KEYNOTE MODERATOR

Yolanda Fintschenko

Executive Director, i-GATE Innovation Hub (home of Startup Tri-Valley and Daybreak Labs)

Yolanda Fintschenko, PhD is Executive Director of the i-GATE Innovation Hub and Daybreak Labs, a hard tech incubator supporting early-stage startups in life sciences, climate tech, and AI. A scientist turned entrepreneur, she began her career at Sandia National Labs and later led marketing at Thermo Fisher Scientific and LabSmith. She co-founded Fixate.IO and FounderTraction, pioneering technical marketing for science-based ventures. Yolanda holds a PhD in Bioanalytical Chemistry and is a recognized expert in microfluidics, with 41 publications and three patents. She founded the Gordon Conference on Microfluidics and co-edited Microscale Analytical Systems. In Livermore, CA, she drives regional economic development, co-organizes the East Bay Bio Network, and serves as a Planning Commissioner. Her work bridges science, entrepreneurship, and community-building to grow the Tri-Valley innovation ecosystem.

KEYNOTE SPEAKER

Pam Galley

Senior Vice President and Area Manager, Kaiser Permanente

Pam Galley serves as Senior Vice President and Area Manager for the Kaiser Permanente Diablo Service Area, overseeing hospital operations and the Kaiser Foundation Health Plan for facilities in Walnut Creek, Antioch, and Dublin, California. With nearly 20 years of experience in nursing and healthcare leadership, Pam has held key roles across Kaiser Permanente’s Northern California and Mid-Atlantic regions, including Vice President of Continuum Care. She is known for championing innovation, compassionate care, and strategic growth in healthcare delivery. Pam earned her Associate Degree in Nursing from Hartnell College and both her Bachelor and Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership from Chapman University.

PANEL DISCUSSION MODERATOR

Landon Merrill

Principal at Genoa Ventures

Landon is a Principal at Genoa Ventures, where he brings world-class skills in structured, rigorous product strategy and development to deal diligence and portfolio company support. With a wide range of technical and commercial leadership experience in organizations ranging from startups to multinationals, from life science tools to pharma discovery platforms, Landon brings a diverse set of experiences and a keen ability to identify opportunities for cross-pollination. Landon also leads sales and marketing for a local product development firm servicing the life sciences, diagnostics, and medical device markets.

KEYNOTE SPEAKER

Ben Hindson

Co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer at 10x Genomics

Ben Hindson has served as Chief Scientific Officer and Director of 10x Genomics since its founding in 2012. Prior to 10x Genomics, he was Co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Quantalife, a privately-held life sciences company that developed and commercialized a droplet digital PCR platform, until its sale to Bio-Rad Laboratories in 2011. Before QuantaLife, Ben served in various positions of increasing responsibility at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in the Chemical and Biological Weapons Nonproliferation Program. He has published extensively in his field and holds numerous patents for assays and instrumentation. Ben earned his B.S. in Chemistry and his Ph.D in Chemistry from Deakin University, Australia.

PANEL DISCUSSION PARTICIPANT

Don Masquelier

Principal Owner, Altamont Bio

Don Masquelier is currently principal at Altamont Bio. After almost 30 years as an engineer at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Don became co-founder of QuantaLife, where he helped pioneer droplet digital PCR technology that was later acquired by Bio-Rad Laboratories. Don has continued to innovate in the life sciences space through Tri-Valley lab tools ventures such as 10x Genomics, Inscripta, LabSimply, and VedaBio, and is a leader and expert in molecular diagnostics engineering.

PANEL DISCUSSION PARTICIPANT

Klint Rose

Scientist, Entrepreneur, Executive

Klint Rose is a scientist and founder known for his contributions to biotechnology innovation. He founded Purigen Biosystems in 2012 and served as its CEO then CTO, leading the development of microfluidic technologies for nucleic acid purification. Prior to Purigen, Klint was a Senior Scientist at QuantaLife, where he played a key role in developing the company’s first product—the Droplet Digital PCR system—which was later acquired by Bio-Rad Laboratories, where he continued as an R&D Manager. From 2023 to 2024, Klint served as Head of Research and Development at Bionano Genomics, advancing tools for genome mapping and analysis. Earlier in his career, he was a Research Engineer at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, contributing to national security and bioengineering programs. Klint earned his B.S. and M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University.

PANEL DISCUSSION PARTICIPANT

Austin So

Founder and CEO, Clarica Genomics

Austin So is the Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Clarica Genomics, a diagnostics startup based in Livermore, California. He previously held senior scientific roles at Purigen Biosystems, 4Catalyzer, and TOMA Biosciences, and was an early employee at QuantaLife, where he contributed to the commercialization of droplet digital PCR. Austin holds multiple patents in molecular diagnostics and is deeply engaged in advancing precision medicine and building scalable genomic technologies. He earned his Ph.D. in Molecular Biology from the University of British Columbia.

PANEL DISCUSSION MODERATOR

Derek Kirk

Senior Advisor for Economic Policy, GO-Biz

Derek Kirk is the Senior Advisor for Economic Policy for California Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) and leads the California Jobs First initiative—Governor Newsom’s statewide strategy to build a strong economy in California. Under his leadership, Jobs First has prioritized biotech and life sciences. The initiative also funds startup growth through programs like CalCompetes, partnership with IBank, and regional investment grants. A Porterville native and former chamber CEO, Kirk brings a community-first approach to economic development, emphasizing equity, innovation, and opportunity for all Californians.

