Board of Advisors
Our firm has attracted a group of advisors who are nationally recognized in specific knowledge areas. Each has agreed to assist us in strategy and contacts as needed.
Carolyn Cody
Rick Day
Robert Dickeson
Ginger Graham
Karen Lane
Bo Saxberg
Carolyn Cody, Ph.D.
Educational Advisor
Dr. Carolyn Cody received her Ph.D. from Texas Women’s University and has served 32 years in higher education as a coach, professor, scholar and administrator. Her academic areas of sport psychology and sport sociology served her well in administrative roles, including seven years as assistant vice president for academic affairs. Within the university she worked with strategic planning and budgeting, affirmative action and diversity, staff and professional development, research and development, and change strategies to effect reform.
As a professor she taught 46 different courses, 13 of which she developed; has taught at all levels from freshman to doctoral courses; and served as chair or member of 32 doctoral student committees. She not only served as coach to college athletes but became one of the national leaders in the coaching reform movement, developing task forces, training athletic directors and implementing training programs for the US Olympic committee. Her work resulted in required educational preparation for high school coaches in every state.
While simultaneously teaching and publishing, Dr. Cody has been tapped to serve in a number of administrative roles in three colleges and in several university-wide positions of responsibility at the vice presidential and presidential levels. Author of more than 150 publications, presentations and grants in several fields, Dr. Cody has earned the praise of professional juries, peer reviewers and students for her insights and contributions. She is in strong demand nationally as a consultant, speaker, developer and coordinator.
Her work on teacher education reform has ranked her among the top tier of education leaders nationally. She made significant contributions to the Carnegie Project 30 and the National Renaissance Group. She has contributed to UNC’s focus on diversity and served as an original member of the Women’s Commission and the Equity Task Force to determine status, roles and salaries for women and minorities on campus.
Among her many accolades:
Distinguished Alumnae Award, Texas Woman’s University; Hall of Fame Selection, Colorado Coaches of Girls Sports; Athletic Hall of Fame, University of Northern Colorado; University Leadership Award, Phi Delta Kappa, UNC Chapter; Outstanding Leadership Award, Women’s Resource Center, University of Northern Colorado; Outstanding Leadership Award, Colorado Women’s Educational Leadership Conference. She has chaired and been a member of numerous boards and councils at the national level. She is a sought-after speaker and lecturer on many topics concerning higher education and public school reform, leadership and communication, and sport psychology. Back to Top
Richard DayFounder, CEO – Daycom Systems, Inc.
Rick founded Daycom Systems in San Diego in 1992 as a secondary marketer of AT&T phone systems and parts, serving commercial enterprise customers nationwide. By 1994, the first salesperson was hired, and revenues reached $1 million and the company has grown organically ever since. His entrepreneurial capabilities, operational skills and vision set the pace for the company.
Today the company is a premier VAR of large business telecommunications systems serving businesses nationwide. The company has over 60 employees and $20 million in revenues, and carries products from Avaya, Cisco, Siemens, and other industry leaders. Daycom Systems offers consulting, design, implementation, and ongoing maintenance services with clients such as Intel, Wal-Mart, Mutual of Omaha, AARP, Geico, Kawasaki USA, Princess Cruises and 300+ smaller commercial enterprises.
Prior to establishing Daycom Systems, Rick sold in the secondary market for IBM mid-range computer systems and AT&T PBX’s at other secondary market companies dating back to 1987.
Rick is well known and respected throughout the telecommunications reseller market. He is Past President of the North-American Association of Telecommunications Dealers (NATD), a past Vendor Liaison Committee volunteer for the American Colleges and University Telecommunications Association (ACUTA), and recently served as the leader of Avaya’s BusinessPartner Advisory Council and as the Council spokesperson.
His public speaking engagements include the Technology Forum at the University of San Diego and the Security Forum in San Diego.
Rick has a BS Degree in Finance from San Diego State University, and prior, served five years in the U.S. Navy. He lives in Encinitas with his wife and two young children. Back to Top
Robert C. Dickeson, Ph.D.
Executive Consulting
Robert C. Dickeson provides counsel from multiple leadership perspectives: chair of the governor’s cabinets in two states; university president; business CEO; and foundation executive. He received his Ph.D. in political science from the University of Missouri, and he has served on the graduate faculties of four universities. Dickeson served as the director of the department of administration and chair of the cabinet of Arizona Governor Bruce Babbitt; and chief of staff, executive director of the office of state planning and budget, and chair of the cabinet of Colorado Governor Roy Romer. He served in administrative posts at three universities and was president of the University of Northern Colorado from 1981-1991. He served as president and CEO of Noel-Levitz Centers, Inc., division president of USA Enterprises, Inc., and senior vice president of USA Group, Inc., heading the USA Group Foundation. From 2000 to 2005 he was co-founder and senior vice president of Lumina Foundation for Education.
