Team Members Archive - IGM Biosciences

Mary Beth Harler, M.D.

Dr. Harler joined IGM in 2021. She is our Chief Executive Officer and a member of our Board of Directors. Prior to joining IGM she was Senior Vice President, Head of Immunology and Fibrosis Development at Bristol Myers Squibb, where she oversaw late-stage development of assets for the potential treatment of psoriasis, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), among others. Dr. Harler also oversaw approved medicines within the immunology and fibrosis portfolios, such as Orencia and Zeposia. In her more than 10 years at Bristol Myers Squibb she also served as Head of Innovative Medicines Development and Head of Innovative Clinical Development in the cardiovascular, fibrosis, immunoscience and genetically-defined diseases group. Prior to joining Bristol Myers Squibb, Dr. Harler worked in both medical affairs and clinical research at Wyeth Pharmaceuticals (now part of Pfizer). Dr. Harler received a B.S. from Wheeling University in West Virginia and an M.D. from Marshall University. She completed training as a general surgeon at Brown University’s Rhode Island Hospital, where she was also a research fellow with a focus on the role of immune cells in wound healing.

Lisa L. Decker, Ph.D.

Dr. Decker has served as our Chief Business Officer since March 2021. Prior to joining us, Dr. Decker served as Chief Business Officer of Atreca, a biopharmaceutical company, from June 2019 until March 2021. Dr. Decker also previously served in various roles at Nektar Therapeutics, a development stage biopharmaceutical company, from August 2008 to June 2019, including as Vice President of Business Development from August 2017 until June 2019, Executive Director, Business Development from August 2012 until August 2017, Executive Director, Business Strategy and Operations from January 2010 until July 2012, and Senior Director, Alliance Management from August 2008 until December 2009. Prior to this, Dr. Decker served in a number of roles at the Office of Technology Management at the University of Massachusetts Medical School from 2000 until 2008. Dr. Decker holds a Ph.D. in Immunology from Tufts University School of Medicine and conducted her postdoctoral training at Harvard Medical School.

Misbah Tahir

Misbah Tahir joined IGM in January 2019 as Chief Financial Officer. He previously served as Vice President, Finance at Dermira. Prior to joining Dermira in 2014, he held finance leadership positions at Onyx Pharmaceuticals, Human Genome Sciences and Amgen. Mr. Tahir began his career as a management consultant at the consulting firm of Oliver Wyman. He received a B.A. in International Relations from the University of Pennsylvania and an M.B.A. from the University of Michigan Business School.

Suzette Tauber

Ms. Tauber joined us in 2019 and serves as our Chief Human Resources Officer. Prior to joining IGM, Ms. Tauber was in charge of human resources at ARMO BioSciences, a biotechnology company, from before its initial public offering through its acquisition by Eli Lilly. Previously, she held human resources leadership positions at a variety of life science and high-technology companies, including Cellular Research (acquired by Becton Dickinson), Kapor Enterprises, Escalate, KIVA Software (acquired by Netscape/AOL) and Bay Networks (acquired by Nortel). Ms. Tauber’s career in human resources began with Bain & Company, where she led their West Coast recruiting efforts. She received a B.A. in Communications from Northern Arizona University.

Paul Graffagnino

Mr. Graffagnino joined IGM in 2021 and currently serves as our Senior Vice President of Legal Affairs. Mr. Graffagnino spent over two decades in private legal practice in Silicon Valley providing corporate and securities advice to technology companies as a partner at the law firm of GCA Law Partners LLP. He began his legal career as an associate in the Washington, D.C. office of Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom LLP and became a partner in the San Francisco office of Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP. Mr. Graffagnino received a B.A. in Political Economy from Williams College and a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center.

Steven Weber

Mr. Weber joined us in 2022 and serves as our Senior Vice President, Corporate Controller and Principal Accounting Officer. Prior to joining IGM, Mr. Weber served as Vice President and Principal Accounting Officer at Aeglea Biotherapeutics, a public, clinical-stage biotechnology company. Prior to Aeglea, he held controller and finance leadership roles at SACHEM, American Campus Communities and Citco Fund Services. Mr. Weber began his career as a public accountant at PricewaterhouseCoopers and is a certified public accountant in the state of Texas. He received a B.B.A. in Accounting and an M.P.A. from the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin.

