AFFOA expands board with Leaders from defense, halthcare, investment and nonprofits
Advanced Functional Fabrics of America (AFFOA) has appointed four new members to its board of directors, strengthening its leadership with experience across defense, medical devices, venture investment and nonprofit operations. The appointments come as AFFOA continues to advance textile technology, manufacturing, and commercialization efforts across the United States.
“We are excited about the growth and wide-ranging expertise of our board,” said Sasha Stolyarov, Ph.D., CEO of AFFOA. “I look forward to working with each new board member to expand our impact regionally and nationally.”
The new board members bring practical knowledge from both the public and private sectors, supporting AFFOA’s mission to connect industry, academia and government around advanced fiber and fabric development.
Brian Johnson, president of MassMEDIC, leads a statewide network of medical device manufacturers, suppliers, research organizations and academic health centers. His background in wearable medical technologies is expected to support AFFOA’s work in expanding fabric-based solutions for healthcare and patient monitoring.
Francisco J. Martinez, vice president of research and development at Bethel Industries, contributes experience in defense manufacturing, product development and government partnerships. His career includes leadership and engineering roles at Protect The Force Inc., Unifire Inc., and the U.S. Army DEVCOM Soldier Center, with a focus on tactical and protective gear.
Stacy Swider, vice president of investments at MassVentures, brings expertise in supporting deep-technology startups, investor engagement and materials science. She previously led the SBIR Center of Excellence at the UMass Lowell Research Institute and is expected to help expand AFFOA’s technology pipeline and collaboration opportunities.
Steven Tran, executive vice president of finance and contracts at Activate, adds experience in financial planning, audits, contracting and grant management. He previously worked at MIT Lincoln Laboratory and served as senior director of operations at AFFOA, providing continuity and operational insight to the board.
AFFOA said the new appointments reflect its continued focus on building a strong ecosystem that supports advanced fabric research, scalable manufacturing and real-world deployment across multiple sectors.
