Our Team

Michael Gersch is CEO of LabKey. Most recently, Michael was with ProQuest as the Senior Vice President, Global Marketing, Sales, and Customer Experience and was responsible for integrating the previously separate teams to create a new unified go-to-market approach to improve the customer experience and drive higher growth. Before this role, Michael was General Manager of ProQuest Workflow Solutions where he led the global software division in developing new solutions and scaling the business with a renewed focus on the customer.

Michael’s prior experience includes serving as Vice President and Managing Director for Litigation Solutions, Vice President and Managing Director for Case Assessment and Discovery Services; General Manager for Court Docket and Document Solutions, as well as leadership positions in finance all while working for LexisNexis. He was Vice President of Finance and Strategic Planning at ART, and was responsible for finance, strategy and business development for an automotive business unit at Milliken & Company.

Michael holds an MBA with Honors from Emory University, a Masters of International Business from the University of Austria, and a BS Cum Laude in Management Science from the State University of New York at Geneseo.

Courtney comes to LabKey with expertise in finance and operations leadership, ranging from start-ups to a $3B corporation, including experience overseeing areas of business management, operations, strategic planning, business system transformations and integrations, change management, as well as mergers, acquisitions and divestitures.

Most recently, Courtney was with Ernst & Young as a senior consultant providing finance and operations management advice to corporate clients, particularly with regard to acquisitions and divestitures and on the effective integration of key business, finance, and operational systems following these events. Prior to EY, Courtney held numerous financial and technology leadership roles within LexisNexis defining financial and operational strategies, and managing the day-to-day operations of the business. Prior to LexisNexis, Courtney was the Controller of Applied Discovery, Inc. and was instrumental in the sale of the company, which was successfully acquired by LexisNexis. She was also the Controller for CTS International, a global recruiting firm.

Courtney holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Management, with a minor in Human Resources from Montana State University, as well as a post-baccalaureate degree in Accounting from City University.

Josh leads LabKey’s San Diego office and brings expertise in security-related projects, client-side end user applications, and server-side development. He focuses on assay data management and integration, experimental annotations and general infrastructure. He also leads development of mass spectrometry features. Prior to joining LabKey, Josh worked most recently on Amazon.com’s data warehouse, developing the software that schedules and executes loading and querying of more than 30 terabytes of data. Before that, he was the team lead for the debugger for BEA System’s WebLogic Workshop. Josh has a BS in Computer Engineering from Northwestern University.

Adam Rauch is the Vice President of Product Strategy at LabKey. He has shaped the platform and security model of LabKey Server from the start. Prior to LabKey, Adam joined Microsoft in 1989 as a Program Manager, leading the design and development of the first two versions of Visual Basic. He was Group Program Manager for NetMeeting, Microsoft’s Internet conferencing client, and Passport, Microsoft’s distributed Internet authentication system. Adam joined the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in 2003 where he developed a repository and analysis system for all tandem mass spectrometry data. Adam holds a BS in Computer Science from Northwestern University, and strokes a wicked bass for the Shed Boys.

Matthew began his career at Microsoft leading the team that developed QJet, the query processor for Microsoft Access. He migrated QJet into SQL-Server and later led the SQL-Server languages team. In 1999 he co-founded Westside with Mark Igra and George Snelling, where he served as CTO and lead developer. When BEA Systems purchased Westside in 2001, Matt became Director, Development on BEA WebLogic Workshop. He joined the Hutch in 2003 working for Martin McIntosh, where he built the STEDI MS2 analysis and viewing engine. Matt graduated from Harvard in 1989.

Karl Lum is Vice President and the Product Development Manager at LabKey Software. For years he has been a key software engineer developing many connectivity, interface, and visualization features. He began his career at Boeing where he developed flight control software for Boeing’s military projects. He also worked for WRQ as the development manager for the Reflection X Windows team and later helped develop Nimble Technology’s data integration suite. At BEA, he worked with many future LabKey team members on the Weblogic Workshop team. Karl earned his BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Washington, where he studied both computer science and engineering.

