About

Christian Howell is an accomplished healthcare executive with over 20 years of leadership experience spanning startups and large corporations. As CEO of Cognito Therapeutics, he drives the company’s mission to transform the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases through non-invasive sensory stimulation. Under his leadership, Cognito is advancing its groundbreaking Spectris technology to improve cognitive performance and enhance patient outcomes.

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Christian’s career began as an officer in the U.S. Navy, where he developed a commitment to driving meaningful social impact, an ethos that has guided his leadership in the medical device sector. His expertise includes business development, market expansion, and commercial strategy. Prior to Cognito, he led Emerging Channels at Aetion, forging strategic partnerships and playing a pivotal role in securing Series C funding. At Medtronic, he pioneered value-based care initiatives, overseeing P&L and implementing innovative commercial models.

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A sought-after speaker at institutions like Harvard, MIT, and the G20, Christian is recognized for his ability to cultivate partnerships across healthcare ecosystems. His leadership at Cognito fosters a culture of innovation, excellence, and collaboration, positioning the company at the forefront of neurological therapeutics.

Ralph Kern MD MHSc is currently Chief Medical Officer at Cognito Therapeutics. Previously he was President and Chief Medical Officer at BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics. Prior industry experience includes SVP and head of the global medical organization at Biogen; VP and head of the US Neuroscience Medical Unit at Novartis; and General Manager of the Fabrazyme biologics franchise at Genzyme.

Prior to joining the biotechnology industry, Ralph was head of the academic neurology program at the University of Toronto and led the clinical neurophysiology department at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto.

Ralph completed undergraduate education in neurophysiology at McGill University in Montreal Quebec, an MD from Queens’ University in Kingston Ontario, post-graduate neurology training at McGill University and the University College London UK, as well as a research fellowship in pediatric epilepsy and EEG at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. Ralph completed the MHSc program in Health Administration from the Institute of Health Policy Management and Evaluation at the University of Toronto in 2003.

Steve Worthy is a cross-functional healthcare executive and strategic advisor. Currently serving as the Chief Business & Financial Officer at Cognito Therapeutics, Steve has over a decade of experience leveraging disruptive technologies and innovative business models to improve health outcomes and reduce inefficient healthcare spending. Before joining Cognito, he was Senior Vice President of Corporate & Business Development at Aetion, and prior to that, he was a Vice President in J.P. Morgan's Global Healthcare Coverage Group.
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In addition to his corporate responsibilities, Steve serves on the Board of Directors for the Michigan Tech Fund at Michigan Technological University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance. He also holds an MBA from the University of Michigan's Stephen M. Ross School of Business.

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Robbert Zusterzeel, M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H., currently serves as the Chief Clinical & Regulatory Officer at Cognito Therapeutics. Dr. Zusterzeel previously held the role of Vice President of Regulatory Science & Strategy at Woebot Health, where he oversaw clinical development and operations, regulatory strategy, quality assurance, medical device safety, medical affairs, and organizational change management, contributing significantly to the company’s maturation. His career includes senior leadership positions at IQVIA and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). He has actively contributed to public-private partnerships, particularly in digital health policy, software as a medical device (SaMD), and artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML).

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Dr. Zusterzeel earned his M.D. and Ph.D. from Maastricht University in the Netherlands and an M.P.H. in Epidemiology from Harvard University. He has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications and book chapters. His expertise spans clinical development, digital health policy, real-world evidence, and healthcare innovation. Dr. Zusterzeel is deeply committed to mentoring and educating future leaders in medical devices, regulatory science, and digital health, while advancing transformative innovation in the healthcare landscape.

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Thomas Fagan is Executive Vice President, Alzheimer’s Portfolio at Cognito Therapeutics, where he leads the strategic development and commercialization readiness of the company’s Alzheimer’s programs, including the Spectris™ therapeutic platform. With more than 25 years of experience across the pharmaceutical, medical device, and diagnostics industries, Tom has built and led organizations responsible for bringing innovative technologies from clinical development to real-world adoption. His work has focused on building integrated care ecosystems, aligning cross-functional teams, and developing clinical-to-commercial pathways that expand treatment options for patients living with neurodegenerative disease.

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Prior to joining Cognito, Tom served as Vice President, U.S. Alzheimer’s Disease Commercial at Eisai Inc., where he led the U.S. commercial strategy for the company’s Alzheimer’s portfolio and helped guide the launch and market expansion of LEQEMBI® (lecanemab). Earlier in his career at Eli Lilly and Company, he held several leadership roles in Alzheimer’s disease programs, including Global Commercial Leader and Global Brand Development Leader, where he helped lead commercialization efforts for Amyvid® (florbetapir), the first FDA-approved PET imaging agent for detecting amyloid plaques associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Tom began his career at Goldman Sachs and has also held leadership roles at Baxter International and Momentum Life Sciences. He earned his MBA from Stanford University and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from DePauw University, where he graduated summa cum laude and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa.