The Center for MedTech Innovation is advised by an External Advisory Board, which is a component of the Center’s Administrative Core. The advisory board is made up of scientistis, policy makers, industry partners, individuals with shared lived experiences, and educators.
External Advisory Board
Lesley Abashian LCSW, LICSW, LCSW-C, CPM is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 35 years of experience in both private behavioral health and local government settings. She graduated from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville with her MSSW degree in 1991. Since 1995, Lesley has called Northern Virginia home. For the past 6 ½ years, Lesley has served as the Director of Human Services for the City of Fairfax. A majority of Lesley’s career has focused on developing, implementing, and improving human service systems. Lesley is actively engaged in state-level public policy work through her affiliations with the National Association of Social Workers, VA Chapter, Virginia Association of Local Human Services Officials, and VA Behavioral Health Provider Coalition.
Jeff Conroy brings over a decade of executive leadership in biotechnology, Medtech innovation, and missiondriven healthcare. He is currently the CEO of the Operator Relief Fund, delivering advanced trauma care to Special Operations Forces and intelligence community veterans. He also serves as Managing Director at Bayeux Ventures, investing in life science, Medtech, and national security ventures. Previously, he was the founding CEO of Embody, Inc., where he led the development and commercialization of collagen-based medical devices for tendon and ligament repair—efforts that culminated in a successful acquisition by Zimmer Biomet in 2023. His career also includes global business development leadership at Stendhal, a Latin American specialty pharmaceutical company.
Tim Fuchs has worked in disability rights and justice for nearly 20 years. Tim is currently the Deputy Executive Director of ECNV, a disability rights organization in Northern Virginia. Previously, Tim served as Outreach & Operations Director at BroadFutures, linking young, neurodivergent people to paid internships and early work experience. Prior to BroadFutures, Tim was also Operations Director for the National Council on Independent Living (NCIL), a national disability rights organization that also serves as the membership association of Centers for Independent Living (CILs) and Statewide Independent Living Councils (SILCs). Tim identifies as neurodivergent and has personal experience with ADHD and Anxiety. Tim holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a minor in Sociology from Clemson University, where he was also General Manager of the studentrun radio station, WSBF 88.1.
Emily S. Ihara, PhD, MSW, FGSA, is Professor and Chair of the Department of Social Work at George Mason University’s College of Public Health. Her research interests include assessing the effectiveness of community-based and creative arts interventions on mood, agitation, and behavioral difficulties among older individuals living with dementia and the social environmental factors that prevent underserved populations from achieving optimal health outcomes. She has expertise in the social drivers of health from birth to death, with specific training and expertise in secondary data analysis, survey research, qualitative research, and agent-based modeling.
Rebecca Leung is Hyphen’s Health strategist, and one of the company’s co-founders where she uses her 20+ years of experience in strategy and business development along with her understanding of the initiatives behind healthcare reform to further her goal of using health IT to improve the quality of health for all Americans. Previously, Rebecca led Dell’s Public Health practice where she was responsible for $100M+ per year business and led the development and implementation of Dell’s overall Public Health growth strategy. Prior to joining Dell, Rebecca worked at several other companies including Truestone, CGI Federal, and Deloitte. Rebecca started a substance use community resource app, iCONNECT SUD, as a member at GMU’s CASBBI with other cohort members. She received her MSW from George Mason and is a practicing clinical social worker. She received her MBA from Harvard University and BSc. from the University of California Berkeley.
Margaret Mann has joined Blue Ivy Partners in 2025. Margaret is a proven Federal Sales Leader with over 20 years of experience supporting various Government agencies. Margaret brings a unique blend of a degree in Electrical Engineering and over two decades of federal leadership to the advisory board, offering valuable technological insight and strategic foresight in health innovation. Throughout her career, she has been a key player in leading cross-agency collaborations that successfully integrated emerging technologies, including AI and advanced security solutions. Margaret’s expertise in shaping national strategies and navigating the regulatory landscape would be a significant asset to the center, helping to forge meaningful partnerships and bridge the gap between academic innovation and the practical needs of government and the nation.