Our Vision: A future where humanity can detect, prevent, and stop disease outbreaks before they become pandemics.
Blueprint Biosecurity advances pathogen-agnostic countermeasures by building the evidence base for promising technologies, developing pathways for implementation, and supporting real-world deployment in partnership with government, academia, industry, and philanthropy.
Founded
Awarded to Blueprint Biosecurity
Team Size
Our Work at a Glance
These figures reflect the scale and capacity behind Blueprint Biosecurity’s work, detailed in the annual report, which highlights progress in building the evidence base for countermeasures that can help society detect, prevent, and respond to future pandemics.
Meet the Team
Executive Director
Jake Swett
Jake is the founder and Executive Director of Blueprint Biosecurity, a nonprofit dedicated to strengthening society’s ability to prepare for and respond to pandemics. He founded Blueprint after leading work on The Apollo Program for Biodefense, a report published in the wake of COVID-19 by the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense. The report laid out an ambitious plan for overhauling America's layers of defense against pandemics, and Blueprint was created to continue advancing that work.
Before Blueprint, Jake co-founded altLabs, a research nonprofit focused on biosecurity solutions, and served as CTO at an early-stage startup developing biosensors that integrate semiconductor electronics with synthetic biology. Earlier in his career, he worked as a research scientist at Lockheed Martin’s Advanced Technology Center, where he focused on nanotechnology and biomedical applications.
Jake has contributed to more than 70 scientific articles and patents, authored op-eds in The New York Times and STAT. He holds a PhD in nanotechnology from the University of Oxford and has bachelor’s degrees in physics and applied mathematics.
Chief Operating Officer
Siobhan Brenton
Siobhan Brenton is the Chief Operating Officer at Blueprint Biosecurity, where she oversees the organization’s business operations, HR, finance, communications, and stakeholder development. Siobhan brings over seven years of operational experience across project management, strategic development, finance, and grantmaking logistics. In her most recent role leading operations at Rethink Charity, Siobhan spearheaded the development of their fiscal sponsorship program to provide operational support to new initiatives while they focus on their core missions. She has a passion for implementing solutions to complex problems and has helped launch multiple charities in the U.S. and Canada.
Siobhan received a bachelor’s degree in nutritional biochemistry from Memorial University of Newfoundland and a master's degree in international public health from the University of New South Wales.
Chief of Staff to the COO
Lesley Marling
Lesley Marling is the Chief of Staff to the COO at Blueprint Biosecurity, with over a decade of experience building systems that help mission-driven teams thrive. She has led hiring, developed inclusive people practices, and created day-to-day operations that keep things running smoothly. Before joining Blueprint, she supported staff and streamlined operations as Vice President at ComplianceDashboard. She has also held administrative and operations roles at Mission Asset Fund, Academy for Precision Learning, and Rapha International. Lesley is passionate about creating environments where people feel valued and supported to do their best work.
Lesley received a bachelor’s in sociology from Missouri Southern State University and a master's in public administration with a concentration in nonprofit management from Indiana University.
PPE Program Director
Victoria Slaughter
Victoria Slaughter is the PPE Program Director at Blueprint Biosecurity, where she works to develop and implement strategies that improve the availability of robust and innovative personal protective equipment to prevent and mitigate future pandemics.
Victoria is a cell and molecular biologist by training and has more than six years of experience as an R&D scientist, focusing on using biotechnology to improve human health and animal wellbeing. Previously, she worked to develop in vitro human-on-a-chip models to support precision medicine and reduce animal testing, specifically focused on metabolic disease. Most recently, she has led Upstream Development work at Biomilq, a startup aiming to produce components of human breast milk outside the body to improve infant nutrition options and lower the environmental burden of infant formula. Her experience with emerging technologies has led her to prioritize biosecurity and work to respond to the threat of novel pandemics.
Victoria has a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry and a master’s degree in chemistry from the University of Central Florida.
Built Environment Program Director
Brian Renda
Brian leads Blueprint Biosecurity’s Built Environment program, overseeing research and analysis to identify and advance interventions that can make indoor spaces more resilient to biological threats.
Prior to joining Blueprint, Brian spent nine years working across a number of technical and commercial roles at Ginkgo Bioworks in Boston, MA. These positions included serving as Director of Corporate Development, where he led and closed multi-million-dollar M&A and other transactions across the industrial biotech, biopharma, AI, and ag-biologics spaces. During his tenure at Ginkgo, Brian also worked in strategy, product management, biosecurity and alliance management, and as a bench scientist. Brian is also an active member of the biosecurity community and a member of the 2019 Emerging Leaders in Biosecurity Initiative (ELBI) class.
