David J. Mazzo, PhD
President and Chief Executive Officer
Bio
Dr. Mazzo is the President and CEO of Caladrius Biosciences, Inc., having joined the Company in January 2015. He is a pharmaceutical executive and strategic leader with broad experience in both large and small companies gained from working in a variety of multi-cultural and multi-lingual environments in the USA, Canada, Europe and Asia. He has held executive positions in R&D at large multinational companies such as Hoechst Marion Roussel and Schering-Plough as well as CEO positions in emerging pharmaceutical companies such as Chugai USA, Aeterna Zentaris and Regado Biosciences. He is recognized for his exceptional strategic, scientific and regulatory expertise, upon which he has amassed a track record of >35 years of successful global product development, registration and launch.
Dr. Mazzo is also a seasoned public and private company director having served on the boards of all the companies for which he was CEO plus Essex Chimie AG (EU subsidiary of Schering-Plough), Avanir Pharmaceuticals, EyePoint Pharmaceuticals (where he was Chairman of the Board) and Seneca Biopharma. He currently is the Chairman of the Board of Visioneering Technologies, Inc. (ASX:VTI), a developer and marketer of therapeutic contact lenses for pediatric myopia and presbyopia, and a Director of Feldan Therapeutics, a private company developing novel technology for the intracellular delivery of therapeutics.
Dr. Mazzo earned his Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry as well as an M.S. in Chemistry at the University of Massachusetts (Amherst). He also holds dual degrees [B.S. in Chemistry and B.A. in Honors (Interdisciplinary Humanities)] from Villanova University. He complemented his American education as a Research Fellow at the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne in Switzerland.
Dr. Mazzo is also a seasoned public and private company director having served on the boards of all the companies for which he was CEO plus Essex Chimie AG (EU subsidiary of Schering-Plough), Avanir Pharmaceuticals, EyePoint Pharmaceuticals (where he was Chairman of the Board) and Seneca Biopharma. He currently is the Chairman of the Board of Visioneering Technologies, Inc. (ASX:VTI), a developer and marketer of therapeutic contact lenses for pediatric myopia and presbyopia, and a Director of Feldan Therapeutics, a private company developing novel technology for the intracellular delivery of therapeutics.
Dr. Mazzo earned his Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry as well as an M.S. in Chemistry at the University of Massachusetts (Amherst). He also holds dual degrees [B.S. in Chemistry and B.A. in Honors (Interdisciplinary Humanities)] from Villanova University. He complemented his American education as a Research Fellow at the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne in Switzerland.
Robert Honigberg, MD
Interim Chief Medical Officer
Bio
Robert Honigberg, MD, MBA joined Caladrius Biosciences as the Interim Chief Medical Officer in November of 2020. Dr. Honigberg is trained as a surgeon and graduated from Duke University with a BA in Economics, obtained his medical degree from Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, and later an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. He undertook his surgical internship and residency at Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center in New York City.
Dr. Honigberg has over 30 years of clinical and medical leadership experience in pharmaceutical, device, digital and diagnostic companies. He has held Chief Medical Officer positions at GE Healthcare, Liposcience, and Ethicon Endo-Surgery at Johnson & Johnson. He has also held positions of medical leadership in clinical development, business development and medical affairs at Schering-Plough Oncology, Ortho Biotech, CardioDx, Flexion Therapeutics, Baxalta and Shire PLC. Robert also is a former Adjunct Professor of Health Enterprise Management at Kellogg Business School/Northwestern University. He also consults for MS&T Consulting and SSI Strategy.
Dr. Honigberg has over 30 years of clinical and medical leadership experience in pharmaceutical, device, digital and diagnostic companies. He has held Chief Medical Officer positions at GE Healthcare, Liposcience, and Ethicon Endo-Surgery at Johnson & Johnson. He has also held positions of medical leadership in clinical development, business development and medical affairs at Schering-Plough Oncology, Ortho Biotech, CardioDx, Flexion Therapeutics, Baxalta and Shire PLC. Robert also is a former Adjunct Professor of Health Enterprise Management at Kellogg Business School/Northwestern University. He also consults for MS&T Consulting and SSI Strategy.
