Partnerships Catalyze Transformation

Partnering with academia, investors, and industry, Persephoni turns breakthrough science into real-world impact, together.

Our team

Meet the people behind the impact

Everything we do is rooted in one shared mission to build an efficient, bold, and innovative venture studio that transforms breakthrough science into high-impact biotech companies.

300+
Therapies advanced to clinic
25+
FDA approved

Where science meets impact

Persephoni partners with academia, investors, and industry to turn scientific breakthroughs into real-world therapies, faster and smarter

1B+
Capital raised
30B+
Value in deal sheets

Our Partners

We focus on building deep partner relationships, driving our success

We work with academic institutions, investors and industry leaders to help turn breakthrough science into real-world impact. By combining scientific rigour with operational depth, we move faster, build smarter, and bring life-changing therapies to patients.

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Turning bold ideas into biotech realities

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Hilary Schultz
Hilary Schultz
CEO & Founder

Hilary Schultz, MS, is an internationally recognized serial entrepreneur and visionary leader in life sciences, with a dynamic track record spanning private equity, venture capital, merchant banking, biotechnology, and academic-to-industry company formation.

With a strong foundation in Molecular Biology from Harvard University and a Master’s in Biomedicine and Business from Drexel University College of Medicine, Hilary blends deep scientific expertise with strategic business acumen to accelerate innovation and unlock value across the biotech ecosystem.

As the founder of Organizational Development Initiative at Nucleate Bio, Hilary played a pivotal role in scaling a Harvard-based accelerator into a global movement and the largest global community of bio-innovators. Under her leadership, she led the platform development and scalable systems approach that has now expanded to 18 regions worldwide and Operating 50 programs in global biotech centers - resulting in the formation of 101 companies, greater than 400 M raised across companies, 557 biotech jobs created, and large pharma acquisition.

Hilary has advised companies from inception through Series B, providing critical guidance on mergers and acquisitions, cross-border licensing, regulatory pathways, fundraising strategy, technical and financial diligence, IP development, and institutional partnerships. Her strategic insight and operational discipline have made her a trusted advisor to investors, founders, and R&D leaders alike.

As Founder and CEO of Persephoni BioPartners and its family of companies, she has led a period of accelerated growth and enterprise building. In less than six months, she led the transformation of $1.5M in founder capital into $51M in enterprise value across four biotechnology startups. Under her leadership, the executive & operational team has grown more than fourfold, strengthening the foundation for scale. She led the launch of Persephoni BioVentures, a dual-platform investment initiative that will include an Evergreen Non-Profit Fund to address NIH and innovation funding gaps and the formation of a $100M+ Global Venture Fund to advance transformative science. She also led the expansion of Persephoni’s global reach through near-term strategic partnerships designed to support pre-clinical and clinical operations with capital access at scale. Together, these efforts reflect her vision to accelerate discovery and deliver meaningful impact for patients worldwide.

Recognized among the Top 100 Entrepreneurs and Innovators of 2023 and named one of 2024’s Top 30 Leaders to Watch by Silicon Review, Hilary continues to shape the future of biotech with bold vision, operational excellence, and an unwavering commitment to scientific advancement.

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William Heath
William Heath
Chief Scientific Officer

William (Bill) Heath, Ph.D. is a pharmaceutical leader with 36 years of broad experience across discovery, development, and commercialization of new medicines in multiple therapeutic areas on a global basis. Over that time, he has demonstrated the ability to lead a variety of collaborations with academic, biotech, CRO/CMO and pharma partners.

Bill received his Ph.D. from The Rockefeller University in biochemistry and performed postdoctoral studies at Harvard Medical School prior to joining Eli Lilly in 1988. During his time at Lilly, he served in both technical and leadership roles where he established a reputation for innovation and strategic thinking across multiple parts of the business.

He was a founding leader of Lilly’s biotherapeutics effort and subsequently led the creation of a strategic platform across discovery, development, and manufacturing, leading to the launch of multiple medicines. Similarly, he was a key leader of Lilly’s effort to streamline and accelerate research and development approaches, making the company an industry leader.

Prior to his retirement from Lilly, Bill was a Group Vice President at Lilly Research Laboratories leading a multi-site global team focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of small molecules, peptides, biologics, and genetic medicines supporting all therapeutic areas.

