CHAIRMAN & CEO

Gerald W. Fischer, MD, is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Longhorn and an internationally recognized leader in pediatric and infectious disease care and research. He received a B.A. from Lewis and Clark College in 1968 and an M.D. from the University of Oregon Medical School in 1971. In the mid-1980s, he was the lead investigator of the multi-site clinical trial of polyclonal antibodies to prevent bacterial infections in premature babies, which led to the discovery that anti-RSV antibodies could prevent RSV pneumonia.

Dr. Fischer served as the Director of Pediatric Research for the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences and directed a large clinical Pediatric Infectious Disease program at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center. He was appointed Professor of Pediatrics in 1981 and was named a Fellow in the Infectious Disease Society of America. He has written 12 book chapters and over 100 peer-reviewed journal articles on preventing and treating infections in children.

Dr. Fischer has been the CEO of multiple biotechnology companies since he co-founded Virion Systems Inc. in 1988, supporting the development of multiple products to include MedImmune's Synagis.

PRESIDENT

Jeff Fischer, MBA, is the President of Longhorn and is responsible for oversight of all non-scientific aspects of the organization to include regulatory affairs.

Jeff co-founded the company and has served as its Chief Financial Officer from 2007-2017. From 1998-2005, Jeff served as an executive vice president and CFO in the biotechnology industry.

He is a former infantry officer in the United States Marine Corps and holds an MBA from the University of Texas at Austin.

EVP OF GLOBAL BUSINESS

Chris Helm, MBA, is the Executive Vice President of Global Business Development.

Originally from South Africa, Chris has lived and worked in the UK, US, China, Japan and Hong Kong, and brings over 30 years of international business knowledge and experience to the organization. Chris holds a BS in Agricultural Economics from the University of Reading, England and an MBA in International Business from the Shidler College of Business at the University of Hawai`i where he later taught in their Japan, China, and the Vietnamese EMBA programs in Honolulu and Hanoi.

After a marketing and business development career in animal genetics, health and nutrition, Chris founded the Asia Pacific Marketing Group in Hong Kong with offices in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, and then held concurrent positions of Senior Advisor to the Vice President of Research and Interim Director, Office of Research Services, at the University of Hawaii. In this role he ran all of the university-wide research, before joining Cellular Bioengineering Inc. in Honolulu as Director, Commercial Operations.

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

Dawn Litterio, CPA, MBA, is the Chief Financial Officer. Dawn is responsible for all the accounting, financial reporting, and human resource aspects of the company.

She has worked in a similar capacity in the biotech industry for the past 15 years, for a total of over 30 years’ experience in accounting and finance in other industries.

Dawn holds a BBA in Accounting from Loyola University, New Orleans and an MBA from the University of Maryland. She is a licensed CPA in the State of Maryland.

SVP OF ANIMAL HEALTH

Jerry Torrison DVM, PhD is responsible for interfacing with government officials, academics, and industry leaders to strengthen and expand the role PrimeStoreMTM® and the company’s other diagnostic tools play in providing safer, faster, and more accurate surveillance and diagnosis of high consequence animal diseases such as African swine fever and avian influenza. He is working with top reference laboratories and laboratory networks around the world to expand their capacity to respond to outbreaks such as the current high-pathogenic avian influenza outbreak. Additionally, Dr. Torrison supports the vaccine group at Longhorn.

Dr. Torrison previously served as a professor at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine and lead the Minnesota Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory where his recent research has focused primarily on diagnostic approaches, disease surveillance and control methods for viral diseases of pigs. He has served on multiple regional and national animal health and agriculture boards as well as industry advisory panels. He has also worked in private practice and industry, including extensive international veterinary consulting.

SVP OF GENOMICS & DIAGNOSTICS

Zoe Silver is responsible for developing and expanding partnerships with leading high throughput laboratories that are in need of safe and effect tools to test for infectious pathogens. Zoe will also lead the launch of new products onto the genomics and diagnostic markets.

Zoe brings over 25 years of experience as a senior level executive in commercialization that spans the medical and consumer industries. He has a proven track record within molecular diagnostics, having commercialized market leading products while delivering customer-centric, market driven programs to the industry. He most recent served as Senior Vice President of Genomics and Diagnostics at SiO2 with similar roles in marketing at Tecan and BSN Medical, and in marketing leadership roles at White Hot Pizza and Ben & Jerrys.

VP OF VACCINE & ANTIBODY DEVELOPMENT

Clara Sei is responsible for leading the vaccine and antibody development program and directs both local (U.S.) and global scientific projects geared toward diagnosis, prevention, treatment, and control of infectious diseases. She has a proven track record and oversees the establishment of several laboratory facilities, manages logistic operations, creative innovation including peer-reviewed publications and/or patents, scientific expertise, study design, regulatory compliance, and strategic support of drug discovery and clinical programs. In addition, Clara has extensive experience in directing multiple diverse collaborations while working with world-class researchers and manages the administration and execution of NDAs, MTAs, and CRADAs, among others, between public (government / military) and/or private entities.

Originally from Nairobi, Kenya, Clara has lived and worked in the U.S. for 24 years and has held industry leadership positions such as Quality Control Manager for a Phase 2b/3 clinical trial and Director of Microbiology and Immunology. She graduated with a B.Sc. in Biology and Pre-medicine from Messiah University, PA and a Master’s degree in Public Health from The George Washington University, Milken Institute School of Public Health, Washington, D.C. She is currently pursuing a doctorate in Public Health Medicine. Clara’s broad experience in biotechnology (R&D and Quality Control), and professional interests in global public health, lends valuable contribution and dedication to Longhorn’s implementation of new molecular tools to build better diagnostics, development of safer and more effective vaccines, and improvement of immunologic therapeutics for the advancement of public health and medicine.

VP OF OPERATIONS

Deb is responsible for Longhorn’s operations, including production, warehousing, and logistics. She began her Longhorn career supporting marketing at U.S. and international science conferences and trade exhibitions. With the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, Deb took on the responsibility for all global logistics and coordinating production in the U.S. at multiple locations.

Deb has worked in industrial and consumer products industries for over 35 years and brings to the company in-depth experience in operations and management. In addition to working at Fortune 200 companies she has also worked as an independent management consultant in Hong Kong, Honolulu, and Washington D.C. She holds a B.Sc. from Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University, and an MBA from Vanderbilt University’s Owen Graduate School of Management.