KATHERINE ANDERSEN
Head of Life Science and Healthcare, HSBC Innovation Banking
Katherine brings over two decades of experience in finance and innovation to her role as Head of U.S. Life Science & Healthcare at HSBC Innovation Banking, which she joined in 2023 to help launch HSBC’s global platform serving the innovation economy. Previously, she led Life Science & Healthcare at SVB from 2015 to 2023, following leadership roles at Wells Fargo, Merrill Lynch, and GE Capital.
With deep expertise across banking and capital markets, Katherine supports high-growth companies from Series A onward with tailored financial solutions. She holds degrees in Economics and Finance from Virginia Tech and has completed executive programs at Dartmouth, Harvard Law School, and GE. Based in Boston since 2006, Katherine is also an active community leader. She serves on the American Cancer Society’s CEOs Against Cancer team and the Board of Advisors for Life Science Cares.
ELIZABETH BAILEY
Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Foreground Capital
Elizabeth Bailey is Managing Director at RH Capital and one of the leading voices in the U.S. women’s health investment landscape. With a background in global medtech innovation and deep expertise in health startups, she brings a unique perspective to scaling solutions that improve outcomes and expand access to care.
At RH Capital, Elizabeth leads a team committed to advancing women’s health through strategic investments in transformative technologies—from diagnostics and therapeutics to digital platforms and care delivery models. Previously serving as Managing Partner, she has been instrumental in shaping the firm’s investment strategy and championing bold, equity-driven innovation. Elizabeth holds a Master in Public Policy from Harvard University and is a passionate advocate for closing long-standing gaps in healthcare, both in the U.S. and globally.
CHRIS CHEN, MD, PHD
Core Faculty, Wyss Institute at Harvard University; William Fairfield Warren Distinguished Professor, Biomedical Engineering & Director, Biological Design Center, Boston University
Chris Chen is the William Fairfield Warren Distinguished Professor at Boston University, where he directs the Tissue Microfabrication Lab and co-leads the 3D Organ Engineering Initiative at the Wyss Institute. He also founded BU’s Biological Design Center and is a Paul G. Allen Distinguished Investigator. A pioneer in bioengineering, Chris develops technologies to study how cells interact with each other and their environments to form tissues—advancing breakthroughs in stem cell biology, tissue vascularization, and cancer.
His honors include the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers and fellowships with the National Academy of Inventors and the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering. Chris earned degrees in biochemistry, mechanical engineering, and medical engineering from Harvard and MIT, and holds an M.D. from Harvard Medical School. Before BU, he held faculty roles at Johns Hopkins and the University of Pennsylvania, where he launched key centers focused on cellular engineering and regeneration.
MERYL COMER
Co-Founder, UsAgainstAlzheimer’s; Vice Chair, WHAM
Meryl Comer is a Co-Founder/Board Member of UsAgainstAlzheimers, and former Chair, Global Alliance on Women’s Brain Health. As Vice Chair of WHAM, she is a powerful advocate for accelerating research and investment into the health of women. For more than a decade, Ms. Comer served as President and CEO of the Geoffrey Beene Foundation Alzheimer’s Initiative, a catalyst funder targeting early diagnosis through spirited public campaigns, early assessment technologies, support of the first “virtual registry”, and pre-clinical AD research to modify disease risk. She served on the NIH National Advisory Council on Aging (NACA). In 2012, she led the formation of the 21st Century BrainTrust® (21CBT), a non-profit partnership to advance mobile brain health technologies.
Comer was also a co-Principal Investigator for the PCORI Alzheimer’s Patient/Caregiver Research Network in partnership with the Mayo Clinic. In 2009, she served on the bi-partisan Alzheimer’s Study Group that presented a National Strategic Plan to Congress. A former veteran broadcast journalist, 100% of Comer’s New York Times bestseller, “Slow Dancing with a Stranger” (HarperCollins), supports Alzheimer’s research.
JANET FOUTTY
Senior Advisor, WHAM; Former Deloitte Chair and Consulting CEO, Deloitte
Janet Foutty is a renowned leader and a trailblazer in promoting equity across industries. In addition to her 33-year tenure at Deloitte, Janet currently serves as a board member at Quiver Biosciences, Insight Enterprises, Argonne National Laboratory, and The Chicago Network, and is currently a leadership fellow at the University of Chicago. She is also Chair of Bright Pink, a nonprofit dedicated to the young women’s breast and ovarian health.
Janet is the co-author of the best-selling book Arrive and Thrive: 7 Impactful Practices for Women Navigating Leadership, which underscores her commitment to empowering women. With her unparalleled experience in business leadership, technology innovation, and organizational transformation, Janet brings invaluable insights to WHAM as a Senior Advisor to advance investment and innovation in women’s health.
ANGELIKA FRETZEN, PHD, MBA
Technology Translation Director and Chief Operating Officer, Wyss Institute at Harvard University
Angelika Fretzen, PhD, MBA, serves as Chief Operating Officer and Technology Translation Director at the Wyss Institute, where in 2022 she founded the Women’s Health Catalyst to innovate approaches for studying female biology. She is also a member of the WHAM Research Collaborative. In 2024, she received the Joseph B. Martin Dean’s Leadership Award for the Advancement of Women’s Careers at Harvard Medical School. Before joining Wyss, Angelika spent two decades in the pharmaceutical industry, including leading the pharmaceutical development of Linzess™ at Ironwood Pharmaceuticals and advancing Edasalonexent into Phase 3 clinical trials for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy at Catabasis Pharmaceuticals.
She also served on the Board of Bridgewell, an important human service organization in Massachusetts. A chemist by training, Angelika completed her undergraduate studies in Germany, earned her PhD in Switzerland, and conducted postdoctoral research at Harvard. She holds an MBA from Suffolk University and was named one of Mass High Tech’s “Women to Watch” in 2013.
SANDRA FENWICK
CEO Emerita Boston Children’s Hospital, Wyss Institute Board
Sandra L. Fenwick is the former CEO of Boston Children’s Hospital, where she led a team of 20,000 in delivering world-class pediatric care, advancing biomedical research, and shaping the future of child health. Over her two-decade tenure—beginning in 1999 and culminating in her appointment as CEO in 2013—she spearheaded efforts to improve care quality, financial performance, and strategic growth, earning Boston Children’s a national reputation for excellence and value.Prior to Boston Children’s, Ms. Fenwick held senior leadership roles at Beth Israel Hospital and its parent system, CareGroup, overseeing operations, strategy, and system development.
She currently serves on the boards of the Teladoc Health, Patient Discovery, and several other health and policy organizations. A champion of innovation and equity in healthcare, she has been recognized with numerous honors, including being named a Distinguished Bostonian by the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce.Ms. Fenwick holds a B.S. from Simmons College and an M.P.H. from the University of Texas School of Public Health.
MARSHA HENDERSON
Associate Commissioner for Women’s Health, FDA (retired); board member, WHAM
Marsha Henderson is a nationally recognized health policy expert and public speaker, best known for her leadership as the retired Associate Commissioner for Women’s Health at the FDA. During her two-decade tenure, she expanded the FDA Office of Women’s Health scientific portfolio to over 350 publications, created the first Women’s Health Research Roadmap, and launched a national network for patient-focused regulatory research. She also led the Take Time to Care campaigns, reaching millions, and hosted workshops on critical health issues like opioids, cardiovascular disease, and clinical trial design.
Henderson holds a Master’s in Health and Hospital Planning from Rutgers University and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. She currently advises on executive leadership and regulatory strategy.
PAULINA HILL, PHD
Partner, Sanofi Ventures
Paulina joined Sanofi Ventures in 2022 with a background in early stage biotech investing and company building. Paulina’s active investments include Attovia, Avilar, Latigo, Odyssey, NextPoint, Normunity, Nuvig, Tisento, Vrata and ZagBio. Prior investments include Aliada Therapeutics (acquired by Abbvie).
Prior to joining Sanofi, Paulina was a Principal on the investment team at Omega Funds. While there Paulina incubated and served as the founding investor for Scorpion Therapeutics (acquired by Eli Lilly). Paulina’s investments also included Arrakis, IFM, Ikena (NASDAQ: IKNA), Synthekine, Theseus (NASDAQ: THRX), and Vanqua Bio. Paulina began her career with Polaris Partners. Paulina served on the boards of Kala Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: KALA), Neuronetics (NASDAQ: STIM), Microchips Biotech (acquired by Dare Biosciences), Arsenal Medical and CAMP4 Therapeutics (NASDAQ: CAMP), where she was the Founding CEO. Paulina completed her postdoctoral fellowship in Robert Langer’s lab in the Chemical Engineering department at MIT. Paulina completed her PhD in Molecular Medicine from the Wake Forest University School of Medicine and graduated magna cum laude from East Carolina University with a quadruple major in biochemistry, neuroscience, biology and chemistry.
DON INGBER, MD, PHD
Founding Director and Core Faculty, Wyss Institute at Harvard University; Judah Folkman Professor of Vascular Biology, Harvard Medical School and Boston Children’s Hospital
Donald E. Ingber, M.D., Ph.D. is the Founding Director of the Wyss Institute at Harvard, where he leads cross-disciplinary teams developing bioinspired technologies for health and sustainability.
A trailblazer in mechanobiology and tissue engineering, he’s behind innovations like Human Organ Chips, cancer therapies, and advanced diagnostics—many now in use or clinical trials. Ingber holds over 200 patents, has founded 8 companies, and is a member of the National Academies of Engineering, Medicine, and Inventors. His work bridges science, design, and real-world impact.
