
Meet the Team
-
John Schindler, CEO, Co-Founder, Board Member
John Schindler has a long track record of business success in the vascular disease space with product launch history ranging from open surgical products to endovascular catheter-based devices and delivery systems. He has demonstrated success in roles ranging from sales execution & management to field team strategy and training, and strategic business development with companies Atrium Medical, Maquet Medical Systems and the Getinge Group. His business development activities revolved around new market creation for emerging technology, field clinical support, and product development for best market fit and design.
-
Derek Hall, MS, COO, Co-Founder, Board Member
Derek Hall’s undergraduate degree is in Biomedical Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute, with a Masters in Drug & Device Regulatory Affairs from Northeastern University. His technical experience includes Research & Development in vascular devices, as well as international product registrations and regulatory filings. As a Global Product Manager, he managed a vascular portfolio of $40+MM, and his activities encompassed both upstream and downstream marketing. In addition to his technical and marketing roles, Mr. Hall has spent a decade in direct-to-hospital medical device sales.
-
Gabriele Niederauer, PhD, Board Chair
Dr. Gabriele Niederauer is an accomplished former Chief Executive Officer and President at Bluegrass Vascular Technologies, where she built the company from First-in-Human to regulatory approval & reimbursement, to launches in the US and Europe, and ultimately an acquisition to Merit Medical. Prior to Bluegrass Vascular, she led Research & Development teams at several successful medical device companies. She has broad-based experience taking clinical ideas from concept to market to exit. She puts a high priority on building a successful enterprise, deepening physician relationships, and growing market presence and sales.
-
Paul Sartori, PhD, MBA, Board Member
Paul has served as an advisor and executive at several early stage companies most notably Cavion, acquired by Jazz, and currently serving as VP for Verndari, Inc. He also has held senior global roles at Novartis, Bausch & Lomb, Covance and Parexel.
-
Patrick Kelly, MD, Inventor, Scientific Advisory Board Chair
Dr. Patrick Kelly is the inventor of the Versus Catheter. He began his career as a structural engineer before going to medical school. As a vascular surgeon, he began inventing out of the necessity to solve problems he encountered in the operating room and a desire to help his patients recover better. He is a serial inventor with dozens of patent applications and awarded patents. He currently performs vascular interventional procedures at his outpatient clinic - Dakota Vascular.
-
Mila D. Sprouse, EdD, MSN, RN, CCRN, NE-BC, Scientific Advisory Board Member
Dr. Mila Sprouse has more than three decades of experience in critical care at the bedside, education, leadership and healthcare administration. She also has extensive experience in hemodynamics, cardiac assist devices, and extra corporeal lung oxygenation. Dr. Sprouse is an active member of the American Association of Critical Care and a sought after speaker in nursing care of critical care patients, leadership topics, and as a motivational speaker.
She completed her doctoral degree in organizational leadership and healthcare administration in 2021 and holds a MS in Nursing.
-
April Corella, MS, Quality Consultant
April Corella is a medical device engineer that specializes in medical device design and electro-mechanical devices. She has a strong technical acumen and a propensity for tackling complex issues. She’s successfully completed projects that have delivered new products to market and maximized cost savings. Ms. Corella joined the Liquet Medical team in the spring of 2023.
-
Dr. Carrie Kuehn, Head of Regulatory
Dr. Carrie Kuehn is a talented medical device regulatory and clinical affairs professional with a diverse background and over 25 years of experience in research epidemiology, medical devices, regulatory and clinical affairs, and patient-focused policy. In her consulting practice, Dr. Kuehn applies her expertise, leadership, strategic remediation skills, and broad medical device clinical-regulatory knowledge to address the needs of medical products companies and stakeholders across therapeutic areas. Dr. Kuehn applies her adaptable skill set to address complex issues in the pre-market and post-market space to enhance compliance, fine tune business practice, and improve patient lives around the world.
An accomplished researcher, Dr. Kuehn has published in the areas of epidemiology, regulatory affairs, and patient engagement policy. She also maintains a blog covering topics relevant to medical regulatory affairs practice and patient-focused policy. As faculty in the RAQA Graduate Program at Temple University, Dr. Kuehn helps to prepare the next generation of patient-focused, medical device regulatory professionals.
-
Michael Bandy, CPA, CGMA, Financial Advisor
Mr. Bandy graduated from Virginia Tech with a Bachelor of Science in Business, with a major in Accounting. His career began in public accounting gaining “Big Eight” experience with Touche Ross and then Deloitte and Touche. His tenure included providing financial audit and accounting services, information systems consulting, and management advisory services to middle-market and development stages companies.
Early in his career, he accepted a position as corporate controller with one of his start-up manufacturing clients to assist in the business planning, funding and operational growth, culminating in the acquisition by a multinational electronic manufacturing company. He has since worked in financial accounting, information systems and controllership roles for local and multinational companies, including Proctor & Gamble and Honeywell International, within several industries specializing in manufacturing.
-
Autumn Visser, JD, Legal Counsel
Autumn Visser is a member of the Business and Corporate and Emerging Growth practice teams at Woods Rogers. She concentrates on mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance, contract drafting and negotiation, and venture and seed capital financing. Autumn also works on real estate issues, government contracts, and licensing. Autumn is admitted to practice law in both Virginia and California.
Prior to joining Woods Rogers, Autumn spent five years in-house as Corporate Counsel for a global consumer products manufacturing company headquartered in the United States with offices in Australia, Canada, France, and South Africa. In this role, Autumn managed the legal functions for seven diverse business lines and was the key contact for all outside counsel.
Autumn is a member of the Virginia Bar Association and the Virginia State Bar Board of Governors where she is Chair of the Business Law Section. She is also affiliated with the Virginia Women Attorneys Association and the National LGBT Bar Association. Autumn has been recognized by Virginia Business magazine as a Legal Elite attorney.