The Medical Center of the Americas Foundation is excited to announce the closing speaker for the upcoming Border Health Innovation Summit: Ryan Westberry, Chief Operating Officer of Lahjavida, a biotechnology company developing Dye-Drug Conjugate (DDC) technology to make cancer treatment safer through targeted drug delivery.

Westberry brings over 20 years of experience in innovation leadership, product development, and commercialization across diagnostics, medical devices, and pharmaceuticals. Ryan has successfully led the development, validation, and launch of numerous life science product lines and diagnostic assays.

He previously held leadership roles at Eppendorf, GE Healthcare, Denver Health, and the University of Texas Medical Branch. He also co-founded and led CLICK-S Diagnostics, a colorectal cancer startup.

Ryan holds a master’s degree in microbiology and molecular medicine from Clemson University and an MBA from the University of Denver. He is skilled in financial modeling, IP strategy, ROI management, regulatory planning, and cross-functional team leadership. Known as a problem solver and execution-focused leader, Ryan is driven by a mission to bring innovative, cost-effective healthcare solutions to patients and communities.

  • Daniel J. Jones, an NMSU Graduate, has over 20 years of experience as an early and growth-stage software entrepreneur and operator, and has built and scaled several VC backed technology ventures, leading to multiple exits. Daniel is currently leading multiple health-tech ventures including Deadbolt Cyber, a healthcare focused cybersecurity software, and serves as CEO for Patient Signs, a healthcare data platform built in collaboration with Phoenix Children’s Hospital. Daniel’s work also includes serving as Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Arrowhead Center, a strategic consultant for several healthcare technology initiatives at Arizona State University and is an advisor to Audaz Capital in El Paso. Previously, Daniel served as CEO of Aural Analytics and led innovation and venture efforts at Carneros Bay Capital, a San Francisco based VC, incubator/accelerator and technology development group.

  • Christina Paz, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, joined the Centro San Vicente team in October 2009 as a Family Nurse Practitioner and in December 2018, Dr. Paz accepted the position as Chief Executive Officer becoming the first female CEO of Centro San Vicente in over 27 years. Dr. Paz obtained her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from NMSU. She has a Masters of Science of Nursing/Family Nurse Practitioner from Texas Tech University Health Science Center, and holds a Doctorate of Nurse Practice at the University of Texas at El Paso. Dr. Paz sits on other organizational Board of Directors to include Community en Accion, Candelighters of El Paso, and the Texas Association for Community Health Care Centers. She is also the only Nurse Practitioner to serve on the Medical Care Advisory Committee for Texas Department of Health and Human Services and was appointed by County Judge Richard Samaniego to the first Women’s Commission for El Paso County. Dr. Paz is a University of Texas at El Paso 2018 Gold Nugget recipient, received a 2022 Community Impact award from Texas Nurse Practitioner, in 2023 was recognized as a Woman of Impact, and recipient of 2025 Pioneers 21 Innovation Award.

  • Mayra Maldonado serves as the Executive Director of the Hunt Institute for Global Competitiveness, a research organization based at The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), focusing on the U.S.-Mexico border region. Under her leadership, the Institute's research portfolio has expanded with new projects ranging from market analyses of El Paso’s broadband infrastructure, education, and regional competitiveness to economic impact studies of border matters on regional and national economies. Prior to her tenure at the Hunt Institute, Mayra honed her expertise as an economist at the Central Bank of Mexico and Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI). Mayra holds a Bachelor's degree in Economics from the Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey and a Master’s degree in Economics from New York University, earned through CONACYT and Fulbright scholarships. She is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Data Science at UTEP.

  • Frantz M. Berthaud, MPH, FACHE is the Chief Cancer Center Officer at University Medical Center of El Paso. He has oversight of the system's operations and strategic vision for oncology. He has over 15 years of experience in the healthcare sector ranging from clinical research to management, education, operations, and strategy. Prior to Frantz joining THOP, he served in several leadership roles at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, MA. Frantz serves on several boards including United Way of El Paso County, Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH), and Boston College, where he received his Bachelor of Arts in Biology and Philosophy. He holds a Master of Public Health from BUSPH and was an adjunct faculty there. Frantz is a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives. When he is not pursuing his passion at the intersection of oncology and equity, he is enjoying time with family.

  • Dr. Jim Ramos is a higher education leader committed to advancing academic and regional development in the border region. As Academic Dean and Director of Distance Education Innovation at Southwest University, he has led the launch of graduate programs in business, healthcare, and nursing. He has cultivated strategic partnerships with local entities including the City of El Paso, school districts, and healthcare organizations to strengthen workforce development and to grow and retain local talent. His current academic and professional focus integrates leadership, research, education, and community impact. Dr. Ramos brings a multidisciplinary background with undergraduate degrees in Bioengineering and Accounting, an MBA with a concentration in Finance, and a Ph.D. inBiomedical Engineering. Dr. Ramos also serves as Vice President of the Board for Insights Science Discovery, promoting STEM education and community engagement across the region.

