WHIS 2022 ADVISORY BOARD
WHY ATTEND?
Now in its fourth year, we’re delighted to be reconvening face-to-face in Boston this September for our biggest industry-leading networking event to date.
Our past annual summits’ have succeeded in addressing and bringing awareness to a wide range of verticals, challenges and unmet needs for women and their health. Building on this, we will be expanding the scope to consider what’s next in accelerating innovation, investment, research, and partnerships to continue to improve the access of quality of care for women worldwide.
Industry Inflection Point: Our mission for 2022 and beyond is to draw upon the lessons learnt and consider how to continue to drive momentum in an industry that’s gone from being considered ‘niche to essential’. We want to bring together more stakeholders, include more unmissable networking opportunities and introduce a tailored two- tracked learning experience.
Our 2022 agenda is now live and can be downloaded here.
3 OPPORTUNITIES, 1 APPLICATION
EXPANDED INNOVATION SHOWCASE
For three years, the Women’s Health Innovation Spotlight has provided startups with a unique and interesting technologies, services, and products the opportunity to present in front of our audience of investors and industry leaders.
This year, we’re increasing the number of finalists. Our esteemed Selection Committee will choose 24 emerging companies to take to the stage to present their vision of the future of the women’s health industry.
Spread across both days of the summit, the showcase will be split into two categories: early-stage funding on day one and later-stage funding on day two, enhancing visibility for startups competing against similarly positioned peers.
All applications are stage agnostic and can relate to any solutions within women’s health, from ovarian cancer to fertility. Applications close Friday 5th August.
CEO & FOUNDERS FORUM
Come together with like-minded leaders in women’s health to learn, network, and grow. The CEO & Founders Forum is an application-only event and we will inform you if you are accepted to join.
THE FERRING INNOVATION COUNCIL
A premium opportunity for innovators and startups in reproductive medicine and women’s health.
Are you focused on meeting an unmet need in reproductive medicine or women’s health? Do you have an idea to improve the family building journey, improve access or outcomes? Ferring wants to hear from you.
Ferring is committed to be the world-leading, most trusted healthcare company in reproductive medicine and maternal health by ensuring a robust and growing development pipeline and selectively investing and partnering with innovators.
If selected for the Ferring Innovation Council, you will have the opportunity to present and discuss your innovation in a closed-door session with Ferring R&D scientists, medical experts, commercial experts and business development professionals. Later, you will be invited to network with others committed to addressing unmet needs in reproductive medicine and women’s health.
APPLICATIONS NOW CLOSED
WHIS SELECTION COMMITtEE
FERRING SELECTION COMMITTEE
POSTER PRESENTATION
New for 2022! Are you currently undergoing research that focuses on Women's Health? This is your opportunity to present your research in front of pharmaceutical and biotech organisations, as well as fellow academics.
Submit your abstract using our form below and we will be in touch once your abstract has been reviewed. If successful, your Poster will be presented in front of over 400 attendees.
Please note, if you application is successful, one author of the Poster must be available on 29-30 September and book their place with our academic rate.
APPLY NOW
Abstract Submission Guidelines
- May be only submitted for poster presentations.
- Abstracts must be submitted via the online submission site only. Abstracts submitted by email or fax will not be accepted.
- Abstracts must be received by 31 August 2022. Abstracts received after the deadline will not be considered.
- One Poster Author must be available and register for the Summit (29-30 September).
- Abstracts must be submitted in English.
- No changes will be made to submitted and accepted abstracts.
2022 Partners
Headline Partner
Ferring Pharmaceuticals
Website: http://www.ferringusa.com/
As a privately-owned, biopharma company, Ferring focuses on developing life-changing innovations that help people live better lives. Grounded in a 70-year commitment to science and research, we are relentless in our pursuit of therapies that help people build families, stay healthy, and fight disease.
We’re committed to being the world-leading, most trusted healthcare company in reproductive medicine and maternal health, and a leader in specialty areas within gastroenterology and orthopaedics. With that ambition in mind, we’re dedicated to following the science, conducting exhaustive research, and going where others may not—which means that people will always come first.
Since launching our U.S. operations in 1980, Ferring continues to sustain record growth, introduce new products, and expand our operations. Today, through our own innovative research and strategic acquisitions, we’re working to achieve today’s ‘firsts:’ unlocking the power of the human microbiome, discovering new, more accessible ways for people to start and build families, and tackling some of the most debilitating diseases and conditions of our time.
For more information, visit www.ferringusa.com
Oncology Partner
GSK
Website: https://www.gsk.com/en-gb/
GSK is focused on maximising patient survival through transformational medicines. GSK’s pipeline is focused on immuno-oncology, cell therapy, cancer epigenetics and synthetic lethality. Our goal is to achieve a sustainable flow of new treatments based on a diversified portfolio of investigational medicines utilising modalities such as small molecules, antibodies, antibody drug conjugates and cells, either alone or in combination. We are a science-led global healthcare company with a special purpose: to help people do more, feel better, live longer. For further information please visit www.gsk.com/about-us
Knowledge Partner
McKinsey & Company
Website: https://www.mckinsey.com/
There was a time when economic growth, sustainability, and inclusion were seen as trade-offs, but leaders today need to achieve all three. This new paradigm of growth will be more sustainable, driving innovation while reducing environmental impact. It will also be more inclusive, creating access to opportunities for people worldwide.
This is not an easy task, but McKinsey & Company's ambition is to help organizations and their leaders make it a reality. They combine bold strategies and transformative technologies to help organizations innovate more sustainably, achieve lasting gains in performance, and build workforces that will thrive for this generation and the next.
Platinum Partners
Organon
Website: https://www.organon.com/
Organon (NYSE: OGN) is a global healthcare company formed through a spinoff from Merck, known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, to focus on improving the health of women throughout their lives. Here for her health, the company has a portfolio of more than 60 medicines and products across a range of therapeutic areas. Led by the reproductive health portfolio coupled with an expanding biosimilars business and stable franchise of established medicines, Organon’s products produce strong cash flows that will support investments in future growth opportunities in women’s health, including business development. In addition, Organon is pursuing opportunities to collaborate with biopharmaceutical innovators looking to commercialize their products by leveraging its scale and presence in fast growing international markets. Organon has a global footprint with significant scale and geographic reach, world-class commercial capabilities, and approximately 9,000 employees with headquarters located in Jersey City, N.J.
femtec Health
Website: https://www.femtechealth.com/
We are revolutionizing women’s healthcare. We use state-of-the-art genomics, predictive intelligence, and digital technologies to create a unique experience for every woman, through all stages of her life journey.
Our vision is to address this truth. Using the power of science and technology and celebrating each woman’s uniqueness, we create solutions that empower all women.
Most healthcare and its related tech were created by and for men. The uniqueness of women’s bodies and their ever-changing needs have gotten short shrift in just about every market direction—it was not until 1993 that women were even allowed in clinical trials.
Philips
Website: www.philips.com/newscenter.
Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) is a leading health technology company focused on improving people's health and well-being, and enabling better outcomes across the health continuum – from healthy living and prevention, to diagnosis, treatment and home care. Philips leverages advanced technology and deep clinical and consumer insights to deliver integrated solutions. Headquartered in the Netherlands, the company is a leader in diagnostic imaging, image-guided therapy, patient monitoring and health informatics, as well as in consumer health and home care. Philips generated 2021 sales of EUR 17.2 billion and employs approximately 79,000 employees with sales and services in more than 100 countries.
Bayer
Website: https://www.bayer.com/en/
