Venture Carolina Announces 2025 Class of the Palmetto Beacon Venture Fellowship
Venture Carolina, in partnership with MASSBio and SCbio, is proud to present the Palmetto Beacon Venture Fellowship (PBVF)—a first-of-its-kind program designed to educate and empower a new wave of investors in early-stage life sciences ventures. Through an immersive workshop series led by top industry experts, Fellows will gain the tools and knowledge needed to strengthen investor ecosystems across the Southeast and Northeast, expanding risk-capital accessibility for life sciences startups and fueling innovation in the region.
Meet the Palmetto Beacon Venture Fellowship 2025 Class
BILL ADAMS
Bill Adams is the owner and CEO of ACS, a leading Managed-IT services firm in the Northeast. He joined the company in 1996, acquired it from his father in 2018, and has led its growth through a strong culture, top talent, and a focus on client success. Bill is committed to fostering a values-driven, family- friendly workplace, and under his leadership, ACS has earned honors like the Inc. 5,000 and CRN Fast Growth 100. ACS is proud to serve companies of all sizes, from 20 to 500 employees. He and his team use the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) to run the business, and he is a member of Vistage, a group of executive-level leaders who provide each other with support and advice as they pursue their unique business objectives. Outside of work, he spends time with his two sons and serves on the boards of the Room to Dream Foundation and Wide Horizons for Children.
RANDY BEAVERS
Randy Beavers brings over 15 years of experience in finance, development, and operations, with a focus on scaling commercial ventures. He is the former owner-operator of Culture Labs, a commercial real estate firm he led for eight years, and currently serves as COO of The Flyway Companies, a vertically integrated commercial development, construction, and management firm. Randy has also served as launch COO for Aspire Medical Partners and Range Brands, where he specialized in building teams, securing financing, and developing operations for growth. Currently at Veil, he applies this cross- functional expertise to align underwriting, operations, finance, HR, marketing, and sales to position the company for sustainable success.
WARREN BROWNE
Warren Browne is the Founder and CEO of Browne Consulting, a boutique 60-person finance and accounting advisory firm supporting early-stage venture-backed biotech companies. Since launching the firm in 2016, Warren has grown the team significantly, offering clients hands-on financial strategy and operational support from incorporation through Series A and beyond. With over two decades of experience, Warren has held leadership roles across industries, including CFO of Service Point USA, and Director of Finance at SSH Communications Security. His approach blends the personalized service of a small firm with the expertise of a seasoned finance executive. Warren holds an MBA from Bentley University, is an inactive Certified Public Accountant, and serves on the Board of Advisors for Life Science Cares, reflecting his ongoing commitment to the biotech ecosystem and community impact.
JAMES CHAPPELL
Dr. James Chappell is President and CEO of SCbio, South Carolina’s life sciences economic development organization, where he leads efforts to grow the state’s rapidly expanding life sciences sector through strategic partnerships, talent development, and innovation investment. Prior to joining SCbio in 2021, he spent nearly a decade at Louisiana Economic Development, where he led major initiatives including a $100 million venture capital fund and supported bioscience growth through the Louisiana MediFund. He holds a B.S. and M.S. from Clemson University, a Ph.D. from Louisiana State University, and completed a Postdoctoral Fellowship in Stem Cell Biology at Harvard Medical School. A former varsity football player at Clemson, he is married with two children.
JASON CORDEIRO
Jason is the Chief Operating & Innovation Officer at MassBio. He began at the company in September of 2018 as the Vice President of Consortium Operations. In his current role, Jason is responsible for helping drive MassBio’s strategic vision and ensuring the organization is always positioned to support the industry. He is responsible for leading the membership organization and focuses on industry partnering and early- stage company support through Pharma Day, MassBioDrive, and Edge programs. Jason received a B.S. in Biology from Emmanuel College. He had worked at BIDMC researching the effects of NSAIDS on ovarian, prostate, and breast cancers and had spent nine years with Thermo Fisher Scientific in various commercial roles. Jason combines his professional talents and love for the outdoors as he sits on the board of Elevate Youth, a local organization. He currently resides on the South Shore with his wife and two children.
