Why Attend - America's Largest Rare Disease Event

As a Board-Certified Patient Advocate, public health professional, and advocacy and engagement strategist, I am driven by a deeply rooted personal journey and a commitment to amplifying the voices of patients, caregivers, and advocacy communities.  My diagnostic odyssey began in childhood and...

Lynn H. Albizo is the Chief Public Policy Officer for the Immune Deficiency Foundation, where she has worked for 9 years. She is an accomplished healthcare policy strategist experienced in legislative and regulatory advocacy. Her previous professional background includes serving as a Senior Analyst ...

ANNETTE BAKKER, Ph.D., CEO — CHILDREN’S TUMOR FOUNDATION (CTF), Chair (ad interim) of CTF Europe Annette Bakker, a Ph.D. in Biochemistry, was an academic researcher for ten years - University Antwerp, Yale Medical School, and the Myology Institute Paris. Following this, she accumulated 15 years of ...

James D Chambers, PhD, is an investigator at the Center for the Evaluation of Value and Risk in Health at Tufts Medical Center and a Professor of Medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine. He developed the SPEC Database, a novel resource of specialty drug coverage policies issued by major...

Wendy Erler is a dedicated Patient Advocacy executive leader with broad expeirence across the rare disease ecosystem.  Currently serving as the Senior Vice President of Patient Affairs at Sarepta Therapeutics, Wendy is passionate about improving the lives of individuals affected by rare...

Al Freedman, PhD, is a psychologist, educator, and rare disease advocate with more than two decades of experience working with individuals and families affected by rare diseases and disabilities.  Dr. Al is inspired by his personal journey as the father of Jack, who lived with spinal muscular...

Chris Garabedian founded Xontogeny in June of 2016 to support multiple promising technologies from early development through clinical proof of concept. In 2017, Chris joined Perceptive Advisors to develop their Venture Fund strategy and is Portfolio Manager of the Perceptive Xontogeny Ventures Fund ...

Neil Inhaber, MD, FRCPC Head, Neuroscience and Marketed Products Medical Global Medical, Takeda  Neil leads marketed products medical affairs at Takeda with a focus on the planning of product and service support and launches in the US and internationally.  He brings 20+ years of academic and...

Debra Jennings is a dynamic and transformational healthcare leader with over 25 years of proven success driving strategies that elevate organizational culture, strengthen patient-centric models, and enhance business capabilities across the pharmaceutical industry. Her extensive expertise spans...

Kimberly LeBlanc is a genetic counselor and the Director of the Undiagnosed Diseases Network (UDN) Data Management Coordinating Center in the Department of Biomedical Informatics at Harvard Medical School. The UDN Data Management Coordinating Center oversees the activities of the UDN, a network of...

Rob, a former All-American punter at Syracuse. In 2010, during his senior season, he was diagnosed with a rare form of brain cancer. His treatment lasted 16 months, ending his NFL aspirations. A Syracuse University graduate, Rob earned a B.S. from the Whitman School of Management and a Master’s in ...

Maurizio Mazzi is a dedicated and experienced Senior Associate Director in Patient Advocacy & Professional Relations at Böhringer Ingelheim. With a strong background in healthcare and a passion for making a difference in the lives of patients with rare diseases, Maurizio has been instrumental...

Dr. Luis A. Rojas is a clinical development and biostatistics leader with extensive experience supporting Phase I–IV programs across drugs, biologics, and medical devices. He combines executive leadership with deep technical expertise, actively contributing to clinical strategy, study...

Dr. Devyn Smith brings significant cell and gene therapy development and platform expertise from his 20+ year career. Devyn joined Arbor Biotechnologies as Chief Executive Officer on April 27, 2021 after concluding his role as Chief Operating Officer of Sigilon Therapeutics. Prior to...

