About Us

Mr. Ruben Taborda worked 35-years as a Johnson & Johnson executive spanning a broad range in the healthcare sector. Most recently, he was VP, customer success (Supply Chain) where he was responsible for development and deployment of solutions that improve medical device delivery across a $1OB business. His team achieved best in class Net Promoter scores by customers. He also served as Senior VP in Sales, Account Management, Procurement, Finance, Logistics and Manufacturing in the Pharmaceutical and Medical Device sectors.

After graduating from UCLA, Ms. Arleen Candari worked as a biochemical manufacturing technician at Amgen, performing GMP protein purification and final fill/finish operations. She then joined the Genentech’s biochemical processing operations department, furthering her expertise in small molecule bacterial and CHO isolation/protein purification. Her career as a Validation Engineer consultant began a few years later, after joining Parexel International as a consultant. With a strong foundation from hands-on GMP operations, experience in the consulting arena and an acumen for business/client relationships, she founded Candari & Associates (C&A) Consulting firm in 2003, growing her business for 21 years. Alger long consideration, Arleen sold her firm and C&A was merged and acquired by AVS in 2024. Arleen happily stepped into a role as the VP of Business Development overseeing the commissioning, qualification and validation (CQV) department.

Ms. Sumaiya Reza oversees client relations and business development strategies built on the successful match between client needs and our qualified consultants. Her tenure in the biopharmaceutical industry spans across Research and Development, Supply Chain Management, and Quality Operations. She has led many Quality and Project Management efforts within Global 500 Biotechnology companies and believes that great connections, in personnel and knowledge, are foundational toward achieving improved systems and services in health care. Sumaiya holds a BA from UC Berkeley in Molecular and Cell Biology, as well as MS degrees in Business and Biological Science.

Mr. Brian Wong oversees the complete spectrum of project management duties such as project site guidance, budgeting, scheduling, master planning and supervision of development & execution of all life cycle documentation. He has extensive experience in project engineering, automation specification review, commissioning & validation activities. Brian leads a team of AVS engineers and scientists to a successful completion of several complex AVS projects. Brian is a graduate of Cornell University where he received a B.S. in Mathematics with a concentration in Computer Science.

Ms. Lisa Helmonds is focused on developing and maintaining relationships with AVS Life Sciences's consulting clients, implementing training programs, and ensuring the consulting team continues to offer the highest quality services in the industry. Lisa has over 30 years of industrial training in the areas of Manufacturing and Quality Assurance in the pharmaceutical and medical device industries. She has extensive GXP knowledge, has worked with several startups and large companies, and understands the challenges facing the industry. She holds a BS in Zoology from the University of Rhode Island and an MBA from Santa Clara University.

Ms. Paula Pilecki is the primary contact for clients and associates to schedule and oversee auditing projects and ensure compliance with scheduled timelines and deliverables for audits. Additionally, Paula is responsible for screening and qualifying new associates, and providing communication updates on relevant GXP issues to both clients and associates. Prior to joining the AVS Life Sciences team, Paula was an executive in the non-profit sector, concentrating on the intersection between human resources and organizational management.

Mr. Will Daniels specializes in business leadership, financial management, and optimizing client relations. He has led finance, sales, and marketing teams for both small businesses and Fortune 500 companies. This includes developing and maintaining successful partnerships with clients such as Charles Schwab, Oracle, and Netflix. Knowledgeable on all things numbers-related, Will provides financial clarity and support for both clients and associates. A graduate of University of California, Santa Barbara, he is also a dedicated fitness enthusiast and world traveler.

Ms. Linda Wills oversees critical operational responsibilities which include payroll, invoicing, project progress report generation and human resources program management. She focuses on these responsibilities by implementing current procedures to help increase productivity, and strengthen employee fulfillment and customer satisfaction. Linda brings a wealth of knowledge to her role at AVS Life Sciences from her years of prior experience in management and administration.

Ms. Denise Painter is an integral part of the Business Development team at AVS and is involved in proposal development, client relationship development/management. Denise is responsible for recruitment and training of employees for project assignments and working with executives on strategic planning. Prior to joining AVS, she held positions in operations and administration which has significantly contributed to her role at AVS.

Mr. Michael Carr manages business development, administration, planning & prioritizing of personnel for all AVS Atlantic region projects. Michael oversees the corporate administration of the AVS Baltimore, MD operation. Prior to Joining AVS senior management, Michael held several critical management positions with over eighteen (18) years experience in sales, operation management, accounting, inventory management and project management. He is a graduate of Wake Forest University where he received a B.S. degree. He also received an M.B.A. in Management from Loyola College, Baltimore, MD.

Ms. Millicent Blaché is a strategic customer advocate, driving excellence and efficiency as an Account Manager on our Quality and Audits team.  Her proactiveness, collaborative work style, diligence and customer-first approach ensure customer success.   Millicent brings a multitude of skillsets to the AVS team and has a vast understanding of biomedical, pharmaceutical, medical device, and screening laboratory regulations.

Ms. Nykkytta Mendez offers a robust background in bioengineering and project leadership, she manages diverse accounts through dynamic project and audit management. She excels in the full project lifecycle—from planning and scheduling to vendor coordination and training—ensuring seamless execution of audit and engineering projects with minimal oversight. Nykkytta’s expertise includes stakeholder engagement, risk management, and cross-functional collaboration, enabling her to navigate complex projects effectively.