Management Team

Luis de Luzuriaga

Chief Executive Officer

Luis de Luzuriaga serves as the Chief Executive Officer and is a member of the Board of Directors of Biocare Medical Ltd. In this position, Mr. de Luzuriaga reports to the Board of Directors and is responsible for driving the organization to meet customer satisfaction and market growth objectives. A seasoned executive, Mr. de Luzuriaga has held senior leadership positions with Abbott, Bayer, and Leica Biosystem (A Danaher Company). Mr. de Luzuriaga is a dynamic, global leader who has successfully transformed businesses by focusing the organizations on strategy and execution. He can rally the team around his vision and rapidly drive cultural shifts while yielding quick results. Luis provides the confidence to the organization that they can, and will be, successful. Mr. de Luzuriaga is a graduate of Tufts University and served as an officer in the US Army. He is married with four children.

John Steel

Senior Vice President, General Manager Empire Genomics

John Steel is a versatile and top-performing marketing professional with over 20 years of proven success in B2B clinical and biotechnology markets. Broad exposure to web development, brand development, product marketing, sales and complex research. Focus on B2B and serving customers involved in clinical diagnostics through commercialization of a combined product and service offering. John Steel has been integral in Biocare’s acquisition process by two private equity companies and aided in two acquisitions that Biocare Medical has made over his 17 years with the company. In his free time, John enjoys building and remodeling homes. He is also 2003 regional, national, and world yoyo champion and one of 15 national yoyo masters worldwide.

Sarah Groen

Vice President of National Accounts and GPO’s

Sarah Groen is the Vice President of GPO and National Accounts at Biocare Medical, where she leads strategic initiatives across national partnerships and now also oversees US sales for Empire Genomics. With her career starting at the bench, Sarah brings a balanced perspective that combines operational understanding of technical and clinical needs with commercial strategy. She is known for building trusted client relationships, identifying innovative solutions, and driving growth through tailored, customer-focused programs. When she is not working, she enjoys traveling and spending time with her family and friends.

Olami Awolesi

R&D Manager

Olami Awolesi joined Empire Genomics in January 2016 and has since held key roles in both Manufacturing and Research & Development, gaining valuable leadership experience along the way. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Biology from SUNY College at Buffalo and began his career as an ion chromatography technician before transitioning to Empire. Outside of work, Olami enjoys home improvement projects and hiking with his dog.

Robyn Hammond

Manager, Manufacturing

Robyn Hammond joined Empire Genomics in January of 2019 as an intern finishing her bachelor’s in chemistry from the University of Buffalo. Now as manager of the manufacturing laboratory, Robyn leads a team focused on producing high-quality products, seeking to achieve the utmost customer satisfaction. She’s passionate about fostering team growth and development to meet evolving market demands. Her prior experience includes chemical synthesis in UB’s research labs and extensive laboratory work manufacturing FISH probes for Empire Genomics. During her free time, Robyn enjoys sewing and has recently taken up learning piano.

Richie Robel

Manager of Quality and Regulatory Compliance

Richie Robel joined Biocare in March 2025 as Manager of Quality and Regulatory Compliance, bringing over 15 years of experience in regulatory affairs, quality systems, and product development for medical devices, IVDs, and drug-device combination products. He has led successful 510(k), NDA, and CE Mark submissions, built ISO 13485-compliant QMS systems, and interfaced directly with FDA and EMA. Richie holds a BASc in Physics and is a published author and patent holder. He enjoys fishing and spending time with his family in Western New York.

Matthew Agnello

Molecular Marketing Manager

Matthew Agnello brings over 14 years of experience in the biotechnology industry to his role as Molecular Marketing Manager at Empire Genomics. He leads the company’s marketing and product management efforts, driving strategic initiatives to expand brand presence and deliver innovative genomic solutions to researchers and clinicians worldwide.

Before joining Empire Genomics, Matthew worked as a Research Scientist at Austin Research Labs, where he specialized in new product formulations and development. His scientific background, combined with his marketing expertise, allows him to bridge the gap between the lab and the marketplace ensuring that Empire Genomics’ offerings meet the evolving needs of the molecular diagnostics community.

Matthew is a graduate of the University at Buffalo. Outside of work, he enjoys golfing and spending time with his wife and two children.