External Advisory Council
Meet the Members
Joe Cunningham, MD
Chair, External Advisory Council, Managing Director of Santé Ventures
Dr. Joe Cunningham co-founded Santé Ventures in 2006 and is nationally recognized for his expertise across healthcare delivery systems, physician associations and compensation models. Prior to founding Santé, he was a healthcare Venture Partner with Austin Ventures and Vice Chair of Ascension Health Ventures’ investment committee. He was also Chief Medical Officer of Providence Health System and Executive Director of the Providence Health Alliance, both of which belong to the Ascension healthcare organization.
Steve Bolling, MD
Professor of Thoracic Surgery
Dr. Steven F. Bolling is a world-renowned cardiac surgeon known for his expertise in mitral valve repair. His innovative techniques, particularly in patients with end-stage left ventricular failure, have earned international recognition. Dr. Bolling is highly sought after for his ability to successfully reconstruct even the most complex mitral valve abnormalities, leading to a high volume of referrals from around the globe.
Craig Brown, MBA
Founder/Owner, Chairman and CEO, Bray International
Craig Brown is the Founder/ Owner, Chairman and CEO of Bray International, the world’s largest manufacturer of rotary valves and actuators, with 10 manufacturing facilities world-wide, and 90+ sales divisions in over 50 countries. Founded in 1986, Bray International serves pharmaceutical, food/beverage, pulp/paper, power, oil and gas, chemical, sugar, mining, commercial temperature controls and data processing centers, water, desalinization, agriculture, aerospace/space and semi-conductor markets.
Eric Chan
Managing Director, CGC Capital, LLC
Eric Chan is a seasoned leader in technology commercialization with expertise spanning entrepreneurship, product development, financial services, and biomedical research. He currently serves as Managing Director at CGC Capital and Principal at Seneca Wilshire LLC. Eric was previously President of Novomedics and held executive and advisory roles at PBM Corporation, the Boss Group, and Stonebridge Associates.
Billy Cohn, MD
Director, Center of Device Innovation at the TMC
Dr. William Cohn is Director of the Center for Device Innovation at the Texas Medical Center and a professor of surgery at Baylor College of Medicine. He also holds adjunct professorships in bioengineering at Rice University, the University of Houston, and Texas A&M. A nationally recognized innovator, Dr. Cohn has led groundbreaking work in cardiovascular devices, including the development and first human implantation of a pulseless total artificial heart. He previously held leadership roles at Johnson & Johnson MedTech and the Texas Heart Institute. With over 90 U.S. patents or patents pending, Dr. Cohn also serves as Chief Medical Officer and board member for BiVACOR and CSI Inc.
John Cohn, PhD
IBM Fellow in the MIT-IBM Watson AI Research Group
Dr. John Cohn is an IBM Fellow in the MIT-IBM Watson AI Lab, where he focuses on cutting-edge AI research. He holds a Ph.D. in Computer Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University and a BSEE from MIT. With over 100 patents and more than 30 published papers, he was named an IEEE Fellow in 2005. A passionate advocate for STEM education, John is known for promoting science and innovation in creative ways—including a stint on Discovery Channel’s The Colony, where he lived and invented in an abandoned steel mill. He lives in a restored 19th-century schoolhouse in Vermont and is always eager to inspire others with his love of science and technology.
Brad Freels
President Midway Development
Brad Freels is a successful real estate leader whose guidance has made Midway one of the most active developers and investment owners in the greater Houston area. Under his leadership, Midway has developed or acquired over 45 million square feet of commercial and residential properties across the U.S. and Northern Mexico, including office, industrial, hospitality, medical, and retail spaces, as well as more than 4,500 acres of communities. Brad holds a BBA and MBA from Texas A&M University and has been honored as a Distinguished Alumni and Outstanding Alumni of Mays Business School. He is actively engaged in numerous business, educational, Christian, and charitable organizations.
Bob Harvey
Former Director Greater Houston Partnership
Bob Harvey has served as President and CEO of the Greater Houston Partnership since 2012, leading the region’s premier business organization across 10 counties. Under his leadership, the Partnership has strengthened its role as “the voice of business,” with a growing focus on quality-of-life issues and regional economic prosperity. Before joining the Partnership, Harvey spent 17 years with McKinsey & Company and later served as Vice Chair and Executive Vice President at Reliant Energy. He continues to bring decades of leadership experience to drive collaboration and policy advocacy in Greater Houston.ed by the NIH, NSF, and other major foundations, and she has received numerous honors, including the BMES Mid-Career Award and the NSF CAREER Award.
Mark Houser
Senior Advisor Mountain Capital, Founder Symphero Energy Solutions, LLC, Board of Directors, Houston Methodist Hospital System
Mark Houser is an experienced energy industry advisor. He previously served seven years as CEO of University Lands, managing 2.1 million acres in West Texas dedicated to supporting the University of Texas and Texas A&M systems. Before that, Mark was President and CEO of EV Energy Partners and Executive Vice President and COO of EnerVest. He also held leadership roles at Occidental Petroleum and Canadian Occidental Petroleum. Mark serves on the Board of Directors for Houston Methodist Hospital System and is active in his community as a member of the Board of Stewards at Chapelwood United Methodist Church.
Tom Krummel, MD
Co-Director, Stanford Byers Center for Biodesign
Dr. Thomas Krummel is the Emile Holman Professor Emeritus of Surgery and Co-Director of the Stanford Byers Center for Biodesign. A surgeon, educator, and innovator for over 35 years, he joined Santé Ventures in 2021. At Stanford, he has helped lead one of the world’s premier medtech innovation programs, which has trained over 200 fellows and impacted more than 3.4 million patients globally.
Josh Makower, MD
Director & Co-Founder, Stanford Mussallem Center for Biodesign
Dr. Josh Makower is the Yock Family Professor of Medicine and Bioengineering at Stanford University and Director of the Stanford Byers Center for Biodesign, which he co-founded. He developed the influential “Biodesign Process” curriculum that has trained hundreds of thousands worldwide in medical innovation. As Founder and Executive Chairman of ExploraMed, Josh has helped create and exit multiple successful medical device companies. He holds over 300 patents and serves on several boards and advisory groups. Josh earned an MD from NYU, an MBA from Columbia, and a bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering from MIT. He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and a recognized leader in healthcare innovation.
James Mault, MD
Founder and CEO, BioIntelliSense
Dr. James Mault brings over 35 years of leadership in health IT, medical devices, and clinical medicine. He has founded five companies focused on innovative medical technologies, securing FDA approvals and strategic partnerships with Fortune 500 firms. Dr. Mault holds more than 80 patents in health IT and device innovation. He earned his B.S. in Biology and medical degree from the University of Michigan and completed surgical training at Duke University Medical Center. Board-certified in General and Cardiothoracic Surgery, he specialized in heart and lung transplantation, thoracic oncology, and critical care.
Scott Parazynski, MD
American physician & former NASA astronaut
Dr. Scott Parazynski is an American physician, former NASA astronaut and serial inventor-entrepreneur. A veteran of five Space Shuttle missions, Parazynski has been involved in the development of innovative, AI-powered 3D motion control devices that simplify how pilots, surgeons, gamers, and VR/AR users interact with complex systems. He is currently the founder and CEO of OnwardAir, focused on the development of revolutionary hybrid electric aircraft augmented with advanced control systems.
Cynthia Reinhart-King, PhD
Department Chair & John W Cox Chair of Bioengineering at William Marsh Rice University
Dr. Cynthia Reinhart-King is a leader in cellular mechanobiology, renowned for uncovering how mechanical forces influence disease progression in cancer, atherosclerosis, and wound healing. Her pioneering research has identified cellular force as both a biomarker of cancer metastasis and a regulator of vascular integrity. A fellow of BMES, AIMBE, and IAMBE, Dr. Reinhart-King currently serves as President of the Biomedical Engineering Society. Her work has been supported by the NIH, NSF, and other major foundations, and she has received numerous honors, including the BMES Mid-Career Award and the NSF CAREER Award.
David Shanahan
Founder, Chairman, CEO of Gradalis, Inc
David Shanahan is the Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Gradalis, Inc. From 2004 to 2012, he served as President of Mary Crowley Cancer Research Centers, a nonprofit specializing in gene and immune therapy clinical trials that have treated over 4,500 cancer patients. David is a named inventor on several U.S. patents and has co-authored multiple peer-reviewed publications in molecular therapeutics. Before Mary Crowley, he founded and invested in successful ventures across technology, real estate, and agriculture. He holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Texas A&M University.
Sue Smith, JD
Executive Vice President, Craig and Galen Brown Foundation
Sue Smith is an attorney, nonprofit leader, and philanthropist. She serves as Executive Vice President of the Craig and Galen Brown Foundation, which, since 1992 has awarded more than 800 scholarships to National Merit Scholars enrolled at Texas A&M University pursuing degrees in engineering, science, and business. Since 2019, the Brown Foundation has provided scholarships to more than 70 Brown Scholars admitted to Texas A&M’s Engineering Medicine Program offered by the Texas A&M University Naresh K. Vashisht College of Medicine.