Jason brings to the LabKey team a dynamic sales and customer experience background and a PhD in Applied Physical-Inorganic Chemistry. Jason worked as bench chemist within R&D for Boots Healthcare International (UK), researching emollient formulation before joining the Boots sales organization. He has held sales leadership roles at Thomson Scientific, ProQuest, and most recently operated a sales consultancy business working with small to medium publishing organizations. Based in the UK, Jason leads LabKey sales and customer support operations worldwide. Outside of his professional life, Jason is a father of two and is a professionally qualified and active photographer.

Audrey Thurston Yilmaz is the Human Resources Director at LabKey Software.  Audrey began her HR career in benefit administration, later specializing in compliance and employee relations. Prior to LabKey, she worked as a consultant helping organizations develop human capital solutions focused on improving employee engagement and overall organizational health.  Audrey has an BA in Sociology from the University of Southern Maine and an MPS in HRM & OD from Georgetown University.

As VP of Marketing at LabKey, Will is responsible for developing marketing strategies and initiatives that create growth through demand generation, brand amplification, and thought leadership. Will has a BA from Middlesex University in London and more than 15 years of experience in B2B marketing for healthcare, technology and consulting organizations. His creativity and passion for crafting integrated marketing strategies have fueled consistent growth for organizations he has worked with.  In his free time, Will enjoys traveling, the great outdoors and spending quality time with his family.

Alan was born and raised in the Midwest, but now calls Seattle home. Previously Alan worked at LabKey, then went on to start his own company, but is back at LabKey, where he feels most at home. When Alan is not working, he spends his time as a Community Organizer. He is a co-founder of Seattle’s largest tech meetup, Puget Sound Programming Python (PuPPy), and a co-founder of the regional Python conference PyCascades. Alan also enjoys riding his bicycle, drawing, and sampling local craft beers.

Andrew is UX Lead at LabKey. With nearly 20 years of design experience at Zillow, Leafly, Google, and Amazon, he’s helped shape user experiences used by millions of people. Andrew grew up in Maryland, has a M.A. from UT Austin, and has lived in Seattle for more than a decade. At home, he loves cooking, baking, playing music, and spending time with his family.

Bernie joins LabKey with a wide breadth of scientific experience, ranging from clinical toxicology and inorganic chemistry to biomechanics and physiology. He holds a BS in Biochemistry from the University of Texas at Austin, where he worked in the chemistry department and gained experience in pharmaceutics and flow cytometry. Bernie continued his education at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, where he earned his MS in Physiology in 2012. Most recently, Bernie worked as a data analyst and LCMS technician while consulting at RatLab LLC to develop novel biomedical instrumentation. In his spare time, you are likely to find him on an ultimate frisbee field, ascending a cliff, or surprising someone with one of his freshly baked pies.

Binal holds a BS in Biological Sciences from University Of South Carolina, Columbia, and furthered her education by taking Computer Science classes at UCSD. While she was fascinated with computer science part of her also felt drawn to biological sciences. Combining these two interests lead her to work on undergrad projects in the Bioinformatics field at UCSD. There she worked with researchers and PhD students to develop a Mass Spectrometry data assessment tool. Working for the benefit of science is something Binal has always been pulled towards and she is thrilled to be applying this passion to her work at LabKey.

Prior to joining LabKey, Binal worked for a Defense contractor where she was a support & test engineer on a Chem-Bio defense team that developed hazard prediction software for the war fighters. Outside of work, Binal enjoys working out, drawing, hiphop dancing, museums, and pretending to be a singer – and she probably is, in some parallel universe.

Chris earned his BA in Liberal Arts (English Lit, Theatre) from Willamette University. He comes to LabKey by way of many years at Microsoft, where he helped build out the infrastructure to support automated testing of apps, ensuring compatibility on a day-to-day basis throughout the evolution of Windows. He also spent a lot of time working with their data telemetry systems, and led the test team that worked on implementing the full USB spec for commercial release. When he’s not massaging code or wrangling his kids with his lovely wife, you can find him on his bike, on the yoga mat, skiing in the back-country, climbing mountains and walls, river kayaking, taking the train, or reading voraciously.

