Jess Roper
REVELATION BIOSCIENCESAbout Jess Roper
Jess Roper (age 60) is an independent director of Revelation Biosciences (REVB), serving since October 2020, with deep financial and audit credentials including CPA licensure in California, an M.S. in Corporate Accountancy, and a B.S. in Finance . He previously served as SVP & CFO of Dexcom, retiring in 2017 after a 12-year tenure, and has held audit and examination roles at PwC and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, establishing him as the Board’s audit committee financial expert .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dexcom | Senior Vice President & Chief Financial Officer | ~12 years; retired 2017 | Led finance through IPO, financings, and scale-up; significant public company experience |
| PricewaterhouseCoopers | Auditor | Not disclosed | Audit training and practice background |
| Office of the Comptroller of the Currency | Bank & Information Systems Examiner | Not disclosed | Regulatory and controls experience |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biolase (public company) | Board Member & Audit Chair | Current (as disclosed) | External audit chair role; additional public board governance |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments: Audit Committee Chair; member, Compensation Committee; member, Nominating & Governance Committee .
- Expertise: Designated audit committee financial expert; meets Nasdaq and SEC Rule 10A‑3 independence and financial sophistication criteria .
- Independence: Board deems all three committee members (including Roper) independent under Nasdaq rules; no compensation committee interlocks or insider participation .
- Attendance: In 2024, Board met 6x; Audit 4x; Compensation 1x; Nominating & Governance 1x. Each director attended at least 100% of meetings during their service period .
- Board classification: Class B director; age 60; “Director Since” column shows 2023, while the narrative confirms service since October 2020 .
Fixed Compensation
| Metric | FY 2024 |
|---|---|
| Fees earned or paid in cash ($) | $60,000 |
Notes:
- No option‑based awards or equity shown for directors in FY 2024 (Option-based awards column was $0) .
- Company reimburses reasonable director expenses; no meeting fees or long-term incentive plans disclosed for directors in FY 2024 .
Performance Compensation
| Equity Component | As of Sep 11, 2025 | As of Oct 29, 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Restricted Stock Awards (RSAs) – shares | Not disclosed | 15,625 shares issued under the Company’s Plan |
| Stock Options exercisable within 60 days – shares | 4 | 4 |
Notes:
- The equity incentive plan defines RSUs, Restricted Stock Awards, Options, and performance goal constructs, but specific grant dates, vesting schedules, and fair values for director grants are not disclosed in the record cited .
- No performance metric framework (e.g., TSR, revenue growth) tied to director equity grants is disclosed for Roper.
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Relationship | Governance Relevance |
|---|---|---|
| Biolase | Current Board Member & Audit Chair | Cross‑board audit leadership; adds financial oversight experience |
| Compensation Committee Interlocks | None | No member has ever been an officer/employee; no interlocks disclosed |
Expertise & Qualifications
- CPA (California), M.S. in Corporate Accountancy, B.S. in Finance .
- Extensive finance/audit background across medical devices, life sciences, technology, manufacturing, and financial institutions; IPOs, M&A, equity/debt financings .
- External audit chair role (Biolase) strengthens governance expertise .
Equity Ownership
| Metric | As of Sep 11, 2025 | As of Oct 29, 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Total beneficial ownership – shares | 65 (61 direct + 4 options) | 15,690 (61 direct + 4 options + 15,625 RSAs) |
| Beneficial ownership (%) | <1% | <1% |
| Directly owned shares | 61 | 61 |
| Options exercisable within 60 days | 4 | 4 |
| Restricted Stock Awards (Plan) | Not disclosed | 15,625 |
Governance Assessment
- Board effectiveness: Roper’s role as Audit Chair and designated audit committee financial expert, coupled with 100% attendance, supports strong oversight of financial reporting, controls, and related‑party reviews—key for a clinical‑stage biotech managing financing and R&D risk .
- Independence and committee structure: He is independent under Nasdaq rules and serves across all three core committees, enabling cross‑functional governance continuity without interlocks .
- Ownership alignment: Absolute share ownership was de minimis through September 2025, but increased materially by October 29 with issuance of 15,625 restricted shares under the Plan; still <1% of outstanding, which is typical for small-cap boards but indicates limited personal capital at risk .
- Conflicts/related party: Audit Committee charter includes pre‑approval and review of related‑party transactions; no family relationships, legal proceedings, or interlocks disclosed—low apparent conflict risk .
- RED FLAGS: Low absolute ownership remains a modest alignment concern (<1%); lack of disclosed performance conditions for director equity grants means limited pay‑for‑performance linkage at board level .
Context: REVB’s special meeting materials highlight recent warrant inducement financing to fund clinical programs and maintain Nasdaq listing requirements, emphasizing the importance of rigorous audit oversight and prudent capital governance amid dilution .