Our Leadership

Jeffrey Jones - Managing Partner

Jeff brings 30-years of experience to The Deerborne Group as a proven leader with significant commercial and operations experience in the global biotechnology, in-vitro diagnostics, and life sciences industries.

Jeff started out his career working for Fortune 500 companies such as Abbott, Bayer, and Quest Diagnostics. In 2010, Jeff was a member of the senior executive leadership team at Clarient (Nasdaq: CLRT) when the business was acquired by GE Healthcare for $587 million. Thereafter, Jeff worked for venture-backed startup and mid-stage molecular diagnostic CLIA laboratories where he held senior executive, commercial, operational, and GM roles.

Jeff received his undergraduate degree from UCLA and is a former U.S. Navy SEAL.

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Jeffrey Jones - Managing Partner

Jeff brings 30-years of experience to The Deerborne Group as a proven leader with significant commercial and operations experience in the global biotechnology, in-vitro diagnostics, and life sciences industries.

Jeff started out his career working for Fortune 500 companies such as Abbott, Bayer, and Quest Diagnostics. In 2010, Jeff was a member of the senior executive leadership team at Clarient (Nasdaq: CLRT) when the business was acquired by GE Healthcare for $587 million. Thereafter, Jeff worked for venture-backed startup and mid-stage molecular diagnostic CLIA laboratories where he held senior executive, commercial, operational, and GM roles.

Jeff received his undergraduate degree from UCLA and is a former U.S. Navy SEAL.

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Tom Saftig - Chief Financial Officer

Tom joined The Deerborne Group in 2021 as the firm’s Chief Financial Officer. Tom oversees all accounting functions, financial reporting, and planning. Tom also provides strategic guidance to the company’s long-term financial plans and goals.

As the president of Silvertip Partners, Tom has been providing fractional CFO services since 2001 for early-stage high growth technology companies. He has assisted companies with angel and venture capital financing, mergers and acquisitions, as well as strategic and operational guidance. Most recently, the companies he’s worked with have raised over $40 million of venture financing $13.5 million of angel investment, and either obtained or restructured $15.5 million of debt/lease financing. His focus is on recurring revenue companies and customer life cycle analysis.

Tom received his undergraduate degree in economics from Stanford University and his MBA from UCLA’s Anderson School of Management.

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Tom Saftig - Chief Financial Officer

Tom joined The Deerborne Group in 2021 as the firm’s Chief Financial Officer. Tom oversees all accounting functions, financial reporting, and planning. Tom also provides strategic guidance to the company’s long-term financial plans and goals.

As the president of Silvertip Partners, Tom has been providing fractional CFO services since 2001 for early-stage high growth technology companies. He has assisted companies with angel and venture capital financing, mergers and acquisitions, as well as strategic and operational guidance. Most recently, the companies he’s worked with have raised over $40 million of venture financing $13.5 million of angel investment, and either obtained or restructured $15.5 million of debt/lease financing. His focus is on recurring revenue companies and customer life cycle analysis.

Tom received his undergraduate degree in economics from Stanford University and his MBA from UCLA’s Anderson School of Management.

Scientific Advisory Board

Jeffrey Allard, Ph.D., Technical Advisor

Jeff is the president and founder of Lakeside Life Science based in Durham, NH. Jeff is an experienced scientific and technical leader having most recently served as the Director of Development at Caris Life Sciences. Prior to that, Jeff was Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer at Fujirebio Diagnostics. Jeff has held other prominent leadership roles that include Vice President of Clinical Research and Development for Immunicon Corporation that was sold to Veridex, a division of Johnson & Johnson where he was a pioneer in the early development of the industry’s first liquid biopsy and CTC assays for breast, colon, and prostate cancer. Earlier in his career, Jeff spent a number of years working on cancer diagnostics research & development at Bayer Diagnostics. Jeff has multiple patents and has taken 30-assays through the FDA’s 510K and PMA process. Jeff is an author of over 100 scientific papers and abstracts.

