CHRISTOPHER MALE
CO-FOUNDER & MANAGING DIRECTOR
Mr. Male is Co-Founder and Managing Partner of the Autism Impact Fund where he oversees the firm and leads AIF’s Business Services practice. Chris’ investment career includes a decade-plus of leading venture and middle-market equity financing across business services, impact, legal cannabis and real estate.
Prior to founding AIF, Chris was Managing Director of RBG Capital LLC, his family’s private investment arm, where he was responsible for sourcing, structuring, negotiating transactions and supporting portfolio management teams execute on value creation strategies. Currently, he is a board member of Quantum Power GmbH, On Point Market Research Group and ACME Glass and, prior to the sale of each company, was on the boards of Dope Media LLC, Calyx Brands, and Headset.
Chris also co-founded two successful investment vehicles in the legal cannabis space: (i) Anslinger Capital, founded in 2014 and merged with Hypur Ventures in 2016, is fully deployed and returning gains to investors and (ii) Revel Holdings, a curated investment vehicle for strategic family offices and UHNW individuals to deploy capital in the space. Prior to joining RBG, Chris was a Manager in Hyatt Hotel’s Global Real Estate & Development Finance group.
Chris’ youngest child, Duke, was diagnosed with Autism at three-years-old. Chris is actively involved with Quest Inc., a local nonprofit that “through quality and innovation build communities where people with disabilities can achieve their goals” and he is committed to being a catalyst for wholesale changes that improve the lives of people with autism and their families.
Chris holds an M.B.A. in Finance and Strategy from Case Western University’s Weatherhead School of Management and a B.A. in History and Economics from Denison University.
He lives in Winter Park, Florida with his wife and three children.
BRIAN O’CALLAGHAN
CO-FOUNDER
Mr. O’Callaghan founded CPI, a pioneer in the recruiting industry, in 1996. He has been fortunate to work with successful investment firms and their portfolio companies, helping them hire talent and manage the intricacies of managing, empowering and inspiring teams. Brian has been involved with several entrepreneurial ventures acting as a founder, investor and advisor including, most recently, the Autism Impact Fund.
CPI is 41 people in 4 cities working closely together to provide clients access to talent through our extraordinary network, while sharing useful information and counsel. DEI hiring and retention is a Firm-wide passion that we focus on every day.
Brian manages CPI and helps execute projects at all levels. With the support and leadership of his talented colleagues, Brian has helped nurture a close, collaborative and entrepreneurial culture. The team works selflessly together, sharing the brain share and resources of the Firm with clients.
Prior to founding CPI, Brian was a Vice President with Jones Lang LaSalle and an Analyst with Morgan Stanley in the Investment Banking Real Estate Group.
Brian is a graduate of The Lawrenceville School and Denison University. He is a member of the Board of Berkshire School and King School.
ROB SARRAZIN
CIO & MANAGING DIRECTOR
Mr. Sarrazin is Chief Investment Officer and Managing Partner of the Autism Impact Fund where he oversees the firm and leads AIF’s Life Sciences practice. Rob’s career as a longtime healthcare investor, private equity partner and corporate development executive includes decades of experience overseeing a large portfolio of control investments, including corporate strategic transactions and over 30+ middle market growth acquisitions under multiple private equity funds.
Most recently, Rob was the VP Global Head of External Innovation and Direct Investments for the GlaxoSmithKline (“GSK”) Consumer Healthcare division, where he built a new strategically focused corporate development capability. Rob managed a global team, reviewed over 7,000 medical innovations and start-ups, and closed 30+ transactions with emphasis on digital devices, AI and diagnostics, neuromodulation, microbiome, Rx to OTC Switch, bio-actives, and category line extensions.
Rob played a critical role in developing several strategic initiatives at GSK focused on transforming the future of self-care, looking to give consumers and patients more control over their healthcare choices.
Prior to working at GSK, Rob was a Senior Partner at CSW, a private equity firm specializing in buyouts, recapitalizations, and growth capital transactions in middle market companies. Before working at CSW, Rob worked for 16 years for the private equity division of Charter Oak Partners, where he focused on middle market control acquisitions across the healthcare, consumer products and industrials sectors.
Rob is a skilled life sciences investor and team builder with experience bringing together corporates, startups, academics, and individual inventors. Rob is dedicated to leveraging his unique background, combining senior operational roles and private equity partner experience, to catalyze change for the autism community.
Rob has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Richard Ivey Business School (Canada) and an MBA from the Leonard N. Stern School of Business, New York, NY (Valedictorian).
ASHOK SRINIVASAN
CHIEF SCIENTIFIC OFFICER
An innovative and patient-oriented scientist, Ashok Srinivasan has an extensive history of scientific, clinical, and leadership achievement.
As the Translational Research Scientist for NSABP Foundation/NRG Pittsburgh, Ashok has dedicated the past seven years to translating scientific advances to clinical trials, supporting new
technology and therapeutic advancements for breast and colorectal cancer. In this role, Ashok has consulted as a molecular genetics / genomics expert in developing scientific rationales for 10+ clinical trials and educated clinical trialists on emerging trends and best practices in oncology research. He has also been instrumental in generating scientific documentation for intellectual property and patent application filings.
