Linda Leikness

Operational and financial executive

Linda is a growth strategist, business operations management expert and CPA. She was most recently COO and Managing Director at NVNG Investment Advisors, LLC. She was part of the team that launched this company in 2019 to make access to venture capital and innovative companies available to Corporations, Institutional Investors and Individuals. In 2001, Linda helped launch Deltanoid Pharmaceuticals. She assisted the two founders (UW profs) in writing a business plan and establishing a start-up pharmaceutical development company and secured funding through a 2001 series A round and 2007 series B round, and developed staff and created infrastructure to support a flexible business model. Previously, as CFO/Treasurer, she assisted PanVera Corporation, a start-up life science company with 35 employees grow to 50+ employees, built a new facility to support the growth and assisted in the transition after an acquisition by Aurora Biosciences in CA. Prior to PanVera, Linda joined Pleasant Company as controller/CFO when it employed fewer than 100 employees. She worked with the founders to secure financing and build infrastructure supporting the company’s growth to $280M+ in annual sales, with over 1,000 employees, and a sale to Mattel in 1998 for $700 Million.