Serving innovators. Transforming lives.
To lead the advancement and growth of life science, biotechnology and digital health innovation resulting in corporate success and economic development for South Carolina and the Southeast Region.
The "Sphere" will be the regionalized magnet that fosters and nurtures each company towards commercialization and translation of new products to clinical practice thereby improving health outcomes and equity across the region.
Our Vision
At Palmetto InnovaSphere, we exist to eliminate obstacles and fuel forward momentum for life science start-ups and scale-ups.
Who We Serve
Life Science Start-Ups
Life Science Scale-Ups
Medical Technology Innovators
Meet Our Executive Team. Experience matched only by enthusiasm.
Extensive, laser-focused expertise. A broad network of connections. A relentless optimism for improving lives. Only in the Sphere will you find a leadership team so precisely equipped to empower life science entrepreneurs. Meet our family of visionaries below and connect with them through LinkedIn.
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CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICERCecilia is a founder, an entrepreneur, and an executive. She has held leadership positions in strategy, joint venture, startup development, and program administration, and has experience with mergers and acquisitions. Her career spans more than 30 years in life science/biotechnology and the healthcare industry. Cecilia started her tenure as a strategic planner under the direction of Dr. Robert Day, then President of Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research in the early 1990s. She then became the Division Program Administrator for the Molecular Pharmacology, Clinical Research Division under the leadership of Dr. Lee Hartwell and Dr. Stephen Friend. Cecilia also held the position of Director of Strategic Development. As the Director of Affiliate Network and Strategic Outreach, she oversaw all clinical research partnerships with community cancer centers in Alaska, Washington, Idaho, Montana, and Hawaii. In the summer of 2017, Cecilia decided to return to her life science and biotechnology roots and started a new company, 3rdEyeBio, LLC as one of the Managing Partners. 3rdEyeBio, LLC is an accelerator group providing life science/biotech startups the infrastructure to support overall growth from scientific advisory to investment raise. She has also held the role of CBIO for Vyrty Corporation dba Sync.MD, a multidimensional technology company, located in Anderson, South Carolina.
She is the founder and executive director of Women, Life and Science, Inc., and is a board member of the Luskin Family Foundation.
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CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICERWith over 25 years of experience in the life sciences industry spanning both profit and non-profit sectors, Lillia is known for utilizing her scientific research foundation to benefit companies with complex operations. Her commitment to advancing healthcare innovation and improving patient outcomes is fueled by her passions: growing life science companies (especially in South Carolina), oncology and blood donation. Most recently, Lillia served as the Chief Operating Officer of Kiyatec, where she played a pivotal role in execution of corporate strategy along with oversight and expansion of operations to establish their CLIA certified laboratory leading to clinical studies and subsequent commercial availability of their functional precision oncology diagnostic. Her multifaceted experience in prior positions at The Blood Connection, the Oncology Research Institute of Greenville Hospital System and Greenwood Genetic Center developed her operational skills and regulatory affairs expertise which enabled her to become a trusted leader known for quality management and operational efficiency. She holds a Master of Science degree in Biomedical Sciences from East Tennessee State University and is a Board Member of Women, Life and Science.
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CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER (FRACTIONAL)A big-picture strategist with an eye for details, Wes brings an ideal blend of deep experience in both financial management and the life science industry to his role at InnovaSphere. With a B.S. in Accounting from Bob Jones University and a Master of Business Administration from Clemson University, Wes started his professional career as an auditor for Ernst & Young, LLP, before moving on to serve renowned firms such as W. Carr & Co. and Worthwhile. With a resume boasting 20 years as a Controller and CFO roles for diverse companies, Wes helps businesses of all sizes improve their processes, refine their auditing, and build sustainable financial futures. As a fractional CFO, Wes supports the InnovaSphere team and our clients with flexible management accounting services that range from controller to staff accountant, as well as business operations support within IT/software implementation, marketing, and limited HR. He is currently a Partner at Ethan Rivers Firm in Greenville, SC.
Insight earned through experience. Influence built on trust. A vision set firmly on the future of innovation. InnovaSphere’s board members provide the guidance and networks that accelerate growth across the Southeast Region and beyond. Explore the leaders behind the momentum.
Meet Our Board Members. Leadership driven by purpose.
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BOARD MEMBERAllen Smith was born and raised in Greenville, NC. After graduating from East Carolina University with a Bachelor of Science in Political Science, Smith was appointed to serve as Town Clerk for the Town of Bethel, NC. After working in local government for a couple of years, Smith was hired as Vice President of Operations for the Greenville-Pitt County Chamber of Commerce. He was then promoted to Senior Vice President. In 2010, Smith was hired as the President/CEO of the Greater Greer Chamber of Commerce. With the support of a professional staff and devoted volunteer leadership, the Chamber grew financially and in overall membership growth. On June 16, 2014, Smith was named the President/CEO of the Spartanburg Area Chamber of Commerce – the only organization in South Carolina in which the chamber, economic development and tourism entities co-exist under one umbrella. In January 2017, the Chamber, through the leadership of a 52-member steering committee, launched a five-year, comprehensive community and economic development strategy entitled “OneSpartanburg”. The $4.5 million effort has enhanced, augmented and accelerated much of the transformative work currently underway in the Spartanburg community. In September 2020 the Spartanburg Area Chamber of Commerce launched a rebrand to represent it’s collective and strategic plan. Allen is now the President/CEO of OneSpartanburg, Inc. OneSpartanburg, Inc.’s mission is to build a vibrant Spartanburg through business, economic and tourism development. Whether you’re looking for business resources, economic expertise, community leadership or tourism information, OneSpartanburg, Inc. is where you’ll find it. Given Spartanburg’s recent accolades as a statewide leader in education, healthcare, culture and economic development, Smith, his wife Jenni, and their two daughters, Eloise, and Mary Barrett are excited about what’s to come and are incredibly proud to call Spartanburg home.
