Our Leadership Team
Dean Hart, Chief Executive Officer
Dean brings 35 years of extensive and broad biopharmaceutical experience to RS BioTherapeutics including roles of increasing responsibility at Bristol-Myers Squibb, Eisai, Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America, and Adamas Pharmaceuticals. Dean has built, launched and led organizations for two multi-billion dollar brands. For the past 9 years, Dean has been consulting with small, mid and large biopharmaceutical companies in driving different facets of Commercial Excellence including Launch Excellence and has provided consulting for brands in several markets. Dean earned a Master of Business of Administration from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and a B.S. in Business Management and Administration from the Kelly School of Business at Indiana University.
Curtis Rhine, Chief Financial Officer
Curtis is a veteran finance leader with extensive experience across all finance disciplines including strategy, financial planning & analysis, long-term and short-term budgeting and forecasting, treasury including heavy bank financing experience, accounting and financial reporting and tax. Curtis’ pharmaceutical experience includes CFO of Ovation Pharmaceuticals where he readied them for acquisition by Lundbeck Inc. and US Division CFO of Takeda Pharmaceuticals where he oversaw all financial functions as the company grew annual revenues from launch to $3.5 billion. Prior to Takeda, Curtis spent 14 years at PepsiCo, Inc in financial/accounting roles of increasing scope and responsibility. Curtis earned his CPA and a Bachelors degree, Business Administration from Texas A&M.
Michelle L. Shuffett, MD, Chief Medical Officer
An experienced healthcare executive and wellness enthusiast with 20+ years of experience across health and wellness related industries. Began her pharma career at Boehringer Ingelheim, focusing on COPD Key Opinion Leader relationship development and advocacy, medical marketing communications, research, and medical-legal review. Joined Synapse Medical Communications as an EVP where she led three business units with responsibility for overseeing the development and execution of comprehensive, integrated, and strategic promotional medical education and market-shaping initiatives for healthcare clients and managing relationships with Key Opinion Leaders. At Columbia Care, strove to change perspectives on medical cannabis by elevating and validating cannabis research and increasing industry awareness through education. As the Chief Growth Officer and founding team member of Radicle Science, spearheaded the go-to-market strategy, launch branding and messaging to establish brand credibility. Attended medical school at the University of Kentucky, completed her Pediatrics residency at UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital, and practiced at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.
Justin Molignoni, CRNP, Chief Strategy Officer
Justin is a Co-Founder of RS BioTherapeutics, entering medicine as an RN and then an NP working in Critical Care and Emergency Medicine with secondary focus on primary care and nephrology. His research has been presented at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement as well as published by the Society of Critical Care Medicine. In 2019, Justin was recognized as one of the Top 100 Healthcare Leaders by the International Forum on Advancements in Healthcare. He also speaks regionally and nationally on the Endocannabinoid System. Justin earned a Master of Science Nurse Practitioner from Simmons Collins Graduate Studies, an Associate’s degree, Registered Nursing from Pennsylvania College of Health Sciences, and a Bachelor’s degree, Business Administration and Management and Physics from Juniata College.
Jeremy Plumb, Chief Cultivation Officer
Jeremy is the Director of Production Science at Groundworks Industries and at Prūf Cultivar, one of the most technologically advanced cannabis cultivation facilities in North America. At Prūf, Jeremy combines decades of cannabis horticulture experience with cutting-edge technology to deliver previously unattainable consistency in both product quality and consumer effect. Prior to his leadership at Prūf, Jeremy was a co-founder of Farma, recently acclaimed by Rolling Stone as one of Oregon’s top dispensaries. Jeremy has served as a cannabis consultant to Israel medical cannabis researchers and as a cannabis policy advisor for US members of Congress. He also serves on the OLCC’s rule-making advisory committee. In 2015, Jeremy co-founded Cultivation Classic, Oregon’s leading craft cannabis competition. He is also a founding member of Smart Cannabis and serves on the technical advisory committee of the Resource Innovation Institute. Jeremy earned a M.A. Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute and a B.A., Ecology from New College of California.
Michael Guzman, JD, Chief of Staff
Michael has over 16 years of experience working in the healthcare arena. He currently serves as the Chief Operating Officer for a physical medicine and pain management practice. He previously served as a Healthcare Consultant where he guided and supported customers across the post-acute care continuum to elevate revenue streams; improve workflow, operations, and logistics; and increase regulatory compliance. He also acted as a Corporate Compliance Officer and Lead Internal Investigator for a middle market rehabilitation company, where he supervised up to 12 teams across six states. Michael completed a Juris Doctorate and a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy from the University of Puerto Rico.