Jeff earned his B.S. from the University of New Hampshire, his masters in immunology from Idaho State University, and his Ph.D. in biochemistry from Dartmouth College.

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Jeffrey Allard, Ph.D., Technical Advisor

Jeff is the president and founder of Lakeside Life Science based in Durham, NH. Jeff is an experienced scientific and technical leader having most recently served as the Director of Development at Caris Life Sciences. Prior to that, Jeff was Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer at Fujirebio Diagnostics. Jeff has held other prominent leadership roles that include Vice President of Clinical Research and Development for Immunicon Corporation that was sold to Veridex, a division of Johnson & Johnson where he was a pioneer in the early development of the industry’s first liquid biopsy and CTC assays for breast, colon, and prostate cancer. Earlier in his career, Jeff spent a number of years working on cancer diagnostics research & development at Bayer Diagnostics. Jeff has multiple patents and has taken 30-assays through the FDA’s 510K and PMA process. Jeff is an author of over 100 scientific papers and abstracts.

Jeff earned his B.S. from the University of New Hampshire, his masters in immunology from Idaho State University, and his Ph.D. in biochemistry from Dartmouth College.

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Richard Bender, M.D., FACP, Medical Advisor

Rich is based in Southern California, and is a board-certified oncologist practicing medicine at the Oncology Institute of Hope and Innovation. Rich spent over 25 years in clinical practice, the majority spent serving as the Medical Director for Oncology/Hematology for Kaiser Permanente in San Diego. In 2002, he transitioned to the diagnostic industry where he has been the Medical Director for Hematology / Oncology for Quest Diagnostics and the Chief Medical Officer for Agendia, and Signal Genetics, both molecular diagnostics companies.

He has extensive experience in assay development, marketing, FDA clearance and reimbursement, as well as CLIA certification. He has also been the principal or co-investigator on numerous Phase 1, 2 and 3 clinical trials. Rich is an author of over 80 peer-reviewed scientific articles and numerous book chapters and has been invited to speak all over the world as an expert in oncology diagnostics. He was recently selected by the FDA, to be a consultant for the Medical Devices Advisory Committee.

Rich received his medical degree from the UCLA School of Medicine and spent 6 years at the National Cancer Institute, NIH where he was both a Clinical Associate and Senior Investigator in the Medicine Branch. He continues to teach at UCLA and serves as an expert reviewer in oncology for the Medical Boards of California and Arizona.

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Richard Bender, M.D., FACP, Medical Advisor

Rich is based in Southern California, and is a board-certified oncologist practicing medicine at the Oncology Institute of Hope and Innovation. Rich spent over 25 years in clinical practice, the majority spent serving as the Medical Director for Oncology/Hematology for Kaiser Permanente in San Diego. In 2002, he transitioned to the diagnostic industry where he has been the Medical Director for Hematology / Oncology for Quest Diagnostics and the Chief Medical Officer for Agendia, and Signal Genetics, both molecular diagnostics companies.

He has extensive experience in assay development, marketing, FDA clearance and reimbursement, as well as CLIA certification. He has also been the principal or co-investigator on numerous Phase 1, 2 and 3 clinical trials. Rich is an author of over 80 peer-reviewed scientific articles and numerous book chapters and has been invited to speak all over the world as an expert in oncology diagnostics. He was recently selected by the FDA, to be a consultant for the Medical Devices Advisory Committee.

Rich received his medical degree from the UCLA School of Medicine and spent 6 years at the National Cancer Institute, NIH where he was both a Clinical Associate and Senior Investigator in the Medicine Branch. He continues to teach at UCLA and serves as an expert reviewer in oncology for the Medical Boards of California and Arizona.

