Wayne Laslie | CEO

Wayne brings more than 30 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry, serving in positions of clinical development, business development, U.S. and international commercial development, marketing, sales and chief operating officer. He has had responsibility for the development, commercialization, and product introductions of numerous products in various therapeutic areas in the U.S. and internationally.

He has held positions of increasing responsibility at Pfizer, predecessor companies of Sanofi, Otsuka, Myriad Genetics, and Myrexis. As Executive Vice President at Otsuka he built the commercial organization virtually from scratch to launch two major products and set up two separate copromotion partnerships to commercialize these products.

At Myriad Genetics, where he held the position of COO and Chief Commercial Officer, he was responsible for the commercial development and operational elements of the company’s Alzheimer’s program. This included the formation of a new pharmaceutical division of Myriad Genetics and all the commercial activities required to bring a new drug to market.

Wayne is also President of CapPharma Services where he advises pharmaceutical companies in product development and product launches. He has worked with a major European-based company to launch a product in the U.S. CNS market and advised the company on their global strategy for GI products, as well as advising other U.S.-based companies on their CNS development strategy.

Wayne holds a Bachelor of Science degree in biology/chemistry from Georgia State University and a Master of Science degree in microbiology from the University of Georgia. He sits on several community and industry boards.

Mike Reed | COO

Mike is an executive leader with a diverse career of over 20-years directing product-focused life science and diagnostic research and development organizations. He has directed the development and commercialization of over 300 products in genomic, cellular, hematology and rapid testing markets, providing him with a deep understanding of the practical requirements of commercializing products in challenging and highly regulated markets. He has leveraged this background since 2020 in support of the NIH RADx program and co-founding other start-up and consulting partnerships, then joining NaviDx Consulting in 2022 to expand the service offerings and scale operations. Through NaviDx, Mike has recently focused his efforts on a variety of fractional executive roles, as CEO of T-NeuroDx, Ortega’s diagnostic sister company, and Chief Commercial Officer of TrilliumBiO. He has a BSc from the Australian National University, a PhD from the University of Adelaide and completed the Executive Program in Management at the UCLA Anderson School of Management.

Dr. Christopher Wheeler | CSO

Dr. Christopher J. Wheeler is a neuroscientist and biotech innovator specializing in neuroimmunology, immune-aging, and the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease. With over two decades of experience in academic research and translational science, Dr. Wheeler’s work has uncovered critical links between age-related CD8 T cell activity and neurodegeneration, reshaping the understanding of immune-driven mechanisms in dementia.

Dr. Wheeler’s research focuses on identifying and therapeutically targeting self-reactive, brain-homing memory T cells that act upstream of amyloid and tau pathology. His work has led to the development of novel biomarkers, functional assays, and mechanistic models that form the foundation of Ortega NeuroRx’s therapeutic platform. Through both animal models and human translational studies, he has demonstrated how peripheral immune dysregulation contributes to CNS inflammation and cognitive decline.

He has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications in high-impact journals and has been invited to speak globally on the immunological drivers of neurodegenerative disease. Dr. Wheeler has led NIH- and VA-funded research programs and has served in leadership roles across academic medical centers and biotech collaborations. His integrative, systems-level approach continues to push the frontier of immunotherapeutics for Alzheimer’s disease and related neuroinflammatory disorders.

John Chavez | CFO

John Chavez is the Managing Director of the New Mexico Start-Up Factory I, II, and III, and a longtime leader in early-stage investment and innovation in New Mexico. He previously served as President of New Mexico Angels for over 12 years, where he helped double investment activity and positioned the group as a lead investor in numerous deals. He is also Managing Partner of Phase One Ventures and a Partner at NMA Ventures, a Catalyst Fund–backed venture fund.

Chavez has been instrumental in building New Mexico’s innovation ecosystem. He created technology showcase forums that connect national labs and research universities—such as Los Alamos, Sandia, UNM, and NMSU—with investors and commercialization partners. In 2012, he co-founded the New Mexico Start-Up Factory, which has launched 13 companies across three portfolios.

He is also President of Tafoya & Brainerd Consultants, advising companies and entrepreneurs on strategy, finance, and growth. In public service, he served six years as Cabinet Secretary of the New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department and was President of the Federation of Taxation Administrators.

Chavez holds a BA in Economics, a BBA in Finance, and an MBA in Regulatory Economics from New Mexico State University. He serves on numerous boards and chairs several statewide initiatives.