Skills, Certifications, and Degrees to Succeed in Technology Transfer

Tech transfer professionals have a wide range of options to strengthen their skills and expand their career opportunities. These may include advanced degrees such as an MBA or PhD, professional credentials like RTTP and CLP, a JD or patent bar qualification, project management certifications, Lean Six Sigma training, and specialized certifications offered by federal agencies. 

Some of these paths require a significant investment of time and money. Others may directly support promotion opportunities or build practical skills used in day-to-day work. 

This session will explore the potential benefits, costs, and career impact of each option. Presenters will share their perspectives on how these credentials have influenced their own career paths, as well as how they evaluate them when serving on hiring committees. 

Many FLC attendees may not be fully aware of the range of professional development opportunities available, or which ones best align with their current experience level and career stage. This discussion will help participants think strategically about their next steps.

John Beard, MBA, Department of Veterans Affairs 

Mr. Beard is the Field Technology Transfer Specialist for VA medical centers located in Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, and Kansas.

Mr. Beard has a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and an MBA, both from the University of Arkansas Little Rock.  Mr. Beard spent 20 years working in the field of ovarian cancer research and in vitro diagnostics development. During this time, he is listed as co-inventor on five US patents, negotiated multiple licensing agreements for a start-up biotech company, and developed six in vitro diagnostic assays for the detection of proteins overexpressed by ovarian and aggressive prostate cancer.  Mr. Beard spent four years working for the largest Federally Qualified Health Center in Arkansas managing grant projects and ensuring adherence to federal regulations. He has worked for the VA Technology Transfer Program for the past three years.

Mr. Beard has two teenage children and enjoys music, reading, golf, and spending time with friends and family.

Bhoomija Hariprasad, Department of Veterans Affairs 

Bhoomija Hariprasad joined the VA's Technology Transfer Program (TTP) in January 2023 as a Technology Transfer Specialist based in Houston and serving VA medical centers located in Texas. Bhoomija has a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences from Louisiana State University and a Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering from University of Houston where her research was focused on nanobiomaterials for drug delivery. She then worked in UT Health Houston studying inflammatory diseases and completed additional graduate coursework at Wake Forest School of Medicine where she accumulated extensive research experience in organ-on-chip technology and glioblastoma studies.

While at Wake Forest, she took courses on intellectual property protection where she learned market analysis and technology commercialization. She looks forward to combining her scientific background with technology transfer strategies in her translational role. Outside of work, Bhoomija enjoys reading, hiking, songwriting, and playing guitar.

Trina Voss, Department of Veterans Affairs 

Trina Voss joined the Department of Veterans Affairs Technology Transfer Program in 2022.  She supervises the Central Region of the US, which includes Oregon, Idaho, Texas, Puerto Rico, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri and Kansas. Trina has bachelor's degrees in zoology and biology with computer information systems and German language minors from Humboldt State University in Arcata, California. She received an Associate’s degree in Arabic language from the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California, and completed graduate coursework at Moss Landing Marine Labs through California State University, Monterey Bay.

Trina likes to refer to her "checkered past" and feels the range of her experience has contributed to her success in technology transfer. Prior to the VA, she worked at Oregon Health & Science University and the University of Southern California. She has licensed copyright materials to non-profit organizations, biological materials to pharma companies, high technology patents to Fortune 500 companies, and biomedical devices to early-stage startups. She is a Registered Technology Transfer Professional and a Certified Licensing Professional. Before finding a career in technology transfer, Trina worked in commercial real estate leasing, was an interrogator in the US Army, and managed a scuba shop next to North America's number one shore dive.