Connect with CoMotion Innovation Managers

Forest Bohrer joined CoMotion in May of 2014, focusing on innovations in chemistry, materials, and engineering. His portfolio includes technologies in the fields of sensors, functional coatings, clean energy, and organic electronics. He received his PhD in inorganic chemistry from the University of California, San Diego, studying organic semiconductors for chemical sensing and organic field effect transistor (OFET) development. As a senior scientist in advanced development for aerospace, defense, and marine markets at TE Connectivity, he developed nanocarbon conductors, chemical sensors for hydrazines and aerospace fuels, and selective metallization processes for electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding, sensing, and conformal antennas. He earned a BS in chemistry from the University of California, Davis.

Frieda Chan joined CoMotion in 2021, where she manages a portfolio with innovations in the fields of biological materials, therapeutics, and medicine. Prior to joining CoMotion, she worked as a Technology Manager at Fred Hutchison Cancer Research Center and a Patent Agent at Seed IP LLP and Cooley LLP. She has a PhD in Molecular Biosciences from Washington State University and completed a post-doctoral fellowship at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. She has extensive background in biochemistry, immunology, vaccines and infectious disease, cell and gene therapy, stem cell research, reproductive biology, and microbiology. Additionally, she is a professional musician with Bachelor, Master, and Doctorate degrees in flute performance.

Laura Dorsey is an Associate Director of Innovation Development, Software and Copyright. She joined CoMotion in 2005 in what was then called the Software & Copyright Ventures group. Prior to joining CoMotion, Laura ran a grant program that funded the university side of industry-university projects at Washington State universities and worked at Honeywell. Laura manages a portfolio of various technologies ranging from computer engineering, healthcare IT, software, and digital content, to cardiology and oceanography. She also provides valuable resources for stakeholders in achieving innovation milestones, including co-creation of the Idea to Plan curriculum.

Roï Eisenkot joined CoMotion in 2014, where he manages a portfolio of diagnostic and therapeutic bioengineering technologies. Before, he spent six years at T3, the technology transfer arm of Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, where he led business development in the Physical Sciences, and initiated and structured deals as lead deal-maker for Technion with partners at various levels. Before that, he worked as Application Engineer for Dune Medical Devices. He managed Dune’s clinical site at Anne Arundel Medical Center in Annapolis, Maryland, and co-modeled Dune’s reimbursement plan for the US market. He holds an MBA with emphasis on strategy and entrepreneurship and a degree in biomedical engineering (summa cum laude) from Technion.

Dennis Hanson started in academic technology transfer in mid-2007 at the University of Washington, and enjoyed a two-year stint at Oregon Health & Science University’s tech transfer office from 2012-2014. Prior to a career in tech transfer, he was a scientist in both academia and the biotech industry, performing research in a wide range of fields, from immunology to cell biology, intracellular signal transduction to extracellular matrix protein biochemistry. He has a BS from the University of Washington in Molecular and Cellular Biology, and a PhD from Stanford University in Immunology.

Jennifer McCullar manages a diverse life sciences portfolio. She joined CoMotion in 2010 after completing a post-doctoral position at the University of Washington, where she worked on identifying cell signaling pathways integral to regeneration in the inner ear. She earned her doctorate in Molecular and Cellular Biology at Oregon State University and is currently a co-organizer for Science on Tap, a monthly public lecture series. She also holds a Masters in Animal Science.

Kelly Meinig joined CoMotion in 2019 focusing on innovations related to content, software, databases, web services, and other digital media.  She thoroughly enjoys the full lifecycle challenge of bringing innovation to market, from the spark of an idea to commercialization.  Prior to joining CoMotion, Ms. Meinig worked for a private firm as a Senior IT Product Manager, Project Manager and Business Analyst providing custom, Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) applications and business solutions across numerous sectors.  Prior to this, she founded, secured funding for, and launched a Data-as-a-Service (DaaS) internet startup focused on improving waste management in the U.S., co-founded a 501c3 to promote evidence-based healthcare (also a DaaS model), and was a Project Manager for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers cleaning up hazardous waste sites. Ms. Meinig earned a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Maryland, did graduate work in Environmental Engineering at the University of Washington, is licensed as a Mechanical Engineer, and holds two patents – one in a commercial healthcare product, and a second in database management.

Lisa Norton manages a portfolio of medical devices and biomaterials technologies, with a primary focus on ultrasound and medical imaging. She works with UW innovators to define intellectual property rights, evaluate marketing and regulatory processes, create commercialization strategies, and license their technologies. Before joining CoMotion in May 2004, she was a Senior Applications Scientist at Combimatrix, a Washington biotech startup. After completing a BS in biomedical engineering at Cornell University, she worked at the University of Washington in the Department of Medical Genetics prior to pursuing graduate work. She earned a PhD in cell biology and biotechnology from the University of Virginia.

Shamim Naigaga joined CoMotion in September 2021 as an innovation manager working with UW faculty and researchers on innovations in the software and copyright space. A large part of her portfolio includes managing the licensing of the Rosetta software suite. This suite includes algorithms for computational modeling and analysis of protein structures and has enabled notable scientific advances in computational biology. Shamim also manages the Commercialization Fellows Program, a one-year fellowship for entrepreneurial UW grad students and postdocs who want to further explore the commercialization potential of innovations they helped create. Prior to joining CoMotion, Shamim was a fellow at the Institute of Applied Life Sciences where she provided strategic and business advising to life science startups and scientists in their research commercialization journey. Shamim has a Ph.D. in Fisheries and Aquaculture from Auburn University and an MBA from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst.