LSWC Best Workforce Strategies Roundtable: Building the Life Sciences Workforce of the Future

Caitlin Frazer is the Executive Director of the National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology. In this capacity, the leads the staff of the Commission in supporting the Commissioners in advising Congress on policy issues at the intersection of biotechnology, national security, and economic competitiveness. She previously served as Legislative Director to Senator Jon Ossoff (GA), a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee. She stood up the Office of Representative Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06) and served as her chief policy advisor as a member of the Armed Services and Foreign Affairs Committees. Earlier in her career, Caitlin was National Security Advisor to Senator Bob Casey (PA) and a policy advisor in the State Department’s Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs. She was a Presidential Management Fellow and holds a BA and MPP from the University of Virginia.

Dr. Linnea A. Fletcher is a nationally recognized leader in biotechnology education and workforce development. She earned her PhD in Microbiology from The University of Texas at Austin and completed postdoctoral research in Immunology and Biochemistry. Her academic background includes degrees in Biology, Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Microbiology. Dr. Fletcher serves as Principal Investigator on multiple NSF‑funded initiatives, including the InnovATEBIO National Biotechnology Education Center, which was renewed for an additional five years in 2024. At Austin Community College she has held leadership roles as Department Chair of Biotechnology, Assistant Dean of Math, Science, and Business, and Division Chair of Math, Science, and Technology. In 1999 she founded ACC’s Biotechnology Program and helped establish the national Bio‑Link network. She secured ACC’s first NSF ATE grant to launch biotechnology programs in Texas high schools. From 2008 to 2010 Dr. Fletcher served as a Program Officer at the National Science Foundation and contributed to the inaugural Vision and Change meeting on biology education reform. In 2015 she received an Emerging Technology Fund award to create the ACC Bioscience Incubator, which now supports startups and provides students with internships and employment opportunities. She frequently speaks and consults on topics related to biotech education, industry partnerships, and regional workforce strategy.

John Balchunas is the Workforce Director for the National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals (NIIMBL) where he is responsible for guiding strategy around workforce and talent development for a federally-funded public private partnership focused on transforming biopharmaceutical manufacturing. John’s career has largely centered around biopharma workforce and economic development. Prior to NIIMBL, John was responsible for business development and industry partnership for the professional development program at North Carolina State University’s Biomanufacturing Training and Education Center (BTEC). Prior to BTEC, John served as the Director of Workforce Development for the North Carolina Biotechnology Center (NCBiotech) for 10 years where he forged an array of partnerships with industry to understand and communicate biopharmaceutical manufacturing workforce needs. John started his career as a technical writer in the biomanufacturing and medical diagnostic industries. John holds a Master of Science in Technical Communication and a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology from North Carolina State University and was selected as a Marano Fellow in the Aspen Institute’s 2012-2013 Sector Skills Academy.