A powerful convening to understand where women’s health research stands today—clarifying the current landscape, developing new opportunities for support, and advancing impact for the future.
2:30 PM – 2:35 PM
WELCOME & FRAMING
Carolee Lee, CEO and Founder, WHAM
- Opening remarks and outline of the program
- Why women’s health research is a generational opportunity for change
2:35 PM – 2:50 PM
A LOOK BACK — AND FORWARD
Dr. Cat Bohannon, Author of Eve: How the Female Body Drove 200 Years of Human Evolution
- The evolution of women through history
- How our past frames a fresh perspective for the future of women’s health
2:50 PM – 3:30 PM
THE BIGGEST MISSED OPPORTUNITY IN HEALTH. WHAT WILL IT TAKE?
Moderator: Janet Foutty, Former Chair and Consulting CEO, Deloitte; Senior Advisor, WHAM
Panelists:
Dr. Hadine Joffe, Executive Director, Mary Horrigan Conors Center for Women’s Health Research, Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Dr. Jill Kalman, Executive Vice President, Chief Medical Officer and Deputy Physician-in-Chief, Northwell Health
Dr. Alice Zheng, Partner, Foreground Capital
- A clear briefing on the state of women’s health research today from leading national experts
- Exploring how to accelerate translation from discovery to care and unlock innovation
3:30 – 3:50 PM
THE MILKEN WOMEN’S HEALTH NETWORK: SUPERCHARGING WOMEN’S HEALTH
Esther Krofah, Executive Vice President, Health, Milken Institute
Carolee Lee, Founder & CEO, WHAM
- How the Milken Institute’s storied history of accelerating disease progress positions it to transform women’s health research
- How philanthropy can supercharge the women’s health ecosystem
- Uniting leaders across research, business, and policy to accelerate breakthroughs and deliver world-changing outcomes
3:50 PM – 4:40 PM
THE FUTURE STARTS HERE: THE WHAM EDGE AWARDS
Moderator: Dr. Anula Jayasuriya, Co-Founder and Managing Director, Kidron Capital; Chief Scientific Officer, WHAM
Panelists:
Dr. Alyson McGregor, Associate Dean, Faculty Affairs and Development, and Professor of Emergency Medicine, University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville
Dr. Pamela Moalli, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vice Chair of Research, Executive Director of the Magee Womens Research Institute; Director, Division of Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery, UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital of the University of Pittsburgh, Magee-Womens Research Institute
Dr. Nicole Woitowich, Executive Director, Northwestern University Clinical & Translational Sciences Institute and Executive Director of the WHAM Research Collaborative
- Why early-stage funding is critical to driving breakthroughs in women’s health research
- Spotlight on the 2025 WHAM Edge Awardees and the stories behind them, with video highlights
4:40 PM – 4:50 PM
FROM INSIGHT TO INVESTMENT: THE BUSINESS CASE FOR WOMEN’S HEALTH
Carolee Lee, Founder & CEO, WHAM
Ash Shehata, Retired Partner and National Sector Leader, Healthcare and Life Sciences, KPMG; Managing Director, Impact Advisors
- 2026 WHAM Report preview with Ash Shehata
- What capital and collaboration are needed to turn those insights into high-impact investment
4:50 PM – 5:00 PM
DEFINING THE PATH FORWARD IN WOMEN’S HEALTH
Dr. Jill Kalman, Executive Vice President, Chief Medical Officer and Deputy Physician-in-Chief, Northwell Health
- Reflections from the day: coalescing of ideas and key insights
- Defining the next steps to accelerate women’s health research, investment and innovation