PRO™ Members

John Bittman is an Interagency Policy Specialist in the Technology Partnerships Office (TPO) at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). He works on convening intramural technology transfer personnel, conducting outreach to commercialization stakeholders, and assisting in program and policy formulation on behalf of the interagency technology transfer community.

Prior to joining TPO, John was a Presidential Management Fellow at the National Cancer Institute (NCI). He worked as a Technology Transfer Manager and Invention Development and Marketing Specialist within the NCI’s Technology Transfer Center, and as a Special Assistant in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

John served on active duty in the U.S. Army as a paratrooper, where he was deployed to Iraq as part of Operation New Dawn. He holds a PSM in nanotechnology, a BS in interdisciplinary studies (Physical, Biomedical, and Behavioral Sciences), and a Certificate in technology ventures from the University of Central Florida.

Annie E. Bullock Yoder is a member of the Technology Transfer Office at the Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC), Crane Division, where she serves as the intellectual property (IP) and licensing specialist. She is the point person for all NSWC Crane invention disclosures and leads efforts to market and commercialize the IP portfolio.

Annie has earned a Juris Doctor and a Master of Laws in intellectual property from Western Michigan University and a Bachelor of Science in biomedical engineering from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. She has several professional licenses including membership in the Indiana State Bar and as a patent attorney with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

Linda Burger is the Director for the Office of Research and Technology Applications at the National Security Agency (NSA) and is the current Chair of the FLC Executive Board.

Prior to NSA, Linda led technology-based economic development programs for two Maryland counties, owned an information technology business, and worked as a systems consultant in the public and private sectors.

She earned an MAS from Johns Hopkins University, a BS in Information Systems Management from University of Maryland and is a Certified Licensing Professional (CLP) from the Licensing Executives Society.

Mr. Robert (Bob) Charles is DHA OGC's Chief, Medical Research Collaboration Law Division, within the Medical R&D Branch.  He provides Technology Transfer (T2) support for HQ DHA and its Medical R&D laboratories and Military Medical Treatment Facilities (MTFs).  Bob is recognized as a DoD-wide legal expert in Federal T2. He has helped shape USAMRDC, USAMEDCOM, Army, DHA, and DoD issuances regarding T2.  In addition to his T2 work, Bob serves as principal legal advisor for Prototype Other Transaction Agreements.

Since beginning work at Fort Detrick, Maryland in 2001, Bob has provided legal reviews and, when needed, negotiated agreements for thousands of research collaborations, resulting in more than $1B in funds and other resources from non-federal entities coming into military R&D labs and MTFs.  His negotiations have taken him to Europe, Africa, Australia, and Asia.  

Bob served on the Board of Directors of the Federal Laboratory Consortium for Technology Transfer (FLC) for 9 years and, concurrently, as Chair of the FLC's Legal Issues Committee. He was Chief Editor for the 2009 edition of the Federal Technology Transfer Legislation and Policy Manual (known as the Green Book). Additionally, he was the update editor for the FLC Office of Research and Technology Applications (ORTA) Handbook, 2013 edition. Well over 2,000 federal T2 professionals, their legal support staffs, and others have attended Mr. Charles' T2 training.

Mr. Charles is a retired Army Judge Advocate. His assignments included duty at four Army medical centers and the former U.S. Army Health Services Command, where he served as Chief, Health Law Branch. He was the first Army Judge Advocate to be sent for Advance Civilian Training in Health Law, receiving an M.P.H. in Health & Law from the Harvard School of Public Health. Bob did his undergraduate schooling at U.C. Berkeley and attended law school at the University of Utah. He also has an LL.M. (Masters in Law), from the Army Judge Advocate General’s School.   

In 2017, DoD awarded Bob the DoD Medal for Distinguished Civilian Service, and in 2019, he received the DoD George Linsteadt Award for Technology Transfer.

Amanda Corbel is the partnership alliance manager at the Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research (FNLCR), the only federal laboratory focused solely on biomedical research. Within the Center for Innovation and Strategic Partnerships, Amanda supports the FNLCR’s mission to accelerate progress against cancer and AIDS by creating partnerships between the lab’s scientists and external research communities. She also manages programs that aim to advance scientific discoveries and inventions through the development pipeline to de-risk and attract technologies for both partnering and licensing.

