Team
Meet the Team
Learn about the forces behind the ONAMI network—the staff in charge of day-to-day operations and the Board of Directors providing critical oversight.
Whether you’re looking for collaborative research projects, access to technology experts or sophisticated instruments, early-stage funding or investment opportunities, ONAMI staff can assist you. They’re business people, scientists and engineers with practical experience and proven success at transforming ideas into viable research and market-ready products.
Members of ONAMI's team of eight have risen the ranks to be experts in each of their fields.
ONAMI Staff
John Brewer, Jr
Entrepreneur-in-Residence
SPECIALTIES: advanced materials, engineering, energy
Shula Jaron, Ph.D.
Entrepreneur-in-Residence
SPECIALTIES: biotechnology, R&D, business development, marketing
Nancy Lime
Entrepreneur-in-Residence
SPECIALTIES: biotechnology, quality systems, operations
Augie Sick
Entrepreneur-in-Residence
SPECIALTIES: biotechnology, life sciences
Dr. Kyle Gee
Emeritus ONAMI Entrepreneur-in-Residence and Consultant
SPECIALTIES: fluorescent reagents, biochemistry, nanotechnology, organic synthesis, drug discovery
Board of Directors
- Travis Cook
- Senior Director, Technology Transfer, Oregon Health Sciences University
- Christine Dixon Thiesing
- Associate Vice President, Industry, Innovation and Translation, University of Oregon
- Todd Miller
- Director of ATAMI, Oregon State University
- Naomi Oak
- New Product Introduction Strategist, Hewlett-Packard Company
- Michael O'Halloran
- Director of Technology (retired), CH2M HILL
- Star Read
- General Partner, Aventurine
- Travis Woodland
- Director, Innovation & Intellectual Property, Portland State University
ONAMI Staff Team Member
Robert D. “Skip” Rung
President
Skip Rung is a senior high-technology research and development executive with over 25 years of engineering and management experience in complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) process technology, integrated circuit design and packaging, MEMS, microfluidics and inkjet printing.
Prior to founding ONAMI in 2003, Skip established an innovation consulting practice in 2001. He was the director of Research and Development at Hewlett-Packard’s Corvallis facility, which is both the headquarters for HP’s world-leading thermal inkjet printing technology and the company’s most advanced technology R&D and manufacturing site.
Skip has a Bachelor of Science and a Master’s degree in electrical engineering from Stanford University.
ONAMI Staff Team Member
Jay Lindquist, Ph.D.
Interim Executive Director
Jay has over 20 years of experience in developing nanotechnology-based businesses in industries ranging from capital equipment and aerospace to advanced materials. As ONAMI’s commercialization director, he has helped Oregon start-up companies raise over $150 million to date from just $8.5 million in Gap funding. Jay holds a Ph.D. in physical chemistry from the University of California, Irvine; an Executive MBA from Stanford University and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Puget Sound.
ONAMI Staff Team Member
John Brewer, Jr
Entrepreneur-in-Residence
SPECIALTIES: advanced materials, engineering, energy
John’s 28 years in the wireless industry extend across the disciplines of engineering, marketing and executive management. His tenure includes leadership roles at SIGe Semiconductor, where he helped direct the company’s IPO filing and eventual sale to Skyworks Solution. John has a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering from Santa Clara University.
ONAMI Staff Team Member
Shula Jaron, Ph.D.
Entrepreneur-in-Residence
SPECIALTIES: biotechnology, R&D, business development, marketing
Shula Jaron brings over 25 years of experience in the biotech industry, covering roles in R&D, Product Management, Business Development, and Marketing. Her career includes significant work with both established companies and startups, highlighted by her involvement in founding both Enviral Tech and the startup incubator FertiLab and helping to grow InVivo Biosystems. She also held management roles at Life Technologies and with Poppy Health.
Shula is known for her practical approach to product development and her ability to guide products through their lifecycle, from market analysis to cross-functional collaboration. Her work not only reflects her expertise in biotech but also her dedication to mentoring startups and advocating for women in STEM.
Shula holds a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from Oregon Health and Science University and a B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Rhode Island.
