Fralin Biomedical Research Institute welcomes three new advisory board members
The new members bring experience in health care, policy and industry to bear in advocating for the research institute.
Three new members have been named to the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC’s advisory board.
Jehan “Gigi” El-Bayoumi, Melissa Schooley, and James Wilding join 19 accomplished board members with diverse industry backgrounds, and expertise. Advisory board members are responsible for providing dynamic perspectives and recommendations to the research institute’s executive director, Michael Friedlander, as well as leadership teams.
“I am grateful to have such an esteemed group comprising our advisory board, and I’m honored to welcome Gigi, Melissa, and James to our team. Our board members go above and beyond to advocate for the institute and the future of science in medicine for the benefit for improved health for all,” said Friedlander, who is also Virginia Tech’s vice president for health sciences and technology. “The new members bring a great breadth of personal and professional knowledge to amplify the existing strengths of the board. They offer fresh perspectives on how the institute can succeed in its mission of advancing science to improve human health.”
Each member serves as an ambassador for the institute by helping to solidify philanthropic partnerships with industry, foundations, and private individuals, providing guidance and professional expertise, and supporting the advancement of biomedical and health science research.
The board’s newest members hold connections to health care, medical device technology, and the finance industry:
- El-Bayoumi, a medical doctor, has dedicated her career to medical education and improving health equity. In 2013, she helped found the Rodham Institute to improve health equity in Washington, D.C. She is a professor at Georgetown University Medical Center.
- Schooley is the vice president for health policy and government affairs at Abiomed, a company providing technology for better cardiovascular health. She works at the intersection of reimbursement and health care economics, policy, and advocacy. She partners with physicians and patient advocates to grow awareness of life-changing therapies for heart recovery.
- Wilding, a Virginia Tech alumnus, is the president and co-founder of Confluence Financial Partners, a wealth management firm headquartered in Pittsburgh, and one of the city’s fastest growing companies.
The advisory board is led by president Marty Muscatello and vice president Lisa Karlisch, both Virginia Tech graduates.
