Your Dedicated Life
Sciences Industry Partner

Dean Molloy

Chief Executive Officer

Dean became CEO of Network Partners Group in September 2022. The Network Partners Group (NPG) umbrella consists of three businesses (Network Partners, FlexPro, and Indeio) serving the life sciences industry of medical devices and pharmaceuticals. He is a member of the Network Partners Group Board of Directors and is responsible for leading NPG into its next phase of growth through the company’s mission: When inspired professionals advance life sciences, people live healthier, more vibrant lives.

He is a high-energy, innovative, and approachable leader committed to building global high-performance teams that drive revenue growth. He has a unique ability to adapt to constantly changing business climates, develop a clear vision for teams in rapidly-growing companies, and be decisive in challenging hyper-growth settings.

In his role as Chief Operations Officer (COO) of Network Partners, he developed and executed a strategy that resulted in growing the company revenue over 400%. With the rapid and sustained growth, NPG is a third-time Inc. 5000 recognized company. He led the efforts for the strategic acquisition of FlexPro (the pharmaceutical brand of NPG) and created Indeio, a talent acquisition and staffing services firm supporting the life sciences industry.

Dean is deeply committed to leading the industry in developing and growing future leaders for the life sciences industry through Network Partners Group Leadership Programs. This is a one-of-a-kind program that provides Packaging Engineers, Regulatory Affairs Associates, and Quality Engineers the opportunity to begin and accelerate their careers in their respective fields and create an experience and network they can leverage throughout their careers.

Prior to Network Partners, Dean set up, developed, and exponentially grew multiple professional service businesses by creating the company vision and strategy focused on growth and expansion. He held the role of Vice President of Client Services with Validant Consulting. In that role, he progressively grew with the company to positions of increased responsibility, including transitioning to new locations and geographies. He led the launch of the new East Coast Office (generating approximately 50% of the company’s total revenue), oversaw all operations across the company, and played a key role in growing the pharmaceutical sector. He helped manage and deliver on key project initiatives in companies such as Bayer Diagnostics, Boston Scientific, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, Pfizer, Sandoz, Fresenius Medical, GlaxoSmithKline, and Johnson & Johnson.

Dean holds a Bachelor of Technology in Electronics Manufacturing from the University of Limerick, Ireland, has been PMP certified from The Project Management Institute, and has a Master’s in Business Administration from Liverpool St John Moores University, UK. He holds two patents for a stent delivery device.

Alyse Ellman

Chief People Officer

As Chief People Officer at Network Partners Group, Alyse acts as the architect for the company’s talent strategy and corporate-culture initiatives. While leading the Human Resources function at Network Partners Group, Alyse offers a data-focused approach to the talent strategy, team building, and culture to maximize employee potential.

Prior to her role at Network Partners Group, Alyse founded a coaching and consulting business supporting companies in various industries in leadership development, executive coaching, and strategic organizational development. Previously, she served as the Vice President of Talent and Organizational Capabilities at White Lodging, a privately-held hospitality management company. Alyse served in several executive leadership roles with a focus on people and service including in the customer experience division at United Airlines and in several executive-level operational roles at Wynn Las Vegas.

She brings a wealth of knowledge in the areas of leadership development, culture, engagement, organizational development, and strategic planning. In addition to holding a Bachelor of Science in Business Management, she holds coaching certifications from the International Coaching Federation as well as in the CliftonStrengths program by Gallup.

Mitch Blumenfeld

CFO, Network Partners Group

Mitch leads Network Partners Group’s finance and accounting functions. He has spent the last decade working in life sciences and pharmaceutical services, most recently as the CFO of Signant Health, a leading provider of software and scientific services supporting clinical research. He was previously the CFO of PCI Pharma Services, the world’s largest provider of outsourced pharmaceutical packaging and clinical trial services where he was responsible for the financial management of 18 facilities across North America, Europe, and Australia. Prior to his time with PCI, Mitch worked for AmerisourceBergen as the Senior Vice President and CFO of the Drug Corporation and led the integration and finance functions for World Courier, the world leader in global cold chain and clinical trial logistics with offices in over 140 countries. Mitch started his career with GE, having a career spanning 15 years and roles in the US and Europe with the Appliances, Lighting, Information Services, and Water Technology businesses as well as five years in the Corporate Audit Staff. He is a graduate of GE’s Edison Engineering Program and Advanced Courses in Engineering. Mitch holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science Engineering from Bucknell University and a Master of Science in Computer Science & Applications from Virginia Tech.