Cory brings to LabKey rich scientific software development experience. Previously he served as a member of the Atlas Science Portal Team for the Statistical Center for HIV/AIDS Research and Prevention (SCHARP), a division of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. For SCHARP, Cory worked as a study data manager for the Atlas portal and later focused on client-side application development for several networks including: CHAVI, CAVD, HVTN, HPTN, and MTN. Cory graduated from Augsburg College, where he holds a BS in Computer Science and Mathematics. In his free time, he enjoys watching and playing several different sports, most notably basketball and baseball.

Dan earned his BS in Computer Science from the University of Wyoming many moons ago, when a mouse was still something of a novelty, and went on to acquire extensive knowledge working in the software industry. His background includes a 20-year stint at Microsoft as an SDET, where he worked on several projects, including Internet Explorer 4, Visual Studio.Net, and an early version of Microsoft CRM. He and three other team members received a patent for their work on tagging email messages so they could be easily tracked by the CRM system. In his spare time, Dan enjoys reading and spending time with his wife and their two demanding cats.

Hannah was a LabKey client for five years before joining the team as a Technical Account Manager for Scientific Accounts. She worked as a data and bench scientist for a CAR T cell immunotherapy program in Seattle, and prior to that worked in a lab researching malaria vaccines. She has extensive knowledge of flow cytometry and other immunoassays, as well as experience working with clinical trials and data management. Hannah graduated from the University of California at Davis in Neurobiology with a minor in Computational Biology, and later received her MS in Bioinformatics from Northeastern University. In her free time you might find her rowing, reading, or traveling.

Ian comes to LabKey with experience in both pharmaceutical and computer science fields. After receiving his BS in biochemistry at Seattle University, Ian joined Targeted Genetics and GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals. His work there concentrated on process refinement and protein purification for vaccine trials. Later, Ian also completed a BS in computer science at the University of Washington. Before joining LabKey, Ian worked as a Software Engineer and SDET for various companies in the area, including Microsoft. When he’s not working, Ian enjoys chasing his young twins around and indoctrinating them into Seattle sports-fandom.

Joe earned his B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and brings experience from the manufacturing and software sectors. He worked in account management at Xylem where he coordinated with licensed distributors to provide construction companies with built-to-order HVAC products during the COVID-19 pandemic. In his prior role at Inzata Analytics, he managed client projects ranging from government contractor data integration to student information system reporting for school districts. Joe particularly enjoys working with clients to find creative solutions to meet complicated use cases.

In his free time, Joe enjoys skiing, hiking, a good barbecue, and playing video games badly. One of these days, he plans on going sky diving and scuba diving, but not at the same time.

With over 18 years of customer service & technical support experience in a variety of industries, Jon brings his Jack-of-all-Trades skills to LabKey. His broad technical support experience spans the wireless industry, digital marketing analytics, home lending, digital video management, and human resources just to name a few. When not trying to be the best Support Ninja he can possibly be, Jon spends his free time working with the Melodic Caring Project, the Seattle Living Room Shows, and pretending he’s a ukulele rockstar.

Keegan is a UX designer at LabKey. He has almost 15 years of experience making websites and apps more user-friendly. His experience with Expedia and Best Buy equips him to solve complex user problems. When he’s not at work, Keegan loves snowboarding, hiking, and random craft projects.

Marty brings years of software development experience designing video and data analytic solutions for major television broadcast companies and mobile service providers. Prior to LabKey, Marty worked at Allot Communications in San Diego, formerly Ortiva Wireless, developing a successful start-up company’s video optimization and data analytic solution deployed in several Tier-1 mobile service providers. Additionally, he has developed broadcast equipment used by companies such as FOX and the BBC. Marty served six years in the U.S. Navy where he studied nuclear theory, chemistry, and mechanics and worked on the nuclear propulsion plant of a Fast Attack submarine. The Navy brought Marty to San Diego where he went on to get his BS in Computer Science at the University of California San Diego and MS in Computer Science at San Diego State University. Outside of LabKey he spends time hiking and mountain biking in the deserts of Southern California, and fishing off the coast of San Diego and Mexico.