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BOARD MEMBERBob Hughes, Chairman of Hughes Development Corporation, has been developing real estate in the southeast for 50 years. Projects have ranged from single-family residential to industrial to high-rise office. Projects are conceived and developed to create lasting value in the communities they serve. Recent projects have involved public-private partnerships that often require a “master developer” to allow these projects to achieve greater success by including additional developers and expertise.
Larger and more complex projects have included Poinsett Plaza, RiverPlace and ONE, all on Greenville's award-winning Main Street. Currently, BullStreet, the redevelopment of 181 acres in downtown Columbia, SC on the site of the former SC State Mental Hospital, is the primary focus. Many projects have won awards and recognition regionally and nationally for unique approaches and outstanding results.
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BOARD MEMBERIn a healthcare career spanning more than thirty years, Bruce is one of the few executives in the industry to have worked in the not-for-profit, governmental, and publicly traded for-profit health sectors. Since 1993 Bruce has been immersed in the rise and evolution of integrated health systems to include health insurance operations.
Bruce has served in CEO capacity for the past eighteen years, and for the past fourteen years as CEO of Apella Health. He also serves as CEO of Guardian Research Network, Guardian Health AI and CEO of Advicare Health Insurance. Apella Health is a health system management company currently responsible for the oversight of the $2.2b Spartanburg Health System that serves more than 1.8m residents of Western North Carolina and Upstate South Carolina.
Under Bruce’s leadership, he has helped lead systems to significant reputational gains in safety, quality and innovation while maintaining fiscal health. Bruce has also spoken extensively on behalf of the National Cancer Institute on disparities in cancer care, has actively built one of the first multi-disciplinary cancer centers in the country and co-founded and chairs the 175-member hospital and growing, Guardian Research Network; whose core mission is accelerating cures for disease through the marriage of molecular biology and big health data science application. In 2021, Bruce co-envisioned the “Beyond the Human Genome” (BHG) project which intends to create the medical research engine of the future. The BHG project will fully marry one-million participants complete omics profile and integrated medical history into a single longitudinal digital record over ten years; allowing for accelerated medical discovery and individualized wellness achievement. Guardian Health AI through large language learning modeling is developing the universal tool for broad query search functionality of any EHR.
Bruce has received many awards, including Humanitarian of the Year by the Urban League of SC and the Spartanburg County Chamber Chairman’s Award for his work in co-leading the area economic ten-year strategic development plan. Bruce serves on the Boards of the Peace Center for the Arts, Health Sciences South Carolina, Via Colleges of Medicine, Guardian Research Network, Advicare Health Insurance, South Carolina Hospital Association and private equity backed health firms; Epica and Hwear. Bruce is the immediate past chair of the South Carolina Hospital Association and is the Chair of their PAC.
Bruce graduated from the University of La Verne with an undergraduate degree in Healthcare Administration and holds advanced degrees in Gerontology from the University of Southern California and Business Administration from the University of Colorado.
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BOARD MEMBERSeasoned entrepreneur, marketer, and inventor with over 10 years of CEO experience and over 20+ years in the software, firmware, and hardware development industry, ranging from startups to Fortune 500 companies (Microsoft, Intel, Parametric) with expertise and experience from embedded systems and networking to platforms and integrated data solutions, ranging from enterprise to consumer-centric solutions.
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BOARD MEMBERMatthew D. Cannon, D.O., FACOFP is a board-certified physician in Family Medicine who initially graduated from Clemson University with a Bachelor’s degree in Health Sciences before subsequently graduating from the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine as a physician. He completed an Internship in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Good Samaritan Hospital in Cincinnati, Ohio and his Family Medicine residency at Spartanburg Regional Medical Center in Spartanburg, SC. Upon completion of residency in 2009, he began working in a rural area of Spartanburg County as a Primary Care physician, employed by Spartanburg Regional Medical Center. While continuing his clinical practice with Spartanburg Regional, he also began working with the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM), serving in the roles of Chair of Family Medicine, Associate Dean of Clinical Affairs, Dean of VCOM Carolinas, and Senior Dean of all four VCOM medical schools in Virginia, South Carolina, Alabama, and Louisiana. Throughout his roles at VCOM, he has maintained a passion for supporting breakthrough research and technologies that improve human health and well-being. Combining executive leadership, educational insight and operational excellence has enabled him to contribute a strategic vision and practical guidance to organizations at the forefront of the life sciences sector. His passions involve collaborating with forward-thinking leaders to foster sustainable growth and accelerate the development and delivery of transformative solutions in the fields of healthcare and medical education.
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BOARD MEMBERSteve Trakas serves as Executive Vice President of Gibbs International, Inc., a family office that invests and manages assets in the energy, industrial, real estate, and advanced technology industries.
Mr. Trakas serves on the Board of Directors for American Red Cross Upstate SC, Advisory Board of Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine Carolinas and PanHellenic Scholarship Foundation, Ambassador of the Metropolis Council of the Greek Orthodox Atlanta Diocese and Archon of the Ecumenical Patriarchate for the Orthodox Church.
Want to change the world? Come work with us.
We’re always looking for the best and brightest to grow our Sphere of influence. Inquire about open or potential positions using the contact form or pitch your value as a team member by sending your resume and cover letter.