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.
General Session
Hosted by J.P. Morgan Chase
Asif Ali, MD Asif Ali, MD is a Houston-based cardiologist and medtech strategist whose work spans clinical care, research, and healthcare innovation. He holds leadership roles at Houston Cardiology Consultants, McGovern Medical School, University of Houston Medical School, Cena Research Institute, and Cena Consultants, where he advances inclusive research, digital health adoption, and patient-centered care models. Dr. Ali is a national speaker and advisor to emerging health technology companies, with a focus on equitable human centered innovation. He is a member of the health technology advisory group for the Center for Health Technology and Innovation at the American Heart Association AI and digital wearables.
Stuart Bracken serves as Managing Director, Northeast Georgia Health Ventures. Previously, Stuart was co-founder and CEO of Bioscape Digital, a Healthcare Technology company focused on improving patient experience, outcomes and referral management. Previously, Stuart was an early employee at Firethorn Holdings (acquired by Qualcomm). Stuart began his career in New York City, leading fund audits and concurrently running a hedge fund that generated a 33% IRR to its Limited Partners. Stuart holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business and Information Systems and a Master’s in Accounting from Wake Forest University as well as an MBA from The Goizueta Business School at Emory University. Stuart is a recipient of the Atlanta Business Chronicle’s 40 under 40 award, a finalist for Business Person of the Year for Atlanta and a Kauffman Foundation Life Science Ventures Summit Scholar.
Navin Govind is a serial entrepreneur, venture partner at Evidence Ventures, startup advisor, author of several original papers in peer reviewed journals, holds multiple patents and serves as a speaker, faculty member, and advisor on digital health innovation. Navin has worked at the intersection of technology, medical device and software platforms to evidence best-in-class clinical solutions working with clinician leaders, providers and global clients. As an advisor at the American Heart Association's Health Technology Business Innovation team, Navin is deeply involved in strategic workforce collaboration initiatives to bring science based; advanced AI enabled deep learning solutions to lower the burden of chronic disease, cost of care and better health outcomes.
Liz Leykam, CFP® is a Banker in the Phoenix office of the J.P. Morgan Private Bank, where she advises founders, executives, and multi-generational family offices. She partners with clients to design and implement comprehensive wealth strategies aligned with their personal, family, and enterprise objectives. Liz joined the J.P. Morgan Private Bank in Chicago in 2019, where she worked with some of the most sophisticated institutions and families in the United States. In 2022, she relocated to Phoenix to expand her practice with founders, executives, and high-net-worth individuals navigating the complexities of building, scaling, and transitioning privately held enterprises. Her advisory work spans tax and estate planning, investment management, banking, and credit solutions, delivering the full breadth of the firm's capabilities to help clients preserve, grow, and transition wealth in alignment with their objectives.
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, Chad Michaels and Kristin Murphy for a conversation on navigating the shifting public policy 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.
Kristin Murphy currently serves as the Vice President of Federal Government Relations at the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO). She previously served various roles with the Association for Accessible Medicines (AAM), the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association, and on Capitol Hill. She received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of South Dakota and her Master of Business Administration (with a concentration in healthcare finance) from Johns Hopkins University. She also serves on a number of boards, including the Farber Fund (the political science endowment for the University of South Dakota) and is the current Chair of the Jenkins Hill Society.
