MEET THE TEAM
Samantha Pulliam, MD, FACOG
Interim CEO and Chief Medical Officer
Dr. Pulliam joined Axena Health in 2023 bringing with her a breadth of experience in Women’s health, including a successful academic and clinical career. Dr. Pulliam joined Axena because of her passion for helping to treat the 20 million women, in the U.S. alone, experiencing urinary incontinence, using technology with proven effectiveness. Dr. Pulliam oversees Axena Health’s clinical research program.
Dr. Pulliam was previously the Chief Medical Officer at Renovia, Inc., where she directed clinical research, including the successful completion of an all-remote clinical trial using Leva during the global pandemic. She was the Division Director for Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery (FPMRS) at UNC-Chapel Hill and Associate Director FPMRS at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, and she was past Council Chair for the American Urogynecologic Society (AUGS) and remains active in the AUGS grants program.
Dr. Pulliam received her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Duke University and her Medical Degree from Wake Forest University School of Medicine. She completed residency training at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and Fellowship training at Mount Auburn Hospital in Boston. She is board-certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology and FPMRS.
Dr. Pulliam’s favorite quote is: “Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.” T.S. Eliot.
Dr. Pulliam was previously the Chief Medical Officer at Renovia, Inc., where she directed clinical research, including the successful completion of an all-remote clinical trial using Leva during the global pandemic. She was the Division Director for Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery (FPMRS) at UNC-Chapel Hill and Associate Director FPMRS at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, and she was past Council Chair for the American Urogynecologic Society (AUGS) and remains active in the AUGS grants program.
Dr. Pulliam received her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Duke University and her Medical Degree from Wake Forest University School of Medicine. She completed residency training at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and Fellowship training at Mount Auburn Hospital in Boston. She is board-certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology and FPMRS.
Dr. Pulliam’s favorite quote is: “Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.” T.S. Eliot.
Jim O'Connor
Chief Operating Officer
Jim O’Connor currently servers as Axena Health’s General Counsel and Chief Financial Officer and leads the company’s Legal, Compliance, Finance and Business Development functions. Jim brings over 20 years of experience advising private and public companies in a wide variety of legal, compliance, and business roles.
Prior to Axena Health, Jim worked for over four years at Renovia Inc., the medical device company who developed and first commercialized the Leva® Pelvic Health System. Prior to that, he spent 12 years at United Technologies Corp. (UTC), a Fortune 100 company, where he served in roles ranging from Deputy General Counsel to Chief of Staff to the CEO of UTC Climate, Controls & Security. Jim also served as Senior Counsel at Noble Environmental Power, a renewable energy developer, where his work focused on project finance, regulatory, and employment law matters.
Jim started his legal career as an associate at Testa, Hurwitz & Thibeault in Boston, where his practice focused on securities law, mergers and acquisitions, and licensing transactions for private and publicly traded technology companies. Jim holds a J.D. from Cornell Law School and a B.A. in Economics from Boston College.
Prior to Axena Health, Jim worked for over four years at Renovia Inc., the medical device company who developed and first commercialized the Leva® Pelvic Health System. Prior to that, he spent 12 years at United Technologies Corp. (UTC), a Fortune 100 company, where he served in roles ranging from Deputy General Counsel to Chief of Staff to the CEO of UTC Climate, Controls & Security. Jim also served as Senior Counsel at Noble Environmental Power, a renewable energy developer, where his work focused on project finance, regulatory, and employment law matters.
Jim started his legal career as an associate at Testa, Hurwitz & Thibeault in Boston, where his practice focused on securities law, mergers and acquisitions, and licensing transactions for private and publicly traded technology companies. Jim holds a J.D. from Cornell Law School and a B.A. in Economics from Boston College.
Annette Brewster
VP, Patient Services & Commercial Operations
As Vice President of Patient Services & Commercial Operations, Annette Brewster leads Axena Health’s Leva Women’s Center to translate their mission into a personalized and caring experience for all women seeking to improve her pelvic health.
Annette’s extensive professional background includes leadership roles in sales, marketing, and service at rapidly growing medical device and healthcare software companies. Her career has centered around her passion for helping people live better lives, with much of her experience in women’s health. As Vice President of Global Marketing for the Diagnostics Division at Hologic Inc., Annette focused on the commercial expansion of cervical cancer screening and prenatal care solutions.
Annette’s more recent experience includes successfully scaling up the Customer Care operations for sales, insurance billing and technical support at Insulet Corporation, a leading diabetes insulin pump company, and establishing a Patient Care Center for urinary incontinence digital therapy at Renovia Inc. the medical device company who developed and first commercialized the Leva® Pelvic Health System.
Annette is a graduate of University of Massachusetts with a Bachelor of Science in Marketing.
Annette’s favorite quote is: “You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn to surf.” Jon Kabat-Zinn.
Annette’s extensive professional background includes leadership roles in sales, marketing, and service at rapidly growing medical device and healthcare software companies. Her career has centered around her passion for helping people live better lives, with much of her experience in women’s health. As Vice President of Global Marketing for the Diagnostics Division at Hologic Inc., Annette focused on the commercial expansion of cervical cancer screening and prenatal care solutions.
Annette’s more recent experience includes successfully scaling up the Customer Care operations for sales, insurance billing and technical support at Insulet Corporation, a leading diabetes insulin pump company, and establishing a Patient Care Center for urinary incontinence digital therapy at Renovia Inc. the medical device company who developed and first commercialized the Leva® Pelvic Health System.
Annette is a graduate of University of Massachusetts with a Bachelor of Science in Marketing.
Annette’s favorite quote is: “You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn to surf.” Jon Kabat-Zinn.
Christina Reita
VP, Sales and Marketing
Christina Reita joined Axena Health in February 2025 as its Vice President, Sales and Marketing.
Christina is a dynamic and passionate leader with extensive experience in medical devices and diagnostics, encompassing both marketing and sales.
Prior to joining Axena Health, Christina held the position of Vice President, Centralized Diagnostics at Roche Diagnostics. In this role, she focused on developing integrated, standardized solutions to support laboratories within expanding health networks, ensuring consistent and reliable diagnostic results across various platforms. Christina’s career is marked by a commitment to excellence and innovation in the healthcare sector, positioning her as a pivotal figure in advancing Axena Health’s mission. Christina received a Bachelor of Science degree in Hydrogeology and Applied Mathematics and a Master of Public Administration from Western Michigan University.
Christina’s favorite quote is “What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.” – Dr. Jane Goodall
Christina is a dynamic and passionate leader with extensive experience in medical devices and diagnostics, encompassing both marketing and sales.
Prior to joining Axena Health, Christina held the position of Vice President, Centralized Diagnostics at Roche Diagnostics. In this role, she focused on developing integrated, standardized solutions to support laboratories within expanding health networks, ensuring consistent and reliable diagnostic results across various platforms. Christina’s career is marked by a commitment to excellence and innovation in the healthcare sector, positioning her as a pivotal figure in advancing Axena Health’s mission. Christina received a Bachelor of Science degree in Hydrogeology and Applied Mathematics and a Master of Public Administration from Western Michigan University.
Christina’s favorite quote is “What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.” – Dr. Jane Goodall
Vincent Ricci
Chief Financial Officer
Vincent Ricci is a seasoned financial executive with deep expertise in capital markets and a strong passion for leveraging disruptive technologies to enhance patient care.
Prior to joining Axena Health, he served as Chief Financial Officer at Pillar Biosciences, a commercial-stage cancer diagnostics company specializing in Next Generation Sequencing. In this role, Vincent led the finance organization and drove strategic initiatives to support innovation and growth.