Executive in Residence
2025 Executive in Residence
Panel Discussion
The panel discussion featuring Executive in Residence, Olivier Noel, MD, took place on Sept. 8, 2025. Watch the recording.
About the speaker
Olivier Noel, MD
Dr. Olivier Noel is a physician resident in the plastic and reconstructive surgery residency program at Yale University School of Medicine. Noel was featured on ABC's 'Shark Tank' as the founder and CEO of DNAsimple, a startup company that helps accelerate genetic research by connecting DNA donors with research scientists.
Noel earned his M.D. and Ph.D. from the Penn State College of Medicine in 2021 as a member of the Medical Scientist Training Program. He completed his Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics in 2018. His research thesis focused on characterizing the genetics behind the positive health effects in patients following bariatric surgery and developing novel therapies for diabetic patients.
Noel will visit Penn State University Park from Sept. 7-10 to share his industry experience and expertise with current students.
About the panelists
Bill Arteca
Bill Arteca currently serves as the Head of Growth and Operations for Joined Bio. With a deep understanding of both scientific research and commercialization, he has a proven track record of scaling biotech companies by bridging the gap between lab-driven innovation and market success.
Prior to Joined Bio, Arteca spearheaded the commercial expansion of industry leaders such as Ohaus, Sanguine, & Avrok Bio. His leadership accelerated revenue and market impact, including Avrok Bio’s ascent from startup to over $100,000 in monthly revenue and Sanguine’s valuation soaring. In 2024, Bill founded BioSample Connect ¾ now part of Joined Bio ¾ a platform for human biospecimen procurement.
Arteca is an avid history buff, having seen more WWII documentaries than he wants to admit. He holds an M.S. in Biotechnology from Kean University.
Justin Mercer
Justin Mercer is a New York, New Jersey, and Virginia-licensed attorney — and former jazz percussionist, tuba, and trombone player — with over a decade of experience in government administration law, Internet law, trademarks and copyright law, domain name disputes, start-ups, and technology litigation. A native of Little Rock, Arkansas, Mercer attended Amherst College and graduated from the Georgetown University Law Center, where he won both individual and team awards in oral advocacy in arbitration, negotiations, and intellectual property/media law. While in law school, Mercer interned with the Federal Communication Commission and clerked with the Alliance of Artists and Recording Companies, both in Washington, D.C.
After law school, Mercer litigated on behalf of various New York City agencies in state and federal courts as a Special Assistant Corporation Counsel in the New York City Law Department’s Administrative Law division. He also worked as litigation and entertainment counsel at a boutique law firm in New York City. At his prior law firm, Lewis & Lin LLC, Mercer handled commercial litigation and transactional matters regarding Internet, copyright, technology, start-up business, and media law.
In 2022, Mercer left private practice to take a position as General Counsel at Global Refining Group, Inc. — an automotive recycling and processing company. He also acts as General Counsel to Alpha Recycling, Inc. and its related entities.
Darren and Ellen Lehrich HPA Executive in Residence Endowment
Thanks to a generous gift from Ellen and Darren Lehrich, the Department of Health Policy and Administration has established the Darren and Ellen Lehrich HPA Executive in Residence Endowment. This endowment allows the department to invite high-level leaders in the healthcare sector to Penn State University Park to share their industry experience, insights and expertise, and build connections with faculty and current students.
The Executive in Residence program bolsters the department's professional development initiatives, connecting students to healthcare executives and creating new paths to areas of the healthcare sector where there is a demand for talented recent graduates.
Recap the inaugural HPA Executive in Residence event, featuring Ken Fasola, president of Centene Corporation.
- Past speakers
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- 2025: Dr. Olivier Noel, plastic and reconstructive surgery resident, Yale University School of Medicine
- 2025: Kendra Aucker, Senior Vice President, North Region and President, WellSpan Evangelical Community Hospital
- 2024: Jennifer Langer Jacobs, Assistant Commissioner for the Division of Medical Assistance and Health Services, New Jersey Department of Human Services
- 2023: Ken Fasola, president, Centene Corporation