Amanda has been an active member of the FLC since 2020, and she is deeply involved in the Mid-Atlantic Region activities. She has supported the current Mid-Atlantic Regional and Deputy Regional Coordinators in surveying and meeting various laboratories in the region to learn more about their technology transfer, licensing and business development activities. By engaging the labs, they identified common problems across the agencies. This process led to a pilot program, the Federal Lab Education Accelerator (FLEX), to address a common lack necessary resources for active marketing, licensing and general technology assessment FLEX fosters long-term collaborations between federal labs and academic institutions by connecting entrepreneurial students with federal labs’ technology portfolios. Amanda has led FLEX since its launch in 2021, and as the FLEX program manager, she maintains close relationships with the participating federal laboratories' tech transfer staff and inventors. FLEX has now expanded to all FLC regions, and all federal labs are invited to join. Currently, more than 20 federal labs and 10 universities are participating in FLEX, and the FLEX portfolio includes more than 100 federal technologies.

In addition to her role in the FLEX program, Amanda is a member of the FLC Facilitate Committee. As a member of the Facilitate Committee, she works with committee members on ways to increase engagement and partnerships that connect the private sector with federal laboratories. She also helped plan and organize the 2021 Mid-Atlantic & Northeast Regional Meeting, 2022 Mid-Atlantic Partnering for Economic Development Meeting and FLC FLEX Program Member Connect.

She holds a BS in biology from Shepherd University and an MS in biotechnology and business management from Mount Saint Mary’s University. She is also a certified project management professional through the Project Management Institute. She is currently pursuing her PhD in biochemistry and molecular biology at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.

Joe DiRenzo is a retired U.S. Coast Guard officer who spent nine years in the Navy, serving both in the submarine and surface warfare communities. In 1991, he transitioned to the Coast Guard and was assigned to several cutters including command of USCG Cutter Jefferson Island and had 14 years of sea duty upon his retirement. In October 2015, he assumed his current position at the USCG Research and Development Center, where he facilitates collaborative research with other national labs and research facilities.

Joe is one of the most published authors in Coast Guard history. A five-time winner of the service’s prestigious JOC Alex Haley award, he has published more than 300 articles on maritime terrorism and port security. He is a 2013 co-recipient of the INFORMS Wagner Prize. He is the co-editor of the first ever book on Maritime Cyber Security – Issues in Maritime Cyber Security, published in 2017.

Steven M. Ferguson currently serves as Special Advisor at the NIH Office of Technology Transfer where he has worked since 1990.  The biomedical technology transfer program at NIH is one of the world’s largest with a portfolio that includes over 2,000 active licenses with aggregate sales greater than $10B per year that is based upon research that has also generated 53 FDA-approved drugs & vaccines. 

A former chemist at the National Cancer Institute and biotech industry product manager, Mr. Ferguson holds Master's Degrees in Business Administration (George Washington University) and Chemistry (University of Cincinnati) as well as Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry (Case Western Reserve University).   

A registered Patent Agent and a Certified Licensing Professional (CLP), Mr. Ferguson has served as faculty and Technology Transfer Department Chair at the Foundation for Advanced Education in the Sciences (FAES) Graduate School at NIH and the Biotechnology Industry Organization “BIO Boot Camp”.  He also serves as a business reviewer or advisory board member for the US-India Science & Technology Endowment Fund, Maryland Industrial Partnerships, Maryland Innovation Initiative, Virginia Bio-Life Science Gap Fund, US Department of Education Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) program, the Licensing Executives Society, the Center for Advancing Innovation and the DoD Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program.

He has published extensively in the field of technology transfer and has also received the AUTM President’s Award (AUTM Band), the AUTM Volunteer Service Award, the NIH Director’s Award, the FAES Instruction Award, seven “Deal of Distinction” awards and the Frank Barnes Mentoring Award from the Licensing Executive Society, six Federal Laboratory Consortium Awards, and twenty NIH Merit Awards in recognition of his service and activities in technology transfer

Paige is the Technology Transfer manager at the Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division (NSWC PCD). Prior to her ORTA appointment, Paige was the STEM Outreach Program manager as well as the Education Partnership Program manager.

Paige graduated with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Florida in 2012 through the SMART Scholarship program. Upon graduation she began working at NSWC PCD in the Diving and Life Support Division, where she supported the design, testing, and transition of various diving systems supporting the Navy, Army, Marine Corps, Air Force, and first responders. In 2020, she earned a Master’s degree in STEM Leadership and Education from the American College of Education.

Paige was first introduced to the FLC in 2015 when she attended her first National Meeting. It was at this meeting that she truly understood the importance of technology transfer to national security and the economy. After the first FLC National Meeting, Paige became involved in work under a CRADA in Diving & Life Support Systems. This would eventually lead to her pursuing more work in technology transfer and setting up a full time Office of Research and Technology Applications at NSWC PCD. In 2019, she became the Southeast Regional Coordinator for the FLC, and in 2023, began the role of Chair of the Facilitate Committees.