ONAMI Staff Team Member
Nancy Lime
Entrepreneur-in-Residence
SPECIALTIES: biotechnology, quality systems, operations
Nancy's wide-ranging experience in the biotechnology and life sciences industries includes multiple functions: manufacturing, finance and accounting,quality assurance and executive management. Her career includes leadership roles at Oligos Etc. where she helped close its acquisition by a private equity group and then purchase by Integrated DNA Technologies; and key roles to achieve ISO certification and FDA approval of a Class III medical device and an in vitro diagnostic. Nancy has a Bachelor of Science in general science from the University of Oregon. She currently serves on the board of the Oregon Bioscience Association.
ONAMI Staff Team Member
Augie Sick
Entrepreneur-in-Residence
SPECIALTIES: biotechnology, life sciences
Augie’s deep experience in biotechnology and life sciences stems from an 18-year career at Invitrogen Corporation & Life Technologies, now part of Thermo Fischer Scientific. Today, he advises start-up and early-stage biotechnology companies on operations management and deal expertise. Augie holds 34 U.S. patents and a Bachelor of Science in biochemistry and cell biology from the University of California, San Diego.
ONAMI Staff Team Member
Cindy Dahl
Senior Advisor
Cindy joined ONAMI in 2006 as the vice president of operations, with 25 years of experience as a consulting engineer to industrial and governmental clients throughout the country. She spent 18 years with CH2M HILL in Corvallis, Oregon, including 6 years as the area manager. In that role, she worked with other business and governmental agencies to plan and promote economic development in Oregon.
Cindy is a licensed professional engineer; she has Bachelor of Science in civil engineering and a Master’s degree in environmental engineering from the University of Illinois. Her areas of expertise include Superfund site remediation, regulatory strategy and negotiation.
ONAMI Staff Team Member
Danica Bojovic
Emerita Technical Diligence Intern
Danica Bojovic is a senior PhD candidate in neuroscience at the Vollum Institute, Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU). In her thesis project, Danica studies the role of astrocyte syncytium in regulating the energy homeostasis in the brain. She has worked with various OHSU startups on pitch decks and market research through OHSU’s Innovation & Commercialization Program. She has also performed due diligence for the Oregon’s University Summer Investment Opportunity startups. She is passionate about entrepreneurship and learning which discoveries will drive the future of medicine.
Danica holds a B.A. degree in Biology and French with Neuroscience concentration from Grinnell College.
ONAMI Staff Team Member
Len Blackstone
Emeritus ONAMI Market Strategist and Consultant
For 30+ years, Len has helped grow companies—from Fortune 500 companies to entrepreneurial startups, for-profits and non-profits. He is an expert at exploring and assessing new market opportunities, identifying effective marketing strategies and developing go-to-market tactics. His work has gained national media attention, such as on 60 Minutes. Prior to starting his consulting firm in 2001, Len led numerous national and international marketing campaigns. He has expertise in many industries, including technology, life sciences, biotech, health care, medical devices, consumer package goods and others.
ONAMI Staff Team Member
Dr. Kyle Gee
Emeritus ONAMI Entrepreneur-in-Residence and Consultant
SPECIALTIES: fluorescent reagents, biochemistry, nanotechnology, organic synthesis, drug discovery
Kyle has extensive life sciences experience as an R&D innovator and business leader over a 30+ year career in industry. He has focused on developing new reagent and benchtop instrument products to advance research and promote business growth. After a medicinal chemistry post-doc at the University of Oregon, Kyle joined early days Molecular Probes Inc. in Eugene, which became part of Invitrogen Corporation-Life Technologies, and then Thermo Fisher Scientific.
His product innovations have generated $500M+ in company revenue, and his research has resulted in 90+ peer-reviewed publications in the areas of fluorescent reagents, click chemistry, bioconjugation, drug discovery, and photochemistry. Kyle is an intellectual property enthusiast—he is an inventor on 80+ issued U.S. patents, with extensive experience in patent application, prosecution, surveillance, and litigation.
Kyle holds a Ph.D. in organic chemistry from Indiana University and a B.S. in chemistry from Oregon State University.
