Prof Lawrence Steinman
Director
Professor Lawrence Steinman is currently is the George A. Zimmermann Endowed Chair in the Neurology Department at Stanford University.
His specialities lie in autoimmune diseases, particularly multiple sclerosis and neuromyelitis optica.
In the Steinman Laboratory of Stanford, which is his foundation, he has developed new therapies for autoimmune diseases, some of which are in advanced clinical trials.
Professor Steinman has overseen success in the pharmaceuticals industry; he was on the board of Centocor, sold to Johnson and Johnson in 1998 for $4.9 billion, and was a founder of Neurocrine Biosciences (NASDAQ:NBIX) which went public in 1997.
Professor Steinman was instrumental in discovering the application of natalizumab (Tysabri) in treating multiple sclerosis. The drug was sold to Royalty Pharma in 2017 for $2.85 billion.
Recognition for his work includes the Friedrich Sasse Award in 1994, the John Dystel Prize in 2004, the Charcot Prize for Lifetime Achievement in Multiple Sclerosis Research in 2011, and the Anthony Cerami Award in Translational Medicine in 2015.
He has twice been awarded the Senator Jacob Javits Award by the US Congress, in 1988 and 2002.
Professor Steinman is a member of both the National Academy of Medicine and the National Academy of Sciences.
Blair Jordan
Interim CEO and Director
Mr. Jordan is an experienced senior executive and corporate director with experience in both private and public companies across a variety of sectors. Mr. Jordan currently serves as Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of HighMont Advisors Inc., a Vancouver-based, globally focused strategy and finance consulting company, specializing in helping clients facing corporate transition; advisory services offered include mergers and acquisitions (M&A), public and private financing, turnaround and restructuring, corporate and business development, positions he has held since January 2020. Mr. Jordan also serves as a senior advisor at Evans & Evans, Inc., a Vancouver based strategic finance consulting and advisory firm, a position he has held since October 2023.
Mr. Jordan has extensive public company Board of Directors experience, including in his current roles as a member of the Board of Directors and Audit Committee of Minas Metals Ltd. (CSE:MINA); a member of the Board of Directors and Audit Committee, Governance Committee and Compensation Committee of Goldgroup Mining Inc. (TSX:GG); a member of the Board of Directors, Chairman of the Audit Committee and Governance Committee, and member of the Compensation Committee of Standard Uranium Ltd. (TSXV:STND); and a member of the Board of Directors and Audit Committee of Timeless Capital Corp. (TSXV:TMC). Mr. Jordan also serves on various private company Board of Directors.
Mr. Jordan served as Chief Financial Officer of HeyBryan Media Inc. (CSE: HEY), a peer-to-peer marketplace app connecting independent contractors to consumers with everyday home maintenance needs, from October 2019 to November 2020. Prior to that he served in several roles with Ascent Industries Corp. (“Ascent”), including Vice President of Corporate Development (January 2018 – July 2018); Chief Financial Officer (August 2018 – April 2019); and Interim Chief Executive Officer (November 2018 – April 2019), where he led the company’s go-public listing and financing transactions. Mr. Jordan was Interim CEO, CFO, and a director of Ascent, when on March 1, 2019, the Supreme Court of British Columbia issued an order granting Ascent’s application for creditor protection under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (Canada) (“CCAA”). On April 26, 2019, Mr. Jordan resigned as an officer and director of Ascent. On May 5, 2020, the receivership was terminated by the court.
Between 2012 and 2017, Mr. Jordan served as Managing Director and Corporate Director with Echelon Wealth Partners Inc., an investment banking fund in the technology, biotech and diversified industries fields. Mr. Jordan also worked for Credit Suisse Group for nearly ten years in roles that included Leveraged Finance/Restructuring in Europe, Principal Investing in New York, as well as Special Situations and Convertible Bonds in Asia. Prior to Credit Suisse, Mr. Jordan was a corporate and securities lawyer with Bennett Jones LLP.
His management experience also includes working as CFO and CEO of public companies, and director at a global investment bank. His board experience includes roles at a Canadian investment bank, health sciences companies, mineral exploration and production companies (uranium and gold), an ultra-low cost airline and a Capital Pool Corporation.
Mr. Jordan holds an MBA from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business, with concentrations in Accounting, Finance, Entrepreneurship and International Business. He also has an LL.B from the University of British Columbia where he focused on corporate and securities law, and a BA from the University of Victoria in British Columbia.
Ryan Smith
Director
Jay Goodman
Director
Mr. Goodman serves as Sales Director for Asia Pacific and Japan at Docker, Inc., a position he has held since January 2024. Docker, Inc. is a leading provider of containerization technology that enables developers to build, share, and run applications across any environment seamlessly. His prior experience includes various sales leadership roles with Confluent from early 2019 through the end of 2023, and as Managing Director for Skywind Games' Asia Pacific operations from 2016 to 2022. Mr. Goodman also has held positions with Dropbox, Hootsuite, and OFX, where he has established a strong track record in strategic sales, market expansion, and operational leadership.
Stephen Shoemaker
Director
Mr. Shoemaker is a seasoned senior executive with extensive leadership experience in the iGaming, hospitality, technology, and real estate development sectors. Over his career, he has raised more than $2 billion across multiple Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) roles. His expertise spans strategic planning, capital raising, and operations management, with a focus on building high-growth, team-oriented organizations in both domestic and international markets, including Asia, Canada, and Europe.
Most recently, from July 2021 to January 2024, Mr. Shoemaker served as CEO of WIN Group, a leading global esports betting company, where he led the company’s strategic direction and growth, focusing on esports content and online wagering. During his tenure, he doubled user registrations on WIN’s content platform, and launched a new licensed iGaming platform aimed at eSports. Prior to that, he provided financial advisory services to small and medium sized enterprises, including strategic support to WIN Group and financial advisory services for a greenfield resort project in Colombia.
From January 2018 to July 2019, Mr. Shoemaker served as the CEO of Engine Media Holdings, Inc. (TSX:GAME and NASDAQ:GAME), an international digital media, entertainment and technology company, where he led capital raising efforts, streamlined operations, and grew revenue significantly. Earlier in his career, he held various senior executive roles at Asian Coast Development Ltd. (CEO and Chairman of the Board (2014-2015) and President and CFO (2008-2014)), an international development company specializing in integrated resort destinations; NuVox Inc., a telecommunications company based in the southeast and Midwest US (CFO (2003-2008)); GT Group Telecom (CFO (1999-2002)), and Qwest Communications International Inc. (various roles (1996-1999)), where he developed deep expertise in capital markets, mergers and acquisitions, and international business. Mr. Shoemaker holds a B.S. in Commerce with a concentration in Accounting from the University of Virginia and is a Certified Public Accountant.