Bayer is a recognized leader in the area of women’s healthcare, with a long-standing commitment to delivering science for a better life by advancing a portfolio of innovative treatments. Bayer offers a wide range of effective short- and long-acting birth control methods as well as therapies for menopause management and gynecological diseases. Bayer is also focusing on innovative options to address the unmet medical needs of women worldwide. Today, Bayer’s research and development efforts focus on finding new treatment options for menopause as well as gynecological diseases and includes several compounds in various stages of pre-clinical and clinical development. Together, these projects reflect the company’s approach to research, which prioritizes targets and pathways with the potential to alter the way that gynecological diseases are treated. Additionally, Bayer intends to provide 100 million women in low-and-middle income countries by 2030 with access to family planning by funding multi-stakeholder aid programs and by ensuring the supply of affordable modern contraceptives. This is part of the comprehensive sustainability measures and commitments from 2020 onwards and in line with the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations.
Gold Partners
Myovant
Website: https://www.myovant.com/
We aspire to redefine care for women and for men through purpose-driven science, empowering medicines, and transformative advocacy.
Our purpose is resolute and fueled by the opportunity to improve the lives of millions of women and men, many impacted by diseases during their most productive years of life. Despite the significant burden of common diseases like uterine fibroids, endometriosis, and prostate cancer, many women and men do not have the options they deserve and need.
Sagentia Innovation
Website: www.sagentiainnovation.com
Sagentia Innovation provides independent advisory and leading-edge product development services focused on science and technology initiatives. Working across the medical, industrial, chemicals and energy, food and beverage, and consumer sectors, Sagentia Innovation works with a broad range of companies from some of the world’s leading and best-known brands, to start-up disruptors, new to the market. It is part of Science Group (AIM:SAG), which has more than ten offices globally, two UK-based dedicated R&D innovation centres and more than 400 employees. Other Science Group companies include Leatherhead Food Research, TSG Consulting and Frontier Smart Technologies.
Axia WH
Website: https://axiawh.com/
Axia Women's Health is leading the way in improving women's health. At the core of achieving this is a caring, connected, and progressive community of more than 400 providers and nearly 200 women's health centers across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky. The rapidly growing network spans OB/GYN physicians, breast health centers, high-risk pregnancy centers, a central laboratory, urogynecology, and fertility centers. Together, Axia Women's Health puts women first by delivering the personalized care needed for women to lead healthier, happier lives.
Cambridge Design Partnership
Website: http://www.cambridge-design.com/femtech
Cambridge Design Partnership is an end-to-end innovation partner, propelling global brands and ambitious start-ups to success.
We build breakthrough products and services – from insight to ideas, prototypes to production – bringing innovation to life. Our teams are multi-disciplinary, uniting scientific rigor, design ingenuity, and engineering excellence for consumer, healthcare, and industrial clients. People-centered, deeply collaborative, and – above all – expert, we’re uniquely positioned to shape the future for consumers, patients, and industry.
Not all people are the same. Our FemTech philosophy integrates inclusivity, experience-led design, and the smart integration of technology. By putting people and context at the center of our thinking – and applying consumer and healthcare knowledge gathered globally by our multi-disciplinary team – we help our partners create meaningful incremental and transformational innovations that improve lives.
One partner. No barriers. Extraordinary results.
Fresh Fields
Website: https://www.freshfields.us/
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP is a global elite law firm with a long-standing track record of successfully supporting the world's leading national and multinational corporations, financial institutions and governments on groundbreaking and business-critical mandates. Our 2,800-plus lawyers deliver results worldwide through our own offices and alongside leading local firms. Our commitment, local and multinational expertise, and business know-how means our clients rely on us when it matters most.
Freshfields is ranked by Chambers Global in Band 1 across the six areas of antitrust, corporate/M&A, litigation, international arbitration, tax, and public international law.
Ovia Health
Website: https://info.oviahealth.com/womenshealth
Ovia Health is on a mission to make a healthy, happy family possible for everyone. The Ovia apps have helped more than 15 million people successfully navigate the path to parenthood — from cycle tracking and trying to conceive, to pregnancy and parenthood. Each app offers daily touch points, clinically-backed guidance, and personalized resources to support you through every transition and important moment.Three free apps. Millions of unique journeys. Choose the one that’s right for you.
- Ovia® Fertility: Understand your body's patterns with accurate cycle predictions and reproductive health and fertility support.
- Ovia® Pregnancy: Monitor your baby's development and find clinically-backed answers to all of your pregnancy questions.
- Ovia™ Parenting: Celebrate your little one's big moments with newborn health tracking, a milestone checklist, and secure picture sharing.
Ovia® Pregnancy -Monitor your baby's development and find clinically-backed answers to all of your pregnancy questions
Ovia™ Parenting -Track and share your children’s health, milestone development, and special moments
Event Partners
Celanese
Website: https://bit.ly/3a0JriQ
Celanese works closely with you as a strategic partner to create innovative controlled-release dosage forms for biologics and small molecules to meet the goals of patient-centric therapies, improved medicine and better healthcare economics. Our VitalDose® EVA copolymer drug-delivery platform is an enabling technology for drug-eluting implants, inserts and transdermal films. The platform is flexible and customizable to address a variety of formulation challenges when it comes to tailoring the release rate of your drug.
- Compatible with biologics and small molecules
- Provides reliable local or systemic drug administration
- High drug loading capacity (≤ 75%)
- Engineered long-acting dosage profiles (zero-order or nonlinear profiles)
- Ease of formulation and configurable into a variety of geometries
- An established regulatory path with long clinical use history
From FEASIBILITY to DEVELOPMENT to COMMERCIALIZATION
Our scientists and engineers are there from concept to commercialization, providing development services, material supply aligned with GMP principles and regulatory support.
Watkins-Conti Products Inc
Website: http://www.watkinscontiproducts.com/
Watkins Conti Products, Inc. is a Female founded and owned, Platform Women’s Healthcare company and product design firm that is focused on the creation of innovative and affordable consumer medical devices.
The company’s flagship product is a non-invasive solution for stress incontinence in women. The problem impacts and estimated ONE in THREE women globally. The disruptive, patented product offers multiple recurring revenue streams. Watkins-Conti has additional products in the pipeline to improve the consumer experience, specifically for health related issues that women face that are often seen as shameful or taboo.
Establishment Labs
Establishment Labs is a global medical technology company dedicated to improving Women’s Health through FemTech solutions with an initial focus on breast health and wellness.
Bowdoin Group
Website: http://w.bowdoingroup.com/
The Bowdoin Group specializes in executive search, focused on placing change-makers and strategic leaders across the innovation economy while supporting additional growth through recruitment process outsourcing (RPO).
Our network covers the Health and Technology industries, placing disruptive leaders who are redefining the landscape of how we live and work.
Within the Health and Technology landscape, the firm’s expertise in Digital Health, Software and Technology, FinTech, Biotech, and Diagnostics inform the service we provide for our clients and partners leading these industries. We continue to build lasting partnerships across the financial sector, building out portfolio companies for top-tier Private Equity and Venture Capital firms.
Sheppard Mullin
Sheppard Mullin’s Women in Healthcare Leadership Collaborative (WHLC) is an exclusive national leadership initiative committed to supporting women professionals in or advancing into leadership positions within the healthcare and life sciences industries.
WHLC was established in response to significant and persistent systemic gender disparities in institutional leadership positions in the healthcare and life sciences industries. Despite constituting a vast majority of the workforce, women continue to hold a small minority of these positions.
Drawing upon Sheppard Mullin’s nationally-ranked healthcare practice, and the law firm’s leadership in diversity and inclusion, WHLC aims to reverse this trend by providing women professionals access to critical resources and networking opportunities designed to support them as they progress in their careers. WHLC hosts regular roundtable discussions focusing on complex legal and business issues and cutting-edge innovation and developments in the healthcare industry, as well as professional skills training and development, and quality networking events connecting these professionals to other leaders in the industry. Sheppard Mullin hosts WHLC events virtually and in various locations across the country.
