About Us

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Founder & CEO, Chair

  Sita is a Founder, CEO, and Chair of Durendal AI. Previously Dr. Somara founded and led Soma Life Science Solutions which merged with Durendal AI in 2025. Dr. Somara is a seasoned biopharmaceutical professional with over 15 years of experience in drug development, regulatory strategy, and international business. A visionary leader, Dr. Somara has a proven track record of advancing innovative therapies, successfully leading cross-functional teams in the development of small molecules, biologics, and regenerative medicine, including pioneering work in cell and gene therapies. Her expertise has been instrumental in securing Investigational New Drug (IND) approvals, effectively streamlining the path from concept to market. 

Passionate about integrating cutting-edge technologies, Dr. Somara focuses on harnessing artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance drug development and regulatory processes. By leveraging AI-driven insights, she aims to improve decision-making, drug development process, optimize regulatory submissions, and accelerate clinical trial designs, ultimately expediting the approval of life-saving therapies and shaping the future of healthcare. 

In addition to her professional achievements, Dr. Somara is dedicated to advancing regenerative medicine and fostering a vibrant community of providers, advocates, and supporters. Through her non-profit organization, Regenerative Med Therapy, she is building a comprehensive resource hub to showcase how regenerative medicine therapies can transform patient outcomes and restore quality of life. Driven by a commitment to positive change, Dr. Somara is focused on creating healthier, more vibrant societies both locally and globally.  

Founder & President, Vice Chair

Jim is a Founder, President, and Vice-Chair of Durendal AI Inc. He is a technology executive and AI strategist with a proven record of building and scaling ventures at the intersection of artificial intelligence, healthcare, and enterprise systems. Over the course of his career, Jim has played a founding role in four startups—spanning advanced technology and healthcare services—all of which have achieved successful outcomes, including acquisition or continued independent growth.
 

With more than 25 years of leadership experience, Jim has held senior roles at Oracle, IBM, Roche, and Genentech, where he led large-scale initiatives in AI innovation, health informatics, and cloud architecture. He has directed international software development teams spanning Europe, Israel, India, China, and Australia, and worked closely with globally distributed business development and solution delivery teams across the Americas, EMEA, and Asia-Pacific regions. At both IBM and Oracle, Jim was instrumental in enterprise transformations for institutions such as Mount Sinai, Mayo Clinic, and MD Anderson, driving integration of AI, analytics, and data platforms into high-stakes clinical environments.
 

Earlier in his career, Jim served as a Staff Scientist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, contributing to a NASA-funded program studying the biological effects of high-energy charged particle radiation. He also advanced multi-modal medical image reconstruction using Bayesian and maximum likelihood approaches.
 

Jim earned his PhD in Biophysics from the University of California, Berkeley. 

CMIO & Board of Directors, Health Analytics

  Patricio brings a global perspective and a multidisciplinary approach to Durendal AI, where he joins the Board of Directors and serves as Chief Medical Information Officer (CMIO). In addition to his leadership responsibilities, Dr. Muñiz advises the organization on healthcare outcomes, quality of care, operational efficiency, and cost optimization strategies.
 

A physician by training and a Fulbright Scholar, Dr. Muñiz holds advanced degrees in Public Health and Business Administration from Johns Hopkins University. He is recognized for his pioneering work in developing scalable health data platforms and analytic frameworks that have transformed healthcare delivery across multiple countries.
 

As Executive Director of Med-iQ in Santiago, Chile since 2009, Dr. Muñiz has led the design and implementation of modular health data repositories, including the innovative 'Mórula' platform. His leadership has supported the deployment of morbidity-adjusted financing models and integrated analytics platforms now used by over 20 private hospitals in Chile. He has also worked closely with Johns Hopkins University in supporting international coding systems and adapting the ACG risk adjustment model to the Latin American context.
 

Previously, he served as International Product Development Director for ACG International at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health (2008–2012), where he oversaw global adaptation of risk models and supported clients across Latin America, Europe, and Africa. He has also provided consulting expertise in healthcare quality improvement, pricing models, and administrative system optimization.
 