ROBERT COUGHLIN
Robert Coughlin is a Managing Director at JLL, leading the Life Science and Healthcare Practice Group in New England. He specializes in lab, GMP manufacturing, and tech space strategy, aligning real estate solutions with scientific business goals. Previously, he served as President & CEO of MassBio, championing Massachusetts’ leadership in the life sciences. His background spans both public and private sectors, including roles as Undersecretary of Economic Development and as a three-term State Representative. He has also held senior roles in environmental services, capital management, and venture capital. His board roles include Vice Chair of the Franciscan Children’s Hospital, Board of Directors at Team Impact, MassBio, BA Sciences, Anagram, Nuvara, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, and Schwartz Center for Compassionate Care. Robert earned a B.S. in Marine Engineering from Mass Maritime Academy, and was recognized for Leadership in Biotechnology by the Massachusetts Society for Medical Research.
STEPHEN J. CUTLER
Dr. Cutler is Vice President for Economic Development and Dean of the College of Pharmacy at the University of South Carolina, where he also served as Interim Provost. A natural products medicinal chemist and behavioral pharmacologist, his research focuses on drug discovery for CNS disorders, with expertise in psychotropic plants and agrochemicals. He has founded three companies with successful exits and secured over $40 million in funding from agencies including NIH, NSF, DoD, and NASA. Dr. Cutler holds 50 patents, has authored over 130 peer-reviewed papers, and contributed to numerous books and scientific presentations.
CHRIS DELOREY
Chris is a seasoned expert in health insurance and employee benefits, specializing in alternative funding strategies, pharmacy carve-outs, and captive arrangements. He began his career in life insurance and quickly expanded into complex health benefits to better serve clients. Appointed in 2006 to Massachusetts’ Governor’s Quality & Cost Council, Chris contributed to the state’s first healthcare reform and transparency initiatives. He spent over a decade with Marsh McLennan Agency and joined Alera Group in 2023 to focus on advanced health strategies and complex casework. He is passionate about educational equity, serving as former Board Chair of Excel Academy Charter Schools and a current board member of the Massachusetts Business Alliance for Education.
CHRIS FRASER
As Managing Director of Avison Young’s South Region, Chris is a passionate leader and problem solver for his clients and colleagues, and is focused on empowering others to succeed. Chris is heavily involved in the community with volunteer leadership roles throughout the region including education, arts, and economic development. Within Avison Young, he is a member of the Global Diversity and Inclusion Council and the US Business Continuity Committee. With decades of office leasing, development and management experience, he provides sound experience-based advice to his clients. As an early adopter of technology tools and processes, Chris uses data and analytics to inform his work and his team. As a producing member of an experienced office team with over 75 years of commercial real estate experience, Chris and his colleagues provide exemplary service and results across the region.
THORNTON KIRBY
Thornton Kirby is President & CEO of the South Carolina Hospital Association. Before joining SCHA, Thornton practiced law as a healthcare attorney and worked as a hospital executive. He also served as Executive Secretary to the Board of Trustees for Clemson University. This unique combination of experiences has combined to make him a well-respected thought leader on state and federal healthcare policy issues. Thornton also has extensive experience with governing boards. He has served on more than 50 boards, leading ten of them as chairman. His board service includes the board of Joint Commission International, including two years as Chair. Thornton studied Government at the University of Virginia, and he earned his law degree at the University of South Carolina. He is a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives and a frequent speaker on healthcare issues.
FRED LOWERY
Fred is Executive Vice President and President of Laboratory Products and BioProduction at Thermo Fisher Scientific, overseeing Laboratory Products, Customer Channels, and BioProduction. Since joining the company in 2005, he has held multiple leadership roles across operations, life sciences, and consumables, including President of Customer Channels and Life Sciences Solutions. Earlier in his career, Fred worked at Maytag and General Motors. He serves on the boards of DuPont, Boston Medical Center, and Tennessee Technological University. He holds a master’s in manufacturing management from Kettering University and a bachelor’s in mechanical engineering from Tennessee Technological University.
GREG MARSHALL
Greg is a seasoned executive with over 30 years of experience in senior-level finance, operations, and general management roles. Most recently, he served as Corporate Vice President and General Manager of the Microbial Solutions division at Charles River Labs, where he led significant global expansion. Greg began his career in the semiconductor industry with Motorola and ON Semiconductor, spending over nine years working in Mexico and Japan. He has a strong background in all aspects of financial and operations management, strategy, and business development. Additionally, Greg has served on several corporate boards and was a fiduciary board member for SCbio. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Massachusetts and a Master’s in International Business from Central Michigan University. Greg resides on Folly Beach, SC, with his family and owns a popular local restaurant.
