Board of Directors
James Rolke – Chairman, Director and Chief Executive Officer Mr. Rolke cofounded and has been the Chief Executive Officer and a director of Revelation since its inception in May 2020 and became Chairman in May 20025, after the departure of Dr. George Tidmarsh. Mr. Rolke has over 30 years of experience in the biotechnology industry, spanning all areas and phases of drug development. Prior to joining the Company, beginning in 2012, Mr. Rolke was employed at La Jolla in various leadership roles overseeing Research and Development and serving as Chief Scientific Officer from 2017 to 2020. While at La Jolla, Mr. Rolke oversaw the development of multiple technologies including six INDs and two marketing approvals: Giapreza for the treatment of distributive shock (US FDA and EMEA) and artesunate for the treatment of severe malaria. Prior to La Jolla, from July 2009 to January 2012 Mr. Rolke was Chief Technology Officer at Pluromed, Inc. (acquired by Sanofi) and played a key role in the approvals of two medical devices via the 510(k) and premarket approval application approval pathways. Prior to Pluromed, Mr. Rolke held several key positions at biotechnology companies, including Director of Operations at Prospect Therapeutics, Inc., Associate Director of Pharmaceutical Development at Mersana Therapeutics, Inc., Manager of Process Development at GlycoGenesys, Inc., Principal Scientist at Surgical Sealants, Inc., Scientist at GelTex, Inc., and Associate Scientist at Alpha-Beta Technology, Inc. Mr. Rolke received his B.S. in chemistry from Keene State College. We believe that Mr. Rolke is qualified to serve as a director based on his role as our Chief Executive Officer and his extensive management experience in the biotechnology industry.
Jennifer Carver, B.S.N., M.B.A. - Director Ms. Carver brings over 20 years of industry experience with a focus on small biotech companies and their evolution from early development through commercialization. From 2020 to 2021, Ms. Carver has served as Chief Operating Officer at Kartos Therapeutics (Kartos). Prior to Kartos from 2014, Ms. Carver was employed at La Jolla Pharmaceutical Company in various leadership roles providing leadership through the clinical development, approval and launch of Giapreza and serving as Chief Operating Officer from 2017 to 2019. Prior to La Jolla, Ms. Carver held positions at Spectrum Pharmaceuticals and Allos Therapeutics, leading teams through the development and approval of Belionostat and Folotyn respectively. Her experience in the healthcare industry spans multiple therapeutic areas including oncology, inflammatory disease, shock, iron overload, and anti-infectives. Ms. Carver has played a critical role in negotiating key alliances, evaluation of financing opportunities, and overseeing rapid organizational growth. Ms. Carver earned her B.S.N. and M.B.A. from University of Colorado. We believe that Ms. Carver’s extensive experience working in the biotechnology industry makes her well-qualified to serve as a director.
Jess Roper C.P.A. - Director Mr. Roper has considerable financial and audit experience in the sectors of medical device, life sciences, technology, manufacturing, and financial institutions. Mr. Roper previously served as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Dexcom, retiring in 2017 following a fulfilling and rewarding career. During his 12-year tenure, Dexcom transitioned from a pre-revenue privately held medical device company to a multi-national publicly traded entity. Mr. Roper previously held financial management positions with two other publicly traded companies and one venture funded company. He has played key roles in two initial public offerings, acquisitions/divestitures, and numerous equity and debt financings. Earlier in his career, Mr. Roper was an auditor with PricewaterhouseCoopers, and a bank and information systems examiner with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. He earned a Master of Science in Corporate Accountancy and a Bachelor of Science in Finance. Mr. Roper is a certified public accountant in the state of California. We believe that Mr. Roper is qualified to serve as a director based on his extensive financial and audit experience.
Lakhmir Chawla, M.D. – Director Dr. Chawla is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Exthera Medical. Previously, Dr. Chawla was the Chief Medical Officer of Silver Creek Pharma where he oversaw the Acute Ischemic Stroke development program and initiation of the ARPEGGIO neuroprotection study. Prior to that, Dr. Chawla was the Chief Medical Officer at La Jolla Pharmaceutical Company where he oversaw the development and conduct of the Phase 3 ATHOS-3 trial. Prior to joining La Jolla, Dr. Chawla was a Professor of Medicine at the George Washington University, where he had dual appointments in the Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine and in the Department of Medicine, Division of Renal Diseases and Hypertension. Dr. Chawla is an internationally renowned expert in the field of acute kidney injury (AKI) and shock. He is the author of over 160 peer-reviewed publications and a recipient of the International Vicenza Award for Critical Care Nephrology; an award that recognizes individuals who have made seminal clinical research advancements that have significantly improved the care of critically ill patients with AKI and have been adopted worldwide. He remains an active investigator in the fields of AKI biomarkers, AKI risk prediction, AKI therapeutics and chronic kidney disease caused by AKI.