercise in Parkinson’s disease, and deep brain stimulation for Parkinson’s disease. Dr. Mahant has contributed to research throughout her career, in former roles with the Parkinson’s Study Group, the Arizona Parkinson’s Disease Consortium, and the Center for Adaptive Neural Systems at the Biodesign Institute of Arizona State University.

Dr. Mahant’s presence in the movement disorders community in Arizona was established early in her career through leadership positions including Medical Director of the multidisciplinary Movement Disorders Clinic at Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center and Co-Medical Director of the American Parkinson’s Disease Association (APDA) Southwest Chapter’s Information and Referral Center.

Dr. Mahant graduated from the Medical College of Pennsylvania of Drexel University, with multiple honors including induction into the Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society. She completed her neurology residency at the University of Rochester, where she was active in supporting the interests of the neurology community as resident representative on several committees for the American Academy of Neurology. Dr. Mahant completed her fellowship in movement disorders at the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Research Center at Barrow Neurological Institute and continued to work as a part-time faculty member at BNI for several years prior to her transition to her current role in medical affairs at CND Life Sciences.

Dave joined CND Life Sciences as SVP, Finance & Strategy in early 2022, and brings 15 years of healthcare, finance, and consulting experience. In his role at CND, Dave leads a range of finance and accounting activities, corporate development efforts, and strategic initiatives, including the evolution and management of the company’s Clinical Trials Services solutions for biopharma clients. Prior to joining CND, Dave worked on commercial assessments of neuroscience business development opportunities as well as various strategic initiatives at AbbVie. Dave also worked at J.P. Morgan in the Healthcare Investment Banking Group, where he provided financial and strategic advisory services for M&A and equity and debt transactions for pharmaceutical, biotechnology, healthcare services, and healthcare IT companies. Dave received his MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and his BA from the University of Michigan. Dave and his wife like to sail, ski, and hike with their dog in their free time.

Alex joined CND Life Sciences as the Director of IT in late 2022 to lead a range of technology areas and initiatives for the company, including cybersecurity, digital pathology infrastructure, and employee enablement. He has been a part of large IT organizations for more than a decade and brings a health sciences background from a collaboration between the University of Utah Department of Pathology and Associated Regional and University Pathologists (ARUP). Alex’s experience in previous positions has allowed him to develop a hybrid technical- and leadership-driven approach to his work.

Jennifer started working with CND Life Sciences in early 2020 as Creative Director and Principal of a boutique branding and creative design firm, Juniper Hill Creative, before officially joining CND in early 2023 as Director of Brand Marketing. Jennifer brings decades of experience and expertise in marketing experiences, brand identity, and web design in the life science industry.

Prior to Juniper Hill, Jennifer was SVP of Creative and Production Services at Aptus Health, a former subsidiary of Merck, Inc. (acquired by WebMD) and Creative Director at RxCentric, an innovative digital marketing company focused on interactive programs for healthcare professionals. Before turning her focus to healthcare, Jennifer spent several years in the entertainment industry creating immersive user experiences, interactive sports and television applications, and 3D entertainment software for top ecommerce retailers. Jennifer is a recipient of multiple industry awards, including Hermes, Webby, Davey, WebAwards, and an Interactive Academy Award for a documentary on the Titanic.

Jennifer graduated from California State University Fullerton with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications.

Sara joined CND Life Sciences as Financial Controller in June 2022 and brings a decade of diverse accounting experience, ranging from external assurance services to internal accounting at both privately held and publicly traded entities. In addition to leading the accounting team, Sara supports strategic financial initiatives throughout the organization and enjoys working with functional leaders on establishing processes and creating efficiencies.

Prior to joining CND, Sara provided client accounting services at a start-up cloud-based accounting firm, where she led multiple industry vertical service teams and mentored team members through an internal coaching program. Sara is a CPA and received both her Bachelor of Science and Master of Accountancy from the W.P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University.

Cherry joined CND Life Sciences as VP, Revenue Cycle Management in April of 2023 reporting into the Finance and Strategy function of the company. She brings over 30 years of revenue cycle management experience across multiple specialties within the healthcare industry. Her focus has centered around employee development and establishing best-in-class billing practices. Prior to joining CND, Cherry worked for several large organizations spearheading expansion, centralizing billing operations, and establishing high performing teams focused on exceeding financial and operational expectations.

Cherry holds a Master of Science in Leadership and a Doctorate in Organizational Leadership with an emphasis in Health Care Administration from Grand Canyon University in Phoenix. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Finance from Argosy University in Phoenix.

Dee joined CND Life Sciences as an HR contractor in March of 2022 and came on permanently as Director of HR in June. She brings 15 years of experience across a variety of industries, with a focus on small- to medium-sized businesses. In her role at CND, Dee leads the HR department in all its functions, ranging from administrative responsibilities to strategic business partnerships with the organization’s senior leaders. Prior to joining CND, Dee worked as an HR professional at a start-up cloud-based accounting firm. Dee received her Master of Science in Management with a concentration in Leadership and Organizational Effectiveness from the University of South Florida and her BA in Communications from Jacksonville University.