Bhoomija Hariprasad is a Technology Transfer Specialist with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), based in Houston, Texas. She supports technology transfer initiatives across VA Medical Centers in the Texas and Caribbean regions, safeguarding intellectual property through strategic patent prosecution for VA-developed technologies. She also negotiates critical research agreements and facilitates the licensing of innovations to industry partners, driving the commercialization of research inspired by veteran healthcare. Additionally, she collaborates closely with affiliate universities to ensure the protection of jointly developed VA-university research. 

Bhoomija is also an active member of the Federal Laboratory Consortium (FLC) Communications Subcommittee. Her contributions to technology transfer have been recognized with the FLC 2024 Excellence in Technology Transfer Award for TrackMate and the FLC 2025 Rookie of the Year Honorable Mention.

Whitney Hastings is the Division Head of the Office of Partnership and Technology Transfer at Fermilab, a Department of Energy laboratory. She has decades of experience in technology transfer leading numerous technology transfer initiatives and managed diverse portfolios including therapeutics, medical devices, cosmetics, software, and food safety technologies.

Before joining Fermilab, Whitney served as a Senior Technology Transfer Professional at the National Cancer Institute’s Technology Transfer Center, where she provided training, negotiated agreements, and managed diverse portfolios spanning therapeutics, medical devices, software, and food safety technologies. Previously, Whitney was an Intellectual Property and Partnerships Manager at the Food and Drug Administration, Senior Licensing and Patenting Manager and Acting Branch Chief of the Cancer Branch at NIH's Office of Technology Transfer, engineer with Corning, Inc., and fellow in the NCI Nanobiology program. She graduated with a BS in mechanical engineering and a minor in bioengineering from Clemson University and completed her master’s and PhD in Mechanical Engineering at Johns Hopkins University.

Within the FLC, Whitney has been deeply engaged since 2018, serving as Awards Program Chair, Promote Committee Chair, Vice Chair, and now Chair since 2023. She has spearheaded major initiatives, including launching the FLC website and Business platform, producing the Transfer Files Podcast, and expanding professional development through mentoring and learning programs.

David Lee is a Technology Transfer Associate with the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Armaments Center (DEVCOM AC) at Picatinny Arsenal, New Jersey, the Army’s hub for armament and munitions R&D. Since joining the DEVCOM AC T2 Team in 2015, David has supported every aspect of tech transfer, including CRADA execution, IP portfolio management, strategic partnerships, and licensing. In 2023, he served as a T2 subject matter expert at the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, contributing to DOD-wide policy and strategy development.

David has also served as the FLC Executive Board as a Northeast Regional Coordinator, planning and hosting regional and national programming. He began his Army career as a Presidential Management Fellow and has held roles in labor relations, operations security, and portfolio management. He holds degrees in government, biochemistry, and law, and is admitted to the New Jersey Bar.

Mia McAllister currently serves as Interim Program Manager for the FBI’s Office of Research and Technology Application (ORTA). Mrs. McAllister oversees internal ORTA and technology transfer activities in support of the FBI’s research mission. In this role, she manages intellectual property, strategy, and portfolio oversight, and leads the development, negotiation, and execution of technology transfer agreements. Mrs. McAllister works closely with scientists, legal counsel, and external partners to facilitate collaborations that advance innovation and ensure compliance with applicable statues and regulations. During Mrs. McAllister’s FBI tenure, she has worked on several high-level initiatives including an enterprise-wide restructuring and realignment of FBI divisions relocating to Huntsville, Alabama. She also served as the Chief Administrator Officer for the Washington Field Office.

Mrs. McAllister’s professional background reflects a strong interdisciplinary foundation in business and information science. She holds a Master’s in Management Studies from Duke University Fuqua School of Business, where she developed expertise in business strategy, finance, and organizational leadership. She also earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Information Science from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, which provided her with a strong foundation in managing, analyzing, and using information for data-driven decision making

Kristine Moes is a VA Field Technology Transfer Specialist based in Tampa, Florida serving the VA medical centers in the state of Florida. She is responsible for negotiating technology and research-related agreements with private sector companies, Universities and other public and private entities and directs the prosecution of patent portfolios arising from the efforts of VA researchers within the state. She also manages VA-University relations related to technology transfer of joint inventions developed by VA researchers in Florida.

Kristine has Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Central Florida, and a Juris Doctorate from Stetson University College of Law. She also has several professional licenses including membership in the Florida State Bar and as a patent attorney with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

Prior to arriving at the VA, Kristine was a Licensing Associate at a Florida university for five years. At the university Kristine started as part of the Physical Sciences team but quickly showed that she had knowledge useful in medical device technologies. Her docket became a combination of physical and life sciences. She was responsible for managing her portfolio of technologies from initial disclosure through licensing and the maintenance of the licenses. She has also worked with start-up companies formed at the University that leveraged the Florida High Tech Corridor Matching grants program and the ICORPs program.