Ritu Dhami

Chief of Staff

Ritu has been with Network Partners since 2018 in numerous roles of continuous responsibility including Senior Scientific Advisor, Director of Regulatory Affairs, Senior Director of Regulatory Affairs, and Vice President of Regulatory Affairs and Quality. Ritu helped develop and execute a strategy to create a new Quality Business Unit within Network Partners and grow the Regulatory Affairs and Quality Business Units by over 300%.

Ritu is a talented, business growth-minded individual and takes pride in finding ways to help businesses grow both in their core business segments but also finding new areas for innovation. In her current role as Chief of Staff, she is responsible for bringing the marketing mission to life: Arming our Clients and our Team with the Latest Insights. In addition, she is responsible for leading key company initiatives that will ensure the company is ready for the next phase of growth.

Ritu brings a wealth of knowledge and unique perspective to Network Partners Group. She has served in several medical device and pharmaceutical regulatory affairs roles with Abbott Neuromodulation (formerly St. Jude Medical), Cantox Health Sciences (now Intertek), Sanofi Pasteur, Dalton Pharma Services, and Novopharm.

During her time at Abbott Neuromodulation, Ritu served as the lead regulatory representative for new product development teams and CAPA teams. Her role included the development and implementation of regulatory strategies for Class III Premarket Approval (PMA) products, Class II 510k devices, and EU Active Implantable Medical Devices. While at Cantox Health Sciences, she provided regulatory consulting services including preparation of regulatory applications such as INDs, IDEs, CTAs, NDS/NDA, ANDS/ANDA, and PLAs for prescription drugs, biologics, over-the-counter drugs, and natural health products. Ritu holds a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology from the University of Guelph and a Master of Science in Regulatory Affairs from Northeastern University.

Karen Polkinghorne

President, Network Partners

Karen’s focus is providing medical device leaders with an enhanced client experience through optimal support and completion of their critical programs. She’s dedicated to leading the company’s team of inspired professionals who dedicate their careers to Packaging Engineering, Regulatory Affairs, Labeling, Quality, and Project Management through perspective gained from her 25+ years in the industry.

A common thread in her leadership style is identifying and solving gaps experienced by industry professionals. First, Karen began in the packaging engineering profession with technical roles at Schneider and Smith & Nephew, continued in entrepreneurial experiments with Elevation Consulting and LifePack Forum, and rounded out with business-focused roles with Bemis, DuPont, Network Partners, in addition to being a founding member of thePACKout.

Her initial role with Network Partners in 2016 was leading the start-up’s sales and marketing effort, expanding the company’s flagship packaging engineering offering – highlighted by establishing the Apprentice Leadership Program – and expanding roles as the business grew into additional service offerings. A strong believer that experience and great mentors are the best teachers, Karen keeps a Bachelor of Science degree in Packaging from Michigan State University, and a Master of Business Administration in Entrepreneurship from the University of Colorado - Boulder hanging in her office as a reminder of how it all began.

Mark Sydnor

President, FlexPro

Mark Sydnor leads the FlexPro Group, NPG’s pharmaceutical-focused company, with expertise in program management, quality, and regulatory consulting. Mark brings over 20 years of experience to FlexPro, with operations and quality leadership from Covidien, Mallinckrodt, Hospira, and Pfizer, and 10 years of experience as a leader in global pharmaceutical consulting and program leadership.

Mark possesses extensive knowledge in business and operational strategy, quality system optimization, program management, and new product development and commercialization across over 100 clients across 5 continents. Mark earned a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from Virginia Tech and a Master of Business Administration in Biotechnology and Finance from North Carolina State University.