Members Bring Deep Experience in Education, Business and Workforce Development
The BioTechnical Institute of Maryland is pleased to announce the appointment of three new members—Will Anderson, Claudio Rattes and Keena Thomas.
Coming from government, business and education, the new board members bring years of experience and leadership to help address the rapidly increasing workforce demands facing the life sciences industry due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We are thrilled to welcome Will, Claudio and Keena to the board, and look forward to the real-world perspective they bring,” said Leslie Prewitt, BTI executive director. “Each of them will provide critical guidance to help us continue to deliver a prepared workforce to support the explosive growth of the life sciences industry in Baltimore and beyond.”
Will Anderson former executive director of Economic & Workforce Development for Baltimore County, is currently the managing director of the Impact Principals, an economic, workforce and community development consultancy that works with Fortune 500 corporations, foundations, social enterprises, and emerging businesses. Anderson brings a wealth of experience from leading numerous public, private, and non-profit organizations across the state, including a decade spent as chief of technology and business development at the Maryland Business Roundtable for Education. A graduate of The Johns Hopkins University, he holds an M.S. degree in Interdisciplinary Science and Ecology.
“I joined the Board because BTI's value has never been higher or more needed,” said Anderson. “We know nothing catalyzes a local economy like jobs, with pathways to grow. BTI has been that career on‐ramp for over two decades, bringing more local talent from our neighborhoods into that expanding economic opportunity.”
Claudio Rattes is a chemical engineer and currently a director of product development with McCormick & Co., where he works on development of line extensions, new technologies, and new platforms for specialty brands. Rattes brings decades of experience contributing to business growth through product innovation across multiple global regions and offers BTI the perspective of the talent needs of life sciences and adjacent industries. Rattes received his degree in Chemical Engineering from the Universidad de Carabobo - Valencia, Venezuela and is tri-lingual in English, Portuguese and Spanish.
“My goal at BTI is to work to expand our focus to become relevant to other regional industries also relying on science and technology for success such as food and flavors,” said Rattes. “This would both expand the job opportunities for BTI graduates and increase the number of potential sponsors of BTI.”
Keena Thomas is the budget and financial manager at KIPP DC public charter schools, a community of high-performing, college-preparatory schools in Washington D.C. Prior to her current role, Thomas worked at a Baltimore-based tech start-up and The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory overseeing financial operations and working with cross-functional teams and business professionals at all levels, communicating the financial position for effective strategy development. Thomas holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance from Frostburg State University, a Master of Business Administration from Strayer College, and a Post-Baccalaureate in Financial Management from the Johns Hopkins University Carey Business School.
“Education is the great equalizer; it was important for me to find ways to give back to the community and help individuals who need opportunities to improve their lives and the lives of their families,” Thomas noted.
For over two decades, the Biotechnical Institute of Maryland, Inc. has led the way in providing tuition-free, high-caliber, training to help those who are under- or unemployed become lab technicians in the rapidly expanding life sciences sector. Its flagship program, the BTI Laboratory Associates Program, provides tuition-free training in basic laboratory skills to bright, ambitious Maryland residents who are under – and unemployed. Since its founding, BTI has successfully trained more than 500 students and placed nearly 400. Employers benefit from a stream of ready-to-work, well-qualified, skilled lab technicians.
For more information, visit BTIWorks.org