Dr. Muñiz’s entrepreneurial track record includes founding multiple successful startups at the intersection of health informatics, public health policy, and clinical operations. He is fluent in Spanish and English, with working proficiency in Portuguese.
 

With over two decades of experience across continents, Dr. Muñiz is uniquely positioned to guide Durendal AI’s strategic efforts to integrate advanced technologies with real-world healthcare systems, ensuring value-based, data-driven care delivery on a global scale.

CTO, CAIO & Board of Directors, AI Strategy 

 Hans serves Durendal AI as Chief AI Officer and sits on the Board of Directors. Hans is an experienced AI and data science professional with a strong focus on healthcare innovation and technology. His expertise spans artificial intelligence, bioinformatics, multi-omics, and public health, with a track record of developing data-driven solutions to improve patient outcomes and optimize healthcare systems. He has led cross-functional teams, driven large-scale AI initiatives, and advised on the strategic implementation of emerging technologies in clinical and population health settings. As a thought leader in the intersection of AI and healthcare, he is passionate about fostering innovation, ethical AI adoption, and the responsible use of data to advance precision medicine and health equity. 

CDSO & Board of Directors, DS Solutions

  Sanjay serves as Chief Data Science Officer at Durendal AI Inc. and sits on the company’s Board of Directors. With over two decades of experience in artificial intelligence, clinical analytics, and enterprise data strategy, Sanjay has led multidisciplinary initiatives across life sciences, healthcare, financial services, and consumer markets.

He has served in senior technical and leadership roles at Bank of America, IQVIA, ZS Associates, EY, IBM, and Deloitte, where he delivered advanced machine learning, real-world evidence, master data management, and big data solutions. His work has helped global organizations drive better outcomes in clinical development, healthcare operations, and commercial analytics. At Smart Analytics, where he is also Chief Technology Officer, Sanjay has developed AI frameworks to reduce healthcare costs, improve predictive accuracy, and uncover behavioral insights from social and call center data.

Sanjay holds a PhD in Artificial Intelligence from Drexel University, where his research focused on learning from human experts. His published work spans predictive modeling, image understanding, and clinical informatics, including a recent article in BMJ Health & Care Informatics. He also holds patents pending for devices and algorithms supporting early disease detection and has contributed to the development of telemedicine platforms that promote collaboration across providers.

At Durendal AI, Sanjay leads data science strategy and innovation, bringing deep technical expertise and a passion for applying AI to complex biomedical and public health challenges.

Board of Directors, Emerging Technology

 Josh brings a distinguished track record of academic, professional, and community engagement to his role on the Board of Directors of Durendal AI, where he also serves as Advisor for Innovation and Emerging Technology. Deeply committed to advancing the intersection of healthcare, technology, and education, Mr. Tan has served on numerous advisory boards spanning academic institutions, workforce development initiatives, and regional innovation hubs.
 

He currently serves on the advisory boards of Winston-Salem State University (WSSU), Forsyth Technical Community College, and Camel City Support Initiative (CCSI), where he contributes strategic insight on emerging technologies, workforce alignment, and experiential learning. His prior board service includes roles with the Center for Design Innovation (CDI), the Technology Council of the Greater Winston-Salem Chamber of Commerce, and the UNC Asheville Alumni Association.
 

In his professional capacity, Mr. Tan is Systems Manager for the Department of Radiology and the Translational Imaging Program at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist. A seasoned imaging informatics specialist, computer programmer, and hardware expert, he supports multidisciplinary teams across clinical and research settings. His technical expertise includes 2D/3D/4D image reconstruction, segmentation and visualization, medical image analysis, 3D printing, and the use of extended reality (VR/AR/XR) in medical applications.
 

Mr. Tan has over 15 years of experience creating patient-specific 3D anatomical models derived from CT and MRI data for use in both clinical care and medical education. His work also encompasses DICOM validation, artificial intelligence in radiology, and the management of large-scale research imaging archives. He routinely collaborates in the evaluation and deployment of emerging alpha and beta-stage software and hardware technologies.
 

Josh Tan’s unique combination of technical depth, community leadership, and forward-thinking innovation makes him a valuable asset to Durendal AI’s mission to accelerate healthcare transformation through AI and advanced technology.