Veranex
Website: https://www.veranexsolutions.com/
Veranex is a comprehensive, global, tech-enabled service provider dedicated to biomedical innovation and the medical technology industry. Offering expert guidance from concept through to commercialization and across the development continuum, Veranex enables accelerated speed to market, controlled development costs, development risk mitigation, and accelerated market viability assessment. At every stage, Veranex customers realize efficiencies in cost and time while its integrated and comprehensive solutions unify the entire development process.
From the earliest concept to market adoption, Veranex delivers solutions that advance your innovation. Our broad capabilities support medical devices, diagnostics, precision medicine, digital health, drug delivery, and other medical innovations. By combining the talent and capabilities of industry-leading medical device design and engineering, device evaluation, clinical trial development, regulatory, quality, and market access advisors, Veranex has created a purpose-built, end-to-end solution that helps you deliver on your business and innovation goals. For more information, visit www.VeranexSolutions.com.
HerMD
Physician-founded, patient-forward, and mission-driven, HerMD is revolutionizing the future of women’s healthcare through an integrated, evidence-based model. At HerMD we are redefining women’s health by combining medical care (gynecology, menopause, sexual health, mental health) with aesthetic services to treat the whole woman.
We are hyper-focused on on the underserved specialties of menopause and sexual health and we have created a highly patient-centric experience in a beautiful, modern, and comfortable space. HerMD centers provide a safe, welcoming space for women to discuss all their health care needs - shame and stigma free. HerMD patients can access providers of medical care and ancillary wellness services under a single roof, as well as a virtual care platform that helps patients access care from across the country.
HerMD is a female-led organization, founded by a leading women’s health physician in 2015, and backed by Jazz Venture Partners, a leading venture firm focused on companies that extend the boundaries of human performance. HerMD is currently operating out of two clinics in Cincinnati, OH and Crescent Springs, KY and also offers virtual care services.
Fish & Richardson
Fish & Richardson has represented pioneering life science innovators from our earliest days. We work closely with life sciences companies to help them achieve their strategic IP goals through acquisition, partnering, licensing, financing, and enforcement. We do this by bringing a unique holistic approach to our clients’ IP matters, fostered by the collaboration between our patent prosecution, litigation, and regulatory practices. We have helped our clients build valuable patent portfolios worth billions of dollars, score big victories at the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB), and win bet-the-company cases in court. When life sciences clients come to Fish to build an IP strategy, they know that we will leave no stone unturned when crafting creative and comprehensive solutions to maximize the value of their IP.
Astellas
Website: https://www.astellas.com/us/
“Astellas is committed to turning innovative science into medical solutions that bring value and hope to patients and their families. Keeping our focus on addressing unmet medical needs and conducting our business with ethics and integrity enables us to improve the health of people throughout the U.S. and around the world.”
Event & Media Partner
Boston Globe Media
Website: https://www.bostonglobe.com/
Boston Globe Media is a multimedia organization that provides news, entertainment, and commentary across multiple brands and platforms.
Through in-depth reporting and coverage coming straight from the world’s hub of innovation in health, science, and medicine, Boston Globe Media gives brands the opportunity to create meaningful content, align themselves with award-winning journalism, and reach a robust audience of readers keenly focused on advancements in healthcare and beyond. With powerful storytelling, in-depth filmmaking, great advice, interactive local and global events, immersive branded content, and the largest social media following in New England, we go beyond advertising and help brands forge a meaningful connection with the audiences they want to reach. If you want to educate, entertain, or simply introduce your brand to the world, then allow us to reintroduce ourselves. We are Boston Globe Media.
Read, listen and discover more at Globe.com, Boston.com, STAT, Globe Events, and our in-house creative agency, Studio/B.
Media Partner
FemTech Focus
Website: www.femtechfocus.org
Femtech Focus is a 501c3 non-profit entity empowering the femtech industry through increased awareness of femtech in the tech world, providing resources to femtech founders, and creating opportunities to support femtech startups through exposure, networking, and access to capital.
How we are contributing to women's health space:
Femtech Focus has a popular podcast with thousands of listeners around the world. This supports our efforts to increase awareness of the femtech industry.
Femtech Focus is launching a femtech accelerator this Fall. Follow our social pages and subscribe to our newsletter to know when applications open!
@FemtechFocus - Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Linkedin
Women of Wearables
Website: https://www.womenofwearables.com/
Women of Wearables is the first global organisation that supports and connects women in wearable tech, fashion tech, health tech, IoT and VR/AR.
Its mission is to encourage more women and diverse teams to participate in building hardware and software products as designers, product managers and developers or being founders of their own companies, as well as create more jobs for women in STEM. With headquarters in London (UK) and more than 20,000 members located around the globe, WoW supports its growing community of women and girls in the tech space through monthly meetups, panels, mentorship and collaboration with its network of local ambassadors, partners and communities. WoW is not just for professional women, but for anyone with an interest in emerging technologies and providing women with a platform for growth.
Flying Health
Website: https://www.flyinghealth.com/
Flying Health is the leading ecosystem for next generation healthcare. As an ecosystem, Flying Health builds bridges between startups, corporates, and relevant stakeholders, transforming industry leaders and entrepreneurs into healthcare pioneers. Their work combines long-standing consulting expertise and innovative trend research that enable closing the gap between healthcare and technological innovation. Together with their partners, Flying Health creates strategies, business models, and networks that shape the future of healthcare.
Fempower health
Website: http://fempower-health.com/
Fempower Health focused on empowering women to be the CEO of their health. Women are often "trained" to grin and bear it, rather than being offered research-backed solutions (mostly because the research is incredibly limited). Women deserve better: better insight and better solutions. Over 80 women’s health experts on women’s health issues have been interviewed on the Fempower Health Podcast covering how to navigate the complex healthcare system, reproductive health, menopause, the pelvic floor, pregnancy, sexual health and general women’s health.
Femtech Insider
Website: https://femtechinsider.com/
Femtech Insider is the go-to platform for all things femtech. We’re the fastest growing portal for innovation in women’s health and address the information needs of founders, investors, researchers and consumers alike.
Springboard
Website: https://sb.co
Springboard’s mission is to accelerate the growth of entrepreneurial companies led by women through access to essential resources and a global community of experts. We are a leading network of influencers, investors and innovators dedicated to building high-growth companies led by women who are transforming industries in technology and life science.
GW4W
Website: https://www.gw4w.org/
Pharma News HQ
Website: http://pharmanewshq.com/
Pharma News HQ, the journal dedicated to the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical contract services. With regular sections on contract manufacturing, contract research, contract packaging, formulation/development services, contract analytical testing, APIs, stability testing, clinical research and other areas, we bring the most complete coverage of trends and issues in the industry. Pharmanewshq.com is the only website focusing specifically on issues relevant to pharmaceutical professionals working with technology, be it development, engineering, IT or production
MassMEDIC
Website: http://www.massmedic.com/
Founded in 1996, the Massachusetts Medical Device Industry Council (MassMEDIC) is the largest regional medtech association in the United States, with over 300 members representing manufacturers, product developers, suppliers, research institutions and academic health centers.
For more than a quarter of a century, MassMEDIC has been the voice of the groundbreaking medical technology industry in New England, advocating for sound public policy that supports innovation and fostering a community built on a shared purpose.
As a MassMEDIC member, you are part of a community of innovators that believe in collaboration and collective success. Our network and resources help you navigate today’s evolving healthcare ecosystem and strengthen your goals through connection, education, awareness, and advocacy.
2022 Speakers

