Our Team
Andrew Patton • Founder/CEO
Andrew is an executive and entrepreneur who has held engineering and business leadership roles in tech companies and high finance. After extensively researching the US contract irradiation and sterilization industries, Andrew co-founded NextBeam in 2020 with the vision of creating a new irradiator that would closely collaborate with customers to help solve their most challenging irradiation and sterilization problems. He believes that we are in the process of a longterm industry shift towards clean forms of irradiation, like E-Beam, and that there is a tremendous opportunity to help companies optimize their radiation processing activities. Previously, he led business strategy and operations for Wing, Google’s drone delivery company, and worked as an investment banker specializing in M&A transactions before that. Andrew holds degrees in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from Princeton University and a Masters of Business Administration from the Stanford Graduate School of Business. When not working on NextBeam Andrew enjoys working on and flying experimental aircraft.
Nick Brydon • Head of Sterilization
Nick has built his career in the field of medical device sterilization. A microbiologist by training, Nick has worked for some of the largest medical device manufacturers in the world, including Medtronic, Johnson & Johnson, Smith & Nephew, Cook Medical, and others. Across these roles, Nick has developed a deep understanding of how to leverage common sterilization modalities to both sterilize innovative new products and optimize / transfer existing products between sterilization sites. Nick sits on AAMI’s Radiation Sterilization Working Group (ST/WG-02) and is a sought-after expert on sterilization and quality topics. At NextBeam, Nick is responsible for our quality system and radiation safety program. Nick holds a B.S. in Molecular Biology from Rhodes College and a M.S. in Microbiology from the University of Florida and is a certified industrial sterilization specialist in ethylene oxide, radiation, and moist heat (CISS-EO/RAD/MH). In his free time Nick enjoys reading and traveling.
Jason Cornell • Head of Operations
A dedicated Electronics Engineer, Jason brings to NextBeam over 22 years of operational leadership experience from radiation providers including Iotron and Sterigenics. Jason is responsible for managing NextBeam’s operational activities, including production planning, process execution, team development, and day-to-day operations. He’s known for making a positive impact and creating a team environment built on promoting equality and respect across all levels. Jason utilizes Lean principles to reduce waste and encourage environmentally conscious procedures. In his spare time, Jason enjoys learning new things, with a keen interest in electric vehicles and the latest technology trends. He enjoys traveling around the country and to different parts of the world.
Lindsey Robinson • Sales Director
Lindsey comes to NextBeam as a strategic sales leader with over 18 years of experience in the sterilization industry. She is passionate about using her deep knowledge and subject matter expertise to best understand the customer’s specific needs in order to deliver tailored solutions for them. Prior to NextBeam, Lindsey held various roles and responsibilities within the Sterigenics sales organization. She holds a BS in Finance and Management from the University of South Carolina. Spending time with her family and yoga help her in trying to strike the right work/life balance.
Jen Bethke • Client Success Specialist
Jen comes to NextBeam with over 21 years of customer service, sales, and management experience. She has dedicated her career to putting the customer first and taking care of the customer’s needs. Jen consistently goes above and beyond to provide exceptional customer service and communication while striving to provide top notch quality results as a team. Jen has earned awards for top customer service and sales from MCI, Centurylink and Honda. Jen was born and raised in the Siouxland Tri-State area. She enjoys giving back to the community by volunteering within several organizations over the years. Jen and her husband are the proud parents to four amazing children, including two sons currently serving in the United States Army. As a family they love rescuing dogs, being together and watching almost all sports. Jen is excited to be part of the NextBeam team and is looking forward to assisting our customer’s and driving success for both parties.
Fernanda Lopez • Dosimetry Technician
Fernanda is experienced in quality control from previous roles in FDA regulated environments, including Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), auditing, and verification testing for safety and microbiological quality. At NextBeam, Fernanda is responsible for maintaining the high level of quality and integrity in production activities by performing tests for statistical process control and functional checks of critical equipment. In her free time, Fernanda enjoys spending time with her family.
Chelsi Edwards • Dosimetry Tech
Chelsi has over a decade of experience in quality and customer service roles, specializing in detail-oriented lab work, sterilization processes, record keeping, and the development of product and testing specifications in both clinical and lab settings. At NextBeam, Chelsi is committed to ensuring the highest standards of quality and accuracy in all production and operational processes. In her free time, Chelsi enjoys spending time with her family in nature or on the water.
Travis Miller • Senior Site Director
Travis Miller is an operations leader with over 25 years experience managing teams in warehousing, distribution, logistics and manufacturing. Prior to joining NextBeam, Travis worked in the computer (Gateway), powersports (Polaris) and agricultural equipment (Fimco) industries. Travis’ responsibilities include managing NextBeam’s day-to-day facility operations, helping to ensure that we deliver on our commitments to clients. When not working at NextBeam Travis enjoys spending time with his family, woodworking and most any outdoor activity.
Dee Conger • Chairman of Board of Directors
Dee Conger is Chairman of NextBeam’s Board of Directors. Dee is a successful entrepreneur and investor who is best known for founding Innovive, Inc. in 2004 to radically transform the economics and convenience of conducting laboratory research. Before Innovive, he served as CEO of Ansata Therapeutics, a large molecule discovery operation focused on broad-spectrum antimicrobial compounds. Before Ansata, Dee served as Vice President, Strategic Operations at Vertex Pharmaceuticals. Dee also worked as a consultant with the Boston Consulting Group. He received an MBA and a Master’s of industrial engineering from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management and McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science at Northwestern University with highest honors. Dee also served as a combat fighter pilot and instructor pilot in the NATO fighter pilot school in the United States Air Force. He is the first inventor of more than 40 US and international patents and holds many US and international trademarks.