The Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH) announces two new additions to the FNIH Board of Directors, Nina Kjellson, General Partner at Canaan, and Charles Reinhart III, Chief Financial Officer at Pacira BioSciences, Inc. The new directors bring decades of collective expertise and entrepreneurship in finance, biopharma, and digital health to the Board.

“We are honored to welcome Nina and Charles to the FNIH Board,” said Steve Paul, MD, Board Chairman. “Each of their experiences will complement our board of world-class leaders from government, philanthropy, life sciences companies, and the research community as we continue to create and lead public-private partnerships that advance breakthrough biomedical discoveries and improve the quality of people’s lives.”

Nina Kjellson is a General Partner at Canaan, an early-stage venture capital firm that invests in visionaries with transformative ideas. She invests in biopharma and digital health companies that serve unmet therapeutic and access needs and represents Canaan on both public and private holdings. As a leader of Canaan’s Women of Venture program, Ms. Kjellson is a vocal advocate for women entrepreneurs and investors. She serves as a mentor to SPARK Neuroscience and Springboard Life Sciences and on the boards of Girl Effect and Life Science Cares and the Oliver Wyman Health Innovation Center. She is also an Aspen Institute Health Innovators Fellow. Previously, Ms. Kjellson was a General Partner at InterWest Partners. She holds a BA in human biology from Stanford University.

Charles A. Reinhart III is the Chief Financial Officer at Pacira BioSciences, Inc., where he is responsible for overseeing all financial and capital market activities, including accounting, financial reporting, financial planning and analysis, and investor relations. Prior to joining Pacira, Mr. Reinhart served as Chief Financial Officer of Covis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and held senior financial roles at other pharmaceutical and life sciences companies. He has successfully built and managed finance organizations within rapidly growing companies and has significant experience in investor relations, corporate development, and capital raising. He has been integrally involved in equity and debt financing transactions, as well as the evaluation, acquisition, and integration of multiple products and companies. Mr. Reinhart earned a BS degree from Lehigh University and an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He is also a CPA.

“We are fortunate to have both of these esteemed and passionate leaders join the FNIH Board of Directors,” said Julie Gerberding, MD, MPH, President and Chief Executive Officer of the FNIH. “Nina’s passion and advocacy as a woman entrepreneur and investor of innovative science will serve us well as we address urgent issues across a range of diseases as well as maternal and women’s health. Charles’s solid background in finance and investor relations will be integral as we seek to expand our financial resources dedicated to supporting new biomedical research efforts.”

To learn more about the FNIH Board of Directors, click here.

About the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health: The Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH) builds public-private partnerships that connect leading biomedical scientists at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), life sciences companies, foundations, academia, and regulatory agencies, including the Food and Drug Administration and European Medicines Agency. Through team science, we solve complex health challenges and accelerate breakthroughs for patients, regardless of who they are or what health challenges they face. The FNIH accelerates new therapies, diagnostics, and potential cures; advances global health and equity in care; and celebrates and helps train the next generations of scientists. Established by Congress in 1990 to support the mission of the NIH, the FNIH is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) charitable organization. For more information about the FNIH, please visit fnih.org.

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"We are honored to welcome Nina and Charles to the FNIH Board. Each of their experiences will complement our board of world-class leaders." – Dr. Steve Paul