Jeffrey Gibbs, J.D., Legal & Regulatory Advisor

Jeff is based in Arlington, VA, and is a regulatory attorney and director at the law firm of Hyman Phelps & McNamara where he has been practicing law since 1990. Over the course of his career, Jeff has developed an extensive knowledge of FDA law, including regulatory strategy, product approvals, advertising, promotion, appeals, citizen petitions, and enforcement actions. In recent years, Jeff has focused primarily on advising medical device and IVD companies. Based on his extensive experience working with the industry on FDA issues, and previously for FDA, he provides efficient, practical, timely and insightful guidance. Jeff has worked with companies of all sizes, from global manufacturers to one-person start-ups. He has written and lectured extensively on a variety of FDA topics, particularly the regulation of medical devices, IVDs, and enforcement matters. Jeff was Associate General Counsel for Enforcement at FDA, where he received an Award of Merit. He also was appointed Special Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, and, earlier in his career, clerked for a U.S. District Court Judge in New Jersey.

Jeff received his undergraduate degree from Princeton University and his law degree from NYU’s School of Law.

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Jeffrey Gibbs, J.D., Legal & Regulatory Advisor

Jeff is based in Arlington, VA, and is a regulatory attorney and director at the law firm of Hyman Phelps & McNamara where he has been practicing law since 1990. Over the course of his career, Jeff has developed an extensive knowledge of FDA law, including regulatory strategy, product approvals, advertising, promotion, appeals, citizen petitions, and enforcement actions. In recent years, Jeff has focused primarily on advising medical device and IVD companies. Based on his extensive experience working with the industry on FDA issues, and previously for FDA, he provides efficient, practical, timely and insightful guidance. Jeff has worked with companies of all sizes, from global manufacturers to one-person start-ups. He has written and lectured extensively on a variety of FDA topics, particularly the regulation of medical devices, IVDs, and enforcement matters. Jeff was Associate General Counsel for Enforcement at FDA, where he received an Award of Merit. He also was appointed Special Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, and, earlier in his career, clerked for a U.S. District Court Judge in New Jersey.

Jeff received his undergraduate degree from Princeton University and his law degree from NYU’s School of Law.

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Femke de Snoo, M.D., Ph.D., Scientific Advisor

Femke is based in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, and is the president and co-founder of Medex 15. With a core competence in oncology research and other therapeutic areas, Femke has more than 20-years of industry experience and is a recognized expert in planning, initiating, managing, and reporting clinical studies ranging from early clinical development to late phase and post-registration trials. Femke has extensive experience with cancer patients in the oncogenetic setting and has been involved in multiple clinical research projects. At Agendia, a molecular diagnostics company known for the MammaPrint test, she was as the senior Director Medical Affairs, the liaison between physicians, scientists, and the marketing and sales department.

Femke earned her medical degree at the University of Groningen followed by a Ph.D. in Clinical Genetics at Leiden University and has since authored more than 120 scientific publications. She gained extensive experience in performing translational research in an international setting at the University of Pennsylvania at the LUMC and at the National Human Genome Research Institute at the NIH in Bethesda, MD.

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Femke de Snoo, M.D., Ph.D., Scientific Advisor

Femke is based in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, and is the president and co-founder of Medex 15. With a core competence in oncology research and other therapeutic areas, Femke has more than 20-years of industry experience and is a recognized expert in planning, initiating, managing, and reporting clinical studies ranging from early clinical development to late phase and post-registration trials. Femke has extensive experience with cancer patients in the oncogenetic setting and has been involved in multiple clinical research projects. At Agendia, a molecular diagnostics company known for the MammaPrint test, she was as the senior Director Medical Affairs, the liaison between physicians, scientists, and the marketing and sales department.

Femke earned her medical degree at the University of Groningen followed by a Ph.D. in Clinical Genetics at Leiden University and has since authored more than 120 scientific publications. She gained extensive experience in performing translational research in an international setting at the University of Pennsylvania at the LUMC and at the National Human Genome Research Institute at the NIH in Bethesda, MD.