Elma Hawkins

Elma S. Hawkins, PhD, MBA, is a veteran of the pharmaceutical/biotech industry with 40 years of experience serving across major functional areas. She is a seasoned CEO and successful drug developer, having played a pivotal role in the overall development of numerous products, five of which have been approved and marketed in the US and Europe. Dr. Hawkins is currently Executive Chairwoman of Thylacine Biotherapeutics, a pandemic preparedness company as well as Chairman of Epibone, a revolutionary bone and cartilage reconstruction company. Previously, she was President, CEO and co-Founder of Redpin Therapeutics where she led the company in navigating the translational development of the first chemogenetics product for diseases of the nervous system. The company was acquired by Kriya Therapeutics at the end of 2022. Dr. Hawkins held numerous other CEO positions and executive roles, most notably leading pioneering efforts in the autologous cell/cell-derived products field.

Dr. Hawkins received her PhD in Organic Chemistry from the University of Alabama and an MBA from Boston University.