Melanie joins LabKey with over 20 years of experience in accounting, financial management, and financial system integrations in global software technology, legal, consulting and international recruiting industries. Melanie holds a BA in Business Administration from the University of Washington and post-baccalaureate in Accounting from City University. As a Seattle native, she enjoys travelling to sunny and beachy destinations in her spare time. Her favorite pastime is keeping up with her school-aged son and daughter.

Molly brings a diverse background in software development, testing, support, and user-experience design to the documentation team. From an early vision of a career in particle physics, she was tempted by travel and holds a degree in International Relations from Stanford University. Blending her loves of language, math, and problem-solving at last in software, she worked first at Adobe Systems and later at Sybase on an early precursor to the database that evolved into Apache Derby. She spends her spare time fixing, making, organizing, optimizing, simplifying, and always believing in the power of community to come up with the best solutions. She enjoys the beautiful commute from Bainbridge Island.

Nick is a Senior Software Engineer at LabKey. His software experience ranges from working embedded in a lab with scientists to writing avionics software for rockets to architecting the front-end for products. Nick was raised in Seattle and graduated from Seattle University with a B.S. in Computer Science. When he isn’t honing his craft he enjoys cycling, being a dog owner, and used to enjoy being a Mariner’s fan.

Rob’s experience as a software engineer and program manager spans several industries and two continents. He became a pilot at 16 years of age and was on the trajectory to becoming a professional pilot, but redirected towards his passion for technology. After graduating with a degree in Computer Science he joined his girlfriend in Australia where she was pursuing a career in medical research. While they explored Australia in a broken down VW hatchback which authorities officially declared defunct by placement of a sticker on the front window, he worked in the Oil/Gas/Mining field developing solutions for companies like Mobile Exploration, BP, and BHP. He and his girlfriend returned to the states two years later, married in Seattle, and then moved to Los Angeles. While in LA he contributed over 15+ years as a software engineer, director of operations, and technical program manager, leading cross-functional teams in building technology solutions. His work spanned financial services and digital marketing industries before the opportunity presented to combine his dual passion for technology and healthcare. In the past 10 years, his work centered on building chronic disease self-management services and solutions. To live closer to their families he and his wife moved back to the Seattle area with their son. Joining LabKey as a program manager fits well with his commitment to excellence in bridging science and technology. In his spare time, he loves hanging out with his wife and son, watching sci-fi, western, spy, and thriller movies, coaching baseball, fishing, and riding motorcycles.

Rosaline graduated from Wellesley College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science and English Literature. As an undergraduate, she combined her passions in technology and writing by designing and leading a programming and robotics workshop curriculum for young girls. Her curiosity for new programming concepts led her to undertake projects as varied as conducting large-scale webscraping and semantic analysis research, to building simple scripts to automatically decide tomorrow’s outfit for her.

Prior to LabKey, Rosaline worked in healthcare software as an integration engineer, in which she helped manage and develop infrastructure controlling the flow of data between hospitals, medical databases, and healthcare devices. In her free time, she enjoys writing speculative fiction, cooking traditional Hubei dishes, and being bad at video games.

Steve is a perpetual student and learner, who never wanted to leave school…so he stayed until there were no more classes to take, earning his PhD from the University of Washington’s joint Philosophy/Classics program. Studying the ancient philosophers and scientists provided great training in cutting through to the essential elements needed for understanding complex systems. Teaching classes in logic as well as ancient and modern philosophy provided great experience in building up understanding in students, helping them to organize questions, and to make headway into seemingly impossible problems.

As a writer at LabKey, Steve has the opportunity be a student all over again. Working at the intersection of two massive fields, computing and biological research, provides a wealth of new material for research. Writing at LabKey means working with a wide range of material: scientific research, experimental data, client specifications, and software references. It’s a great challenge to synthesize it all, and turn out something compelling for a broad audience of both experts and novices. Steve strives for a simple and direct writing style, using a minimum of buzzwords and “academese”. Steve brings a rich experience in technical writing from his time at Westside, BEA, and Oracle, and rounds out his written communication style with a strength in visual expression as a professional artist and photographer.

