“To help organizations and the people who serve them to realize their potential”
Lori A. Llewellyn is a distinguished finance executive and strategic leader whose thirty-year career has spanned biotechnology, biopharmaceuticals, healthcare, and global life sciences. Known for her ability to combine technical financial mastery with organizational leadership, she has consistently guided companies through periods of high growth, complex acquisitions, and operational transformation. Her professional journey is marked by a steady rise through finance leadership roles into the C-suite, culminating in her reputation as a trusted partner to boards, CEOs, and executive teams.
From her early days as a Plant Controller at American Ordnance and cost analyst at Cambrex to her later role as Chief Financial Officer for Health Prime, Lori has demonstrated an exceptional ability to navigate the intricacies of corporate finance while keeping a steadfast focus on long-term strategy and sustainable growth. She possesses a rare blend of technical expertise, strategic foresight, and people-centered leadership that has enabled her to thrive in both public and private equity-backed companies across diverse geographies.
Her career trajectory has been defined by her willingness to embrace complexity. At Lonza, where she spent over a decade, Lori rose through finance leadership roles to serve as Head of Finance for the Bioscience Business Unit. In this global role, she provided oversight for commercial sales, manufacturing, and R&D across four continents. She delivered double-digit revenue growth and bottom-line improvements while serving as a financial steward and strategic partner to cross-functional teams. Her contributions extended beyond the balance sheet—she played a key role in commercialization collaborations, acquisitions, and partnerships, ensuring that Lonza remained positioned as a global leader in life sciences.
At Recro Gainesville, a CDMO specializing in cell and gene therapy, Lori was entrusted as Vice President of Finance, serving as both financial architect and trusted advisor to senior leadership. She refined forecasting models, enhanced decision-making processes, and ensured that acquisitions and joint ventures were negotiated with precision. Her ability to translate financial insights into operational strategy underscored her influence as both a financial leader and business partner.
Her tenure as CFO of Health Prime highlighted Lori’s ability to drive rapid organizational expansion. Tasked with overseeing finance operations across the U.S., India, and Costa Rica, she successfully managed organic and inorganic growth that culminated in a 300% expansion of the business. She played a critical role in the successful sale of the company, bringing rigor, transparency, and trust to financial operations while maintaining a forward-looking vision. Her leadership professionalized the finance function, built systems that supported scalability, and aligned forecasting across global teams.
Most recently, Lori has continued to extend her impact as an interim and advisory CFO. She has partnered with organizations such as Genezen, where she finalized budgets, implemented new reporting structures, and established financial discipline during a time of transition. Her work with Danforth Advisors further highlights her adaptability, providing project-based operational finance support to life sciences companies navigating growth and transformation.
Beyond her technical and strategic achievements, Lori has distinguished herself through her international exposure and cultural fluency. She has lived and worked across Switzerland, Germany, India, Costa Rica, Asia, and South America, bringing a global perspective to leadership and decision-making. This international dimension, coupled with her ability to connect with people at all levels, underscores her belief that financial leadership must be both precise and human-centered.
A Magna Cum Laude MBA graduate with Certified Public Accounting experience, Lori combines academic excellence with practical expertise. Her career reflects a deep commitment to continuous improvement, whether through refining cash flow forecasting systems, streamlining reporting processes, or mentoring teams to achieve their full potential. Her values-driven approach has earned her a reputation as both a detail-oriented steward of financial health and a visionary who sees beyond numbers to the broader organizational mission.
What makes Lori especially compelling as a board and advisory candidate is her ability to bridge the gap between operational execution and strategic oversight. She brings hands-on experience in forecasting, budgeting, reporting, M&A, and system improvements while also excelling in leadership, organizational design, and strategic planning. She is equally comfortable diving into operational details as she is setting long-range strategy alongside boards and executive teams.
Her personal values further enrich her professional persona. Lori is passionate about health, wellness, travel, and the outdoors, grounding her leadership in a holistic approach to life and work. She sees leadership as a way to empower people—helping teams identify their strengths, recognize their weaknesses, and grow into their potential. Her mission is to guide organizations toward clarity, resilience, and sustainable success.
Character:
Lori exemplifies integrity and resilience, approaching every role with a commitment to ethical leadership and long-term organizational health. She inspires confidence by aligning financial stewardship with the greater mission of the companies she serves. Her people-centered approach fosters loyalty and trust among colleagues and executives alike.
Knowledge:
With three decades of experience across biotech, healthcare, and life sciences, Lori brings unparalleled expertise in finance, operations, and global strategy. Her command of complex financial structures and international markets makes her a trusted authority in high-stakes environments. She pairs her technical background with deep industry knowledge, allowing her to bridge gaps between finance, science, and business.
Strategic:
Lori is a forward-thinking leader who consistently aligns financial operations with broader corporate objectives. She has repeatedly demonstrated her ability to guide organizations through rapid expansion, acquisitions, and transitions. Her strategic insight ensures that decisions are grounded in both immediate feasibility and long-term growth potential.
Communication:
Known for her clarity and approachability, Lori is adept at conveying complex financial concepts to diverse audiences. She has presented with confidence before boards, investors, executives, and global teams. Her gift for communication lies in her ability to translate numbers into narratives that inspire alignment and action.