Todd Girolamo, JD, MBA
Chief Legal Officer, SVP of Corporate Development and Corporate Secretary
Bio
Todd Girolamo joined Caladrius in 2011. He is a seasoned attorney specializing in health-related products and businesses. As a member of Caladrius’ executive management team, Mr. Girolamo is responsible for managing all legal aspects of the Company’s research and development pipeline, from preclinical research to multinational pivotal clinical trials, including academic and corporate collaborations. He is responsible for the Company’s SEC, Nasdaq, and clinical compliance; execution of the Company’s financing, M&A and licensing activities; the strategy, maintenance and prosecution of the Company’s extensive global patent estate; and the management of all litigation involving the Company and its subsidiaries. Mr. Girolamo serves on the Company’s executive management and business development committees.
Mr. Girolamo began his legal career as a corporate law associate at Cahill Gordon & Reindel and concluded his tenure in private practice at Reid & Priest where he gained expertise as a general commercial litigator practicing in the areas of intellectual property, securities law, employment law and bankruptcy. In addition to almost two decades of experience as both corporate counsel and private practitioner, Mr. Girolamo spent 12 years on Wall Street where he specialized in therapeutic healthcare equity securities at Oppenheimer & Co., CIBC World Markets, Leerink & Company and Summer Street Research Partners as a Series 24, 7 and 63 licensed principal. Subsequently he served as an analyst and portfolio manager at Lion’s Path Capital, managing a long-short portfolio of biopharma and med-tech equities.
Mr. Girolamo received a Bachelor of Arts from Harvard College, Juris Doctor from the University of Pennsylvania Law School and Master of Business Administration from Columbia Business School.
Mr. Girolamo began his legal career as a corporate law associate at Cahill Gordon & Reindel and concluded his tenure in private practice at Reid & Priest where he gained expertise as a general commercial litigator practicing in the areas of intellectual property, securities law, employment law and bankruptcy. In addition to almost two decades of experience as both corporate counsel and private practitioner, Mr. Girolamo spent 12 years on Wall Street where he specialized in therapeutic healthcare equity securities at Oppenheimer & Co., CIBC World Markets, Leerink & Company and Summer Street Research Partners as a Series 24, 7 and 63 licensed principal. Subsequently he served as an analyst and portfolio manager at Lion’s Path Capital, managing a long-short portfolio of biopharma and med-tech equities.
Mr. Girolamo received a Bachelor of Arts from Harvard College, Juris Doctor from the University of Pennsylvania Law School and Master of Business Administration from Columbia Business School.
Gail Holler
Vice President, Human Resources
Bio
Gail Holler joined Caladrius Biosciences in January 2019 as VP of Human Resources. Gail brings over 30 years of HR experience in organizational strategy, career development, recruitment, benefits and compensation. She has supported both large and small organizations in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries. Gail will be responsible for all generalist activities and will serve as the management liaison to the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors.
Ms. Holler's background includes developing and leading global teams. She has driven organizational transformation efforts at Innophos Inc., a global specialty chemical company as VP of HR where she planned and executed organizational design and integration activity for mergers and acquisitions. In addition, she served as management liaison to the Compensation and Nominating and Governance Committees. Prior to Innophos, Ms. Holler served as Director of Organizational Effectiveness at Tata Consultancy Services where she was responsible for on-boarding, training and deployment of talent for the organization. Prior to that, Ms. Holler served as VP of HR at LifeCell Corporation where she established the HR organization and led the growth of the organization through succession planning, career development and recruitment of key talent. Prior to joining LifeCell, she was with Sanofi Aventis (and legacy companies) for 14 years where she held increasingly more responsible positions in global HR generalist capacities including HR Director for Global Drug Development and VP of HR, Global Dermatology.
Ms. Holler received a BA from the University of Delaware.
Ms. Holler's background includes developing and leading global teams. She has driven organizational transformation efforts at Innophos Inc., a global specialty chemical company as VP of HR where she planned and executed organizational design and integration activity for mergers and acquisitions. In addition, she served as management liaison to the Compensation and Nominating and Governance Committees. Prior to Innophos, Ms. Holler served as Director of Organizational Effectiveness at Tata Consultancy Services where she was responsible for on-boarding, training and deployment of talent for the organization. Prior to that, Ms. Holler served as VP of HR at LifeCell Corporation where she established the HR organization and led the growth of the organization through succession planning, career development and recruitment of key talent. Prior to joining LifeCell, she was with Sanofi Aventis (and legacy companies) for 14 years where she held increasingly more responsible positions in global HR generalist capacities including HR Director for Global Drug Development and VP of HR, Global Dermatology.