Stuart is an IT professional with over 20 years of experience in IT Leadership roles at some of Seattle’s most notable companies: Costco, Coinstar, Naverus and Sila Solutions Group. At times, Stuart has been known to collect IT certifications…. some of them in his current collection include: Certified Scrum Master, AWS Solution Architect Professional, AWS Developer Associate, AWS SysOps Admin Associate, and Microsoft Specialist: Architecting Azure Solutions.

When not dabbling in technology and collecting letters after his name, Stuart enjoys spending time with his family, travel, and the wonders of the great outdoors. A native Washingtonian, he enjoys riding the back roads on his motorcycle, hiking everything from the Camino de Santiago, trails of the northwest and the beaches of Hawaii.

Susan comes to LabKey with a breadth of knowledge in science and mathematics. She earned her BS in Mathematics and Computer Science along with a BSBA in Accounting and Computer Information Systems with a concentration in Actuarial Science from Drake University. She earned her PhD in Computer Sciences from the University of Wisconsin – Madison where she researched computational geometry and robotics.

Susan continued her research at the Max Planck Institute for Computer Science in Saarbrücken, Germany. There she focused on the development of software libraries to implement efficient, exact algorithms and flexible, extensible data structures for geometric computation. She has led teams in the development of software solutions for renewable energy assessment and the library industry. When she gets time away from her computer, Susan enjoys baking, gardening, hiking, and quilting.

Sweta Jewargikar comes to LabKey as a Software Test Engineer from a successful previous career in Systems Engineering, both in the US and India.

Sweta’s experience includes Napster, INFOSYS, and Horizon Consulting. She also has extensive volunteer experience including assisting Helping Link, a Seattle non-profit, implement Salesforce as a tool for volunteers. She has a Bachelor of Engineering in Computer Science from VTU , India.

She loves exploring new cities and hiking and can’t decide if she prefers Mt. Rainier or Olympic national Park. She is passionate about cooking and baking.

Trey earned his BS in Computer Science from Western Washington University. Trey began his career as a Development and Test Engineer for Microsoft. He started working with the hardware test tools group on a variety of projects, including the Sidewinder and Lifecam series of products. He later joined the SQL Server Test Execution team, the last line of defense for Microsoft SQL Server QA, and now leads LabKey’s test team. In his free time, he enjoys nerdy board games, bicycling and listening to podcasts.

Varun earned his B.S. in Biomedical Engineering from The Ohio State University and comes to LabKey after spending time in the Healthcare, Automotive, and Oil & Gas sectors. Whether helping companies pursue alternative energy sources or helping improve patient access to imaging and other health information, Varun has always had a passion for assisting others and improving lives. As a self-described people-person, he loves working with clients to deepen relationships and ensure continued success.

Born in the Midwest, Varun came to Seattle with his life partner looking for new adventures and life experiences. In his free time, you can find him bouldering, kayaking, or on the basketball court. A proud cat and dog dad, you can also find him at a dog park or one of Seattle’s many pet-friendly breweries.

Wendy holds a BS in Chemical Engineering and an MS in Computer Systems Engineering from University of Arkansas. She has worked in many positions throughout her career which spans disciplines including software engineering, telecommunication, energy, environmental and IoT technologies. In her spare time Wendy enjoys gardening, hiking, cooking and volunteering at the USO and Food Bank in SeaTac Airport.   She is an active member of the USAF Combat Control Association.

Xing holds a BS in Bioinformatics from Tongji University in Shanghai, and a MS in Computer Science from Florida International University. Cultivating new understanding and insights from biomedical data has always been one of her primary interests. Throughout her academic career she worked closely with research labs and doctors to develop better analytical tools and processes. She also worked as a software engineer in the workforce management industry prior to joining LabKey. In her free time she enjoys gardening, designing terrariums, and hiking in the outdoors.