Ron Berger
Chief Executive Officer & Founder
Ron Berger serves as the CEO and Founder of VRL, Inc. He purchased the simian laboratory from Esoterix in 2004. The business has seen significant growth under Mr. Berger’s leadership with the addition of new products and services that have helped to improve the quality of research.
Dennis Pitts
President
Dennis Pitts serves as President of VRL, Inc. He earned a B.S degree from Purdue University in Animal Agribusiness and an EMBA from University of Wisconsin. He had stints as Director of Business Development at SNBL USA and as Non-human Primate Manager at Harlan Laboratories.
Javier Mota, PhD
Director & Senior Scientist
Dr. Javier Mota serves as the Director and Sr. Principal Scientist at VRL Laboratories. Dr. Mota is a graduate of the prestigious National Autonomous University of Mexico, considered the top University in Mexico and a top-100 university worldwide. There, he obtained his Masters and Doctoral degrees in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.
Gabriela Martinez, PhD
Director of Operations, Canada
Gabriela Martinez holds a B.Sc. degree and a PhD in Microbiology from the University of Rio Cuarto, Argentina. She moved to Canada in 1997 for a postdoctoral training in molecular biology at the University of Montreal.
Prior to joining VRL Canada, Dr. Martinez worked as Scientific Director for FoodChek Systems and Labplas. She significantly contributed to the growth up and success of these companies, which had benefited from her capacity to lead and innovate in the development of diagnostic and environmental sampling products. Additionally, she has extensive experience in planning, managing, and implementing Level 2 containment facilities, with markedly improved laboratory security as well as compliance with regulatory requirements. Respect for others, implication and concern for good work guarantee her customers’ satisfaction.
In 2023, she joined the VRL family to leverage her knowledge and experience in establishing VRL Canada to effectively serve the Canadian market.
Jon Moll, PhD
Director of Operations & Scientific Affairs, Maryland
Jon Moll serves as Director of Operations and Scientific Affairs at the Gaithersburg, Maryland VRL facility. He earned a B.Sc. degree from the University of Michigan in Biology, and his PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Virginia.
Harendra Singh Chahar, M.Sc., Ph.D.
Assistant Lab Director
Dr. Harendra Chahar earned his Bachelor of Science in Biology and Master of Science in Biotechnology from Dr. B.R. Ambedkar University, and a Ph.D. in Molecular Virology from India’s reputed All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) at New Delhi.
Dr. Chahar is a trained molecular virologist who has a broad background in uncovering virus-host interaction, development of antivirals and molecular diagnostics, detection and characterization of viral pathogens as well as cell-based assay development.
Dr. Chahar has been working in the field of molecular diagnostics since his doctoral training and put his knowledge to work studying and developing diagnostic Real Time PCR-based Molecular detection for infectious diseases, developed multiple RT- PCR and quantitative Real Time RT-PCR assays for rapid and specific detection and quantitation of respiratory viruses (RSV, hMPV, SARS, & Influenza) as well as Dengue, Chikungunya and West Nile Viruses.
He has experience in establishing and maintaining the regulatory requirements of a CLIA laboratory. He has established processes to optimize and improve diagnostic tests and laboratory processes and serves as a CAP laboratory Inspector for Molecular pathology.
He constantly works to provide the most accurate results within a quick timeline without sacrificing quality. Dr. Chahar’s experience and background has brought him to VRL to lead the non-human primate animal health monitoring laboratory in San Antonio, Texas. At VRL San Antonio, along with ensuring the most accurate results in a timely fashion, he is also focused on providing custom solutions to meet the quantitative Real Time PCR and qualitative Real Time PCR needs of VRL’s customers.
Kathy Johnson, PhD
Staff Scientist
Dr. Kathy Johnson received a PhD in Microbiology and a MS in Parasitology from Purdue University. She brings over a decade of experience in clinical diagnostics of infectious diseases within academic research, public health, and veterinary laboratories.
Danny R. Ragland, BS, DVM, DACVPM
Pathologist
Dr. Dan Ragland earned an undergraduate degree in Biology-Chemistry from South Arkansas University (1972) and received a doctorate in veterinary medicine (1980) at Tuskegee University. He gained valuable clinical research and biocontainment experience during assignments as a laboratory animal veterinarian at Letterman Army Institute of Research, San Francisco, CA, and a 4-year residency in anatomic pathology at the Army’s Medical Research Institute of Infectious Disease (USAMRIID), Ft. Detrick, MD, where he participated in studies investigating viral pathogens and toxins, including Ebolavirus, Lassavirus, Argentine Hemorrhagic Fever Virus, ricin and microcystin.
Lisa Tomanek
R&D Lab Supervisor
Lisa Tomanek is the R&D Lab Supervisor at VRL-San Antonio. Lisa has over 16 years of experience in the field of virology, immunology, and microbiology. She received her Bachelors of Science Degree in Biology with an emphasis in Cellular Biology at Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas.
