Management Team / Advisory Board Bios
David Scalzo
Board of Directors Member
David Scalzo is the Founder and Managing Partner for Kirenaga Partners.
David co-founded the fintech company AdvisorEngine, served as its first CFO and sat on the Board of Directors until its sale to FranklinTempleton. In addition, he has extensive experience initiating, growing and managing businesses through various roles at Credit Suisse, Citadel, Bear Stearns, and Precision Plating Company.
David serves on the Board for the Northwestern University Wildcat Athletic Venture Enterprise (NU/WAVE) investment fund, as well as numerous former and current portfolio companies.
David graduated with a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Northwestern University, a Masters in Manufacturing Engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology, a Masters in Engineering Management from Northwestern University, and a Masters in Business Administration from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.
Dr. Joseph Heanue
Board of Directors member
Dr. Joe Heanue has significant leadership experience in device and instrumentation research & development within interdisciplinary environments. He previously served as Vice President of Engineering at NexRay and at Signature Bioscience. At NexRay, Joe led the development of a low-dose x-ray imaging system for interventional cardiology. At Signature, he headed a group that delivered prototype RF and microwave spectroscopy instruments to a major instrument partner; the first of these instruments was launched in 2005 by MDS Sciex.
Joe’s extensive research and development experience includes the analysis and design of complex systems, x-ray and gamma-ray detector development, low-noise analog electronics, data-acquisition systems, signal and image processing, high-speed data-processing architectures, and thin-films failure analysis.
Joe holds patents for detector and image processing, spectroscopy, and a patent for medical system imaging architecture that is licensed to a major medical equipment manufacturer. He received a BS in Physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and earned his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from the University of California at Berkeley. Joe was a postdoctoral researcher at Xerox PARC, and he has completed the Stanford University Executive Program for Growing Companies.
Dr. Sheetal Patel
Board of Directors member
Dr. Sheetal Patel began her career as a board certified Radiologist, earning her medical degree from University of Miami School of Medicine and going on to complete a residency in Radiology with University of South Florida in Tampa. She furthered her training with a fellowship in Musculoskeletal Radiology, a subspecialty which focuses on sports and orthopedic imaging (including bone and soft tissue tumors). After completing her residency and fellowship she worked with one of the top Radiology groups in Tampa, FL for 9 years.
In 2014, while still practicing radiology, Dr. Patel completed her MBA at University of South Florida, finishing at the top of her class. Soon after earning her MBA she became more actively involved in various business endeavors. Gradually over the course of the next 2-3 years, she transitioned fully into a business role and away from practicing medicine, leading to her current role as COO of the Patel Family Office.
As COO of the Patel Family Office she coordinates operations and investment management across all portfolios. In addition, she actively manages the family’s real estate portfolio consisting of just under $1B in assets across the hospitality, commercial real estate, and development sectors.
Additionally, Dr. Patel is involved with various non-profit and charitable endeavors in the medical and education arenas both within and outside of the Patel Family Foundation which has projects both in the US and abroad. Locally, she also supports the Tampa Bay area as Vice President and board member of The Charity Polo Classic, an organization whose mission is “making a difference by collaborating with local charities to build a better Tampa Bay”.
Dr. Tobias Funk
Technical Advisor
Dr.Tobias Funk has years of experience in the development of instrumentation for science and medicine. Tobias is an experimental solid-state physicist by training and has focused on utilization of ionizing radiation throughout his career. He developed synchrotron instrumentation for spectroscopy on proteins and ultra-low temperature equipment for nuclear solid-state physics. He has authored over 20 peer-reviewed publications and has over 10 granted and pending patents.
Hailey Gryka
Technical Advisor
Hailey’s area of expertise lies at the interface of bioinstrumentation and data science. Her experience is in a broad range of bioinstrumentation including magnetic resonance imaging development, point of care device design and testing, neutron generator and linear accelerators for use in healthcare, and development of data processing and machine learning technologies. She has been involved in various stages of the product development pipeline, from design verification to manufacturing quality control.
Christopher Ellenor, PhD
Technical Advisor
Dr.Christopher Ellenor has experience building experimental systems comprising diverse technical elements. He has great experience on working on laser cooling, imaging and optical design, magnetic trapping of atoms, coil design and ultra-high vacuum (UHV) systems, MRI systems, with a focus on RF safety, as well as embedded and wireless electronics for sensing of patient motion and RF current.
Russell Ford, Fellow
Technical Advisor
Russell Ford has over 18 years experience in the design and development of innovative medical products and manufacturing processes. Russell’s expertise includes wearable and implantable devices, surgical equipment and complex drug delivery devices. Russell’s has a long history of senior level positions at Zosano Pharma, Abbott Medical Optics, Boston Scientific Neurovascular, and Cygnus Therapeutics. His expertise focuses on applications that include transdermal drug delivery, continuous glucose monitoring, minimally-invasive devices for cataract and laser surgery, as well as neuro-endovascular applications. Russell project management expertise ranges from early stage development through V&V, DFM, high volume scale-up, and commercial launch. Experience also includes development of system level, design, characterization, test method development, materials selection, supplier development, manufacturing process design, and quality systems.
Chris Mitchell, PhD
Technical Advisor
Dr. Chris Mitchell has more than 25 years of hands-on and leadership experience in the design, development, and characterization of innovative x ray-based imaging systems for medical and industrial applications. Before joining Triple Ring Technologies, Dr. Mitchell served in a variety of positions at Alara, Inc., including VP of R&D and Chief Scientific Officer. While there, he led the development of a patented, award-winning bone densitometer, and several computed radiography-based imaging systems for medical, industrial, and veterinary applications. Prior to Alara, Dr. Mitchell served as Manager, Imaging Technologies, at ARACOR, where he led the development of a number of innovative imaging systems, including high-performance digital radiography, and cone-beam computed tomography for high resolution bone imaging and reverse engineering applications. Chris received his B.A. in applied mathematics from Weber State University, and MS (bioengineering) and Ph.D. (electrical engineering) from the University of Utah. He holds 3 patents in the fields of bone densitometry and computed radiography and has authored or co-authored numerous presentations and journal articles. He is a member of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM).