marc fariss, ph.d. is an accomplished researcher and expert in the field of toxicology. He has over 40 years of experience solving complex and challenging pathological and toxicological questions related to determining the critical cellular events that are responsible for human diseases and developing therapeutic strategies. These disorders include neurodegenerative diseases, anticancer therapy, liver diseases and drug- and chemical-induced toxicity.

dr. lenn murrelle brings nearly 40 years of global experience in epidemiologic research, focusing on disease prevention, pharmacoepidemiology, drug development, and biomarker discovery. As the founding President and CEO of Venebio Group, LLC, a life sciences research consultancy, he now serves as a retired Senior Advisor to the company.

Previously, Lenn was a Director in Worldwide Epidemiology at GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals (GSK), where he led research projects for genetic and molecular epidemiology, target identification, and safety pharmacogenomics. After GSK, he spearheaded biomarker discovery studies through industry-academic-biotechnology collaborations focused on tobacco harm reduction, intellectual property development, and patent prosecution. He has also served as an expert witness in major litigation for multinational corporations.

Lenn has co-authored over 100 scientific publications, technical reports, and presentations in fields such as neuropsychiatry, pharmacogenomics, and adolescent mental health. He has been awarded US Fulbright Scholar Awards twice for biomedical research and teaching in Latin America.

Since 1995, Lenn has held faculty positions in Human Genetics, Epidemiology, and Pharmacy at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and the Center for Health Studies in Medellín, Colombia. While at VCU, he directed the largest twin medical research registry in the United States and is currently on the Steering Committee of the Mid-Atlantic Twin Registry (MATR).

Lenn has consulted for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), World Health Organization (WHO), and numerous corporate clients. Appointed by the Governor of Virginia to the Science Advisory Board of the Science Museum of Virginia, he has also served on the Board of Advisors for GENETWORx and the National Advisory Council for the VCU School of Pharmacy.

Lenn received his BA in Biology from Wake Forest University, MSPH in Epidemiology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and PhD in Psychiatric Epidemiology from the University of Pittsburgh. He completed post-doctoral training in genetic epidemiology at the Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics.

following graduation from the United States Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., Dale served as an Infantry officer at Ft. Benning, GA, Berlin, Germany, and finally Ft. Bragg, NC.

Following contacts with the Procter & Gamble recruiting team, he joined P&G in 1976. Dale served in a variety of sales and marketing positions for the next 32 years. Highlights of his service include leading the first customer business team P&G fielded, creating the Liga Contra el Cáncer marketing event in Miami, Florida-the most successful and longest-running event in P&G’s history. Upon retirement, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award for his long-term impact on P&G’s culture and the development of future leaders.

Following retirement from P&G, Dale served on the Board of Directors of Seamark Ranch and consulted in development and team effectiveness. Dale joined LCPS Management in December 2012 as Chief Operating Officer. He is actively involved with the CEO to ensure stability and growth of the managed communities.

freddie figgers is the Founder and CEO of Figgers Communication Inc., an American telecommunications operator and manufacturer of smartphones and consumer electronics. Under his leadership, Figgers Communication received the prestigious INC Best in Business 2020 award.

Freddie also founded and serves as Chief Architect of Figgers Health, a company specializing in innovative healthcare devices and software. Starting with a remote patient monitoring cloud solution featuring proprietary blood glucose monitors, Figgers Health has expanded to offer a telehealth platform and electronic health records solutions.

Additionally, Freddie established and chairs The Figgers Foundation, a philanthropic organization dedicated to assisting individuals and families worldwide. The foundation provides support through donations, grants, specialized equipment, manpower, and services in areas such as disaster relief, scholarships, university programs, and food insecurity. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the foundation notably donated and distributed over 2 million units of personal protective equipment (PPE) to first responders, and senior citizens across the country. Freddie also developed a mobile system allowing senior citizens in skilled nursing facilities and hospice care to video chat with their families during the national lock down and ensured children in foster care had access to food.

Freddie Figgers always had a passion for technology. At age 9, Freddie rebuilt a broken Macintosh from a Goodwill thrift store purchased for him by his father, by soldering parts to the circuit board from electronics around his house. At age 12, he started professional tech support and repairs in school during an after-school program, from where the City’s Mayor hired him to repair computers at City of Quincy, FL.

At 15, Freddie Figgers developed his first, of many future inventions, to help his father’s battle with the Dementia Alzheimer’s disease. Freddie built a shoe with a GPS tracker with two-way communication to allow him to communicate directly into his father shoe and track his father.

