Understanding your mission, creating solutions, and enabling your vision.
As leaders in a broad range of commercial disciplines, the first priority of the seasoned NuGEN management team is to help you achieve your scientific vision. We strive to understand your mission, define a roadmap for solving your challenges, build enabling solutions, and create an environment for collaboration and partnership.
Elizabeth A. Hutt, M.S.
Chief Executive Officer
Ms. Hutt brings years of leadership experience in diversified sales, marketing, business development, technical support, and a strong track record of achieving significant sales and market share growth. Her forward looking vision enables NuGEN to build global market share for our expanding product lines, and enhances the Company's commitment to providing world-class customer care. Hutt joined NuGEN in 2004 as VP of Commercial Operations to establish NuGEN in the marketplace. In 2005, she became CEO. Prior to joining NuGEN, she was VP of Sales and Service, North America and Pacific Rim for Tripos, Inc. She has also held U.S. and European management positions with Affymetrix Inc., and spent nearly a decade in sales, marketing and channel management at Life Technologies, Inc. Prior to the transition to her commercial career, she was a research associate at the University of Michigan. Ms. Hutt received her M.S. in business administration from Central Michigan University and a B.A. in chemistry from Michigan State University.
Douglas A. Amorese, Ph.D.
Vice President, Research and Development
Dr. Amorese is an accomplished leader in the development and commercialization of complex systems for nucleic acid analysis, and oversees NuGEN research and development activities. His experience in genomics and microarray technologies has placed him at the forefront of new product development, including array content and design, fabrication and processing, automation, image acquisition, data analysis, and QC. Prior to NuGEN, Amorese led the R&D organization for Agilent’s Genomics business, responsible for strategic planning to define microarray-based product opportunities, setting direction to meet customer needs, and championing Agilent’s probe validation projects. He has also held positions of increasing responsibility with DuPont and Life Technologies. Amorese earned a Ph.D. in biochemistry at Colorado State University, and served post-doctoral fellowships at the Salk Institute and at the University of Texas Health Science Center.
Dan Benetz
Chief Financial Officer
Mr. Benetz oversees all financial aspects of the company, as well as, gives guidance to senior leadership. He brings years of diverse business experience as a senior finance professional in life sciences and other high tech industries. Prior to joining NuGEN, Benetz had finance positions with Affymetrix, including Sr. Director of Business Finance and European Finance director. He has also held various positions with Intel, including Software Group controller, Photonics Group controller, Microprocessor Marketing & Business planning and Corporate financial planning and analysis, and with Wells Fargo Bank. Benetz received his B.S. in mathematics from University of California, Los Angeles.
Alan Dance MBA
Vice President, Marketing
Mr. Dance has spent his career focused on the successful commercialization of innovative technologies for the life sciences. He is responsible for NuGEN's marketing organization and brings a wealth of experience to drive the growth of NuGEN as a leading provider of innovative genomic sample preparation solutions. Prior to joining NuGEN in 2011 he led the sales, marketing and business development functions of NanoString Technologies as Chief Commercial Officer where he was responsible for successfully bringing the nCounter Analysis System to market. Dance has also spent time as Senior VP Marketing at Affymetrix where he directed the launch of the first commercial high density SNP arrays and the first array for whole genome expression analysis. He held a variety of senior management roles at Amersham Pharmacia Biotech including VP Corporate Development and was a member of the executive management team that grew the company to over $1 billion in annual revenues. Mr. Dance received his B.Sc. in applied biology from the University College of Wales and a Master in business administration from the Open Business School in the UK.
Erwin Estigarribia
Vice President, Operations
Mr. Estigarribia is responsible for NuGEN's manufacturing and quality organizations. His experience in manufacturing sciences and product development in cGMP-compliant environments, makes him uniquely qualified to lead NuGEN's regulatory initiatives. Prior to joining NuGEN, Estigarribia held the position of senior director of manufacturing sciences at the Geron Corporation. Prior to Geron, he was associate director, process development for Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics (formerly Chiron), during which he supervised both cGMP- and ISO 13485-compliant manufacturing processes. He also held bioprocess consulting engineering position(s) with PoroCrit and Sims SFE llc, as well as with Commonwealth Serum Laboratories (CSL, Ltd.). Estigarribia received a Bachelor of chemical and bioprocess engineering with honors from Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Australia.
Joe Don Heath Ph.D
Vice President, Global Technical Services
Dr. Heath manages global technical support and training, as well as drives NuGEN's automation and application development efforts. Heath has held a number of positions of increasing responsibility since joining NuGEN in 2003. Prior to NuGEN, he held a variety of scientific and customer related positions at Incycte Genomics. Heath earned his Ph.D. in microbial molecular genetics from the University of Texas. He was a post-doc fellow at the University of Washington and earned his B.S. degree at Oklahoma State University.
Sue D. Pandey, Ph.D.
Diagnostics Business
Dr. Pandey leads the diagnostics business efforts at NuGEN, and is responsible for the direct management of key partnerships. In this role, she drives NuGEN's genomics portfolio strategy in support of diagnostics and personalized medicine initiatives. Pandey previously managed NuGEN's worldwide commercial organization. Prior to joining NuGEN, she was the Global Head of Sales for the CodeLink™ business unit of GE Healthcare group. Pandey also spent 12 years in field management at Hewlett-Packard/Agilent Technologies in the Chemical Analysis and Life Sciences group. Her first position in sales was at Zymark, following a position with Exploratory Research at Chevron, where she wrote several patents for novel, high-yield reforming catalysts. Pandey earned her Ph.D. in physical organic chemistry from U.C. Irvine, and holds an MBA degree from Pepperdine University.
Gulshan Shaver J.D.
General Counsel
Ms. Shaver is responsible for all of the company's legal matters including intellectual property. She brings to NuGEN broad experience in patent law, IP licensing, corporate transactions and general corporate legal matters. Prior to joining NuGEN, Shaver held senior legal positions within several life sciences companies including BioCardia, Singulex, Perlegen Sciences and Caliper Technologies. Early in her career, she was an analytical chemist at a number of top pharmaceutical companies. Shaver received a Juris Doctorate from Santa Clara University and a B.S. degree in organic chemistry from the University of Poona, India.