Judy Britz, Ph.D,
Executive Director
Dr. Judy Britz, the Executive Director of the Maryland Biotechnology Center has more than 25 years of experience in the in vitro diagnostics industry. She is a serial entrepreneur who has been the President and CEO of Cylex Inc. and the General Manager of Sienna Biotech, Inc., both Maryland-based companies which successfully introduced a series of patented diagnostic products, navigating them through the FDA in record time, manufacturing kits under GMP and marketing them to hospitals in the US, Europe, and Asia. To finance these companies, she raised over $50 million from private equity, corporate, government and angel sources. Dr. Britz previously held positions in business development and research and development at Becton Dickinson and Johnson and Johnson’s Ortho Diagnostic Division. As a research scientist at Electro-Nucleonics Inc., she was responsible for developing one of the first licensed blood screening tests for HIV.
Dr. Britz has been involved in developing and commercializing a wide variety of diagnostic technologies (manual and instrumented) with applications in infectious diseases, endocrinology, and cancer. In 2008, she founded Britz Consulting and has advised companies throughout in the United States in diagnostic as well as therapeutic areas across a broad range of applications, including stem cells. She was also a member of the Advisory Board of Stronghold Advisors, an investment banking group in Columbia, Maryland.
Dr. Britz’ academic career includes a PhD from Stanford University in Immunology and Medical Microbiology. She completed postdoctoral fellowships at Yale University and Johns Hopkins in cellular immunology. She is on the scientific advisory boards of two startup pharma companies. As an active participant in the technology community, she has held Board and advisory positions on the Greater Baltimore Committee’s Bioscience Group, The Technology Council of Maryland, Women in Bio, The Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association, The Howard County Economic Development Association, and The Horizon Foundation.
Judy Costello
Deputy Director
Judy Costello serves as the Deputy Director of the Maryland Biotechnology Center. A longtime supporter of the region’s entrepreneur and start-up communities, Judy worked with the Business Alliance for fifteen years organizing numerous programs connecting innovators, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders in Maryland, DC and Virginia with each other and with those providing funding and other resources to young companies.
These programs included the Grubstake Breakfast investor pitch forum for early stage companies; annual Bootcamps for Growing Companies and Entrepreneurs, tech transfer showcases, educational seminars and other activities for young companies.
Prior to joining the Business Alliance, originally part of George Mason University, Costello held positions in economic development, financial services marketing and university public relations. Judy is a graduate of Georgetown University, and holds an MBA from Loyola University in Maryland.
Deborah Hawkins-Epps
Executive Assistant
Ms Hawkins has worked for DBED’s Office of the Secretary for 21 years, and has worked under eight former Cabinet Secretaries. She has held several positions in that office and worked for a number of professional staff assigned to the office. She also provided administrative support to 25 members of the Maryland Economic Development Commission and served as the department liaison to the Governor’s Constituent correspondences. Ms Hawkins has also worked other state agencies such as the Department of Environment, Department of Public Safety and Corrections, Maryland Commissions on Human Relations and the Department of Human Resources. At the Maryland Biotechnology center, Ms Hawkins holds the position of Executive Administrator to the Executive Director.
Linda Ellerton CEcD
Manager
Business Development
Ms Ellerton is Manager for the Workforce Development Program in the Maryland Biotechnology Center. A Certified Economic Developer, Linda has been a professional economic developer for 30 years. She has been involved in the life sciences industry for over 12 years, working to attract biotechnology companies to Maryland, retain and expand Maryland biotechnology companies, and grow biotechnology start-ups. In addition to service with the MD Economic Development Association and the International Economic Development Council, Ms Ellerton has served on the Challenge Fund Review Committee and the TEDCO Review Committee.
Tracy Danoff
Program Specialist
Tracy Danoff has worked for the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development since 2005 as an Administrative Coordinator for the Capital and Western Maryland regions. Prior to joining DBED, Ms. Danoff managed the Montgomery County office of Rockwell Collins. Additionally, she worked as a Corporate Trainer for NET-tel Communications and provided software training to local and field employees of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Ms. Danoff is a lifelong Maryland resident and has lived the majority of that time in Montgomery County.
Tiffany Sargent BSc
Manager
Marketing
Ms. Sargent has worked for the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development for 8 years and has joined the Maryland Biotechnology Center as an Event Manager. She will be responsible for managing and promoting all of the Center's marketing activities and events. Ms. Sargent's will work with the community to highlight the State as a whole with networking opportunities, educational forums, round-table discussions and to foster a well-built networking platform amongst the bio business community. Ms. Sargent holds a B.S. degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing.
Charlene Cook
Marketing Specialist
Ms. Cook has more than 16 years of strong administrative experience in the state government and has joined the Maryland Biotechnology Center as an administrative assistant. She began her tenure with the State of Maryland's Sister's Program. Her responsibilities utilized her strong analytical and organizational skills for multi-tasking various committee meetings, events, databases, etc. She coordinated activities with state agencies and county economic development organizations. Using the state's system, Ms. Cook prepared and created charts of incurred expenses and logged receiving reports for grants, company activities, statistical and other required records. Prior to the state government, Ms. Cook worked for various private sector organizations.