New hires:
Prime Therapeutics hired Dinesh Kandanchatha as its chief information officer.
The American Red Cross hired Chris Kuechenmeister as VP of communications.
Rectify Pharmaceuticals tabbed Bharat Reddy as chief business officer.
Minds + Assembly, a 2024 MM+M Agency 100 honoree, hired Johanna Jarvis as managing partner of media.
MyHealthTeam hired Dante Gaudio as EVP of partnerships.
NMD Pharma announced Peter Kasten will start his role as VP of finance in August alongside Cecilia Sparr Eskilsson as VP of project management, while Maja B. Nielsen will begin as people and culture director in September.
Palomar Health selected Russ Riehl as interim president of the medical group
Confidence Pharmaceutical Research hired Dr. Margaryta Mare as senior medical director, head of safety and pharmacovigilance.
Ben Dudley was named chief commercial officer of MMS, a data-focused CRO.
Axuall hired Zach Phillips as its chief growth officer.
Ogilvy Health, a 2024 MM+M Agency 100 honoree, hired Sofia Beccarelli as associate planning director for the Asia-Pacific region.
Volpara Health appointed Becky Weber as EVP of sales and Teri Thomas as chief business officer of Lunit’s cancer screening group.
Executive elevations:
Volpara Health also named Craig Hadfield as chief customer and financial officer.
Clinical-stage immuno-oncology Nouscom promoted Tiffany Muller to CFO and Loredana Siani to SVP of technical and CMC development.
Board appointments:
Atsena Therapeutics named Joseph Zakrzewski as board chair.
Clinical-stage biopharma Opthea formed a medical advisory board.
NKGen Biotech added Dr. Marco Gottardis to its board of directors.
Emil Kakkis, MD, PhD joined Actio Biosciences’ board of directors.
Departures:
Cassava Sciences CEO Remi Babier resigned amid an ongoing federal probe and will be succeeded by board member Richard Berry while the company searches for a permanent replacement.
Metagenomi chief scientific officer Luis Borges left the California-based biotech.
Gilead Sciences announced the pending departure of chief medical officer Dr. Merdad Parsey in early 2025.
Miscellaneous:
Maxine Singer, a biochemist and federal official who shaped rules on genetic engineering, died at 93.
See last week’s edition of The Escalator.