Brian holds a PhD in cell & molecular biology from the University of Texas at Austin.
Government Affairs Director
Sabah Ghulamali
Sabah Ghulamali is the Government Affairs Director at Blueprint Biosecurity, bringing a decade of public health and biosecurity policy experience. She was previously a Senior Advisor in the Department of Health and Human Services, covering policies related to biosecurity and biosafety, biomedical research and development, public health, and more. Prior to that, Sabah was a professional staffer on the Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions (HELP) Committee, focusing on legislative authorities for CDC, ASPR, NIH, and ARPA-H. During her tenure on HELP, Sabah worked on multiple significant pieces of bipartisan legislation, including the PREVENT Pandemics Act, the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness and Advancing Innovation Act of 2019, the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness and Response Act, and the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act. Prior to her time on the Hill, Sabah was at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, crafting policy solutions for issues ranging from infectious disease outbreaks to high-consequence pathogens to the opioid overdose epidemic.
Sabah received a bachelor’s degree in gender studies from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County and a master's degree in public health from the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University.
Communications Director
Sami Leonardo
Sami Leonardo is the Communications Director at Blueprint Biosecurity, where she leads the organization’s communications strategy and execution. She brings nearly a decade of experience in the health and life sciences sector, developing and executing communications and advocacy strategies for biopharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, trade organizations, government agencies, and political organizations. Her expertise includes product and pipeline communications, patient advocacy, reputational communications, and policy communications.
Before joining Blueprint, Sami worked in healthcare consulting, where she led campaigns and patient advocacy initiatives across oncology, rare disease, and pipeline assets. Prior to her consulting work, she served in several roles as a Presidential Appointee at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, most notably as Press Secretary for the COVID-19 Joint Information Center during the federal pandemic response. Earlier in her career, she led the healthcare policy communications portfolio at the Republican National Committee, producing research briefings that shaped national policy conversations.
Sami holds a master's degree in epidemiology from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and a bachelor's degree in international relations and Spanish.
Grants and Compliance Director
Miriam Rodgers
Miriam Rodgers is the Grants and Compliance Director at Blueprint Biosecurity, where she builds systems and infrastructure needed to scale the organization's grantmaking. She also leads legal review and negotiation of grant agreements and oversees compliance across the organization's programs.
She brings over a decade of experience spanning nonprofit legal operations and antitrust law, as well as a background in philosophy. Prior to Blueprint, she served as Assistant General Counsel and Chief of Staff at Effective Ventures Foundation USA. In that role, she advised on grantmaking, governance, and compliance for a portfolio of fiscally sponsored projects, several of which later became independent organizations. Earlier in her career, Miriam practiced antitrust and competition law in New York and San Francisco and spent several years teaching secondary school government, economics, and the International Baccalaureate's Theory of Knowledge course. This experience helped shape her interest in designing clear, effective systems for training and communication.
Miriam holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Texas School of Law, a master's degree in law and philosophy from the University of Oxford, and a bachelor's degree in economics and philosophy.
Senior Fellow
Richard Williamson
Richard Williamson is a Senior Fellow at Blueprint Biosecurity, providing subject matter expertise and strategic input across Blueprint’s programs.
He brings over a decade of leadership experience across strategy consulting, finance, strategic sourcing, and operational supply chains. Witnessing firsthand the disruption of COVID-19, Richard redirected his private-sector expertise toward biosecurity and pandemic preparedness. Prior to joining Blueprint, he was Head of Technical Operations at Alvea, a biotech startup, where he also served on the R&D leadership team. Earlier in his career, Richard led strategic sourcing teams at two of the UK’s largest supermarkets, diving deep into complex value chains and re-engineering supply chains for greater efficiency.
He holds a bachelor’s degree with first-class honors in philosophy, politics, and economics from the University of Oxford.
Senior Researcher
Stephen Martin
Steve Martin is a Senior Researcher at Blueprint Biosecurity, where he studies a wide range of emerging and innovative methods to prevent pandemics. He retired from the Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service after 28+ years with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Steve worked on laboratory and field-based projects related to respirator filter and unit performance, ventilation systems and other engineering controls, environmental tractor cab filter performance and cab integrity testing, improving indoor air quality, and air/surface disinfection with germicidal ultraviolet.
