About Us
Vision
Its vision is a Rhode Island recognized as a global life-science leader — a destination where companies from anywhere can build and grow, and where discovery becomes better health for people everywhere.
Mission
As the state's central coordinating organization for life sciences, RILSH is a gateway into Rhode Island's research institutions, health systems, and talent — bringing companies and partners together to advance medical and scientific breakthroughs.
The Rhode Island Life Science Hub (RILSH) is a quasi-public state entity working to grow and serve Rhode Island's life-science community — investing in, coordinating, and connecting academia, industry, clinical care, and capital to translate innovation into economic growth and improved health.
Mission
As the state's central coordinating organization for life sciences, RILSH is a gateway into Rhode Island's research institutions, health systems, and talent — bringing companies and partners together to advance medical and scientific breakthroughs.
Vision
As the state's central coordinating organization for life sciences, RILSH is a gateway into Rhode Island's research institutions, health systems, and talent — bringing companies and partners together to advance medical and scientific breakthroughs.
Our Leadership
President and CEO
Bob Cormier is President and Chief Executive Officer of the Rhode Island Life Science Hub (RILSH). A veteran medical-device executive with more than 25 years of leadership across startups, mid-size companies, and a Fortune 500 enterprise, he has built his career bringing new technology to the bedside — and building the companies that get it there.
Most recently, Cormier was CEO of Sentec, a global respiratory and critical-care monitoring company that he grew into a mid-size enterprise and whose technology became widely adopted in NICUs around the world. He has been part of dozens of company acquisitions and integrations, licensing and distribution deals, and new product introductions, and he co-founded Health Data Analytics Institute (HDAI), a digital health and AI startup. He has also held senior leadership roles at Covidien, Aspect Medical Systems, and Tyco Healthcare. Alongside his operating career, Cormier has worked on the investor side of the industry, including with family offices and private equity firms, giving him a dual perspective on both building life science companies and financing them.
A Rhode Islander for more than 30 years, Cormier holds a B.S. from the University of Rhode Island and a J.D. from Roger Williams University School of Law.
VICE PRESIDENT
Lilia Holt is the Vice President of Programs & Strategic Partnerships at the Rhode Island Life Science Hub. With more than a decade of experience in financial services, economic development, and program coordination, she previously served as Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at the Rhode Island Life Science Hub and Vice President of Business Development at the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation.
Since the launch of the RI Life Science Hub in June 2023, Lilia has played a central leadership role in strategically advancing and scaling Rhode Island’s life sciences ecosystem in alignment with statewide economic development priorities. She has built and strengthened strategic partnerships across government, academic institutions, healthcare systems, and industry to advance scientific translation, clinical collaboration, and business expansion. She was instrumental in the development of Ocean State Labs, the state’s first life science incubator, and has led business attraction efforts to bring new life science companies and high-quality jobs to Rhode Island, including the expansion of Organogenesis. Lilia continues to design and implement programs to catalyze company growth milestones and strengthen workforce development initiatives statewide.
Holt holds an MBA from Simmons University and a BA in Sociology and Psychology from Suffolk University. A native Rhode Islander, she is a graduate of Classical High School in Providence, Rhode Island.
Appointed leaders from Rhode Island's research universities, hospital systems, industry, and state government — governing the RI Life Science Hub and guiding its investments.
Our Board of Directors
PRESIDENT, BEACON BANK - CHAIR
EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF COMMERCE - VICE CHAIR (EX-OFFICIO)
CHIEF VISIONARY OFFICER & GOVERNMENT RELATIONS, ALMONTE GROUP LLC - TREASURER
VICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS, AMGEN RHODE ISLAND
DIRECTOR OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, CITY OF PROVIDENCE (EX-OFFICIO)
CO-PRESIDENT & CEO, PRO-CHANGE BEHAVIOR SYSTEMS, INC.
PRESIDENT & CEO, BROWN UNIVERSITY HEALTH (EX-OFFICIO)
DEAN, WARREN ALPERT MEDICAL SCHOOL, BROWN UNIVERSITY (EX-OFFICIO
PRESIDENT, UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND (EX-OFFICIO)
PROVOST, PROFESSOR OF ENGINEERING, BROWN UNIVERSITY (EX-OFFICIO)
FORMER GENERAL SECRETARY-TREASURER, LABORERS' INTERNATIONAL UNION OF NORTH AMERICA (LIUNA)
VICE PRESIDENT, DEVICE AND TRANSLATIONAL ENGINEERING, VERTEX PHARMECEUTICALS
PRESIDENT & CEO, CARE NEW ENGLAND (EX-OFFICIO)- SECRETARY
PRESIDENT, RHODE ISLAND COLLEGE (EX-OFFICIO)
RI BIO