Andy Myers is the Technology Transfer Lead at the Kansas City National Security Campus (KCNSC) operated by Honeywell. In this role, he supports scientists and engineers through the invention disclosure and patenting process, works to commercialize or transfer appropriate technologies outside the campus, and coordinates efforts between the federal space and industrial/academic partners.

Myers has over twenty years’ experience directing research in academic and industrial environments, cultivating and managing partnerships, securing external funding, and coordinating intellectual property. Previously, he served as the Executive Director of the Kansas Polymer Research Center, the Business and Technology Institute, and the PSU Research Foundation at Pittsburg State University (Pittsburg, KS).

He is an inventor on three patents and received funding from DOE, NASA, NSF, DOD, and EPA. Andy earned a BS from Purdue University, a PhD from the University of Rochester (both in chemistry), and has an M.B.A. from Pittsburg State.

As chief innovation officer, Vladimir manages and coordinates the Center for Innovation and Strategic Partnerships (CISP), which facilitates the development of future strategic partnerships and collaborations by fostering purpose-driven innovation and targeted outreach to the cancer research community. Through science and technology, business building, and IP and licensing programs, the CISP provides a comprehensive and centralized structure equipped to support internal innovation, provide education, identify and execute partnerships, and increase efficiency in providing internal and external support. His team develops and maintains relationships between the Frederick National Laboratory (FNL), the National Cancer Institute, client organizations and local business communities in Maryland. CISP identifies strategic partnership opportunities capable of addressing important scientific questions and unmet medical needs, handles the evaluation and organization of the national laboratory’s IP portfolio and actively engages in marketing and licensing efforts. 

Before this role, Vladimir was director of the Partnership Development Office, overseeing partnership development and implementation processes, client relationships and partnership projects. Before joining FNL, he worked as a manager in the healthcare industry, entrepreneur and licensing manager. He completed two postdoctoral fellowships at Thomas Jefferson University and the University of Pennsylvania. He holds a PhD in biochemistry and molecular biology from Thomas Jefferson University and an MBA from Johns Hopkins Carey Business School. 

Vladimir has been an active member of the FLC since joining FNL in 2016. In 2020, Vladimir was elected to be the regional coordinator for the Mid-Atlantic Region. He is currently serving his second two-year term in this position. As a regional coordinator, he is an active member of the FLC Executive Board and participates in several subcommittees and working groups.

Dr. Michael Salgaller leads the Technology Analysis and Marketing Unit (TAMU) within the NCI’s Technology Transfer Office, where he leverages over 20 years of business, scientific, and investment experience in various life science sectors to support technology development and commercialization. The TAMU serves in a business development role to foster licensing and collaborative activity between buy-side stakeholders and the NIH. Immediately prior to returning to NIH, Michael was a Vice President at The Conafay Group, a healthcare-focused government affairs firm in downtown DC, where he led alliance development activities centered on civilian health. He served as President of Biologics Consulting Group, a boutique firm providing professional services focused on regulatory affairs. Michael spent several years on the investment team of an early-stage venture capital firm dedicated to the life sciences. He began his buy-side career as Vice President of R&D for Northwest Biotherapeutics, where he led the development of cancer cell therapies that achieved clinical benefit. He began his career as a Senior Scientist at the NIH. Despite many interesting positions, his favorite job was working a summer at the Pittsburgh Zoo feeding hot dogs to polar bears. He is the author of “Biotechnology Entrepreneurship,” and teaches an entrepreneurship class at NIH. He has written over 70 scientific/business articles and book chapters. Dr. Salgaller received his PhD in Pathology from The Ohio State University.

Sharon Soucek directs the Office of Technology Transfer at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), based out of North Carolina. Her office supports NIEHS researchers to partner with their counterparts in academia, nonprofit organizations, and the private sector to deliver innovations that will benefit human health. Sharon earned her bachelor’s degree in biology from Northeastern University and her PhD in biochemistry and molecular biology from Emory University. Her career in technology transfer began with a licensing internship in Emory University’s office of technology transfer. After graduating, she worked as a technology transfer specialist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), where she negotiated agreements for establishing research collaborations and transferring research materials, performed invention assessments, and devised marketing strategies for technologies developed in the Center for Global Health. She was awarded the FLC 2016 Excellence in Technology Transfer Award for supporting the commercialization of a Candida infection diagnostic.

David Zimmerman is the Strategic Partnership Officer at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL), where he builds collaborations with industry in fusion energy, microelectronics, clean energy, and quantum. His career spans roles as a scientist, startup leader, IP attorney, and technology transfer professional across national labs, law firms, and universities.

David holds a PhD in experimental high-energy physics and a JD. He has taught the Intellectual Property course at the FLC National Meeting for the past three years and is a committed advocate for strengthening the federal tech transfer community.