Lizeth Garcia
NHP Lab Supervisor
Lizeth Garcia is Lab Manager at VRL San Antonio. Mrs. Garcia has almost 10 years of experience in Molecular Genetics, Microbiology, and Virology. She received a Bachelor’s of Science in Biology with a concentration in Microbiology and Immunology, and a minor in Chemistry from the University of Texas at San Antonio.
Jason Lankasky
Maryland Lab Manager
Jason Lankasky is Lab Manager for VRL-Maryland. Prior to joining VRL, Mr. Lankasky worked with the USDA-ARS for 2 years researching genetic anti-bacterial characteristics of tuberous plants. He has also worked with the DoD-NMRC for 7 years researching low grade traumatic brain injury causes and treatments on various animal models.
Pat Rivera
National Sales Manager
Seasoned and versatile sales leader with over 13 years of success in the medical device market—partnering closely with orthopedic surgeons and OR directors at industry leaders like Stryker, Synthes, and Draeger Medical—and more than 10 years in life sciences, excelling in both individual contributor and sales management roles with companies like Sartorius, Essen Biosciences, and Transnetyx.
Proven expertise in building market presence from the ground up, particularly within startups and growth-phase companies, including Cellink/BICO and Gator Bio. My background is uniquely enhanced by 14 years of service in the U.S. Marine Corps, where I held both enlisted and officer roles—instilling in me the leadership, discipline, and mission-driven mindset that now define my approach to building and leading high-performance commercial teams.
Personal Interests
Global traveler & aviation enthusiast (aspiring Cirrus SR22 Turbo owner )
Muscle & classic car fan (1997 Jack Roush Stage 3 Mustang GT Convertible – 1 of 10 made)
Former regional Brazilian Jiu Jitsu/MMA competitor
Proud Marine Corps veteran and father coaching my son—soon to be a fellow Marine Aviator
Supportive husband helping navigate the new chapter of an empty nest
Jeff Osboe
Technical Sales Manager
Jeff Osboe serves as Technical Sales Manager at VRL. He is a value-based, solution-oriented Sales Executive with extensive experience in the healthcare, life sciences, and diagnostics sectors.
Jeff has a proven track record of driving significant revenue growth, establishing strategic partnerships, and leading high-performing sales teams to consistently exceed goals.
Jeff is recognized for his ability to transform sales operations, implement innovative solutions, and successfully launch new products across diverse healthcare settings. He brings a wealth of knowledge in laboratory diagnostics, medical device sales, business development, and strategic account management. He is adept at team development, product positioning, fostering cross-functional collaboration, profitability optimization and presenting key insights to C-level leadership. Jeff holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration-Management from the University of Northern Iowa.
John Firneno
Strategic Sales Manager
Industry veteran, John Firneno has been named VRL Strategic Sales Manager. Fresh off stints with Flagship Biosciences and Envigo, John brings a wealth of experience adding both sales management support and strategic account management to this key area of the country for VRL.
Mike Engle
Sales Manager
Mike Engle is a Sales Manager for the East Central U.S. including Maryland, District of Columbia, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois. Mike has been in the biomedical research industry for most of his career and has previously worked with several colleagues from the VRL sales team.
Mandy Horn
Sales Manager – Preclinical Services
Mandy Horn received both her Bachelor and Master of Science degrees from Purdue University in Animal Sciences, and has spent the last 15 years in the laboratory animal industry.
John Whitehouse
Sales Manager
John Whitehouse is the Sales Manager for the Northeast U.S. and Northeast Canada territories.
He has a B.A. from Quinnipiac University with a Project Management credential from the University of Southern Maine.
Michelle Hardman
South East Sales Manager
Michelle holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Medical Technology and brings over 25 years of sales experience in both Clinical Diagnostic and Veterinary markets.
Her extensive background includes laboratory diagnostics, capital equipment, and the sale of veterinary vaccines and pharmaceuticals.
Throughout her career, Michelle has successfully sold into a wide range of laboratory environments, including core laboratories, molecular labs, and those specializing in next-generation sequencing and bioinformatics platforms. On the veterinary side, she has provided vaccines, pharmaceuticals, and equipment to veterinary clinics, combining deep technical knowledge with a consultative sales approach.
Michelle’s long-standing success is built on her ability to understand complex scientific technologies and translate them into tailored solutions for her clients across both human and animal health industries.
Kevin Simonds
Client Service Specialist
Kevin Simonds is a Client Service Specialist, with over 10 years’ experience in developing client relationships. He understands the needs of clients and ensures expectations are met or exceeded. Kevin enjoys assisting clients and providing them with the tools they need to be successful.