Ms. Holler received a BA from the University of Delaware.
Gregory S. Berkin
Vice President, IT & Cybersecurity and Chief Information Officer
Bio
Greg Berkin joined Caladrius in January 2015. Since that time, Greg has been responsible for transforming external IT support into an internal team working as a highly efficient operating unit across Caladrius. He also manages all groups within IT: Networking, PC, Cybersecurity, Applications, Business Solutions, and Telecom.
Before joining Caladrius, Greg held director and management roles in IT at other global & nationwide biotech companies including Regado Biosciences, Aeterna Zentaris, and Chugai Pharma USA.
Mr. Berkin has 25 years of experience in the technical profession with 20 years of unparalleled managerial experience, specializing in production systems, network engineering, facility operations, project management, hybrid cloud-computing, cybersecurity, and M&A activities. He currently serves as Co-Chair of the BioNJ IT & Cybersecurity committee as well as being an advisor to other organizations. Greg volunteers his time mentoring IT professionals from a career development perspective.
Greg holds a BA and MSc from Fairleigh Dickinson University.
Before joining Caladrius, Greg held director and management roles in IT at other global & nationwide biotech companies including Regado Biosciences, Aeterna Zentaris, and Chugai Pharma USA.
Mr. Berkin has 25 years of experience in the technical profession with 20 years of unparalleled managerial experience, specializing in production systems, network engineering, facility operations, project management, hybrid cloud-computing, cybersecurity, and M&A activities. He currently serves as Co-Chair of the BioNJ IT & Cybersecurity committee as well as being an advisor to other organizations. Greg volunteers his time mentoring IT professionals from a career development perspective.
Greg holds a BA and MSc from Fairleigh Dickinson University.
John D. Menditto
Vice President, Investor Relations and Corporate Communications
Bio
Mr. Menditto joined Caladrius Biosciences in 2017. He is an experienced corporate communications and investor relations professional. John’s stakeholder communications work is done in partnership with our Finance, Clinical, Regulatory, Legal, Human Resource and Executive teams. He reports directly to the Chief Executive Officer.
Mr. Menditto has over 25 years of experience and specialization, particularly, in the areas of financial modeling, Regulation FD, corporate governance, investor targeting and capital raising. He has held senior roles at several healthcare and life science companies including Novartis Corporation, Medco Health Solutions and Argos Therapeutics. John has also spent a number of years as a senior communications consultant .
John is a former IR Magazine and PRSA/Big Apple award winner for his work in investor and corporate communications. He holds degrees in public relations and finance from Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania.
Mr. Menditto has over 25 years of experience and specialization, particularly, in the areas of financial modeling, Regulation FD, corporate governance, investor targeting and capital raising. He has held senior roles at several healthcare and life science companies including Novartis Corporation, Medco Health Solutions and Argos Therapeutics. John has also spent a number of years as a senior communications consultant .
John is a former IR Magazine and PRSA/Big Apple award winner for his work in investor and corporate communications. He holds degrees in public relations and finance from Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania.
James Nisco
Vice President, Finance and Treasury
Bio
James Nisco joined Caladrius Biosciences in 2012. As Vice President of Finance & Treasury, he is responsible for SEC reporting, financial reporting and accounting, treasury operations and financial planning and analysis. Mr. Nisco currently oversees all finance activities for the Company while Caladrius conducts its search for a new chief financial officer.
With over 25 years of experience in corporate finance, James has held various senior finance positions prior to Caladrius at OSI Pharmaceuticals, Inc., (acquired by Astellas) and Ciba Corporation (acquired by The BASF Group). James began his career at Ciba-Geigy (now Novartis Pharmaceuticals).
Mr. Nisco holds an MBA in Financial Management from Pace University and a Bachelor of Science in Business Economics from the State University of New York, College at Oneonta.
With over 25 years of experience in corporate finance, James has held various senior finance positions prior to Caladrius at OSI Pharmaceuticals, Inc., (acquired by Astellas) and Ciba Corporation (acquired by The BASF Group). James began his career at Ciba-Geigy (now Novartis Pharmaceuticals).
Mr. Nisco holds an MBA in Financial Management from Pace University and a Bachelor of Science in Business Economics from the State University of New York, College at Oneonta.