As a scientist by training with a broad background in biology, chemistry, and drug development, he has a passion for science and its use to create new medicines that improve the lives of patients around the world. He is also committed to creating an environment that values diversity, equity, and inclusion, and he enjoys coaching and mentoring students, early career professionals, and helping individuals achieve their best throughout their career. He has a strong history of identification and development of top technical and leadership talent.

Bruce Ricart
Bruce Ricart
Chief Operating Officer

As the Chief Operating Officer of Persephoni BioPartners, Bruce brings extensive expertise in program leadership, program management, strategic planning, and operational excellence to accelerate the company’s mission. With over 22 years of experience in Chemistry, Manufacturing, and Controls (CMC), program strategy, and operations within the pharmaceutical and biotech industries, covering small molecules, antibodies, cell and gene therapy, and gene editing. He has assisted companies in building, implementing, and scaling strategies and operations to drive innovative therapies to patients.

Previously, Bruce was Vice President of Program Management at Chroma Medicine, where he most recently served as Head of Program Management. In this role, he enabled the program strategy and operations of in vivo epigenetic editors for cardiovascular, infectious disease, and oncology indications.

Program and Alliance Management / Program Lead at Vor Biopharma, where he successfully led the Trem-Cel (VOR33) program to achieve the company’s initial Investigational New Drug (IND) and Clinical Trial Application (CTA) submissions to FDA and Health Canada, respectively. Before his tenure at Vor, he established and expanded the CMC Project Management function at bluebirdbio, making significant contributions to the commercialization of Zynteglo™, Lyfgenia™, Skysona™, and Abecma™, in addition to advancing early-stage programs.

Bruce spent over 11 years at Eli Lilly and Company, where he contributed to Bioproduct Analytical Development, led cross-functional and company-wide improvement initiatives as a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, and managed CMC projects across Oncology, Diabetes, and BioMedicines Business Units as CMC Project Manager.

He holds a B.S. in Chemistry and an M.S. in Biophysical Chemistry from the University of Rochester, along with a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt certification from Eli Lilly and Company. He also holds Executive Certificates in Strategy and Innovation; Management and Leadership; and Technology, Operations and Value Chain Management from MIT Sloan School of Management.

Christopher Potts
Christopher Potts
Chief Business Officer

Christopher Potts is a highly regarded expert in the biotech industry, known for his proficiency in developing and monetizing intellectual property assets as well as advanced therapies. With over a decade of experience as an intellectual property attorney, both in-house and as external counsel, Chris has established and led IP departments at several publicly traded multinational companies. He has successfully negotiated billion-dollar transactions, managed significant litigations including employment and intellectual property issues, and built businesses in the advanced therapy field. Chris’s background positions him ideally to drive growth for Persephoni.

Chris commenced his entrepreneurial journey on his family’s farm in Northeast Ohio, raising hogs and sheep for market. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering from The Ohio State University and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Connecticut School of Law, where he graduated with honors. He was recognized as the recipient of the American Bar Association’s Scholarship and Leadership Award for his leadership of the Connecticut Journal of International Law as Editor-In Chief and his role in the University’s Intellectual Property Association. Starting his career at major law firms in Boston and Atlanta, Chris later joined Lonza Inc., where he led legal teams supporting various Lonza businesses, including the Cell and Gene Division and Biologics Division.

Currently, Chris serves as the CEO of a pioneering startup specializing in cell therapy development. Under his leadership, the company is focused on advancing adaptive cell therapies to combat solid tumors, initially targeting women's health indications. His innovative approach and strategic vision continue to propel advancements in biotechnology. Chris will maintain his position at Monarch Therapeutics while also steering Persephoni into its next phase of growth.

Andrew Petryna
Andrew Petryna
Director of Portfolio Operations

Andrew brings years of bench side, laboratory management, and Biotech operational experience to Persephoni's cohort of early stage startups. As Director of Portfolio, he manages the overall research and developmental operations of the entire collection of companies under Persephoni's Venture Studio, enabling timely and efficient execution of core milestones and strategic aims.

Andrew's primary interests lay at the intersection of applied science and business development, understanding how to turn basic research into translational opportunities that drive economic and clinical returns for stakeholders and patients. He brings a passion for operational efficiency and innovative solutions to the Persephoni Portfolio that ensures long term success for these early stage ventures.