Freddie later started his own technical support, repairs and software development business in a backyard shed. At 16 he had developed and launched an off-site central storage system serving different local businesses. When he was 19, he applied for FCC telecommunications license to provide Internet service in rural areas in northern Florida and adjacent southern Georgia. At 21 in 2011, he became one of the youngest telecom operator in the United States. Since its inception, Figgers Communication has notably evolved from solely being a telecommunications operator to include manufacturing within its operational scope. The company now produces a wide array of unique services for consumer, business, and government and devices endowed with advanced technology. Figgers products include laptops, touchscreens, desktop PCs, and cellular phones, serving customers globally along with numerous software application suites in the ever-changing landscape of the telecommunication industry.

christopher m. lazzara founded MountainStar Partners in 2013. As Chief Executive Officer, he leads the firm’s investment committee, directs investment strategy, and continues to oversee all major initiatives for the company and its subsidiaries.

In addition to overseeing the growth and success of MountainStar Partners, Mr. Lazzara also co-founded the Georgia School of Orthodontics, in 2016, with his father, an orthodontist. Mr. Lazzara’s leadership has been crucial to the institutions’ continued growth and success. He is a permanent member of the Executive Committee of the GSO Board of Trustees, a position he has held since 2016. Currently, Mr. Lazzara serves as Chair of the School’s Finance and Facilities Committees.

Mr. Lazzara is a respected leader in North Florida. Since founding MountainStar Partners, he has devoted his time to serving on various boards of organizations that align with his values. He has a deep passion for the MaliVai Washington Youth Foundation, where he served for eight years. Additionally, Mr. Lazzara has previously been a member of the University of North Florida’s Student Affairs Community Council and has served as a state appointed Trustee of the University of North Florida for the past five years. His commitment to higher education and community development continues.

Mr. Lazzara attributes his passion to his parents, Irene and Dr. Gasper Lazzara. He was honored to have directed all operations of the Lazzara Family Foundation, which provided grants to worthy organizations. Mr. Lazzara co-chaired the 2016 Cowford Ball benefiting the American Cancer Society, which raised more $650,000 for the fight against cancer.

He currently also serves as board member for the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville. Mr. Lazzara is also a member of YPO, the premiere leadership organization of chief executives around the world.

In 2023, his 6-month-old daughter began experiencing symptoms of an ultra-rare and uncurable pediatric disease. Mr. Lazzara responded by founding the Isa Elaine Foundation to benefit others including children. The foundation is committed to sharing research, clinical application and financial resources to help other patients experiencing similar challenges. All financial proceeds from the foundation will benefit the Wolfson Children’s Hospital and Nemours Children’s Health, both located in Jacksonville.

Mr. Lazzara has his degree from the Southern Methodist University as well as certificates from the Wharton School of Business.

travis highsmith is the Director of Business Intelligence at MountainStar Partners and a Technical Advisor to the Foundation. With a strong background in digital innovation, IT strategy, and data analysis, he has developed custom dashboards and digital platforms that transform complex data into actionable insights. A Business Administration graduate from the University of North Florida, Travis blends technical expertise with marketing know-how to create efficient and impactful digital solutions.

At the Foundation, Travis has been instrumental in establishing its digital identity by crafting the branding and designing the website. His integrated approach ensures that technology initiatives not only streamline operations but also support strategic outreach. As the Foundation grows, Travis’s commitment to leveraging technology for tangible results continues to drive the team’s credibility and success.

kristen currently serves as the Special Projects Manager in the Office of the CEO at MountainStar Partners. As a member of the executive team, she spearheads strategic initiatives and ensures project alignment with company goals. Her experience includes working with children at various educational camps across Pennsylvania and interning at Camp Kostopoulos in Salt Lake City, Utah, where she supported individuals with developmental and physical disabilities. Ms. Cain holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Recreational Therapy with a minor in Psychology from East Carolina University. Her academic and professional background reflects her unwavering commitment to enhancing organizational culture and positively impacting the lives of others.

ms. lynch serves as a Managing Director of MountainStar Partners and is responsible for all aspects of accounting. Before joining MountainStar in July 2015, Ms. Lynch served as Property Controller for Regency Centers, a publicly traded REIT. Prior to Regency, Ms. Lynch worked in various capacities, including Controller, Financial Reporting Director and Finance Manager for SaaS companies including Black Diamond Performance Reporting, Vurv Technology and Web.com. She began her career as an auditor with KPMG Peat Marwick.

Ms. Lynch serves on the Board of Directors for the MaliVai Washington Youth Foundation. Ms. Lynch holds a Bachelor of Science in Accountancy from California State University, Northridge and an MBA from the University of Florida.