Kate Ryder
Kate Ryder is the founder and CEO of Maven, the largest virtual clinic for women’s and family health. Maven offers virtual care and services across fertility, maternity, and pediatrics, and operates the largest women's and family health telehealth network globally. With Maven, employers and health plans can see improved maternal outcomes, lower costs, and attract and retain more parents in the workforce. Named #1 Most Innovative Healthcare Company by Fast Company in 2020, Maven has raised more than $200 million in capital from top investors, including Sequoia Capital, Oak HC/FT, Dragoneer Investment Group, and Lux Capital.
Kate founded Maven in 2014, reimagining healthcare for women and families from the ground up after seeing first hand how the lack of access to care impacted those starting a family and returning to work as new parents. Prior to founding Maven, Kate worked in venture capital and as a journalist, writing for The Economist from Southeast Asia, New York and London and for The New Yorker. In 2009, she worked with former U.S. Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson, helping him write his memoirs about the financial crisis.
Kate has been named to Fortune’s 40 Under 40 and to Fast Company’s “Most Creative People.” She has spoken on stage at industry events including the Forbes Healthcare Summit, Fortune Brainstorm Health, the Oliver Wyman Health Innovation Summit and HLTH. Kate received her B.A. from the University of Michigan and her MSc from the London School of Economics. She lives in Brooklyn, New York with her husband and three children.