A national leader in higher education, Dr. Dickeson has chaired blue-ribbon commissions appointed by three governors in two states, has been an officer of 30 corporate, government, foundation or public affairs organizations, and served as Commissioner from Colorado to the Education Commission of the States. He was a charter member of the President's Forum on Teaching as a Profession, an elected member of the President's Commission of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, a member of the National Commission on Minorities in Higher Education, a National Consultant with the Office of Women in Higher Education, and chaired the Council of Doctoral-Granting Institutions of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities. He is a past president of the Association of Public College and University Presidents, a seminar faculty member and mentor for the Fellows Program of the American Council on Education, and co-founder of the Renaissance Group of Universities.
His national awards include: “Outstanding Service Award" (American Council on Education); “Outstanding University President" (American Association of Colleges of Teacher Education); “Meritorious Service Award” (American Association of State Colleges and Universities); “Support to Women in Government and Higher Education Award” (Women in Government); North Central
Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Hall of Fame; “Faculty-Alumni Award” (University of Missouri); and “Distinguished Service Award” (Sigma Alpha Epsilon International Fraternity).
The author of more than 150 publications in the fields of higher education leadership and policy and public administration, Dr. Dickeson taught annually for 24 years in addition to his administrative or governmental duties. While at Lumina Foundation, he led the national initiative on college costs, based on his monograph, Collision Course: Rising college costs threaten America’s future and require shared solutions (Lumina Foundation, 2004). His book, Prioritizing Academic Programs and Services (Jossey-Bass Publishers, 1999) is based on his extensive consulting experiences including serving several hundred two- and four-year colleges (private and public) and corporations ranging from hospitals to bank holding companies. He is listed in Who’s Who in America and Who’s Who in the World. Back to Top
Ginger L. Graham
Ginger L. Graham is a public speaker and health care consultant. She is the former Chief Executive Officer of Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company in San Diego, California, dedicated to developing innovative medicines to improve the lives of people with metabolic diseases. Ginger is also the former Group Chairman, Office of the President for Guidant Corporation, a major cardiovascular medical device manufacturer located in Indianapolis, Indiana. Ms. Graham started her career with Eli Lilly and Company and served in a number of management positions. Her diverse career path gave her the opportunity to work in a variety of industries including agriculture, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, investment banking and medical technology.
A native of Springdale, Arkansas, Ginger received a Bachelor of Science in agricultural economics from the University of Arkansas. She also holds a Master of Business Administration degree from Harvard University.
Ms. Graham serves on the Board of Directors for Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Proteus Biomedical Pharmaceutical Systems Division, ICAT Managers, the American Diabetes Association Research Foundation, and the California Council on Science and Technology. She also serves on the Advisory Boards for the Kellogg Center for Executive Women and the Women Business Leaders of the US Health Care Industry Foundation. Ms. Graham is a member of the Harvard Business School Board of Dean’s Advisors, the Harvard Business School Health Industry Alumni Advisory Board, The University of Arkansas Alumni Association Board of Directors and the University of California, San Diego Health Sciences Advisory Board. She serves on the Editorial Advisory Board for the Journal of Life Sciences publication, frequently speaks at Business Schools and has written for Harvard Business Review.
An avid gardener and horsewoman, Ginger lives with her husband, Jack, in Boulder, Colorado along with Jed the dog, several barn cats, the occasional visiting coyote, bear, deer and elk, and ten very entertaining and completely spoiled horses. She devotes much of her free time to mentoring high-potential young women in business and advancing the cause of women’s healthcare.
Karen Lane RN, MSN
Vice President, Care Management Operations – American Healthways
Karen has twenty years of experience in healthcare ranging from clinical administration, to the entrepreneurial leadership of a national consulting company and most recently, to overseeing the high risk care management division of one of the country’s fastest growing publicly traded companies.
Karen started her career at Sharp Healthcare where she served as Executive Director of Nursing. There she had budgetary responsibility for over $18 million, and was responsible for all medical and surgical units, the case management department, and ambulatory and outpatient departments.
She formed Armstrong Lane Consulting out of the need for a managed care infrastructure for hospitals, clinics and physician groups. The company’s mission was focused on managed care preparedness. Risks were assessed and work place re-design and system enhancement provided.
Karen joined Status One, a start up company which became the market leader provider of care management services for high risk populations. She was part of the due diligence team who eventually sold Status One to American Healthways. She is currently VP of Care Management Operations with responsibility for Status One Operations, and contributes to American Healthways new product development, sales and marketing, and international launch and expansion.
