Stephen Willard (Co-Chair)

Former CEO, Cellphire, Inc.

Until recently, Stephen Willard was Chief Executive Officer of Cellphire, Inc., a biotechnology company with a platform technology which stabilizes human cells for up to three years at room temperature as a dry powder. When needed, the cells are returned to function by adding sterile water. Willard has been the chief executive officer of both private and public companies in the bio/pharmaceutical sector. He has practiced law in New York, London and Washington D.C. and was an investment banker for a time.

From 2005 to 2012, Willard served as CEO and then Chairman of Flamel Technologies, S.A., a NASDAQ – traded international pharmaceutical controlled release technology company. He has developed, executed and managed multinational partnerships and corporate transactions worldwide. Willard was a member of the Board of Directors of ETRADE Financial and/or its bank from 2000-2014, where he had stints as Chairman of the Bank Audit Committee, Head of Risk Oversight Committee, and Vice-Chairman. Willard is highly experienced with boards of directors on both the management, and outside board member, roles.

Willard has a unique background in financial institutions, having served as Associate Director of Resolutions for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), an SES-2 level position, from 1991-1994. He managed the resolution of the nation’s largest troubled banks during this period. His decisions were favorably reviewed in multiple Government Accountability Office (GAO) audits. Willard is a member of the National Science Board’s class of 2018-2024.