Kalahn Taylor-Clark, PhD MPH

Marsha Henderson

Bipin Dalmia

Lucy Perez, PhD
Lucy is a Senior Partner in McKinsey’s Boston office. Lucy has 15+ years of experience advising CEOs and top teams at leading pharma, biotech and life sciences companies globally on growth strategy, innovation, sustainability, and organizational transformation.
Lucy co-leads McKinsey’s ESG domain and McKinsey’s All-In DEI efforts in North America. She also sponsors the Hispanic Latino Network at McKinsey and leads our research efforts on health equity.
Lucy works extensively with number of biopharma and life science clients on broad range of topics, with recent focus on ESG/ sustainability, evidence generation, and digital/analytics programs to improve patient outcomes and support sustainable, inclusive growth.
Led efforts for a leading biopharma to define their ESG strategy, partnership strategy, and stakeholder engagement approach
Led efforts for a leading biopharma to embed health equity as a core principle in their R&D priorities and ways of working across the value chain
Led efforts to assess internal and external portfolio productivity and pricing models to optimize the R&D strategy and redesign the organization for a top pharmaceutical company
Led efforts for a leading biopharma to transform how it engages with customers through digital transformation, applying advanced analytics and embedding agile ways of working across their six largest markets that delivered $300M+ of near-term growth
Sponsor of McKinsey’s Early Stage Investor Conference, an annual event convening 200+ entrepreneurs and 1000+ investors interested in bio/med/health tech and sustainability innovation
Before joining McKinsey, Lucy was a research fellow at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, where she was involved in the development of novel treatments for solid tumors. She was also a Howard Hughes Medical Institute research fellow at Harvard University while completing her doctoral studies. She is co-inventor on multiple patents and has published in peer-reviewed journals.

Jill Angelo
Jill is the co-founder and CEO of Gennev whose mission is to empower every woman to improve her quality of life through menopause by creating a higher standard of care for post-reproductive healthcare.
Jill has 20 years’ experience in the tech industry, primarily at Microsoft in executive roles such as Chief of Staff to the CMO, Director of Global Media, and Product Management for Emerging Markets. Jill is also a member of the Board of Directors for Special Olympics of Washington.
Named as one of Inc. Magazine’s 2020 Top 100 Female Founders, Jill is a driving force for bringing effective health solutions to women in the most vibrant years of their lives.

Alyssa Jaffee

Fahimeh Sasan

Sandy Milligan

Stephanie Faubion
Dr. Faubion completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Texas at Austin and medical school and residency in internal medicine and pediatrics at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. She received her Master of Business Administration at the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota in 2019.
She is Professor and Chair of the Department of Medicine at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida and the Penny and Bill George Director of the Center for Women’s Health. In 2019 she was named Medical Director of The North American Menopause Society.
Her clinical research interests include menopause and sexual health in women. She is Principal Investigator for the Data Registry on Experiences of Aging, Menopause and Sexuality (DREAMS). She has served on the board of trustees for the North American Menopause Society and the board of directors for the International Society for the Study of Women’s Sexual Health. She also serves as editor of the journal, Menopause, and is on the editorial board of Journal of Sexual Medicine.

Tania Small
Tania Small, MD is Global Medical Affairs Therapeutic Area Head of Oncology at GSK and Chair of the diversity, equity, and inclusion R&D Council. She has built and leads an organization of approximately 500 professionals focused on patient-driven science, breaking down the barriers to access and driving impactful and innovative solutions to improve the outcome of individuals with cancers. Dr. Small was trained in Hematology/Oncology and bone marrow transplant at Columbia University, New York Presbyterian where she also completed a genetic research fellowship. She subsequently continued her focused on both hematology and stem cell transplant. She has done research in oncology, hematology, gene therapy and stem cell transplantation, and received grants from the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) for her translational research in gene therapy and regenerative medicine. In previous roles with Novartis Oncology and Ipsen, Dr. Small successfully led the launch programs of multiple oncology therapies while overseeing both clinical development programs as well as medical affairs programs. She has also led many patient-centered and diversity initiatives in previous roles, working closely with the U.S. FDA, Congress and the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) to improve the diversity enrollment into oncology clinical trials and elderly programs. She is passionate about creating a world class oncology program that will successfully deliver the transformational medicines needed to revolutionize the experience and outcomes of patients.