2025

Tri-Valley Life Sciences Summit

Welcome to the 2025 Tri-Valley Life Sciences Summit

Presented by Kaiser Permanente, California Life Sciences, and Kilpatrick

October 15, 2025 | 5 pm – 8 pm | Rosewood Commons Conference Center | Pleasanton, CA

The 2025 Tri-Valley Life Sciences Summit presented by Kaiser Permanente , California Life Sciences , and Kilpatrick, highlights the building of our life sciences tools ecosystem that nucleated around talent from LLNL, the acquisition by BioRad, subsequent companies that continue to form from that initial team, AND connects it all to human health!

The Summit begins with a networking reception, providing attendees the opportunity to mingle, engage with peers, and foster new connections. The program includes welcoming remarks our presenting sponsors, followed by a brief introduction to the event by Yolanda Fintschenko of Startup Tri-Valley.

Derek Kirk, leader of the California Jobs First initiative at GO-Biz, will give a brief landscape of how the state of California is investing in life sciences, including how Tri-Valley companies can tap into the funding sources that state is providing at a critical juncture in the industry.

Yolanda will then moderate a conversation with Kaiser Permanente Executive Vice President, Pam Galley for an engaging fireside chat about how innovations in life sciences tools impact the delivery of health care and patient outcomes.

Following the fireside chat, we will transition to a panel discussion moderated by Derek Kirk highlighting the taxonomy of the Tri-Valley life sciences lab tools ecosystem with our panelists QuantaLife co-founder Don Masquelier (Principle at Altamont Bio) and Ben Hindson, (Co-Founder and CSO, 10x Genomics), and early stage QuantaLife employees and local founders Klint Rose (founder and formerly CEO/CTO of Purigen acquired by Bionano), and Austin So (Founder and CEO, Clarica Genomics).

We will close by continuing our networking reception.

*****

Agenda

5:00 PM – Networking
5:45 PM – Welcome
6:00 PM – Program
7:15-8:00 PM – Closing Remarks and Networking

Connect with the Tri-Valley life sciences ecosystem.

Almost 200 local life sciences entrepreneurs and professionals attended the 2023 Tri-Valley Life Sciences Summit. View the 2024 program and sponsors here.

Event Schedule

The Summit is designed to give busy professionals concrete takeaways they can incorporate into their work immediately, as well as plenty of opportunities to connect with peers. This year we have structured the program to provide high-value content for early-stage startups as well as high-growth, later-stage companies and cornerstone companies. A snapshot of the agenda is to to the right (or below).

5:00 PM

Registration and Networking

5:45 PM

Welcome to the City – Mayor Jack Balch

Event Welcome – Kaiser Permanente, California Life Sciences, and Kilpatrick

6:00 pm

California’s Investment in the Life Sciences – Derek Kirk, Senior Advisor for Economic Policy, GO-Biz

6:15 PM

Keynote – Fireside Chat with Pam Galley, Executive Vice President of Kaiser Permanente

6:45 PM

Panel Discussion with Life Sciences Tools Entrepreneurs and Ecosystem Builders

7:15 - 8:00 pm

Closing Remarks and Networking

Speakers, Panelists and Moderators

Yolanda Fintschenko, PhD

KEYNOTE MODERATOR

Pam Galley

KEYNOTE SPEAKER

Ben Hindson

PANEL DISCUSSION PARTICIPANT

Don Masquelier

PANEL DISCUSSION PARTICIPANT

Klint Rose

PANEL DISCUSSION PARTICIPANT

Austin So

PANEL DISCUSSION PARTICIPANT

Derek Kirk

PANEL DISCUSSION MODERATOR

FAQs

Who should attend?
Scientists, technologists, investors and business professionals working in industries that include or intersect with the life sciences who are entrepreneurs or have entrepreneurial ambitions.

Why should I attend?
This event is designed to relay information, inspiration, and create networking opportunities for the speakers and attendees.

How can I contact the organizers with any questions?
Please complete our contact form.

How do I register for the summit?
Head over to our Eventbrite.

How do I become a sponsor?
Please visit our Sponsorship Page

Photos From Our Previous Summit

2025 Sponsors & Affiliates

We are honored to partner with leading firms in the Tri-Valley who have demonstrated their commitment to growing the life sciences ecosystem in the region.

Presented By:

Organized By:

Ecosystem Sponsors

Meet These Sponsors at Their Event Table

Event Sponsors

Affiliates

Become a Sponsor

2025 TVLSS Organizers

Janelle Muranaka

Operations Executive and Strategist, Daybreak Labs Operations Advisor

Brian Wilson

Lisa Adamos

Economic Development Manager at the City of Pleasanton

Yolanda Fintschenko, Ph.D.

Executive Director, i-GATE Innovation Hub
Director, Startup Tri-Valley and Daybreak Labs

Aracely Campa Ramirez

Senior Director, State Government Relations, California Life Sciences

Location

Kaiser Permanente, California Life Sciences, and Kilpatrick are proud to present the Tri-Valley Life Sciences Summit at the Rosewood Commons Conference Center in the City of Pleasanton.

Connect with the Tri-Valley startup ecosystem

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