Her leadership has brought her the “Thomas Cigarran Values and Culture Award”, named after the founder and Chairman of the Board of American Healthways. The person selected epitomizes the values of the company and exhibits strong and inclusive leadership consistent with the culture of the company.
She is a member of the National Honor Society for Nurses, the National Honor Society for USD Nursing Graduates and on the board of Caring for Humanity.
BO E. H. SAXBERG, M.D., Ph. D.
Pharmaceutical Consultant
Dr. Saxberg is originally from Seattle, Washington in the United States. He attended the University of Washington there, receiving Summa Cum Laude an Honors B.S. degree in Mathematics and an Honors B.S. degree in Chemistry. He then attended Cambridge University in England, earning an Honours B.A./M.A. Cantab. in Physics. Returning to the United States, he received an M.D. degree from Harvard and his Ph.D. in Physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Dr. Saxberg was a National Institutes of Health Fellow at MIT from 1989 to 1991, prior to joining Eli Lilly in Indianapolis as a Senior Research Scientist, continuing his prior research interests in QSAR/genomics/proteomics/physiomics. In 1993, Dr. Saxberg was named Director of Information Sciences at Eli Lilly. This group subsequently led a number of industry pioneering efforts at Lilly, including the first Internet home page for a pharmaceutical company, as well as developing interactive health economic models evolving to disease management, point of care prescribing, and the development of information resources to support modern product portfolio resource allocation decisions.
Dr. Saxberg joined Johnson & Johnson in 1995 as Vice President, Corporate Staff, Advanced Communications, leading Johnson & Johnson’s efforts in Medical Informatics, focusing on new business opportunities related to information technology in healthcare delivery and product development. As part of these efforts, working with both internal and external venture capital resources as well as member companies, the Advanced Communications Group helped to develop for J&J pioneering creation or investment positions ranging from defined contribution employee benefit models of health insurance, real-time auto-adjudication networks at the point of care supporting cost-quality decisions between doctor and patient, and a variety of technologies in health informatics including telemedicine, clinical studies and outcomes measurement, and electronic medical records. Working with the J&J international pharmaceutical group, innovative programs were created in the development of iterative customer relationships based on clinical information, creating demonstration of product value. Dr. Saxberg and members of the Advanced Communications Group also led the development and implementation of Johnson & Johnson’s global policies and procedures for the Internet, including privacy policies, to construct a policy platform to enable future business needs.
As of 2002, Dr. Saxberg left Johnson & Johnson to become founder and Pres., DDO Strategic Services, LLC, (“Design Development Optimization”). He is continuing his prior work in consulting, venture formation and business development with companies seeking to take leading advantage of change driven by new technologies and information access in health care, with application to product research & development, product and service marketing, financial services innovation, and clinical service innovation. Dr. Saxberg is a management/advisory board member for a number of entrepreneurial companies, associations and venture firms, including PhDx, Exagen, Medidata, Boston Millennia Partners, Village Ventures, the Institute for the Future, and the Columbia University Center for Advanced Technology. Back to Top
Randall E. Woods 
President and Chief Executive Officer, Sequel Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Randall E. Woods is currently the President, Chief Executive officer, and a member of the board of directors of Sequel Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Sequel is a privately held, clinical stage pharmaceutical company that was created by spinning out a Phase II-ready compound from NovaCardia, to be developed as a novel therapy for atrial fibrillation, one of only two major cardiovascular disease conditions increasing in incidence, prevalence and mortality. Sequel has successfully raised $20 M in a Series A round.
Prior to joining Sequel, Mr. Woods served as the President and Chief Executive officer of NovaCardia, Inc. from May 2004 until September 2007. From May 1996 to July 2003, Mr. Woods served as the Chief Executive officer of Corvas International, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company that focused on cancer and cardiovascular disease, which was acquired by Dendreon Corporation.
Prior to his employment at Corvas, Mr. Woods served as the President of the United States Operations of Boehringer Mannheim Pharmaceuticals Corporation from March 1994 to March 1996, and was Vice President of marketing and sales at Boehringer Mannheim from December 1993 to February 1994. Prior to that, he served in various capacities at Eli Lilly and Company from 1973 to December 1993. Mr. Woods currently serves as the Chairman for the Advisory Board of the University of California, San Diego’s Sulpizio Family Cardiovascular Center and serves on the board of directors of BIOCOM, a life science industry association in Southern California. Mr. Woods holds a B.S. degree in biology from Ball State University and an M.B.A. from Western Michigan University.