  • Mark Francis is Chief Product Officer, a leading digital health technology and services company HQ in New Mexico. Prior to joining ECG, Mark held leadership positions with Amazon Web Services, Intel, Health Hero Network, and Age Wave. He began his career as a geriatric care manager and policy manager with the Boston Area Agency on Aging. Mark was educated at Pitt and Harvard. He has been awarded 18 patents and is a member of the Forbes Technology Council. 

  • Ms. Diane Francis is currently Senior Vice President of Global Health Economics and Reimbursement for the Transcatheter Mitral and Tricuspid Therapies at Edwards Lifesciences. There she leads a team committed to enabling patient access to life changing structural heart therapies around the world. Prior to Edwards, Diane has held a variety of leadership roles in the areas of community health, economic development, and managed care including more than two decades focused on health economics and market access at Johnson & Johnson MedTech. Diane has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Cornell University and received her master’s in public health from Columbia University. Diane is a passionate advocate for equitable and timely access to medical innovation. During her diverse career, she has cultivated expertise in global health economics, policy, and reimbursement for innovations in MedTech.

  • Erik Kulstad co-founded Attune Medical in 2009 while practicing as an emergency physician in Chicago, subsequently serving as Chief Medical Officer, raising $22M through Series C round, and exiting via acquisition by Haemonetics in 2024 for $160M plus milestones.  He received his BS in Chemical Engineering from the University of Maryland, his MS in Chemical Engineering from the University of Houston, and his MD from the University of Texas, Southwestern Medical Center, where he then served as Professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine and practiced at Parkland Hospital in Dallas, Texas. He now resides in Santa Fe, NM with his wife, dogs, and chickens.

  • Dr. Ginger Raya is the Center Leader of the George McMillan Fleming Center for Healthcare Management and an Associate Professor at UTHealth Houston School of Public Health. With over 20 years of experience in healthcare administration, education, and career coaching, she has led initiatives in leadership development and operational management. Previously, she directed physician services at HCA Healthcare, overseeing a $68 million portfolio. Dr. Raya holds multiple advanced degrees in public administration, healthcare administration, and organizational leadership. She serves in key leadership roles, including Chair of the El Paso Chamber Healthcare Coalition and President of ACHE of the Southwest, and co-founded the Women’s Educational Resource Entity to promote financial literacy. Recognized with the TAMACC Women of Distinction Award, she remains dedicated to advancing healthcare leadership and community development.

  • Jameson MacDonnell is Co-Founder of Second Hub Collaborative, bringing nearly 20 years of successful experience advancing revenue-generating, awareness-building, and commercialization strategies for top-tier brands, healthcare systems, and startups. A specialist in competitive intelligence and market research who advises health tech and life science startup founders, investors, and university innovation teams, including securing non-dilutive capital, crafting investor pitches, and implementing KPIs. He previously launched the corporate strategies program at Massachusetts General Hospital, the largest hospital-based research enterprise in the United States, supporting its $1.5 billion campaign through strategic partnerships with industry and philanthropy. Jameson holds a double major in Political Science and Public Administration from Elon University and an MBA from Suffolk University. He is also an Enterprise Advisor at NMSU’s Arrowhead Center, a Mentor with Tulane’s Green Wave Innovation Network, and a guest lecturer on healthcare innovation and university-industry partnerships.

  • Scott B. Delaney is Unichem Pharmaceuticals (USA), Inc.’s President and Chief Executive Officer – North America and CEO of Bayshore Pharmaceuticals. He is also a member of Unichem’s Board of Directors. Scott is an accomplished leader with over 30 years of experience in brand and generic pharmaceutical management. He brings deep expertise in many areas of generic pharmaceutical management, including sales, marketing, contract negotiation, business development, manufacturing/distribution, third party payor management, product portfolio selection and product life cycle management. Scott has worked with outstanding organizations such as Eli Lilly and Company, Johnson and Johnson, HEB Grocery Company, Teva Pharmaceuticals, URL Pharma, Jubilant Cadista Pharmaceuticals and Edenbridge Pharmaceuticals. Scott grew up in Kerrville, Texas and earned his B.B.A. in Accounting/MIS from Baylor University and his M.B.A. from the McCombs Graduate School of Business, The University of Texas at Austin.