Frank L. Sorgi, Ph.D., MBA, is President, CEO and founder of FLAG Therapeutics. He brings with him 30 years of experience as an entrepreneurial scientist in the field of drug delivery and dosage form design and as a business executive in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries. Prior to...

With a first degree in Biochemistry and Pharmacology, and a Ph.D. focusing on drug metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, Graeme has worked in the areas of Drug Safety and Medical services for over 35 years. Having worked as a Head of Global Pharmacovigilance for a multi-national innovator Company and EU ...

Charlene Son Rigby is the Chief Executive Officer of Global Genes. She has spent her career building organizations at the intersection of data, technology, and life sciences. Charlene was previously Chief Business Officer at Fabric Genomics and held executive roles at enterprise software and...

Jessica Cerullo is a dedicated and passionate Senior Director of Patient Advocacy & Disease States Initiatives at Pierre Fabre Pharmaceuticals. With over a decade of experience in the pharmaceutical industry, Jessica has established herself as a leader in advocating for patients with rare...

Amanda Forys is Managing Partner at Magnolia Market Access. Her consulting and manufacturer experience has covered a wide range of commercialization topics, including health policy, pricing and rebating, coding, coverage and reimbursement, health economics, budget impact modeling, patient...

I am the Founder & CEO of Biovance Consulting LLC, and a physician-executive with a unique blend of medical, commercial, and operational leadership. I specialize in helping high-growth biopharma companies focused on bringing Rare Disease companies bring life-altering therapies to market with...

Dr. Paul August has dedicated his career to transforming scientific discovery into tangible hope for patients battling rare and neurological diseases.  Dr. August currently serves as Chief Scientific Officer at ReviR Therapeutics, where he spearheads innovative research programs for devastating...

Dr. Bedrosian joined Amylyx as Chief Medical Officer (CMO) in 2023, bringing to the company nearly 30 years of experience in building successful clinical development and translation research programs in the pharmaceutical industry. Dr. Bedrosian served most of her nearly six years at Ultragenyx as...

Salman Bhai, MD is a neuromuscular neurologist and biotech executive specializing in clinical development and translational strategy for rare diseases. He serves as Vice President of Clinical Development at Secretome Therapeutics, where he leads clinical and scientific efforts supporting the...

Michael was first introduced to rare diseases while a student in college when his father was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. As with many rare families, this experience launched him on an odyssey for answers. He began his career with Senator Orrin Hatch, Republican of Utah where he developed...

Sarah Glass, PhD, is Chief Operating Officer at the n-Lorem Foundation, where she leads global operations to bring individualized RNA-based medicines to patients with nano-rare diseases—those affecting only a single individual worldwide. Trained as a geneticist and driven by her personal experience ...

Will Greene is a rare disease researcher and patient advocate based in the San Francisco Bay Area. He serves on the board of the Foundation for Prader-Willi Research (FPWR), where he provides strategic oversight and supports efforts to accelerate research, advocacy, and community engagement. He is...

Elise Hoover joined the Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research in May of 2024. She is a strategic leader with a decade of experience in rare disease research initiatives and national collaborative partnerships. As VP of Research, she convenes clinicians, researchers, patients and their families, and...

Dr. Kakkis is best known for his work developing novel treatments for rare diseases and working on policy issues affecting rare and ultra-rare disease treatment.  He is Chief Executive Officer, President and a Director of Ultragenyx. He founded Ultragenyx in 2010 to create a company that is...

Dr. Michelle McClure is a geneticist and the Director of Public Policy for the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG). Her professional interests include improving policies related to rare diseases, ranging from genetic testing and diagnosis to development and coverage of gene...

Having had a child with primary immunodeficiency (PI), I invested in the medical profession and trained to become a medical assistant at the Ohio Institute of Health Careers. My focus has always been on helping patients and guiding them to needed resources. I spent a decade in the PI consumer...

Luke Rosen is a community leader who works urgently to bring treatment and care to children living with neurological diseases and cancer. Luke is an advocate for firefighters and families affected by 9/11 related cancer, and is a cancer survivor himself. He is the CEO of US Special Rescue, founder...