Steve co-led CDC’s ventilation team during the COVID-19 pandemic. He was involved with CDC/NIOSH emergency responses to the 2001 anthrax attacks, the original Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome outbreak in Asia, hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the BP oil spill, and preparing U.S. hospitals to receive Ebola patients during outbreaks in western Africa. He also led several tuberculosis outbreak investigations and prevention studies in jails, prisons, and homeless shelters. Steve led the Filtration and Disinfection Team of the ASHRAE Epidemic Task Force formed early in the COVID-19 pandemic to provide critical ventilation guidance. He currently leads the Air Cleaning Working Group for ASHRAE Standard 241: Control of Infectious Aerosols. He is an original member and past chair of the ASHRAE Technical Committee on Ultraviolet Air and Surface Disinfection (TC 2.9).
Steve received his PhD in architectural engineering (mechanical systems focus) from The Pennsylvania State University. He holds a master's degree in environmental engineering from the University of Delaware and a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from West Virginia University. He is a registered Professional Engineer in the State of West Virginia.
Glycol Vapors Program Officer
Darryl Angel
Darryl Angel is the Glycol Vapors Program Officer at Blueprint Biosecurity, where she guides the investigation and strategic implementation of promising technologies to mitigate future pandemics.
Prior to joining Blueprint Biosecurity, Darryl spent the past decade conducting research in environmental microbiology laboratories within the academic sector, managing and executing projects both independently and in collaborative efforts across scientific, engineering, and healthcare disciplines. Her previous work has focused on antimony-driven biogeochemical cycles as well as the detection and mitigation of airborne viruses in the built environment. Most recently, she co-led a project evaluating the susceptibility of SARS-CoV-2 aerosols to far-UVC–driven inactivation while serving as a graduate researcher at Yale University. Darryl is passionate about advancing impactful technological investigations and roadmaps that strengthen society’s preparedness against biosecurity threats.
Darryl holds a PhD and master's degree in chemical and environmental engineering from Yale University, as well as a bachelor's degree in environmental science and geography, with a focus on computer applications in human-environmental analysis from Binghamton University.
Senior Policy Analyst
Carolyn McCoy
Carolyn McCoy is a Senior Policy Analyst and provides strategic support to the government affairs work of Blueprint Biosecurity, bringing over two decades of experience in public health policy, advocacy, and emergency preparedness. She brings extensive expertise in stakeholder engagement, federal government relations, and strategic consulting across the public health and biomedical sectors.
Most recently, Carolyn served as Director of External Affairs at the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR), part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, where she established leadership in stakeholder engagement and served as ASPR’s primary liaison to public health partners and government agencies. Prior to federal service, she founded Sail Upstream, LLC, providing strategic consulting for clients in the public health and biomedical arenas.
Carolyn spent six years as Senior Director of Federal Government Relations at the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO), where she successfully secured billions of dollars in COVID-19 funding for state and territorial health departments. She has also held senior policy positions at the Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs and the National Association of County and City Health Officials. During the H1N1 pandemic, she served as an Emergency Operations Officer at the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization, overseeing resource mobilization for member countries in the Emergency Operations Center.
Carolyn holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master's degree in public health from UCLA. She serves on the Board of Directors for La Clínica del Pueblo and is based in Washington, D.C.
Operations and Events Associate
Alice Fine
Alice Fine is the Operations and Events Associate at Blueprint Biosecurity, where she provides administrative support across the organization and oversees event planning and execution.
Previously, Alice was part of the People Operations team at Mercy For Animals, helping to create and maintain a supportive and rewarding work environment while ensuring compliance across two countries and numerous states. Throughout her work, Alice has focused on creating innovative and thorough policies and procedures that are sensitive to the needs and priorities of the team.
Alice received a bachelor’s degree in advocacy and social change from the Loyola University Chicago School of Communication.
Far-UVC Program Officer
Kelsey Quinn
Kelsey Quinn is the Far-UVC Program Officer at Blueprint Biosecurity, where she supports research, education, and deployment efforts to advance far-UVC as a tool for pandemic preparedness and response.
Prior to joining Blueprint, Kelsey led the Tech Sovereignty & Security portfolio at the New Lines Institute for Strategy and Policy, where she covered U.S.-China technology competition, frontier AI governance, and the geopolitical dimensions of emerging technologies. That work deepened her interest in disruptive technologies with the potential to fundamentally change the paradigm around the problems they aim to solve, and shaped how she thinks about gaps in pandemic preparedness and response. She is motivated to help strengthen society's ability to prepare for and respond to pandemics.
