Our Leadership Team

Dr. Monia is the chief executive officer, a member of the board of directors and a founding scientist of Ionis Pharmaceuticals. His contributions at Ionis include research into the medicinal chemistry and mechanisms of action of RNA-targeting modalities to treat human diseases, most notably antisense-based therapeutic strategies. Dr. Monia has extensive experience across a range of therapeutic areas, including oncology, metabolic disease, inflammation, neurological disease and cardiovascular disease, which have resulted in a broad range of successful clinical achievements and in marketing approvals for new medicines.

Dr. Monia has published more than 200 primary research manuscripts, reviews and book chapters, and is an inventor on more than 100 issued patents. He serves as a senior editor for the journal Nucleic Acid Therapeutics. He is on the board of directors of Cognition Therapeutics and the board of directors of Flamingo Therapeutics. He has also served as president of the Oligonucleotide Therapeutics Society (OTS). Dr. Monia is also an adjunct professor of biology at San Diego State University where he lectures at the graduate level on pharmacology.

Dr. Monia received his Ph.D. in Pharmacology at the University of Pennsylvania and B.S. degrees in Molecular Biology and Analytical Chemistry at Stockton State College in Pomona, New Jersey.

Mr. Birchler is Ionis’ executive vice president, corporate and development operations. In this role, he provides executive leadership for several functions, including clinical operations and data management, global project and portfolio management, biometrics and clinical supplies. He also provides management support for development and research budgets and product launch excellence. Mr. Birchler is a member of Ionis' executive leadership team.

Mr. Birchler has over 30 years of experience in the biopharmaceutical and medical device industries and broad knowledge of the drug development process from concept through launch. Since joining Ionis in 1995 he has held positions of increasing responsibility in development, clinical research and development chemistry. Before Ionis, he held positions at CIBA Vision Corp. and Burroughs Wellcome Pharmaceuticals. Mr. Birchler has a bachelor’s degree in industrial technology from the University of Wisconsin-Stout.

Dr. Bennett is the executive vice president and chief scientific officer at Ionis Pharmaceuticals and one of the founding members of the company. He is responsible for continuing to advance Ionis’ technology and expanding the company’s drug discovery platform. Dr. Bennett is also the franchise leader for gene-editing programs at Ionis. He has been involved in the development of antisense oligonucleotides as therapeutic agents, including research on the application of oligonucleotides for inflammatory, neurodegenerative diseases and cancer, oligonucleotide delivery, pharmacokinetics and medicinal chemistry.

Dr. Bennett has been recognized for his research with numerous awards. He is a co-recipient of the Rainwater Prize for Outstanding Innovation in Neurodegenerative Disease Research, the 2021 Gabbay Award and the 2019 Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences for his contributions to the discovery and development of SPINRAZA® (nusinersen), and the inaugural Healy Center International Prize for Innovation in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Dr. Bennett also received the 2018 Hereditary Disease Foundation's (HDF) Leslie Gehry Brenner Prize for Innovation in Science for his leadership and continued commitment to developing antisense therapies for Huntington's disease (HD).

Dr. Bennett has published more than 230 papers in the field of antisense research and development, and he is an inventor on more than 175 issued patents.

Prior to joining Ionis, Dr. Bennett was associate senior investigator in the Department of Molecular Pharmacology at SmithKline and French Laboratories (currently, GlaxoSmithKline).

He received his Ph.D. in Pharmacology from Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas and his B.S. degree in Pharmacy from the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico. He performed his postdoctoral research in the Department of Molecular Pharmacology at SmithKline and French Laboratories.

Dr. Bennett serves on the Advisory Board for the Hereditary Disease Foundation and SAB for the McLaughlin Institute.

Ms. Hougen is our executive vice president of Finance and chief financial officer. As a member of our executive leadership team, Ms. Hougen contributes to the execution of our strategy, including ensuring we are well positioned to be a global, multi-product sustainably profitable company. Ionis’ finance, accounting, tax, treasury, information technology, procurement and investor relations functions report to her. Ms. Hougen joined Ionis in May 2000 as vice president, finance, and became chief accounting officer in January 2007 and chief financial officer in January 2013.

Ms. Hougen has an extensive finance and business background having held positions of increasing responsibility in numerous public companies, primarily in the life sciences industry, over her more than 25-year career. Prior to joining Ionis, Ms. Hougen was chief financial officer for Molecular Biosystems, Inc., a public biotechnology company.

In recognition of her important contributions to the financial success of Ionis, in 2018 Ms. Hougen was named a CFO of the Year by the San Diego Business Journal. Ms. Hougen received her M.B.A. from the University of San Diego and her B.A. from Franklin and Marshall College.

Dr. Swayze is executive vice president of Research at Ionis Pharmaceuticals. He is responsible for leading preclinical antisense drug discovery and antisense technology research.

Previously, Dr. Swayze was vice president of Chemistry and Neuroscience Drug Discovery at Ionis, overseeing the advancement of multiple programs to clinical development. He joined Ionis in 1994 and has contributed to key technology advancements, including Ionis' Generation 2.5 chemistry and LIgand-Conjugated Antisense (LICA) technology.

He is an author on more than 150 scientific manuscripts, several reviews and book chapters, and is an inventor of more than 140 issued US patents. He received his Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry at the University of Michigan under the guidance of Professor Leroy B. Townsend.

