Welcome to White Hat
Joan Koerber-Walker President and CEO of AZBio works on behalf of the Arizona Bioscience and Medical Technology Industry to support the growth of the industry, its members and our community on the local and national level. Ms. Koerber-Walker is also a life science investor and has served on the boards of numerous for-profit and non-profit organizations.
Accelerating growth and creating long-term impact
Todd Perman is President and CEO of Seed Healthcare and General Partner of Seed Healthcare Fund. For more than 34 years, Todd has operated at the intersection of healthcare, growth, and capital, helping companies navigate the complexity of the healthcare market while building scalable businesses that drive meaningful change. An entrepreneur at heart, Todd founded and scaled a healthcare-focused platform dedicated to advancing and scaling healthcare innovation. Seed Healthcare brings a combination of strategy, commercialization, and capital to help companies accelerate growth and create long-term impact within one of the world’s most complex and fragmented industries.
Jacque J. Sokolov, M.D. is chairman and chief executive officer of the SSB, a diversified U.S. based, healthcare management, development, and investment company. Its four strategic businesses include SSB Solutions, SSB Investment Funds, SSB Financial Services and SSB Governmental Services. At present, Dr. Sokolov/SSB is actively involved in expansion of Physician Practice Management companies (PPMs), mRNA and DNA diagnostic/therapeutic vaccine technologies and advanced AI enabled cardiac imaging. He currently serves and has served on multiple domestic and international public, private and nonprofit corporate healthcare boards including: LucidDX (NASDQ), Artrya (ASX), MedCath (NASDQ), Calviri, AKOS, Phoenix Children’s Hospital, Hospira, Summit Health Management, and the National Association of Corporate Directors.
Investing in Health Innovation
Steve Potts, PhD, MBA, has worked in the biopharma industry since 1999 in both drug development and diagnostics, serving in a wide range of areas, including medical affairs, product development, sales, marketing, and general management. He has a proven track record of success. Over his 25-year career, three of his companies have returned investors at least 8x (800%) on their investments, and he has raised over $200M for Arizona-based biomedical companies. Dr. Potts is currently the founding CEO of Breakthru Medicine, a preclinical-stage biotech, developing multiple targeted therapeutics in oncology. Breakthru’s world-class team has brought 13 drugs to market/near-market, with 8 receiving the FDA’s Breakthrough Therapy Designation, indicating that the drugs may provide a substantial improvement over available therapies. Breakthru Medicine emerged from stealth in early 2026 with $60M in funding.
Dave Morehead serves as Chief Investment Officer at Baylor University, overseeing the growth of the institution's $2.5 billion endowment. Since joining Baylor’s Office of Investments in 2011 and assuming the CIO role in 2021, Morehead has overseen a transformative expansion, doubling the capital pool over six years from $900 million. His tenure is defined by an innovative allocation strategy designed to capitalize on market dislocations, leveraging strategic bets in undervalued sectors like helium, natural gas, and biotech alongside contra-cyclical positioning to deliver consistent outperformance. With over 30 years of institutional investment experience, Morehead’s background spans hedge funds, commercial banking, and equity research, alongside his role as a Limited Partner in three leading biotech venture funds. In recognition of his leadership and the endowment's strong returns—which directly support university scholarships, professorships, and academic programs—he was named the 2025 Endowment/Foundation Chief Investment Officer of the Year by Institutional Investor.
Phil Howard
EY Global Integrated Finance Managed Services Leader
“A better working world depends on effective, sustainable healthcare. But achieving this requires health and life sciences companies to find smarter ways of operating – making the most of constrained budgets, adopting new technology and meeting higher stakeholder expectations. By helping my clients build a strong, resilient financial backbone, I’m supporting the industry to achieve better outcomes and shape the future with confidence.
I’m also committed to giving back to the community and to causes that matter to me. I’m honored to serve on the boards of the Life Science Cares Bay Area, which works to alleviate the impact of poverty in the Bay Area, and the Sudden Arrhythmia Deaths Syndrome (SADS) Foundation which supports patients and families who suffer from SADS. I’m also a member of the Bay Area Advisory Counsel for my alma mater Arizona State University.”
Phil Howard is the EY Global Integrated Finance Managed Services Leader. For over 20 years, he has been a trusted business adviser in health and life sciences, supporting diverse clients, including public and private high-growth organizations. Phil helps companies adapt to greater expectations around transparency, reporting and compliance. He draws on deep experience across business, accounting, technology and IPOs to develop innovative approaches, including through Managed Services, that build robust, effective finance functions. Phil has built his career in the EY organization. He serves on several boards and is a frequent speaker at industry conferences. Phil has a Bachelor’s degree in Finance and a Master’s degree in Accountancy and Information Systems from Arizona State University. He is a Certified Public Accountant licensed to practice in California and Arizona, and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
A View of the Hill
Actions on Capitol Hill impact research funding, FDA regulatory timelines, and reimbursement policies, and life science investment. The midterm elections are right around the corner. Join Joan Koerber-Walker and Chad Michaels for a conversation on navigating the shifting legislative landscape.
Chad Michaels is a principal at Capitol Counsel, LLC. Michaels brings over a decade of congressional and public service experience to the firm. He most recently served as Chief of Staff in one of the most competitive House races in the country. He provides clients with strategic insight into the House Republican Caucus, leadership dynamics, and key committees, including the House Ways and Means and Energy and Commerce Committees. While his primary focus is on health care and financial services policy, he also advises clients on oversight and tax policy, helping them navigate complex legislative and regulatory challenges. His government and public service experiences play a critical role in developing effective political strategies and positioning clients for success. Prior to his work on Capitol Hill, he served as a Teach For America Corps Member and Manager of Teacher Leadership Development, demonstrating his long-standing commitment to public service.