Yael Weiss Is currently CEO of Mahzi Therapeutics, a company focused on the development of therapies for ultra-rare genetic neurodevelopmental disorders. Mahzi works closely with patient foundations to support their journey towards drug development and bring programs into Mahzi once pre-clinical...

Dr. Neva West has 20 years of pharmaceutical industry experience, including as a Global Medical Director at Biogen and as the owner of a medical communications and strategy firm working with many mid-size and startup pharmaceutical companies. She has worked in many therapeutic areas, spanning from...

Caroline Allen is a dedicated and passionate leader in the field of rare diseases and orphan drugs. With over a decade of experience in patient advocacy, she currently serves as the Head of Patient Advocacy at ITF Therapeutics. Caroline is committed to improving the lives of individuals affected by ...

Karen Kahn is the Co-Founder of the ForeBatten Foundation and the mother of twin daughters, Amelia and Makenzie, who were diagnosed with juvenile Batten disease (CLN3) in 2017, just shy of their seventh birthday. Karen earned her Bachelor of Architecture degree from the University of Virginia and...

Bonnie Kiesling is an accomplished commercial leader with more than 20 years of experience driving revenue growth and profitability through innovation in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. She is recognized for building high-performing teams, leveraging customer insights to shape...

Alex Meixner is the Vice President of State Policy at The ALS Association, leading a team of government relations and grassroots professionals as we pursue our mission to make ALS livable and cure it. Prior to joining The ALS Association in 2022, he worked for over a decade at the American Heart...

Katie McCarthy is a seasoned professional with over 25 years of experience in the biopharmaceutical industry. As the Senior Vice President and Practice Lead of Clinical & Regulatory at Lumanity, Inc., she plays a pivotal role in driving the company's strategic initiatives and client...

Caitlyn Barrett manages SPARC’s work in the Rare Diseases and Cancer focus areas. Barrett supports philanthropists, family offices, and non-profit organizations to develop funding strategies that support biomedical research. She also serves on the Board of Directors of the Coalition Against...

James Griffin was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and diagnosed with sickle cell disease at the age of two. Drawing on his personal journey as a patient, James brings a unique and deeply informed perspective to his advocacy work. He began championing sickle cell awareness in 2013 and has since become...

Joe Katakowski is the Director of Research at the RTW Foundation (RTWF), where he leads initiatives that empower rare disease parents and patient advocacy groups as central drivers of therapeutic development. He believes that success in ultra-rare diseases is far more likely when efforts are led by ...

Mary joined the Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research as the organization's first-ever President and Chief Executive Officer in 2020. As President and CEO, Mary serves as the primary representative and spokesperson for FSR and leads the organization's strategic vision with patient...

Tricha Shivas joined the Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research (FSR) in December of 2020.  As the Chief of Staff and Strategy, she works with various stakeholders including individuals living with sarcoidosis and their loved ones, academic researchers, clinicians, industry partners, regulators and...

I proudly earned my medical degree from the Universidad de Buenos Aires, which set the foundation for my journey in pediatrics. My residency at Hospital Interzonal Agudos Especializado en Pediatría Sor María Ludovica in La Plata, Argentina, deepened my commitment to caring for children in...

Christina lives right outside Washington, DC in Bethesda, Maryland with her husband, Matt, and daughters Sophie (13) and Charlotte (8). Christina leads government affairs for Orchard Therapeutics, a Kyowa Kirin company and gene therapy leader focused on ending the devastation caused by genetic and...

Guadalupe Hayes-Mota is the Director of the Bioethics Program at Santa Clara University's Markkula Center for Applied Ethics Santa Clara University and a Senior Lecturer at MIT. Born with severe hemophilia in rural Mexico, his personal experience with rare disease drives his commitment to...