Emma Kemble
Prepared gyn oncology client for future value and market access hurdles and advised on incorporating value and access in both clinical and business development
Developed strategy and identified the next wave of growth for a pharmacy benefit manager
Assessed key trends in pharmaceutical pricing and access in the US and determined implications for client

Elizabeth Garner
Elizabeth Garner is Chief Medical Officer at ObsEva, a Swiss women’s health specialty pharmaceutical company headquartered in Geneva. With over a decade of experience in the pharmaceutical industry, Dr. Garner has wide expertise in drug development, including clinical trial design and conduct, regulatory and FDA Advisory Committee strategy, support of commercial launch planning, medical affairs, and pharmacovigilance. As a member of ObsEva’s Executive Committee, she provides strategic leadership on the Company’s overall development strategy and frequently represents ObsEva to investor, Key Opinion Leader (KOL), and other key stakeholders.
From 2014 to 2019, Dr. Garner was Chief Medical Officer of Agile Therapeutics, located in Princeton, NJ. She played a crucial role during Agile’s 2014 Initial Public Offering and was instrumental in the Company’s Investor Relations, Communications, and Business Development strategies. Dr. Garner led the clinical development of Twirla®, Agile’s low-dose contraceptive patch, took the Company through an FDA dispute resolution process, and was the presenter and moderator for Agile’s successful FDA Advisory Committee meeting in October 2019, which led to FDA approval of Twirla® in February, 2020. She also led pre-launch activities, including commercial support, medical affairs, KOL development, and the pharmacovigilance and Medical Information programs.
Prior to her position at Agile, Dr. Garner was Vice President of Medical Affairs, Preventive Care at Myriad Genetics, where she managed the women’s health research, publication, and KOL development programs, provided medical and scientific input on Myriad’s marketing and new product strategies, served as its media spokesperson, and directed an experienced team of Field Medical Specialists. Before that, she was Senior Director at Abbott Laboratories, where she oversaw all clinical aspects of the global Phase 3 endometriosis development program for elagolix, which was FDA-approved in 2018.
From 2007 to 2011, Dr. Garner was Associate Director then Director of Clinical Research at Merck Research Laboratories. As a leader on the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine program she was instrumental in achieving successful outcomes on important regulatory submissions. Dr. Garner also served as chair of the Gardasil®9 HPV vaccine program Product Development Team, leading scientific, regulatory, global access and medical affairs strategies. Dr. Garner was the presenter and moderator for the successful 2010 FDA Gardasil® Advisory Committee Meeting. She also had substantial involvement in commercialization strategy and KOL development, and participated in due diligence on infectious disease and women’s health products.
Dr. Garner received joint M.D. and M.P.H degrees from Harvard Medical School and Harvard School of Public Health. She was trained in obstetrics and gynecology at Brigham and Women’s/Massachusetts General Hospitals and completed a fellowship in gynecologic oncology at Brigham and Women’s/Dana Farber Cancer Institute. Prior to entering the pharmaceutical industry, Dr. Garner focused on academic clinical practice, basic science research in ovarian cancer, and teaching and mentorship of fellows, residents, and medical students at Harvard Medical School. She is an author on numerous peer-reviewed scientific papers.
Dr. Garner is a member of the Board of Directors of Kezar Life Sciences, a publicly traded company focused on the development of new therapies targeting protein homeostasis for the treatment of autoimmune diseases and cancer. She serves on the board’s audit and clinical strategy & execution committees. She is also on the Board of Directors of the Drug Information Association (DIA), a member-driven volunteer organization for global healthcare product development; she serves on the audit committee. She is on the Board of Directors and is Chair of the finance committee of the American Medical Women’s Association, a professional organization which functions at the local, national, and international level to advance women in medicine. Dr. Garner also serves on the Board of the Executive Women of New Jersey and was a 2018 honoree at its Salute to the Policy Makers gala, which recognizes executive women leaders across all industries. She is also on the Board of CorStone, a global non-profit organization focused on resilience in youth. Dr. Garner was a 2019 awardee of the PharmaVoice 100 Most Inspiring Individuals in the life sciences industry.

Elizabeth Bailey

Kelle Moley, MD
Dr. Kelle Moley is a career physician-scientist obstetrician/gynecologist who currently leads the Reproductive Health Technologies Domain within the Discovery & Translational Sciences, Global Health Division at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Kelle joined BMGF in July 2020, with a 30-year history of basic and translational research on reproductive health issues in females throughout the life course-- from organismal to cellular and molecular levels of metabolic, developmental biology, embryo implantation and decidualization, and infectious diseases of the female reproductive tract.
Kelle earned her BA from Wellesley College, and her MD from Yale Medical School. Thereafter, she pursued an Obstetrics & Gynecology Residency and a Fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology & Fertility at Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine. Kelle then spent the next 3 decades of a thriving research career at Washington University—rising to become the James P. Crane Professor of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Vice Chair of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Chief of the Division of Basic & Translational Research for the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Co-Director of the Institute of Clinical & Translational Science for the School of Medicine, and Director of the Center for Reproductive Health Sciences at the School of Medicine. Her research (published in some 150 peer-reviewed primary articles) led to an international reputation along with numerous honors, including election to the National Academy of Medicine in 2014. She also earned a reputation as a superb mentor to trainees, leading the reproductive endocrinology fellowship program at Washington University until she left academia in 2018. After a 2-year stint as Chief Scientific Officer and Senior Vice President of the March of Dimes she left to pursue her new position at BMGF.

