Mr. Farnam is the Chief Operating Officer at Riva Therapeutics. He brings more than 30 years of operations and leadership experience to the team. He completed 26 years in the United States Marine Corps as a Weapons and Sensors Officer flying the FA-18D. During that time, he served as an FA-18 Weapons School Instructor, an FA-18D Squadron Commanding Officer, and as the Commanding Officer of Marine Corps Air Station Miramar. Additionally, he completed two tours at the Pentagon, the first on the Marine Corps Aviation Staff as the FA-18 Requirements Officer and the second for the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs focused on U.S. Military Global Posture.
Following his Marine Corps Career, he transitioned to the biotech sector as the Vice President of Operations for Celegene Receptos in San Diego, Chief Operating Officer for Kura Oncology, and as the Vice President of U.S. Operations for Inmagene Biopharmaceuticals.
Mr. Farnam earned his Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice at San Diego State University, his Masters in National Security Strategy from the National War College in Washington D.C., and his Master of Business Administration from Point Loma Nazarene University. He retired from the Marine Corps as a Colonel in 2015.