Dr. Schneider is executive vice president and chief clinical development and operations officer of Ionis Pharmaceuticals. As a member of our executive leadership team, Dr. Schneider oversees all stages of clinical development of Ionis’ antisense medicines across the company’s therapeutic franchises. Dr. Schneider joined Ionis in December 2013 as executive director, clinical development and became vice president, clinical development, severe and rare diseases in April 2015, senior vice president, head of clinical development in August 2018 and executive vice president, chief clinical development officer in January 2021.

Dr. Schneider has two decades of experience in clinical development primarily in the rare diseases space. Prior to joining Ionis, Dr. Schneider was senior medical director at both Synageva BioPharma and Biovail Technologies Ltd.

Dr. Schneider received his medical degree from University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey and completed his training in Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, New Jersey.

Mr. Baroldi is our executive vice president and chief business officer. As a member of the executive leadership team, he is responsible for leading and providing strategic guidance for Ionis' business development and alliance management activities.

Mr. Baroldi has more than two decades of industry experience. Prior to Ionis, he was chief operating officer at Avidity Biosciences, where he played an integral role in their initial public offering and building their team. Previously, he was vice president, business development at Ionis, where he held several roles of increasing responsibility over 10 years. Before that Mr. Baroldi held positions in strategic planning and scientific research.

Mr. Baroldi holds an M.B.A. from the Rady School of Management at the University of California-San Diego. He received his B.S. in Biological Sciences from the University of California-Irvine.

Mr. Jenne is Ionis’ executive vice president, chief global product strategy officer. He has more than 25 years of biopharmaceutical experience launching and commercializing innovative medicines in the U.S. and globally. He has broad relevant experience in rare, specialty and common diseases across therapeutic areas including cardiovascular, neurology and allergy.

Mr. Jenne leads all aspects of commercialization including marketing, sales, commercial operations, market access and patient services. He also oversees Ionis’ portfolio planning, market insights and medical affairs functions.

Before rejoining Ionis in 2024, Mr. Jenne previously spent five years in senior commercial leadership roles at Ionis and Akcea, which was fully acquired by Ionis in 2020. During his time at Ionis and Akcea, Mr. Jenne built commercial capabilities in many of Ionis’ key disease areas including transthyretin-mediated amyloidosis and familial chylomicronemia syndrome. Earlier in his career, Mr. Jenne held commercial roles for companies including Schering Plough, King Pharmaceuticals, Acorda Therapeutics and Praecis Pharmaceuticals. Mr. Jenne holds a BS in Marketing from Arizona State University.

Mr. O’Neil is the EVP, Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel of Ionis Pharmaceuticals. He is responsible for executive leadership oversight of the legal, patents, compliance, and global quality departments. Mr. O’Neil also serves as Ionis’ corporate secretary. Mr. O’Neil joined Ionis in October 2001.

Prior to joining Ionis, Mr. O’Neil was an associate at Cooley LLP.

Mr. O’Neil received his BS in Business Administration, Finance Concentration from the University of San Francisco and his J.D. at UC Davis School of Law.

Dr. Geary is the executive vice president and chief development officer at Ionis Pharmaceuticals. He is responsible for preclinical development, clinical development and clinical-stage manufacturing for Ionis’ antisense medicines. Since joining Ionis in 1995, Dr. Geary has been involved in discovery and development including the regulatory submission of more than 40 investigational new drug applications to U.S. and other regulatory agencies. In his position as head of development, Dr. Geary has led four successful antisense medicine late stage development programs through approvals in multiple jurisdictions.

During his tenure at Ionis, he has authored or co-authored 14 book chapters and more than 80 peer-reviewed manuscripts, which form a body of work that fully characterize the pharmacokinetics and metabolism of antisense medicines and the relationship of drug concentrations to activity and safety. Dr. Geary also serves on the Oligonucleotide Therapeutics Society (OTS) Board of Directors and co-leads the publication committee for Nucleic Acid Therapeutics.

Prior to joining Ionis, Dr. Geary was senior research scientist and group leader for the bioanalytical and preclinical pharmacokinetics group in the Applied Chemistry Department at Southwest Research Institute. Dr. Geary received his Ph.D. in Biopharmaceutics from the University of Texas, College of Pharmacy, Austin, Texas and his B.S. in Biology from Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas.

Ms. Devers is our executive vice president and chief human resources officer. Ms. Devers joined Ionis in February 2001 as a senior human resources manager and as a director assumed full responsibility for human resources and campus operations in 2006. In 2020, as Senior Vice President, Ms. Devers expanded her scope to include our facilities organization.

Ms. Devers has been an integral part of Ionis for over two decades, demonstrating strong leadership and strategic insight in the field of Human Resources. Before joining Ionis, Ms. Devers gained valuable HR experience in roles at Target Corporation, Nike, Inc., and Taco Bell Corporation. 

Ms. Devers has played a critical role in shaping Ionis’ company culture, driving organizational change, fostering innovation, and focusing on environmental sustainability. She has provided strategic guidance to align HR and Facilities initiatives with the organization’s overall goals and objectives. She has been instrumental in shaping and reinforcing the company's culture and core principles, facilitating internal training programs, and spearheading initiatives to enhance employee integration, engagement, and retention. Her strategic vision and operational expertise have contributed to Ionis’ growth and success.

Ms. Devers holds a Master of Business Administration in Human Resource Management and Marketing from the University of Florida and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, cum laude, with a focus on Marketing from the University of Central Florida.