He has worked across the life sciences development life cycle including basic research, academic tech transfer, and early stage company formation. Andrew was a fellow at the Rutgers Technology Transfer Office where he participated in the NSF's regional I-Corps program. He has an MS in Biomedical Sciences with a focus on genetic drivers of hematological malignancies. A molecular biologist by training, his knowledge extends across many operational aspects of R&D including assay design, laboratory operationalization, procurement, and CRO management.

Michaela Copp
Michaela Copp
Director

Dr. Michaela Copp is a dynamic scientist and strategist with a diverse background spanning management consulting, biomedical research, and business development. She holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Chemical Engineering from Vanderbilt University and a Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from UNC Chapel Hill, where her research focused on regenerative medicine, genetic engineering, and the biology of aging. Her doctoral thesis explored the role of cellular senescence and DNA damage in the progression of osteoarthritis.

Throughout her graduate studies, Michaela was deeply engaged in the biotech ecosystem. She gained firsthand experience in business development through an internship with Pulvinar Neuro, a local biotechnology startup, and advanced from consultant to partner in the Carolina Graduate Consulting Group. She also co-founded the Research Triangle Park (RTP) chapter of Nucleate Bio, a student-led organization dedicated to advancing scientific translation. Her leadership in launching the RTP chapter earned her a position as VP of Sustainability on Nucleate HQ’s Organizational Development Team, where she spearheaded the creation of standard operating procedures, formalized onboarding and offboarding processes, and developed a franchise model that became the global standard for new chapters.

Michaela's passion for bridging science and business led her to McKinsey & Company, where she worked as an Associate, driving large-scale sales and operations transformations for Fortune 500 companies, conducting in-depth market analysis, and managing key client relationships. Michaela currently serves as a Director at Persephoni, leading cross-functional teams across diligence, company creation, and translational strategy – helping to launch and scale next-generation therapeutics built on bold scientific innovation. She now serves as the Program Lead for Lamprna, a Persephoni portfolio company developing lysosome-targeted RNAi therapeutics.

Lisa Puccetti
Lisa Puccetti
Director Business Operations

Lisa joins Persephoni BioPartners, bringing over 15 years of experience in the biotechnology industry. As an accomplished professional, she specializes in assisting emerging biotechnology startups by developing operational and administrative functions and facilitating research and development activities. Throughout her career, Lisa has supported multinational leadership teams and overseen a diverse range of projects.

Her extensive background encompasses human resources, financial and contracts coordination, and office management, all contributing to the smooth operation and efficient communication within organizations. Additionally, she has spearheaded initiatives aimed at advancing and supporting the achievement of corporate objectives. She has implemented systems designed to automate and streamline processes, ensuring efficient and effective corporate progress.

Lisa finds great satisfaction in working with early-stage founders and scientists, helping to identify the best solutions for driving growth at each stage of a company’s development.

Emma Moulton
Emma Moulton
Senior Associate

Trained biologist with 5 years in venture consulting advisory, translational research and start up formation.

Eric Hacherl
Eric Hacherl
Advisor

30 years in Biotech process operations, having led CDMO sites and then manufacturing for Spark Tx. Expert in scalability and quality production.

Tarul Kode
Tarul Kode
Venture Partner

Dr. Tarul Kode brings over two decades of transformative leadership in healthcare, spanning enterprise growth, consulting, strategic partnerships, and innovation. A dynamic executive, co-founder, board member, advisor, and angel investor, she is deeply committed to building a more equitable and impactful healthcare ecosystem.

Tarul holds a Doctorate in Pharmacy (cum laude), completed Harvard Medical School’s Executive Global Health Care Leaders Program (cohort 1), and the VC University program through Berkeley Law/NVCA/Venture Forward.

As Venture Partner, Tarul strengthen Persephoni’s mission to accelerate the creation and scale of high-value healthcare and life science companies. With a focus on purpose-driven investing, multidisciplinary collaboration, transformational leadership, and patient-centered care, she will help bring breakthrough solutions to market that meaningfully impact patients’ lives.

She is also the Co-Founder of Naviday Health, a digital health company building the first personalized consumer health record combining AI and evidence-based care frameworks to improve care quality and outcomes, starting with menopause.

Tarul serves as an active board member and advisor to organizations such as Executive Women in Bio, Women Leaders of the World/How Women Lead, CSweetener by HLTH Foundation, and Springboard Enterprises. She was recently named one of the 2025 BLOC100 most impactful women of color and allies in biopharma, healthcare, and life sciences.