A veteran leader in the rare disease patient focused drug development movement, Annie joined the EveryLife Foundation in 2018, where she’s led numerous, community-driven evidence development efforts including the National Economic Burden of Rare Disease study, The Guide to Patient Involvement in...

Alexander Natz is the Secretary General of the European Confederation of Pharmaceutical Entrepreneurs (EUCOPE) in Brussels and advises innovative pharmaceutical and biotech companies, including start-ups, in regulatory and pricing & reimbursement matters from the EU law and German law...

Melissa Horn is the Director of State Legislative Affairs at the Arthritis Foundation. Melissa has nearly 20 years of advocacy experience working in and around state and local government. Prior to joining the Arthritis Foundation, Melissa's work experience included tenures at the American...

Christine Green is the Co-Founder and President of Finding Hope for FRRS1L, where she is a leading advocate for parent-led innovation in rare disease drug development. Her work focuses on redefining traditional therapeutic development models by positioning families and patient organizations as...

Melanie Lendnal is the Senior Vice President of Policy & Advocacy at the ALS Association, where she leads the organization’s public policy efforts to make ALS a livable disease while working to find a cure. The organization works at all levels of government and in all branches of government in...

Richa Madan Lomash, Ph.D., is a Therapeutic Development Project Manager at the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), NIH, where she manages IND-enabling drug development programs for rare diseases across multiple modalities, including AAV gene therapies, peptides, small...

Liz is President and a co-founder of The MYT1L Project Foundation. The MYT1L Project is a parent-led, scientist-supported foundation established in 2025 to advance research into evidence-based interventions for MYT1L Neurodevelopmental Syndrome, a rare genetic condition marked by developmental...

Sophia Zilber is an advocate, data expert, and rare disease leader who blends deep personal commitment with over two decades of professional experience in drug development. With a background in clinical data analysis and statistical programming, she brings both expertise and heart to everything she ...

Daria Julkowska, PhD, is a European research strategist and rare disease leader recognized for building some of the world’s most ambitious collaborative frameworks in rare disease research and innovation. Trained as a molecular biologist in France and Poland, she transitioned from bench science to...

Jo Kaur is a civil rights attorney turned drug developer. Jo’s story is a mother’s fierce fight to prolong her son Riaan’s life and to build treatments for Cockayne syndrome, a fatal genetic disorder that causes profound neuronal loss and early childhood death. Riaan was diagnosed with Cockayne...

Grant has nearly two decades of commercial, business development, finance, and operations experience in the biopharma and medical device industry. Prior to joining the Sentynl team in 2015, Grant led marketing operations for Amedra Pharmaceuticals and Lineage Therapeutics, which was successfully...

Lauren Kopsick is a healthcare navigation educator and systems strategist working at the intersection of healthcare, education, and workforce development. She is the Founder and Executive Director of The Healthcare Navigation Project, where she designs active-learning programs that strengthen...

Dr. Augusta Elizabeth Koroma Chief Executive Officer Sickle Cell Intervention International UK   Dr. Augusta Elizabeth Koroma is a distinguished global health advocate, researcher, and the visionary leader behind Sickle Cell Intervention International UK. With a deep passion for rare diseases...

Cornelia Lee, PsyD, is the founding Chief Executive Officer of the Alliance to Cure Cavernous Malformation (formerly Angioma Alliance), the leading international patient advocacy organization for individuals and families affected by cerebral cavernous malformation (CCM), a rare neurovascular...

Over the past 20+ years, Amanda Moore has had the pleasure of gaining depth and breadth of experience in multiple roles across clinical development operations, program leadership, and research.  She has led cross-functional programs and contributed to development activities of four approved and...

Julia is a senior associate at Atlas Venture where she focuses on investing in and building companies that develop novel therapies to improve patients’ lives. Julia serves as a board observer for nChroma Bio, Pheon Therapeutics, Renasant Bio, and a stealth newco. She was previously a board observer ...

