Embody

Jeffrey Conroy, CEO

After 30 years in the life sciences, I am honored to be a part of this high-performing team developing new technologies for the benefit of sports medicine patients. Every step of my background has prepared me for this adventure, having developed our DARPA relationship, created strategic partnerships, and commercialized products in the tissue banking and sports medicine business. I am the father of Maddy and Mary, husband to Jennifer, entrepreneur and, as my daughter Mary once professed, I am “just a guy who lives in a house like everyone else.”

Michael Fracis, PhD

Michael Francis, Ph.D., is the Chief Science Officer of Embody, a serial inventor and entrepreneur. At Embody, Dr. Francis is transforming the way medical devices and therapeutics are made, using advanced “bottom-up” vs. old-school “top-down” manufacturing methods, while changing the way biotech companies are built, with creativity, candor, compassion and culture as cornerstones.
Translational Research and Product Development: Dr. Francis has worked in the medical device industry, orthopedic, cardiovascular, sports medicine and stem cell fields over the past two decades. His scientific expertise and publications range widely from work with gene therapy, cell therapy, tissue engineering, human extracellular matrix-based therapeutics, nanotechnology, allografts, advanced biomaterials, 3D printing and biofabrication. Working previously at LifeNet Health and now as the scientific lead at Embody, Dr. Francis has led teams of scientists and engineers in the R&D of PMA, 510(k) and currently marketed HCT/P products that have helped heal many people in need.
Community Service:As faculty at the local medical school (EVMS), Dr. Francis lectures frequently, mentors and trains students, and also teaches annually in the UVA Biomedical Engineering Capstone course. He is actively involved in standards committees (e.g. ASTM), has organized multiple regenerative medicine seminar series and biofabrication conferences, and serves on numerous academic, for-profit and non-profit advisory boards.
Education: Michael concurrently earned a B.A. in Philosophy and a B.S. in Biology from the University of Akron, then a Ph.D. in Pathology between the University of Virginia and the Medical College of Virginia at Virginia Commonwealth University, with business executive leadership training from the CCL in Greensboro, NC.
Personal: In his spare time, you may find Michael adventure seeking with his wife and children, out hiking, mountain biking, traveling, at a concert, in an art gallery, swapping tubes in audiophile amps, or restoring his classic cars.

Rob Brown, CCO

Rob brings over 25 years of demonstrated medical device success driving growth in start-up, turn around and commercial expansion of established businesses, combining his unique experience in marketing, commercial operations and product development  to shape and transform mature medical device markets.  Prior to joining Embody in 2019, Rob was the VP of Marketing & Commercial Operations at DSM Biomedical, a global leader in biomaterials and regenerative devices.  Rob previously held management and leadership roles in marketing and engineering at Ethicon, Johnson & Johnson Orthopeadics, DePuy, AliMed and ApaTech, an orthobiologics start-up acquired by Baxter International for $330M where Rob held the role of Vice President of Marketing US Commercial Strategy & Business Development.  Rob has also served as a consultant and board advisor working with notable emerging device companies at all stages of commercialization including Cerapedics, Relievent Med Systems, Bio2 Technologies and SpineForm.

Tim Meyers, CFO

Tim Meyers is also the Managing Director of DoHoMa Capital and provides strategic advice and counsel as a board member and advisor to numerous companies.  His specific focus is working closely with entrepreneurs, CXOs and their boards to accelerate growth and strategic initiatives.  He provides advice on equity and debt structures, acquisitions, dispositions, strategic partnerships, new offerings, management team optimization, workouts, etc.  He has worked with companies in diverse sectors including:  biotech and medical device, life sciences, software, cyber, healthcare, services, financial services, education and not-for-profit sector.

Throughout his career, he has operated in various roles, including Chairman, Managing Partner, Managing Director, Partner, President, CFO, and Chairman of Investment Committees.  As an investor he has managed large diversified portfolios for endowments, family offices, and corporate pension funds. As a principal, he has created new VC/private equity, hedge, and real estate funds.  He has raised billions in equity and debt.  He has led, managed and/or directly invested in over a hundred companies. As board member of more than three dozen companies and on the management team member of many others, he helped lead the exit planning and process that created tremendous liquidity for owners and investors.

Tim enjoys teaching and helping the next generation.  He is a periodic guest lecturer at Georgetown Law; University of Maryland; GMU Law, and Virginia Tech.  He is also Co-Founder of University of Virginia Darden School’s “Venture Capital Boot Camp”, a three-day conference with venture capitalists, entrepreneurs and a “live” case study for top MBA students from UVA, Georgetown, VT, GMU, and Wharton.  This program is in its 16th year and has more than 500 graduates, many who lead companies as founders.  He is also the President elect of the Association of Corporate Growth, National Capital Region and sits on the board at National Association of Corporate Directors, Capital Area; Virginia Tech’s Apex Center for Entrepreneurship; and Mindshare.

John Rizzo

Over the past 30 years, John Rizzo has successfully advanced his career in orthopedic medical device sales. John’s versatility includes building outstanding sales management teams that have excelled in both start up and mature organizations. In addition to building strong management teams, John has also created distribution channels that creatively drove the sales of traditional and new technology products.

John comes to Embody after an exceptional six-year performance leading US Sales for Zimmer Knee Creations (Subchondroplasty Procedure). Subsequent to the purchase of Knee Creations by Zimmer Biomet, John and his team continued to innovatively drive sales from $500K in the first year to over $50MM. Zimmer increased John’s responsibility to include an expanded portfolio of Early Intervention therapies where he led Zimmer’s top sales team yielding 20% growth in the E.I. portfolio to $185MM.

John rounds out his experience with leadership roles at Smith & Nephew’s Endoscopy division, Custom Spine, Regen Biologics and Oratec Interventions.