Jamie White

Tammeka Evans
As Senior Director of Global Public Health and Innovation at ViiV Healthcare, a subsidiary of GlaxoSmithKline, solely focused on HIV, Tammeka Evans is a consummate public health leader. Her passion to address and eliminate health disparities and inequities that impact women across the globe has been focused on HIV which disproportionately affects communities of color and low-and-middle income countries. Along with her expertise in both disparities elimination and implementation science research, she is a strong advocate for implementing innovative approaches to increase access to HIV biomedical prevention options. She actively leads efforts in research and development to increase the representation of women and racial and ethnic minorities in clinical trials.

Jackie Rotman

Donna Parr

Julie Stone

Todd Albin
Todd Albin is a founding member of Cedar Health Research and an expert in the areas of clinical research site operations and patient engagement with more than two decades of experience as an accomplished leader in the clinical research industry. His past experience includes management roles with Synexus, PPD/Acurian, and Ora where he led global teams supporting operations, investigator site relations, and patient recruitment and retention.

Markisha Keith-Vickers
Marshika Keith-Vickers is an experienced clinical operations leader and brings more than 15 years of experience spanning Phase 1-4, registry, and late phase clinical trials for multiple therapeutic indications, specializing in Women’s Health, Oncology and CNS. Keith-Vickers’ extensive experience includes providing leadership and management of global teams for large and mid-size CROs.
In her current role, Keith-Vickers is committed to providing strategic and operational leadership to ensure high-quality performance and delivery.
Keith-Vickers holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Shaw University and a Master of Science in Biochemistry, with a concentration in Pharmacology and Physiology from North Carolina Central University.

Rachel Braun Scherl

Delphine O'Rouke

Ann Garnier

Elizabeth Cherot
Dr. Elizabeth Cherot is Chief Medical Officer with Axia Women’s Health, a rapidly growing network of progressive, connected, and caring women’s health professionals with more 400 providers and nearly 200 locations across five states. She is an established and highly skilled physician with over 20 years of experience in obstetrics and gynecology. In addition to her expert clinical skills, she is committed to improving OB/GYN care, reducing morbidity and mortality while implementing cost reduction and providing an efficient business model for today’s OB/GYN practice.
Dr. Cherot has been awarded numerous honors throughout her career including several National Excellence in Teaching Awards. She has also helped to pioneer the Enhanced Recovery after Surgery program in the United States, contributing to a significant reduction of opioid using in post-partum women.
In addition to being an accomplished clinician, Dr. Cherot holds an Executive MBA from Johns Hopkins University Carey School of Business. She resides in Central New Jersey with her husband and two children.

Casey Santiago Albert

Mary E. Flemming
Mary E. Fleming, MD, MPH, FACOG, an experienced OBGYN, is the co-founder and Senior Clinical Advisor at healthtech startup Cayaba Care. She provides direct clinical care as a locums physician across the country, and has strengthened her practice by serving as a medical legal consultant, physician editor, and president of the non-profit, Reede Scholars, Inc. Dr. Fleming completed her undergraduate degree at Xavier University of Louisiana, medical degree at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, and her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Meharry Medical College. Due to her interests in eradicating health inequities and improving healthcare for the underserved, she matriculated to Harvard Medical School as a Commonwealth Fellow in Minority Health Policy where she obtained a Master in Public Health from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. 5. Headshot and logo: Both attached here.

Allison Watkins-Conti

Ezekiel Fink
Ezekiel Fink M.D. is a Harvard trained physician with triple board certifications in neurology, pain medicine, and brain injury medicine. Dr. Fink joined Houston Methodist in 2014, designed and investigated numerous industry clinical trials, and was recognized for excellence in research by the Office of Research Protections in 2019. Today Dr. Fink’s positions include being a key opinion leader in matters relating to opioids for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Safety Council, an Assistant Clinical Professor at UCLA, and Medical Director of Pain for the Houston Methodist hospital system.

Linda Greub

Betsy Bluestone

Mylene Yao

Derek Sham
Derek has 15+ years experience in medical devices R&D and commercialization in urology, gynecology, gastroenterology and cardiology. He is a General Manager with a successful PE-backed exit in urological diagnostics in 2016 and was inspired to launch Cosm as a result of his grandmother's health.

Wei Escala
Wei Escala is the founder and CEO of Eggschain, a healthcare technology company built at the intersection of reproductive medicine, technology innovation, scientific research and humanity. A thought leader in the health tech, family building and cryogenic preservation industries, Ms. Escala holds the patent for the first blockchain-integrated inventory management and chain of custody technology for tracking bio specimens, including sperm, eggs, embryos, DNA, RNA, genome, stem cell, tissues and organs, and other genetic material. As Eggschain CEO, she has built an all-star team of collaborators comprising technologists, business leaders, physicians and scientists, with a focus on continuing to develop game-changing innovation for patients, doctors, clinics and labs through the Eggschain platform.
A software engineer by training, Ms. Escala has built a career across the organizational spectrum, from Marketing and Brand Management to Software Leadership. Prior to Eggschain, Ms. Escala held executive roles at such Fortune 500 companies as Procter & Gamble, Frito Lay, Valvoline and Kraft Foods, where she managed P&Ls of up to 300 million USD. She is passionate about women’s health and the opportunity to enable security, transparency and peace of mind for people and families, enabling better decision making and helping advance humanity.