Laura Tadvalkar is a Managing Director on the Venture Team at RA Capital Management. Laura works on new company creation and early-stage investments, and serves as a Board Director for Hemab, Hyku Biosciences, and Typewriter Therapeutics. She previously served as a Board Director for Mariana...

I am first and foremost a wife to the love of my life and a mama to two incredible teenage boys. I am a sister, a daughter, an aunt, and a friend. Those roles are the most important parts of who I am — and how I want to be remembered.   I am also living with hereditary ATTR amyloidosis, the same...

Axel de Tonnac is a Clinical Solutions Partner at Rivia, supporting biotech companies in strengthening clinical trial data visibility and decision-making. Prior to joining Rivia, he worked at SOPHiA GENETICS, focusing on data-driven solutions in precision medicine. He holds a Master’s degree in...

Craig is a deeply experienced executive, advisor and board director, with extensive background in biotech and health technology fields. His focus in emerging innovation and desire to make an impact have led to a longstanding commitment to supporting rare disease communities. Craig has led...

Dr. Robert Ryan is a visionary leader in the field of rare diseases and orphan drugs,  and currently serves as the CEO of Paradigm Therapeutics, where he spearheads the development of an innovative therapy for Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB).  With a career spanning over 35 years in the pharmaceutical...

Reimagining Rare Disease Treatments' Approach Pierre-Alexandre Teulié, co-founder and CEO of ODDIFACT,  forged through senior roles at Procter & Gamble, Nestlé, and Carrefour, and recognized as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum in 2011, has spent three decades mastering one ...

Hillary Valley, PhD is a Mission Ventures Investments Principal at the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CFF), where she works closely with industry partners to advance transformative therapies for cystic fibrosis. Hillary earned her B.S. in Chemistry and Biology (double major) from St. Lawrence...

Susan C. Winckler, RPh, Esq., is CEO of the Reagan-Udall Foundation for the Food and Drug Administration. The Foundation is the non-profit organization created by Congress to advance the mission of the FDA. Prior to accepting the Foundation post, Ms. Winckler served as President of Leavitt...

Donna Cowan is a Certified Clinical Research Coordinator and Project Manager with more than 20 years of biopharmaceutical experience.  For the past several years Donna has concentrated on the management of Investigator Initiated Studies and Expanded Access Programs (Compassionate Use, Managed...

Boris Sevarika is a pharmacist and nanomedicine scientist driven by the question of how biological therapies can be delivered more effectively to patients. Originally from Belgrade, Serbia, he completed his secondary education at the Third Belgrade Grammar School before moving to Germany in 2016 to ...

Rachel has more than 10 years of experience in all development phases of rare disease and cell and gene therapy clinical trials. Rachel is an ultra-rare disease subject matter expert with oversight of 30+ orphan programs in APAC, Europe and North America. She is a specialist in clinical development ...

Dr. Adam Bloomfield is Global Head, Medical Affairs and oversees the General Medicine, Rare Disease and Pediatrics Medical Affairs team at Premier Research. He brings to Premier extensive US and global experience in medical affairs leadership and clinical development strategy from his previous work ...

Joan Kincaid — Founder & CEO, And Scene I've spent my career on the human side of technology — platforms where people connect, share, and find what they need. MCI Systemhouse. National Decision Systems. A decade of internet startups. Then ten years building SaaS community-engagement...

Jessica Sheldon, MPH, serves as a Feasibility Strategy Associate Director at Parexel International LLC, where she focuses on feasibility for rare and genetic disease clinical development. Driven by a deep commitment to improving outcomes for individuals living with rare and genetic conditions—as...

I've worked as a registered respiratory therapist for over 10 years. I've seen the disparities in healthcare first hand while serving an underprivileged community in St. Louis. I was diagnosed with primary biliary cholangitis at the end of 2019 when I was just 31 years old. Shortly after my ...