Ashok spearheaded the implementation and management of one of the first Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) facilities in Pittsburgh. As the NGS Facility Director at the University of Pittsburgh and as a Translational Scientist at the NSABP, he guided a team of technicians and postdoctoral fellows in the genomic analysis of genetic disease. His research focused on NGS based analysis, genome and transcriptome sequencing, mutational analyses, the identification of disease genes (zebrafish, mouse, human), ribosome profiling, and metagenomics. He was also instrumental in viral threat research investigating viral recombination and virus evolution for Project Prophecy.
Additionally, Ashok has served as a Staff Scientist at NHLBI/NIH and a Research Assistant Professor at the University of Pittsburgh, Department of Biological Sciences.
Ashok earned a Ph.D. in Molecular Biology from the University of Pittsburgh and a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Madras. He was an Inlaks Scholar in Genetics at the University of Cambridge, England. He has held postdoctoral research fellowships at Harvard Medical School and the Cardiovascular Research Center at the Massachusetts General Hospital, where he led a team that completed the zebrafish genetic map.
Ashok brings a valuable combination of knowledge and experience in model systems (viruses, zebrafish, mouse) and human clinical trials. In addition to his wet-lab expertise in virology, molecular biology, genetics, developmental biology, genomics, cardiovascular biology, and oncology, he is also proficient in data science, statistics, and programming. His hands-on approach to research combined with his leadership and training skills enable him to create, build, and develop passionate and productive teams driving innovative applications of cutting-edge research.
Ashok has authored and co-authored more than 20 publications in basic and clinical research. His primary motivation is overcoming barriers to effective precision medicine, the data-driven improvement of therapeutic outcomes for patients, and translating insights from oncology to ASD. The heterogeneity of ASD parallels that of cancer. However, in the absence of proven ASD biomarkers, molecular subtyping has not been achieved. The transformation of cancer multi omics, immuno-oncology, and metagenomics into technologies capable of manipulating the genome, proteome, immune system, and microbiome for therapeutic ends has the potential to alter diagnosis and treatment strategies for many diseases, including ASD, profoundly impacting human health.
MICHELLE HE
ASSOCIATE
Michelle He, Associate, executes due diligence on potential opportunities and supports AIF’s existing portfolio. Leveraging her statistics/neuroscience background and a solid financial foundation developed at Morgan Stanley, she builds valuation models across sectors, including data-enabled services, SaaS, and biotechnology. Her valuation work is integral to AIF’s deal prioritization and decision-making process. For existing portfolio companies, she monitors financial and operational conditions, industry dynamics, and works at a strategic capacity with select companies to ensure meaningful business development and growth. She also authors investment memoranda, white papers, and LP communications.
Prior to joining AIF, Michelle was an Investment Banking Analyst at Morgan Stanley in the Financial Sponsors Group. She advised private equity firms on capital issuances and transactions involving their portfolio companies, arranging over $900 million in financing packages on the backs of LBOs, mergers, IPOs, and recapitalizations.
Michelle holds a B.S. double major in Business Administration and Statistics/Analytics with a minor in Neuroscience from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She was a GLOBE Scholar in international business at the Copenhagen Business School and the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Her pro-bono work with a startup focused on ASD diagnosis attests to her early interest in autism and mental health. She received highest honors for her thesis on how corporate statements regarding events affecting minority groups impact the minority group’s work behavior. Michelle graduated with highest distinction and as a member of Phi Beta Kappa.
KELLY PATTERSON
HEAD OF INVESTOR RELATIONS AND FUND ADMINISTRATION
Kelly Patterson, Head of Investor Relations & Fund Administration, is responsible for managing all relationship activity, in addition to fund administration, for AIF. Prior to joining AIF, Kelly worked for 18+ years in the professional sports and entertainment space (National Hockey League, Major League Baseball, NJ Devils, Universal Music Group) managing key corporate and consumer products partners. Kelly has inked lucrative endorsement deals and created bespoke marketing platforms for her clients; utilizing major events such as the World Series, Stanley Cup and various All Star Games.
Kelly pioneered licensing and marketing programs, for athletes, teams and artists, creating explosive financial growth and resulting in expanded brand recognition for her clients.
Kelly holds a B.A. in fine arts from Colby College where she played ice hockey. She currently lives in Far Hills, NJ with her husband, newborn son and two dogs.
DAN TARMAN
CHIEF COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER
Dan Tarman has 30+ years of professional and executive experience. Starting his career as a litigation attorney and continuing in the corporate world, has worked at a number of leading companies in senior marketing, brand strategy and corporate communications roles.
Dan’s skills and offerings encompass a broad range of services to partner with businesses with one primary goal in mind: growth. From revenue model enhancement and transformation to brand and marketing strategy, Dan works with senior business leaders to drive measurable, sustainable, and scaleable impact.