Chris Rivera has more than 30 years of experience in the biotechnology industry. He was the Founder and CEO of Hyperion Therapeutics, which was acquired by Horizon Pharma in 2015, the Senior Vice President and head of Commercial Operations at both Tercica and Genzyme Therapeutics, where he built and ran Genzyme’s US renal Commercial Operations. He also helped launch Genzyme’s renal division globally. Prior to Genzyme, he helped build Cephalon and Centocor’s initial commercial infrastructures.

Chris was the President & CEO of Life Science Washington (formerly Washington Biotechnology & Biomedical Association) from 2009 to 2015, where he was responsible for building the biotechnology industry in Washington state. While at the Life Science Washington, he oversaw one of Washington’s largest and fastest growing economic industries, including mentoring more than 400 life science start-up companies, and co-founding WINGS – Washington’s Medical Technology Angel Network.

He has also been recognized as a state and national leader through his appointments as co-Chair for the Governor’s life science and global health advisory committee, Governor’s Higher Education Task Force, the Washington Global Health Funding Commission, and Chairman for the national Council of State Bioscience Associations.

Chris holds a master’s degree from the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center; a bachelor degree from Northwestern Oklahoma State University; and studied marketing and management at the Albers Graduate School of Business and Economics at Seattle University.