Felix J. Baker, Ph.D.

Dr. Baker has served as a member of our board of directors since January 2021. Dr. Baker is a Managing Member of Baker Bros. Advisors LP (“BBA”), a biotechnology-focused investment adviser to fund partnerships whose investors are primarily endowments and foundations. Dr. Baker founded BBA, together with his brother Julian Baker, in 2000. Dr. Baker has served on the boards of biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, including Seagen since July 2003, Talis Biomedical since July 2013, Kodiak Sciences since September 2015, and Kiniksa Pharmaceuticals since October 2015, and he previously served on the board of Alexion Pharmaceuticals from June 2015 to February 2021. Dr. Baker holds a B.S and a Ph.D. in Immunology from Stanford University, where he also completed two years of medical school.

M. Kathleen Behrens, Ph.D.

Dr. Behrens has served as a member of our board of directors since January 2019. Since December 2009, Dr. Behrens has served as an independent life sciences consultant and investor. From January 2012 to June 2014, she served as the Co-Founder, President, Chief Executive Officer and director of the KEW Group, a private oncology services company. From 1996 to December 2009, Dr. Behrens served in various roles at RS Investments, an investment management and research firm, including as a General Partner for selected venture funds. Prior to this, from 1983 to 1996, she served as a General Partner and Managing Director at Robertson Stephens & Co. Since March 2009, Dr. Behrens has served as a member of the board of directors of Sarepta Therapeutics, a medical research and drug development company, and as Chairwoman since April 2015, as well as Chair of its audit committee and a member of its research and development committee. She has served as Chairwoman of the board of directors of MiMedx Group, a biomedical company, since June 2019, and as a member of its nominating and governance committee and audit committee. Dr. Behrens served on the board of directors of Amylin Pharmaceuticals, a biopharmaceutical company, from June 2009 until its sale to Bristol-Myers Squibb in 2012. She previously served as a member of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) from 2001 to early 2009 and as Chairwoman of its subcommittee on Personalized Medicine. She has also spent time as a public-market biotechnology securities analyst and a venture capitalist focusing on healthcare, technology and related investments. She also previously served on the Board on Science, Technology and Economic Policy for the National Research Council and as a Director, President and Chairwoman of the National Venture Capital Association. Dr. Behrens received a B.S. in Biological Sciences and a Ph.D. in Microbiology from the University of California, Davis.

Julie Hambleton, M.D.

Dr. Hambleton has served as a member of our board of directors since August 2018. Dr. Hambleton served as Interim President & CEO, Arch Oncology, a private company, from August 2020 to March 2021. From June 2018 until her retirement in April 2020, Dr. Hambleton served as Senior Vice President, Chief Medical Officer, Head of Development at IDEAYA Biosciences, an oncology medicine company. From September 2017 to May 2018 and from March 2016 to May 2016, Dr. Hambleton served as an independent strategic consultant for various life sciences companies. From May 2016 to September 2017, she served as Vice President, Head U.S. Medical at Bristol-Myers Squibb, a global biopharmaceutical company. From August 2015 to February 2016, Dr. Hambleton served as Executive Vice President, Chief Medical Officer at Five Prime Therapeutics, a biotechnology company, and as Senior Vice President, Chief Medical Officer from December 2012 to August 2015. From April 2010 to November 2012, Dr. Hambleton served as Vice President, Clinical Development at Clovis Oncology, and from 2003 to 2010, Dr. Hambleton held increasing roles of responsibility in BioOncology at Genentech. Dr. Hambleton has served on the board of directors of SpringWorks Therapeutics, a biopharmaceutical company, since May 2020 and Erasca, Inc., a biotechnology company, since March 2021. Dr. Hambleton completed her hematology-oncology training at the University of California, San Francisco, where she then served on the faculty from 1993 to 2003. Dr. Hambleton received an M.D. from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and a B.S. in Nursing from Duke University and was board-certified in Hematology and Internal Medicine.