Ben Wilson is a dedicated advocate for rare diseases, particularly Bloom Syndrome, as a parent of a child affected by this condition. With a deep personal understanding of the challenges faced by families dealing with rare diseases, Ben has become a prominent voice in the rare disease community. As ...

Marc co-founded Minoryx in 2011 and has been its CEO since its inception leading its journey from concept to its current stage. Its lead drug candidate, leriglitazone, is now under review by the EMA for a potential marketing authorization in X-ALD, while in the US is in phase 3. Minoryx has...

Kris O'Brien has nearly four decades of experience in the clinical research industry, spanning roles in contract research organizations (CROs), pharmaceutical companies, and academia. Throughout her career, she has worked across a wide range of therapeutic areas, with a strong focus on rare...

Paula Orandash is a dedicated and passionate Director of Patient Engagement at Ergomed. With over three decades of experience in the pharmaceutical and non-profit healthcare industry, Paula is a seasoned expert in patient-centric approaches to drug development and rare disease advocacy.Paula’s...

Identifying Rare. Early. Globally. Proven outcome. Published.  At subrosa OmicsAI, our mission is crystal clear: to find the invisible patients. Too many individuals with rare genetic disorders remain undiagnosed for far too long - living without answers, treatments, or hope. We have a new kind...

Deborah Ebert Long, MD is Senior Vice President of Medical Affairs at CSL. In this role, Deborah leads CSL’s worldwide Medical Affairs function, partnering across regions and functions to advance medical strategy, gather scientific insights, and engage healthcare professionals and key stakeholders...

Dr. Sun Young Kim currently serves as Executive Head of R&D Strategy Office at JW Holdings/JW Pharmaceutical, with extensive experience across multiple indications, including rare diseases such as CMT and ALS, spanning research, development, and clinical studies.

Vice President of Bioethics, Policy & Partnerships in the Office of the Chief Medical Officer at Johnson & Johnson. Drawing on her multidisciplinary foundation in chemistry, health law, and bioethics, Karla brings a unique lens to navigating complex ethical challenges in biomedical...

Ben Rotz is Associate Vice President of Global Medical Policy Strategy and Operations at Eli Lilly and Company. Ben has worked for over 20 years at Lilly.  Ben has medical policy responsibility for clinical trial transparency, externally-sponsored research, and pre-approval access to medicine.  

Sarah White, MPH, has served as Executive Director of the MRCT Center since 2018, leading strategy, operations, and financial stewardship to advance the Center’s mission and expand its impact across the clinical research community. With more than 25 years of experience across large academic medical ...

Cris Woolston is the Head of Science Policy at Sanofi, overseeing the company's global  public policy positioning related to biomedical innovation, bioethics and research. With a Ph.D. in molecular virology, and extensive experience in academic research and biopharma R&D strategy, Cris has...

Angi Robinson has been designing and conducting specialty studies, including pediatric and rare disease studies, for more than 24 years. She has provided strategy, oversight, and full management support for rare disease studies at Premier Research for over 20 years, including global programs in...

Vijesh is a Principal in ZS’s Patient Solutions and Strategy Practice. He has 25+ years of industry and consulting experience in Fortune 500, mid and small cap companies. He co-founded ZS’s digital health practice and developed DTP solution to support patients to faster Dx, precision Tx and...

Joan Mendivil is Vice President of Global Evidence & Outcomes Research at Pharvaris, where he leads global strategies for evidence generation across the development lifecycle of deucrictibant in bradykinin‑mediated diseases. With deep expertise in health economics, outcomes research, and...

Alison Jones is a pharmacist and Founder & CEO of Quoiden, LLC, a digital health company advancing a novel, consent-driven approach to rare disease identification and patient engagement through family-network outreach. With over 25 years of experience in pharmacy, Alison began her career as a...

Marybeth McAfee, MA, GC, is Vice President of Community and Medical Affairs at the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD®), where she leads Medical Affairs, Community Engagement, Membership, Educational Initiatives, and Information Services. She also oversees NORD’s Rare Disease Centers of ...

