Lazzaro Medical Team
DR. RICHARD LAZZARO, MD
CO-FOUNDER + CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER
Dr. Richard Lazzaro, MD is a world renown thoracic surgeon with over 35 years of specialized expertise in minimally invasive and robotic thoracic surgery. He is the Southern Region Chief of Thoracic Surgery for RWJ/Barnabas Health. Dr. Lazzaro has pioneered many groundbreaking firsts in robotic thoracic surgery and has led one of the largest tracheobronchomalacia (TBM) programs in the nation.
Previously, Dr. Lazzaro was the Director of Thoracic Robotic Surgery and Associate Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Northwell Health / Lenox Hill. Under his leadership, he developed a thoracic surgery program consecutively ranked top 10 in the country for lung cancer surgery outcomes since 2012 as reported by the General Thoracic Surgery Database of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS), the world’s premier clinical outcomes registry for thoracic surgery.
Notable Hospital Systems: RWJ/Barnabas Health; Northwell Health / Lenox Hill
ROBERT ISRAEL
CO-FOUNDER + CEO
30+ years serial entrepreneur and business developer with several successful exits. Focus on building, growing, and creating value through business ownership to liquidity. Start-up expert, entrepreneur, team builder, investor and coach.
Notable Companies: Doc Popcorn, acquired by Dippin’ Dots, Knitwaves, WisdomWrks
RYAN REDFORD
CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER
20 years of experience developing and managing disruptive product technologies in the medical, defense, and commercial industries. An expert in complex electro-mechanical, Artificial Intelligence and optical systems, Mr. Redford implements product innovation that profitably solves global technological challenges.
Notable Companies: NASA, DARPA, DOD, James Webb Telescope, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Richard F Caris Mirror Lab
ROBERT WIESENBERG
CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER
30+ years building and leading a profitable software application development company creating scientific, technical, medical, and legal information products for Fortune 500 companies, government agencies and private businesses. Extensive management, operations, sales, and large-scale software development project experience.
Notable Companies: WebMD, Scientific American, HemOncToday
JAMES POLSEN
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
35 years of wide-ranging experience in corporate finance, treasury management, strategic planning, and investment banking. An expert in securing and managing investments having closed $1.7 billion in both debt and equity capital.
Notable Companies: JP Morgan Chase, Bank of America
RENEE ISRAEL
CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER
Seasoned brand builder, entrepreneur and strategic advisor with 30+ years of experience helping companies, products and categories define positioning, build relevance and accelerate growth. Expertise spans brand strategy, commercialization, strategic communications and go-to-market execution across start-ups, emerging brands and Fortune 500 companies.
Notable Companies: Modern Restaurant Concepts, Special Aerospace Services, Doc Popcorn, Digitas, American Express
NANCY LINCE, RAC
CLINICAL + REGULATORY LEAD
Seasoned clinical and regulatory affairs executive with 30+ years of experience guiding innovative medical devices, combination products and drug delivery technologies through development and commercialization. Expertise spans FDA strategy, clinical development, quality systems and global regulatory pathways, with more than 400 submissions including PMA, De Novo, 510(k) and IDE applications.
Notable Companies: Lince Consulting, Conceptus, Eclipse Surgical Technologies
BYRON WINTERS
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
Byron has over 20 years of executive management and growth-focused leadership across finance, telecommunications, medical device, and defense. Extensive experience helping early-stage companies scale through operational leadership, organizational development, project management, corporate planning, and process improvement.
FREDERICK J. ONORATO, ESQ.
CO-GENERAL COUNSEL
Fred has over 30 years of legal and business experience in medical, telcos, technology software, solar energy, textile manufacturing, finance, and real estate. He is a co-inventor of a patented drone platform and facilitated the introduction of clean water technology and medicine to Sub-Saharan Africa.
RANDALL LAZZARO, ESQ.
CO-GENERAL COUNSEL
Randall Lazzaro has practiced law for over 30 years. His practice is concentrated on all facets of litigation at the state and federal level.
Medical Advisory Board
JANANI REISENAUER, MD
THORACIC SURGEON
Division Chair, Thoracic Surgery
Director, Department of Surgery Innovation Center
Mayo Clinic, MN
SUDISH MURTHY, MD PhD
THORACIC SURGEON
Surgical Director of the Center for Major Airway Disease — Cleveland Clinic, OH
TOM GILDEA, MD
THORACIC SURGEON
Professor of Medicine — Cleveland Clinic, OH
SONALI SETHI, MD
INTERVENTIONAL PULMONOLOGIST
Cleveland Clinic, OH
President, AABIP
MATTHEW HARTWIG, MD
THORACIC SURGEON
Professor of Surgery and Biomedical Engineering — Duke, NC
MATTHEW THOMAS, MD
THORACIC SURGEON
Professor of Surgery — Mayo Clinic, FL
DAVID ABIA-TRUJILLO, MD PhD
INTERVENTIONAL PULMONOLOGIST
Professor of Pulmonology — Mayo Clinic, FL
Strategic Advisory Board
DANIEL HAWKINS
CEO, VISTA; FOUNDER SHOCKWAVE MEDICAL
JIM KASIC
FOUNDER + CHAIRMAN, BOULDER IQ
