Comprising respected voices in public health, medicine, & genomic research, the Polaris team is a Black- & woman-led business powerhouse illuminating the way in precision behavioral health innovation for the benefit of the greater good.
Our People
Let the people of Polaris be your guide
Charles Cathlin, MPH
Chief Executive Officer
Co-founder & Chief Executive Officer Charles Cathlin, an engineer & graduate of the Air Force Academy & Stanford University, served in the US Air Force until his retirement in May of 2018, after completing twenty-three years in uniform. Charles also served as Chief of Staff of the Defense & Veterans Brain Injury Center, & as Chief of Neurology Devices at the FDA. Prior to Polaris Genomics, he also co-founded a global medical device consulting company. Motivated by his work with first responders at Ground Zero after 9/11, Charles is dedicated to improving people’s lives by charting the course in precision behavioral health.
Tshaka Cunningham, PhD
Chief Science Officer
Co-founder & Chief Scientific Officer Dr. Tshaka Cunningham, a graduate of Princeton University, received his Ph.D in molecular biology from Rockefeller University & completed his postdoctoral training at the Pasteur Institute in Paris, France. A leading voice in advocating for diversity & representation in the field of genomics, Tshaka is also a volunteer leader of non-profit STEM youth programming for underserved communities. He previously worked at the VA headquarters overseeing a large neurodegenerative disease research program, & also served as a subject matter expert for the VA’s Genomic Medicine Implementation Program. Motivated by the timely need for advancements in precision medicine while at the VA, Tshaka is dedicated to improving people’s lives through the power of genomics.
Anne Naclerio, MD, MPH
Chief Medical Officer
Dr. Anne Naclerio, Chief Medical Officer, is a graduate of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences & George Washington University. An authority on the unique experiences of women in the military, Anne co-authored the seminal book Women at War. She served for 30 years in the US Army before retiring in 2019, & also served as Chief Surgeon for the Army National Guard. Motivated by the impacts of trauma while deployed in Iraq, Anne is dedicated to improving people’s lives through leveraging advances in behavioral health.
Viky Verna
Director, Global Regulatory Affairs
Amadeus Guchhait, M.B.A., M.A.
Director, Marketing
Jen Williams
Communications Manager
Amanda Hall
Business Administrator
Amy Nouanesengsy
Project Coordinator
Joshua Copeland
Laboratory Technician