  • Jennifer currently serves as In House Counsel and Director of Corporate Contracts for Unichem Pharmaceuticals USA, a multinational generic pharmaceutical company. Jennifer is responsible for providing business minded legal support for all commercial agreements, supply chain and compliance matters. She has developed valuable experience in DSCSA implementation and works closely with the Regulatory Affairs and Quality Assurance teams. Jennifer has successfully managed internal litigation delivering valuable cost savings for the organization. She also provides counsel on labor and employment law issues. Prior to joining Unichem, Jennifer practiced at several leading Texas law firms defending pharmaceutical manufacturers and healthcare organizations. Jennifer was born and raised in El Paso, Texas. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Whittier College and received her Juris Doctor from The University of Houston. She is married with two adult children and lives in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.

  • Rajkumar Lakshmanaswamy, Ph.D., is the dean of the Francis Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and the chair of the Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine. He’s also a professor of biomedical sciences and the scientific director of the Foster School of Medicine’s Center of Emphasis in Cancer. His research focuses on the protective mechanisms of early pregnancy against lifetime breast cancer risk. His team also created a short-term hormone treatment that mimics this protection, allowing him to pinpoint the pathways responsible for its anti-cancer effects. Dr. Lakshmanaswamy earned his B.Sc., M.Sc., M.Phil., and Ph.D. from the University of Madras in India. He was recruited from the University of California, Berkeley and joined Texas Tech Health El Paso in 2004. His many recognitions include the Chancellor's Distinguished Teaching Award and Distinguished Professor Award. He is a leading cancer researcher in our region, serving as principal investigator for projects like the "Impacting Cancer Outcomes in Hispanics" initiative, funded by a $6 million Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas grant.

  • Tracy J. Yellen is the Chief Executive Officer of the Paso del Norte Health Foundation and Paso del Norte Community Foundation. Tracy has more than 30 years of experience working with nonprofit and governmental organizations in the areas of health, education, social services, and environment. She is active in the El Paso community serving on the Boards of ReadyOne Industries, PHIX Health Information Exchange and Fundación Paso del Norte. She is past Chair of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas-El Paso Branch board and University Medical Center of El Paso. She has served on numerous nonprofit boards including the Borderplex Alliance, YWCA El Paso del Norte Region, Women’s Fund of El Paso, and The Johns Hopkins University. Tracy earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in International Studies from The Johns Hopkins University and Masters in Public Administration from the University of Texas at El Paso. Tracy is married and has two young adult children. 

  • Dr. Robert Kirken is the Dean of the College of Science at The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) and Principal Investigator of the Border Biomedical Research Center. He earned his B.A. in Chemistry from Olivet College and a Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences from Wright State University. Following postdoctoral research at the National Cancer Institute, he held faculty appointments at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and MD Anderson Cancer Center. Since joining UTEP in 2005, Dr. Kirken has been instrumental in faculty recruitment, student success, and research expansion. His leadership has strengthened UTEP’s research infrastructure, particularly in Hispanic cancer health disparities. A distinguished cancer researcher, he has published extensively in top-tier journals and secured significant funding from federal, state, and private sources. His research focuses on T-cell signaling and related diseases, including leukemia, lymphoma, and autoimmune disorders, with the goal of developing novel therapeutic strategies.

  • Dr. William (Bill) Pieratt has served as Dean and Chief Academic Officer of Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine since August 2020. Under his leadership, Burrell College has developed innovative, community-based learning programs to help future physicians better understand the social and cultural drivers of health outcomes in our region and to collaborate with community partners to promote education and well-being. He completed his residency in Internal Medicine in 1995 and is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine. Dean Pieratt has broad experience in both ambulatory and hospital-based medicine in rural as well as urban settings, in both private and system-based practice. Dean Pieratt previously served as Associate Dean for Texas A&M College of Medicine’s Bryan-College Station campus and Interim Department Head for Primary Care and Population Health. He holds a B.S. in Biology from Texas A&M and received his Doctor of Osteopathy from the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1992.

  • Mayor Renard U. Johnson assumed office as Mayor of El Paso on January 6, 2025. He grew up on the northeast side of El Paso and graduated from Andress High School and the University of Texas at El Paso. He was named an Andress outstanding ex and as a distinguished alumnus from UTEP. Renard founded METI Inc., one of El Paso’s fastest growing and most successful companies, providing systems engineering, information technology, and natural resource management support to government and commercial customers worldwide. He received numerous awards to include the Minority Business Enterprise of the Year from the United States Department of Commerce. METI was ranked as the 6th fastest growing company in the U.S. by INC. 500 magazine. Black Enterprise magazine ranked his company as one of the largest black-owned companies in the nation. In 2020, he founded El Perro Grande Tequila, a company also headquartered in El Paso, Texas, which has received accolades from Forbes Magazine. Renard served as a former chairman of the El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, a former president and chairman of The Texas Lyceum, a past board member of the El Paso Boys & Girls Club, a former Board member of the Dallas Federal Reserve Bank, and the former chairman of the Board for the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, El Paso Branch. He has also served as a board member of the Hospitals at Providence. Most notably and importantly, he is a loving father to his two young daughters and a lifelong resident of El Paso, Texas.

