Proven Leadership


Optivia Management Team


Yong Huang, Ph.D. Founder, President and CEO

Dr. Huang is an entrepreneur and innovator in the life science space. He has over 10 years of experience in moving novel ideas to the market place. Besides Optivia, he founded or contributed to four life science companies, with one acquired by Angiodynamics. Dr. Huang is the principal investigator for over $4 million in NIH grants. He is the co-inventor and co-author of more than 30 patents and scientific articles. His scientific contributions were cited by numerous reports and conferred him several prestigious awards, including the “R&D 100 award” (R&D Magazine) and the “R&D Stars of the Year” (Industry Week).

Dr. Huang received a BS from Tsinghua University, China and his Ph.D. in Bioengineering from University of California, Berkeley. He also completed a scholarship at the BioExec Institute, Haas School of Business, UC Berkeley.


David Lustig, Ph.D. Vice President, Business Development

Dr. Lustig is an experienced life science professional with more than 18 years of industry experience. He has held roles in research and development, business development, sales and marketing at companies including Roche, CV Therapeutics and Optivia. As a scientist, Dr. Lustig has led non-clinical pharmacokinetics, served as the DMPK representative on discovery and development teams, has held positions on R&D steering committees and has contributed to many INDs and NDAs. Prior to joining Optivia, he was responsible for in and out licensing of early stage drug programs and technologies at CV Therapeutics. Dr. Lustig has over 20 technical papers, has given invited talks, participated in panel discussions and taught sections for both science and business topics.

Dr. Lustig received his Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. He has also completed Stanford University's Emerging Entrepreneurs in Biomedical Technology Workshop and Guy Kawasaki's Bootcamp for Startups.

Chuck Boggs Director, Corporate Development

Mr. Boggs works with early stage life science companies to develop and execute funding campaigns, recruit senior executives and establish early customer and strategic relationships. Mr. Boggs has successfully worked on funding and corporate development for several life science companies including Gynesonics, SpineWorks, XLumena, Aalnex, Vascular Closure Systems and Vizyontech Imaging. His management career spans more than 25 years during which he has served as a Senior Executive in a public company, taken a company public as CEO, served on the senior team of several startup companies. Mr. Boggs is a member of the Parkinson’s Institute Advisory Board.

Alan C. Mendelson, J.D. General Counsel and Secretary

Mr. Mendelson is a partner in the Silicon Valley office of Latham & Watkins LLP, a major global law firm, and is the Co-Chair of the firm's Emerging Companies Group. He joined Latham in May 2000. Mr. Mendelson received his B.A. degree from the University of California, Berkeley in 1969 and his J.D. degree from Harvard University in 1973. His practice has been primarily targeted toward the representation of emerging and public growth companies, with strong emphasis on companies in the life sciences industries. He served as Amgen’s Secretary and Acting General Counsel and as counsel to its board of directors from 1980 to 2006. Mr. Mendelson currently serves as principal outside or general counsel to numerous emerging and public companies, including Geron, Intuitive Surgical, OncoMed Pharmaceuticals and QLT. He currently serves as a member of the Board of Trustees of the UC Berkeley Foundation, as President of the Cal Alumni Association Board and as a member of the Board of Overseers Visiting Committee of Harvard Law School.