Dr. Richard Pazdur is a leading figure in oncology drug regulation and the former Director of both the FDA’s Oncology Center of Excellence and the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. Over his 26-year FDA career, he played a transformative role in modern cancer drug development, working closely with academic oncologists, industry partners, and regulatory scientists to streamline and strengthen the approval of innovative therapies.
At the FDA, Dr. Pazdur built one of the most effective and nationally respected oncology regulatory centers. He championed an integrated review model that improved cross-center coordination and accelerated the evaluation of novel cancer treatments. His leadership not only advanced scientific rigor but also created clearer, more predictable pathways for oncology drug development. A mentor to generations of regulators, he significantly influenced how cancer therapies are reviewed and how regulatory science evolves to meet emerging medical needs.
Before joining the FDA in 1999, Dr. Pazdur was a professor of medicine at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. His academic career included leadership roles on major hospital committees, service on national and international advisory groups, and contributions to several editorial boards.
Dr. Pazdur received his bachelor’s degree from Northwestern University and his MD from Loyola Stritch School of Medicine, followed by clinical training at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Medical Center and the University of Chicago.
A highly published physician, he is the author of more than 800 articles, book chapters, and abstracts, as well as two oncology textbooks. His contributions have earned him recognition on Fortune’s ‘50 World’s Greatest Leaders,’ The Bloomberg 50, OncLive’s ‘Giants of Cancer Care,’ and numerous awards from major professional societies.
Debbie Griffin serves as Chief Financial Officer at F-Prime and brings over 25 years of experience. She supports the finance and administrative functions overseeing Life Sciences and Fine Structure Ventures. Prior to rejoining F-Prime in April 2026, she was the Chief Financial Officer at Human Capital, a San Francisco based multi-stage venture capital firm.
Debbie originally began at F-Prime in 2013 and spent 10 years at the Firm, holding various Finance positions. She has also held various accounting focused roles at Devonshire Investors, CFGI, and Ernst & Young. She lives in Boston with her husband and two children.
Elizabeth Lamb joined F-Prime in July 2025 as a contractor, supporting Robert Weisskoff, Muzammil Mansuri, and Jessica Alston. In March 2026, she transitioned into a full-time role as Executive Assistant to Nikhil Ananth, Nikhil Marathe, Julia McDowell, and Erica Lee.
Prior to joining F-Prime, Elizabeth held Executive Assistant roles at several startups and pharmaceutical companies, including Kura Oncology, GNS Healthcare, and Vertex. She also spent 17 years in the Legal Department at Fidelity Investments.
Elizabeth received her AS in Computer Programming and AA in Liberal Arts at Keene State College.
Jon Gelsey is a board member at AI supercomputer company Elastix.ai, data security company Symmetry Systems, and .net identity company Duende Software. Previously he was CEO of Xnor.ai, a computer vision and machine learning spinoff of the Allen Institute for AI and UW that Apple acquired in January 2020 for a publicly reported $200M. Before Xnor.ai, he was founding CEO of Auth0 Inc., an industry‐leading identity‐as‐a‐service platform, which he grew from 3 employees to nearly 300 over the course of four years. Auth0 was acquired by Okta in February 2021 for $6.5B, the largest-ever private transaction in Seattle history. His previous experience includes responsibility for acquisitions and investments at Microsoft and being a venture investor at Intel Capital. Jon started his career as a supercomputer designer at Convex Computer, which was acquired by Hewlett‐Packard in 1995 to become the high end of their server product line.
Kendra Ryan joined F-Prime in 2026 as a Director of Ecosystem Network. She focuses on nurturing and expanding the firm’s executive talent and advisory networks across AI, fintech, and enterprise software. Prior to F-Prime, she was a Director at SPMB Executive Search where she led executive searches across the technology ecosystem.
In addition to her role at F-Prime, Kendra serves as an Advisory Board Member for the Best Buddies San Francisco Chapter, a nonprofit dedicated to ending the social, physical, and economic isolation of people with intellectual and development disabilities.
Kendra graduated from the University of Southern California with a degree in Neuroscience.
Liam is an Associate at F-Prime, where he focuses on early-stage investments in enterprise software and frontier technologies. Prior to joining F-Prime, he was a consultant at Bain & Company in the Private Equity Group, working with leading private and growth equity firms on software commercial due diligences.
Liam is a graduate of Swarthmore College, where he received degrees in Economics and Political Science, and was a student-athlete.
Kyle Fasulo joined F-Prime as a Finance Manager in January 2026. Prior to joining F-Prime, he worked at RSM in the Financial Due Diligence practice, where he supported transaction analysis and key financial assessments for a range of clients. Prior to that, he was part of KPMG’s Audit practice within the Alternative Investments group, focusing on venture capital funds, endowments and other private investment vehicles.
Kyle holds bachelor’s degrees in Finance and Accounting from Roger Williams University and a master’s degree in Accounting from Bryant University.
Nikhil is a Principal at F-Prime, where he spearheads the firm’s efforts in healthcare growth equity. His primary focus is to partner with rapidly growing, capital efficient businesses in healthcare software and services.
Prior to joining F-Prime, Nikhil worked at Juxtapose, a creation-oriented investment firm focused on healthcare and technology, where he spent 2 years incubating a new business venture in the pharmaceutical services ecosystem. Prior to Juxtapose, Nikhil spent 13 years at Silversmith Capital Partners and TA Associates, where he closed 12 growth-stage investments across healthcare and enterprise software. He began his career as a technology investment banker at Evercore.
Nikhil has a BS in Economics from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, with concentrations in Finance and Management.
Nikki is a Human Resources Generalist at F-Prime, where she supports the development and implementation of HR strategies for the firm. She has an extensive background in onboarding, recruiting, and benefits. Prior to joining F-Prime, Nikki worked in private equity as an HR Senior Associate, focusing on building out the firm’s recruiting and onboarding processes.
She holds a BA in Communications with a specialization in Broadcasting from Champlain College.
Olivia Carlson is a Senior Associate at F-Prime, focusing on investments in healthcare technology and services companies. Prior to joining F-Prime, she was an investor at M33 Growth, where she assessed investment opportunities and supported their portfolio of growth-stage healthcare companies. Olivia also worked in strategy consulting for EY-Parthenon’s healthcare team. She started her career as a certified nursing assistant, working for a home health and hospice company throughout college.
Olivia holds a B.A. from Williams College, where she majored in Pre-Medical Studies and Psychology.