Fireside Chat Speakers
Speaker: Kenn Turner
President & CEO of Massachusetts Life Sciences Center (MLSC)
Kenn Turner is President & CEO of MLSC, an economic development and investment agency dedicated to supporting the growth and development of the life sciences in Massachusetts. He directs and oversees the center’s operations, investment strategy, programs, and partnerships.
Prior to joining the MLSC in October, Kenn served as Director of Diversity & Inclusion/Compliance with Massport. He oversaw and managed the Authority’s multiple diversity programs including business and supplier diversity and workforce diversity, as well as all compliance initiatives associated with Massport’s Disadvantaged/Minority/Women
Business Enterprise Programs.
A retired U.S. Navy Captain and submarine nuclear weapons officer with 26 years of service, Kenn holds a B.S. degree in Liberal Arts from Southern University and A&M College in Baton Rouge, LA.
Speaker:
Brian Johnson
President, MassMEDIC
Brian Johnson was named president of the Massachusetts Medical Device Industry Council (MassMEDIC) in July 2018. An accomplished author and media entrepreneur, Brian serves as the association’s second chief executive officer in its history, managing its day-to-day operations and working with medical device industry executives in developing its policy agenda.
Since its establishment in 1996, MassMEDIC has grown to 300 member companies – manufacturers and developers of medical products, suppliers, research institutions and academic health centers – and has advanced the public policy interests of the New England medical device sector on Capitol Hill, Beacon Hill, and before various federal agencies.
In 2007, Brian conceived and later launched MassDevice.com, where he been responsible for the strategic vision of the company, from inception through the summer of 2018, including leading the company through an acquisition in 2015 by WTWH Media.