With her rare blend of clinical expertise, executive leadership, and venture capital insight, Dr. Kode stands as a transformative force in modern healthcare. She seamlessly connects innovation, inclusivity, and investment strategy to build healthcare systems that are not only efficient and scalable but also deeply human and equitable. Whether advising early-stage founders, leading at the executive level, or shaping strategic investments, Dr. Kode’s work consistently moves healthcare toward a future where impact and equity define success.

Maryam Mokhtarzadeh
Maryam Mokhtarzadeh
Venture Partner

Dr. Maryam Mokhtarzadeh, MD, is a board‑certified ophthalmologist and accomplished life sciences leader with over two decades of experience across clinical medicine, academic research, federal regulatory leadership, and biotechnology strategy. A graduate of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, she completed her transitional internship at Johns Hopkins and an ophthalmology residency at Wayne State University, where she specialized in complex ocular diseases and contributed to peer-reviewed research on genetic ophthalmic disorders, corneal pathology, and neuroinflammatory mechanisms affecting vision.

Dr. Mokhtarzadeh spent more than a decade at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), where she progressed to Senior Medical Officer within the Office of Combination Products and served as Chairman of the FDA’s Institutional Review Board. In these leadership roles, she played a pivotal part in shaping national policies for drug-device combination products and biologics, working closely with cross-functional teams to modernize approval pathways while upholding rigorous patient safety standards. She was recognized for her contributions to regulatory science, where her work helped pave the way for innovative therapies to reach patients more efficiently.

Alongside her FDA leadership responsibilities, Dr. Mokhtarzadeh provided direct patient care and supported translational research at the National Eye Institute (NIH) within the Ophthalmic Genetics and Visual Function Branch. There, she treated pediatric and genetic ocular conditions while contributing to clinical investigations that informed new therapeutic approaches for inherited retinal diseases.

Transitioning to industry, Dr. Mokhtarzadeh became Medical Director of Clinical Development at AbbVie, where she directed clinical trial strategy and development programs for novel ophthalmic therapeutics. She now serves as Senior Director and Head of the Ocular Center of Excellence at REGENXBIO, leading regulatory strategy for advanced gene therapies targeting retinal diseases. In this role, she has been instrumental in defining global regulatory pathways, pioneering imaging biomarkers, and establishing patient-centered endpoints that accelerate the clinical translation of breakthrough genetic treatments.

With a career that bridges hands-on patient care, federal policy, and biotechnology innovation, Dr. Mokhtarzadeh brings unparalleled expertise in advancing transformative treatments from concept to clinic. Her leadership continues to shape the future of ophthalmology and gene therapy, improving access and outcomes for patients worldwide.

Anna Cotten
Anna Cotten
Venture Partner

As a Venture Partner at Persephoni, Anna brings 14+ years across capital markets, investor relations, and platform growth in hedge funds, venture, private markets having secured ~1B in capital commitments across alternative investments.

Anna drives capital formation by activating her investor network, advising leadership on fundraising strategy and making high-value introductions to venture firms, family offices, and strategic partners. The mandate is simple: translate alignment into durable capital and momentum for the platform and its portfolio companies.

Anna broke into hedge fund IR at Protégé Partners, building allocator relationships and learning the mechanics of LP decision-making. She later joined Solovis, helping drive institutional adoption of its portfolio management platform—momentum that contributed to the company’s acquisition and cemented her belief in technology’s role in transforming capital markets. As Vice President at TimesSquare Capital Management, a ~$15B growth-equity manager, she launched and marketed a biotech long/short hedge fund strategy. At J.P. Morgan Private Bank, she managed a ~$5.5B UHNW/institutional client book, advising family offices, endowments, and foundations on investment strategy, liquidity planning, and capital deployment. She then led investor relations initiatives at Pappas Capital, a life sciences venture capital firm, helping execute the firm’s largest fundraise. Most recently, as Fractional CMO at Capwave, she led go-to-market for an AI-powered capital-raising platform connecting GPs and LPs at scale.

A former Division I tennis player, Anna brings a competitive, relationship-first approach to every raise and partnership—clear thesis, crisp materials, and a process that compounds. She mentors founders through the UNCW Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship, serves on the Cameron Art Museum Development Committee, and coaches high-performing junior tennis players. A North Carolina native, she’s based in Wilmington after a decade in New York and Dallas. Off the court, she’s happiest with a live data room, a tight checklist—and her Goldendoodle, Cooper—close by.