Kelsey holds a master's degree in security and terrorism studies and a bachelor's degree in microbiology and molecular genetics, with a minor in global terrorism.
Respiratory Protection Program Officer
Elisa Cink
Elisa Cink is the Respiratory Protection Program Officer at Blueprint Biosecurity, where she supports the program's work to advance the availability and accessibility of highly protective respiratory PPE for future outbreaks through applied research, roadmapping, and strategic grantmaking.
Elisa is an infectious disease epidemiologist with experience spanning biodefense policy, biosurveillance, and public health preparedness. Prior to joining Blueprint, she was an Antimicrobial Resistance Epidemiologist and Regional Coordinator at the California Department of Public Health, where she supported AMR surveillance and the response to drug-resistant bacterial and fungal outbreaks. Earlier, as a graduate intern at the White House Office of Pandemic Preparedness and Response Policy, she contributed to national strategies for biosurveillance, biological weapons countermeasures, and emerging biotechnologies. She also interned at the HHS Office of Global Affairs – Office of Pandemics and Emerging Threats, supporting the U.S. government's National Focal Point for outbreak alerts. During graduate school, Elisa was a researcher at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, where she studied biological weapon disinformation and its impact on public health preparedness. She is motivated to strengthen societal resilience to pandemics.
Elisa holds a master's degree in global disease epidemiology and control and a certificate in public health preparedness from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and a bachelor's degree in community health and biology from Tufts University.
Executive Assistant to the Executive Director
Cassie Collins
Cassie Collins serves as Executive Assistant to the Executive Director at Blueprint Biosecurity, coordinating leadership priorities, improving operating systems, and keeping high-impact work moving.
Before joining Blueprint, Cassie spent her career partnering with senior leaders in legal, financial, and other private-sector organizations. Her work has included executive operations, project management, and building systems that help leadership operate effectively.
The COVID-19 pandemic led Cassie to become deeply interested in biosecurity, which ultimately brought her to Blueprint.
Cassie holds a bachelor's degree in psychology from Saint Joseph’s University.
Operations Associate
Corbie Phillips
Corbie Phillips is an Operations Associate at Blueprint Biosecurity, where he provides support across the organization to ensure smooth and scalable operations.
Previously, Corbie worked on critical response operations at Instacart, managing life safety risks and rapid alerting systems. Corbie has 10 years of experience in operations, program management, and emergency response planning within tech and security consulting companies. Corbie is passionate about building systems that help make communities safer at scale.
Corbie has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from San Francisco State University.
Operations Associate
Joe Fortney
Joe Fortney is an Operations Associate at Blueprint Biosecurity, where he focuses on people operations, supporting HR and recruitment functions, office management, financial operations, and the broader operational systems that keep the organization running smoothly.
Previously, Joe was an Operations Associate at Ayuda, a D.C.-based nonprofit, where he supported HR, IT, and financial operations across offices in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. Joe has experience in operations, HR, and administrative support within nonprofit, government, and political organizations, and is passionate about building people-centered systems that help organizations run efficiently.
Joe has a bachelor's degree in business administration, with a concentration in management, from Longwood University.
Built Environment Contractor
Chanrith (Chan) Siv
Chanrith (Chan) Siv is a Built Environment Contractor at Blueprint Biosecurity, where he is exploring the potential of antimicrobial vapors to strengthen pandemic preparedness.
Chan brings more than a decade of experience at the intersection of science, strategy, and execution. His work has focused on evaluating which technologies are worth pursuing and helping turn promising ideas into programs that can be funded, scaled, and deployed. Prior to joining Blueprint, he spent several years at Ginkgo Bioworks, where he helped launch and manage biosurveillance initiatives spanning K–12 COVID-19 testing, wastewater surveillance, and air monitoring, contributing to broader efforts to build resilient systems for detecting and responding to infectious disease threats.
Most recently, Chan served as a subject matter expert at ARPA-H, where he advised on the feasibility of early-stage biomedical programs and helped shape program architecture across genomics, advanced therapeutics, and health systems innovation. His broader experience spans strategy, business development, product management, commercial operations, and consulting.
Chan holds a PhD in biophysics from the University of Michigan and a bachelor's degree in biochemistry from UCLA.
Careers at Blueprint Biosecurity
Interested in contributing to Blueprint Biosecurity’s work? Learn more about current opportunities.