Current CEO at Ambit 30+ years of experience in biopharma consulting and analytics Prior Roles: - VP, Head of Commercial Strategy and Analytics, CRA - Founder and Managing Director, C1 Consulting - Founder and CEO, Cozint - Partner, ZS Associates - MBA, Harvard University; BS, USAF Academy

Deanna is an international speaker, consultant, and patient advocate working at the intersection of healthcare, industry, and lived experience. Her work centers on strengthening communication among patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals, while advancing the recognition and ...

Nathan Walters has more than 20 years of experience in market access, health economics and pricing, with a strong track record and deep understanding of how to navigate complex healthcare systems around the world. His expertise spans numerous therapeutic areas, including Oncology (including...

John Parker is the Founder and Managing Partner of Springhood Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm that invests in life science and healthcare companies transforming the health and care of children. Mr. Parker founded Springhood following his success creating and managing CH...

Daniel Rosan is an experienced biotech CBO & CFO and Board member. He serves as Chief Business and Financial Officer at Ascidian Therapeutics, a leading RNA editing company. Dan leads capital formation, partnering, finance, communications, and legal. He led Ascidian’s $1.8 B neurology...

Arthur Van Leerberghe is a senior clinical operations leader with over 20 years of experience in the life sciences industry. He has supported drug development programs across all clinical phases, through regulatory approval and label extensions, with a strong focus on rare and ultra-rare...

Hello, I am honored to serve the rare disease community as the Director of Advocacy Relations for Rare Disease Advisor (Haymarket Media US)—a role specifically created to bridge critical gaps among patients, healthcare professionals, scientists, government agencies, and industry. The creation of...

Jonathan Barkman is a visionary leader and the Founder of Heme Solutions, a pioneering biotech company dedicated to advancing treatments for rare diseases. Mr. Barkman has over 30 years of experience in the finance industry and has spent the last 5 years evaluating advanced complex...

Maryann Kirby is a dedicated professional in the field of human biospecimens as the Director of Business Development at Donor X, a innovative organization that is changing the way we think and secure human biospecimens for research, process development and medical device testing.  Maryann has spent ...

Founder of Rhizome AI. Software engineer, sales person.  Started my career working for a deep learning / machine learning research group at IBM.  Sold $7m as the sales and solutions engineer in document processing solutions to banks while at Instabase.  Built an AI inference platform for protein ...

Michal Caspi Tal (Mikki) is an immunoengineer and a principal scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Dr. Tal leads the Tal Research Group within the Department of Biological Engineering and also serves as the associate scientific director of the Center for Gynepathology...

Melissa Paige is the President of the National Association of Medication Access & Patient Advocacy. Melissa's unwavering passion for the well-being of patients fuels her relentless pursuit of breaking down access barriers and advocating for the highest quality of care. Her life's work...

Dr. Sumner is responsible for setting the development strategy and overseeing the execution of the company’s DNA Medicine portfolio. He brings over 30 years of extensive pharmaceutical, medical and clinical experience driving numerous late-stage product approvals and supporting successful...

Sandra Talbird designs and programs decision-analytic economic models, including cost-effectiveness, cost-utility, cost-benefit, and budget-impact models using Excel and Visual Basic for Applications. She has also developed mathematical models including compartmental dynamic transmission models for ...

Matthew Weinstock, PhD, is Chief Technology Officer of Novel Biotechnology, where he leads the development and scaling of the company's plasmid DNA production operations, encompassing molecular cloning, strain engineering, upstream and downstream process development, analytical...

Casey McPherson is an accomplished drug developer, entrepreneur and singer-songwriter based in Austin, Texas. Known for his two #10 US hits, he shifted his focus to rare disease commercial development after his daughter Rose was diagnosed with a rare genetic condition. In 2020, he founded the To...