Our Team
Who we Are
Meet the Team
Jeff Pfohl
John Ryals
John has a storied career beginning in molecular biology that started at the University of North Texas with a B.A. in Biology, Chemistry and Music. He went on to complete his master’s and Ph.D. at the University of Texas at Dallas in molecular biology followed by postdoctoral work at the University of Zurich. John’s early career encompassed crop sciences at Ciba Geigy where he advanced from a Research Scientist to Head of Ag BioTech Research and VP of Intellectual Property. Following Ciba Geigy John founded and led Paradigm Genetics to a public offering on Nasdaq (PDGM) which was eventually acquired by Monsanto. While at Paradigm Genetics John began looking at utilizing mass spectrometry to analyze the global biochemistry of plant systems. He translated this technology to mammalian and human systems when he founded Metabolon, the premier metabolomics company in the field. Metabolon has dynamically changed the research paradigm bringing critical understanding of biochemical pathway changes in disease, genetics and plant biology. John currently is semi-retired, enjoying mentoring other leaders in biotechnology. John currently serves on the Boards of uMethod (an Alzheimer’s Disease, Precision Medicine Company) and Biosortia (a microbiome company).
Kelly Nix, DBA
Born in Lima, Peru, to American parents, Kelly is a dual citizen of the United States and Peru who is fluent in English, Spanish, and Portuguese, has lived in four countries, and has traveled the globe. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Management and his Master of Business Administration in Management and Strategy from Western Governors University, and his Doctor of Business Administration in Global Business and Leadership from California Intercontinental University. Kelly has held management and executive positions in multiple areas of the non-profit world, including charities, religious organizations, and universities, where he has also served as a faculty member. He is also a frequent presenter at conferences in and outside the United States. He and his wife, Valerie, have four grown children and eight grandchildren. Kelly’s favorite pastimes are fishing, hunting, and writing books.
Jesse Galindo
Dr. Jesse Galindo has served in several C-suite capacities, including CFO, CHRO, and COO. Along with being a corporate officer, he teaches at several universities, speaks nationally and internationally, is a business owner, and pastors a thriving congregation in Durham, NC. He is the husband of 31 years to Justine, father to Samuel, 27 (Lindsey, his wife), and Bishop, 24, and grandfather to Anneliese, nine months. He enjoys traveling and spending time with his family, meeting people, and learning new things.
Dr. Barbara Kiersz Mueller, D.O.
Dr Kiersz Mueller is a dual accredited board-certified family and osteopathic medicine physician who has a holistic approach specialized in headaches, child development, sports injuries, EDS, and chronic pain. Dr Kiersz Mueller was born and raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and moved to Florida with her parents and siblings at the age of 15. Barbara majored in chemical biology for her undergraduate studies at Stevens Institute of Technology, earning a Bachelor of Science. After graduating in 2010, she enrolled at the Touro University Nevada College of Osteopathic Medicine to complete her medical degree. Dr. Kiersz Mueller undertook her internship in family and osteopathic medicine at the Medical College of Georgia from 2014-2015 and completed her residency in family and community medicine at the University of Texas Health Sciences San Antonio from 2015-2017, where she served as chief resident during her senior year. Dr Kiersz Mueller enjoys spending time with her family and hiking and paddle-boarding with their Dachshund. In 2019, Dr Barbara became an Intuitive Eating Counselor and CrossFit Level 1 trainer and added Adaptive and Inclusive Trainer to her list of accolades in 2022. Dr Barbara is a published author with her first official paperback published 2024. Dr Kiersz Mueller integrates her holistic approach with her practice in order to treat patients, body, and soul.
Dan Zavodnick, J.D.
With over 17 years of experience, Dan is a seasoned legal professional who has navigated the complexities of the life sciences industry as regulatory counsel for large, multi-nationals such as Allergan, Bayer, and Bristol Myers Squibb and has served as General Counsel for Kedrion Biopharma and Arch Oncology. His expertise spans the entire product lifecycle across a wide range of therapeutic areas, and includes drafting, reviewing, and negotiating a wide spectrum of agreement types, analysis of risk-benefit profiles in support of product teams and client groups, legal and compliance training, review of commercial and medical communications, materials and activities, advice on legal issues for prescription, OTC, dietary supplements, and generics, and compliance program development and support.
Dan has served as legal lead on 37 product teams and over 20 launches, demonstrating his deep understanding of the intricate legal landscape and its impact on product development and commercialization.
Dan is the founder and managing partner of NorthStar Advisors, a life sciences legal and strategic consulting firm offering support for compliant product launch and commercialization, including fractional general counsel and chief compliance officers, and advertising and promotional review committee staffing and process development and optimization. He is passionate about fostering a culture of compliance and collaboration, and his ability to translate complex legal concepts into practical solutions empowers clients to meet the challenges of this dynamic industry.
Bruce Thomas
Bruce has consistently been driven by a passion for improvement, accuracy, and quality excellence. He earned his Lean Six Sigma certification from both ASQ and NAVSEA, contributing to numerous continuous improvement initiatives aimed at optimizing CVN aircraft carrier and submarine maintenance processes. Bruce competed for and was accepted into several prestigious NAVSEA leadership programs, where his focus was on enhancing the innovation ecosystem across the shipyards, as well as surface and undersea warfare centers.
Furthering his education, Bruce earned an MBA with honors from Western Governors University. He is currently applying for his Doctor of Philosophy in General Psychology: Industrial and Organizational Psychology (Qualitative Research) at Grand Canyon University. Throughout his career, he has worked with multi-billion-dollar companies such as Stanley Black and Decker and the HOLT Group, concentrating on Quality Management and Lean Six Sigma to drive operational excellence and sustainable growth.
Caryn Hutchison
Caryn is a motivated and personable business professional with over 20 years of experience as a Corporate Operations Manager (COO/Director of Operations), accounting consultant, project management consultant, and business owner. She is highly skilled in project management methodologies, process engineering, organizational change management, risk management, project planning, forensic accounting, team building, communication, and technical implementations of organizational change. Caryn holds two Bachelor’s degrees and a Master’s degree from the University of Central Florida.
A former archaeologist and educator, she enjoys traveling with her husband, Darin, their four children, and their beloved black lab, Charlie. In 2018, after undergoing spinal surgery, Caryn was diagnosed with CRPS (Complex Regional Pain Syndrome). Caryn has found substantial relief with the Stratis Bio product and her experience is highlited in the results section.
Danielle Wright
Danielle has always loved helping people and advancing her education in the medical field. She started her career as a nurse in pediatric private duty and home care working with premature babies with feeding tubes, tracheostomies and ventilators. Later she worked in cardiology running stress tests and working with pacemakers and defibrillators. She also worked as a legal nurse consultant for health insurance companies and on the defense side with several drug companies. Danielle developed CRPS (Chronic Pain Regional Syndrome) in 2004 post being hit by a drunk driver and developed a secondary site in her right foot in 2024 post-surgery. Her testimonial and data review are in the results section.