  • Jon serves as the District Chief Strategy Officer at the University Medical Center of El Paso, where he leads strategic and business planning for UMC, El Paso Children’s Hospital, El Paso Health, and ten outpatient clinics throughout the region. He brings over 25 years of experience in healthcare and public health. Previously, he served as Chief Operating Officer and President of the Paso del Norte Health Foundation, where he founded PHIX, the region’s health information exchange. Earlier in his career, he volunteered full-time with Annunciation House, supporting shelters for migrants in El Paso and Ciudad Juárez. Jon currently serves on the board of the FEMAP Foundation, which supports a hospital and nursing school in Ciudad Juárez. His past board service includes the City of El Paso Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone #5, the Downtown Management District, and the Texas Health Information Exchange Coalition. He holds a Master of Public Administration from The University of Texas at El Paso and a Doctor of Science in Health Services Administration from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. 

  • Jennifer Molokwu, M.D., M.P.H., a professor and vice-chair for research in the Department of Family and Community Medicine, serves as director of Texas Tech Health El Paso’s Cancer Prevention and Control programs. Dr. Molokwu received her M.D. from the College of Medicine, University of Benin, Nigeria, and M.P.H. in maternal and child health from the School of Public Health at the University of Minnesota. Board-certified in family medicine, she completed her residency training at Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis. Her research focuses on women's health with a dedication to increasing cancer screenings and prevention, particularly among underserved communities. This includes her work as a co-investigator on a grant investigating attitudes toward self-sampling for HPV detection among women on the U.S.-Mexico border. She’s the project director for various Cancer Prevention Research Institute of Texas grants focused on increasing HPV vaccination rates and improving breast, colorectal, and cervical cancer screening.

  • Laura M. Uribarri serves as an Associate Professor and Program Director for the Healthcare Management Program at UTHealth Houston School of Public Health. In her faculty role, she teaches management and health policy courses and provides academic advising for MPH and doctoral students. As Program Director, she works with her colleagues to develop program strategy, manage curriculum, and meet accreditation requirements for the Healthcare Management Program. Laura has over two decades of management, policy, and program leadership experience in the public, private, and non-profit sectors. 
    She earned a Bachelor of Arts from Stanford University, a Master of Public Affairs from the LBJ School at UT Austin, as well as a Master of Arts and Ph.D. from The University of Texas at El Paso. She lives in the Paso del Norte Region with her husband, Raul Carrillo Jr., and her sons, Emiliano and Elias. 

  • Eve Blossom is a seasoned advisor, mentor and expert in technology, women's healthcare and digital health, Eve Blossom builds and invests in ventures that transform how we define, access and interact with care. Her focus is spearheading investments, strategy and business operations that solve healthcare's most critical challenges. Eve also founded Material Change Institute, a non-profit that enables diverse investors to reach influential decision-making positions within the asset management industry, which in turn broadens investments. She has been active in startup and growth companies for the last two decades, both nationally and internationally. Eve is an author, speaker and an Associate at Creative Destruction Lab.

  • Alex Hafezk is an accomplished and dynamic entrepreneur, operations leader, and innovator with proven expertise in strategic planning, partnership development, and scientific innovation across diverse leadership roles. Passionate about innovative technologies, and adept at building goal-focused teams.

  • Rajiv Rajani, M.D., is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation at Texas Tech Health El Paso. In addition, he is the Assistant Dean of Clinical Affairs. He specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of bone and soft tissue tumors of the extremities across all age groups. Dr. Rajani is a board-certified orthopaedic surgeon with fellowship training in pediatric and adult orthopaedic oncology. His work advances both clinical care and education in orthopaedic oncology, driving innovations in patient treatment and surgical training. Dr. Rajani is the President of the Musculoskeletal Tumor Society and has held leadership roles with the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, previously serving on its Council on Research and Quality. He earned his M.D. from the University of Michigan, completed his residency at Emory University, and fellowship at the University of Florida. Dr. Rajani previously served as Vice-Chair for Education and was the residency program director for the UT Health San Antonio Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. 

  • Emily Hartmann is the Executive Director at PHIX (Paso Del Norte Health Information Exchange). Under her leadership, PHIX has grown to exchange data with additional hospitals and clinics in the community as well as the Veteran’s Administration and Department of Defense nationally. She also has experience in health care analytics and strategy. As a health care consultant at Sg2, she helped hospitals prepare for policy changes and evolving financial models. She also has experience developing health initiatives for the City of Chicago and State of Massachusetts. Hartmann has a Master’s in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School and a Bachelors in Economics from the University of Chicago. 

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