Karolynn Echols

Carolee Lee
Carolee Lee is an innovator, entrepreneur and thought leader dedicated to improving women’s health and wellbeing, and their opportunities to succeed. She was founder and CEO of Carolee Designs, one of the world’s leading accessories brands. Carolee launched WHAM (Women’s Health Access Matters), a nonprofit organization working to bring awareness and funding to women’s health research to transform women’s lives. Carolee forged a research partnership with the RAND Corporation to create The WHAM Report, the first study to analyze the economic costs, benefits and social impacts of health research that focuses specifically on women. The WHAM Report is changing the conversation around women’s health research, proving women’s health research is an economic issue we cannot afford to ignore. Through partnerships with leading advocacy groups, business leaders, researchers and economists, WHAM is using this data drive change.
Carolee is also a mentor and leader in business, philanthropic and educational organizations. She is a past Chair and Foundation Board Chair of the Committee of 200, a community of the most successful women in business, and has served as director on the board of DSW, Inc. Carolee is a founding board member of The Breast Cancer Research Foundation, where she has served since 1986. She currently sits on the Women’s Leadership Board at The John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

Nada Hanafi

Kiki Freedman

Dana Northcraft

Rem Koning

Crystal Tyler

Kate Marchio

Katie Baker

David Sable

Andrew Khair

Patrick Heiser

Katie Barletta

Aliëtte van der Wal

Susan Nicholson

Vrunda B Desai, MD

Per Falk

Sari Kalin

Danika Severino Wynn

Sarah Jameson
Sarah joined Arboretum in 2020 and is responsible for assessing potential investments and supporting Arboretum’s portfolio companies. Prior to joining Arboretum, Sarah spent eight years providing clinical and technical support for cardiac medical device procedures, sales, and clinical trials at Johnson & Johnson, Sorin, and, most recently, Boston Scientific.
Sarah earned an MSE in Biomedical Engineering and a BS in Cellular and Molecular Biology from the University of Michigan and an MBA from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan.

Cheryl Kerr

Valerie Palmieri

Vinita Kailasanath

Georgie Kovaks
Download 2022 agenda
Please complete the form to access the 2022 Women's Health Innovation Summit (WHIS) Agenda.
The 2022 agenda includes:
- Plenary sessions: consider the challenges and topics that span the Women’s Health Industry, including health equity, and menopause.
- Business Development: a track designed for start-up growth, understanding funding models and investment strategies.
- R&D: explore topics that address challenges within data privacy, lab innovation and diversity in clinical trials.
View our agenda for the Women's Health Innovation Summit 2022
REGISTRATION
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AUDIENCE BREAKDOWN
Big Pharma and Medical Device
At the forefront of women’s health innovation, Big Pharma and Medical Device companies play an important role at the Women’s Health Innovation Summit.
Startups
At the centre of our summit, we are committed to bringing together emerging
companies in women’s health, at all stages of growth and development who are
looking for partnership opportunities and are at the forefront of shaping the future of women’s health in this ever-changing landscape.
Investors
We look to bring together leading women’s health investors, alongside those
with an interest or focus on specific areas within women’s health. Investors
range from seed, to angel, venture capital firms, private equity, funds, and
advisors.
Servicing
Industry support and service providers include advocacy groups, researchers, knowledge leaders and accelerators such as consultants, lawyers, CROs, non-profits and regulatory experts.
Employers
This year, we’re looking expand the scope of stakeholders and hear more from employers, who play an important role in the women’s care across the world.
Payers/Insurers
Payers and insurance companies provide an important bridge between stakeholders within the women’s health industry, and we are delighted to have more joining us at this years’ summit.
FMCGs
Fast moving consumer goods companies play an important role in the women’s health landscape and include companies such as J&J, P&G.
Partner With Us
Based on your objectives, we can create bespoke packages designed specifically for you – from presenting your expertise on the main stage, to hosting a private dinner. You can partner with us showcase your brand and make valuable new connections. Opportunities predominantly lie in 3 main categories: Thought Leadership, Branding & Networking.
To discuss your objectives and partnership opportunities please contact [email protected].
Interested in a media partnership?
We'd love to hear from you and how we can support one another to connect with the industry. Contact [email protected]
Venue Description
Venue
The Westin Copley Place, Boston, 10 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA, 02116
Step into a AAA Four-Diamond hotel in downtown Boston's celebrated Back Bay area - a short stroll from fine dining destinations and upscale clothing stores in the popular Copley Place shopping mall. The Westin Copley Place, Boston welcomes guests with modern hotel accommodations and signature touches.
Boston Symphony Hall, Fenway Park and other downtown attractions are within easy reach of our hotel. In the evening, retreat to beautifully appointed hotel rooms and suites featuring stylish decor, the plush Westin Heavenly® Bed and spacious bathrooms.
Book your room!
For recommended hotels in the area, please use this link: https://HotelMap.com/MXBAU
Returning Safely Measures
Whether sponsors, speakers or attendees, our customers attend Kisaco Research events to connect, learn and innovate to know more and do business. It is our commitment that as we return to in-person events, they can do this effectively, safely and with confidence.
All in-person Kisaco Research events will prioritize the health and safety of colleagues and customers and, in the first instance, will be run in accordance with official government and local authority guidance, as well as any venue or location-specific regulations.
Kisaco Research is committed to following the Association of Event Organisers All Secure Standard, which has been approved by by UK Government.
About Kisaco Research
Kisaco Research produces, designs and hosts B2B industry conferences, exhibitions and communities – focused on a specialized selection of topic areas.
Meet industry peers that will help build a career-changing network for life.
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