KIMBERLY MÉTRIS
Kimberly Métris, PhD, is a deep tech founder and principal scientist whose work advances genetics, aviation, and environmental intelligence. She founded a startup developing platforms for environmental and biological threat detection and is a faculty scholar at Clemson University. Kimberly specializes in research translation, commercialization strategy, and competitive intelligence to drive innovation and create strategic value. She leverages interdisciplinary expertise in life sciences, aircraft-integrated instrumentation and systems, and AI-augmented discovery to evaluate technologies focused on solving complex challenges in national security, defense, and other sectors. She holds a PhD from Clemson University and an MSc from the University of Pretoria (South Africa). Kimberly is a commercial pilot, flight instructor, and FAA Safety Team representative for the SC flight standards district office. She lives in Clemson, South Carolina with her husband and enjoys aviation, especially flying her Cessna 140, and improving her French.
DAN NODES
Dan has more than 25 years of experience in life science, manufacturing, government, technology, and consulting sectors. His career focus has been helping organizations achieve business efficiency and growth through improved operations, planning, and employee development. Since January 2022, he has served as the COO of Vikor Scientific, a molecular diagnostics laboratory. Prior to Vikor, Dan was an Executive Director for Charles River Laboratories where he helped shape global business growth and operational strategies for its Microbial Solutions business. Additionally, he has worked for global management and consulting companies creating and executing program management offices and business development efforts. Dan has also served as Treasurer and Secretary on the Executive Board of SCbio. He received his bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Clemson University and master’s degree in Government from the University of Virginia. He lives in Mt Pleasant, SC, with his wife and three boys who now attend Clemson University.
KENDALLE O’CONNELL
Kendalle Burlin O’Connell leads MassBio, the world’s largest biopharma membership organization, driving the strategy to grow the industry and support member companies as CEO and president. Kendalle has responded to the needs of emerging companies and founders by expanding the Drive entrepreneurial accelerator, launching a leadership community with The Termeer Institute, and tailoring the Align Summit investor and partnering conference to today’s landscape. She is an outspoken advocate for government policies that enable innovation, unlock patient access to breakthrough medicines, and protect American dominance. Kendalle has earned numerous accolades, including top recognitions from Boston Magazine and the Boston Business Journal, and serves on the boards of The Boston Foundation and the American Cancer Society, where she is Chair for the Eastern New England region, among others.
PETER PEDRO
Peter serves as President of the Life Sciences Practice at Marsh & McLennan Agency. He works closely with a broad spectrum of Life Science companies on both their domestic and international insurance programs. He is a trusted advisor to the venture capital and private equity community that supports the ecosystem. Over his career, he has held senior management positions with regional insurance companies and along with his partners, successfully built and sold a boutique insurance brokerage firm. Peter is a Corporator for North Shore Bancorp. He serves on the board of the Agganis Foundation, Rodman for kids, Dress for Success and is the Chair of the Life Science Cares Board of Managers in Boston, an organization that leverages the power of the life science industry to solve one of our most intractable social issues – poverty. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University at Albany where he was inducted into their athletic Hall of Fame. Peter is an avid runner and golfer, and he and his family enjoy spending time on Martha’s Vineyard.
MATTHEW ROBERTS
Matthew is a healthcare and life sciences attorney at Maynard Nexsen in Columbia, SC, advising providers and life sciences companies on governance, compliance, transactions, and strategic planning. His work spans affiliations, joint ventures, physician/hospital relationships, managed care, Stark/Anti- Kickback compliance, and professional licensing. He leads the firm’s Regulatory Section and its Health Care & Life Sciences Practice Group, and serves on the Board of Directors. Matthew holds a B.A. in International Relations, magna cum laude, and a J.D. from the University of South Carolina, where he was a member of the Law Review and Order of the Wig and Robe. He is also a member of the American Health Lawyers Association.
DAVID SHALABY
Dave Shalaby is President of Poly-Med, Inc., a leading bioresorbable medical device company based in Anderson, SC. Since 2010, he has led the company’s growth from a 25-person R&D team to a vertically integrated operation with three sites and over 220 employees. Previously, Dave founded and led InSource Consulting, a strategic consulting firm focused on business process and software design, which was acquired by Virtusa in 2009. He serves on the Fiduciary Advisory Board for SCbio, is an active eCoast Angels member, and advocates for South Carolina’s biotech industry. Dave holds a B.S. in Aeronautical Technology from Purdue University and an MBA from Loyola University Chicago.