PRIYANKA JAIN
Co-Founder and CEO, Evvy
Priyanka is the co-founder & CEO of Evvy, a precision women’s health startup discovering overlooked biomarkers, starting with the vaginal microbiome. Before founding Evvy, Priyanka was the Head of Product at pymetrics, a startup using behavioral science and AI to make talent matching more effective and fair. She serves on advisory boards for the XPRIZE Foundation and the United Nations Foundation’s Girl Up campaign. Priyanka received her B.S. from Stanford University, and she has been recognized as Forbes 30 under 30, Inc’s Top Female Founders, and Goldman Sachs’ Most Exceptional Entrepreneurs.
JILL KALMAN, MD
Executive Vice President, Chief Medical Officer and Deputy Physician-in-Chief, Northwell Health
Dr. Jill Kalman is the Chief Medical Officer, Senior Vice President, and Deputy Physician-in-Chief at Northwell Health—the first woman to hold the organization’s top clinical role. She also serves as the volunteer chair of Go Red for Women in New York City. Dr. Kalman joined Northwell in 2014 as Associate Medical Director and went on to lead Lenox Hill Hospital as Executive Director and Medical Director, overseeing quality, safety, and daily operations. Under her leadership, Lenox Hill became a destination for top-tier care, and she played a pivotal role in the hospital’s COVID-19 response.
A nationally recognized expert in congestive heart failure, Dr. Kalman has dedicated her career to improving care for patients with advanced heart disease and has been widely published on the subject.
CAROLEE LEE
CEO and Founder, Women’s Health Access Matters (WHAM)
Carolee Lee is a visionary entrepreneur and global health leader, best known as the founder and CEO of WHAM (Women’s Health Access Matters). Celebrated for her innovative approach to advancing women’s health on a global scale, Lee was recognized on TIME100’s Most Influential People in Global Health list in 2024. WHAM, the nonprofit she launched in 2020, is dedicated to transforming women’s lives and the global economy by increasing awareness and funding for women’s health research. Under her leadership and with the guidance of a board of 25 influential businesswomen, WHAM commissioned The WHAM Reports—groundbreaking studies produced by the RAND Corporation that quantify the significant economic return on investing in women’s health.
Before her groundbreaking work with WHAM, Lee made her mark in the business world as the founder and CEO of Carolee Designs, a globally recognized jewelry brand acquired by Luxottica. Her influence reaches beyond entrepreneurship into philanthropy and policy, having served on several high-profile boards, including The Breast Cancer Research Foundation, DSW, and the Museum of Arts and Design. She continues to lend her expertise to prestigious institutions, currently serving on the boards of the La Jolla Institute for Immunology, The Women’s Health Advisory Board at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and The Women’s Leadership Board at Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.
ALYSON MCGREGOR, MD
Professor of Emergency Medicine & Associate Dean, Faculty Affairs and Development, University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville
Dr. Alyson McGregor’s groundbreaking research on the impact of sex and gender differences in emergency medicine has established her as a global leader and outspoken advocate for sex- and gender-based research. Her TEDx talk, “Why Medicine Often Has Dangerous Side Effects for Women,” which has garnered over 1.8 million views, and her acclaimed book, Sex Matters: How Male-Centric Medicine Endangers Women’s Health – and What We Can Do About It, have helped ignite a national conversation on the critical importance of recognizing sex and gender differences in the delivery of acute medical care.
In addition to her public advocacy, Dr. McGregor serves as a Scientific Advisor to the OM Health Hub, a groundbreaking initiative focused on advancing precision medicine through the lens of women’s health. Her work supports efforts to close long-standing data gaps by ensuring that research, diagnostics, and treatments are designed with a more accurate understanding of how biological sex influences health outcomes.
RICHARD NOVAK, PHD
Co-Founder and CEO, Unravel Biosciences; Advisor, Wyss DxA Industrial Participant Program
Richard Novak, Ph.D., is a Termeer Fellow, bioengineer, and entrepreneur driven by a passion for turning bold scientific questions into groundbreaking technological solutions.
Before co-founding Unravel Bio, Richard served as Lead Engineer at the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, where he led high-impact programs at the intersection of drug discovery, human disease modeling, Organ Chip technology, and smart automation systems. With nearly two decades of experience spanning therapeutics and tech innovation, he brings deep expertise in translating complex science into real-world applications. In addition to his work in industry, Richard is committed to advancing science for the greater good. He is the founder and president of Future Scientist, a nonprofit focused on STEM outreach, and a co-founder and board director of Rhinostics Inc., a company pioneering automated sample collection solutions.
ORIANA PAPIN-ZOGHBI
CEO and Co-Founder, AOA Dx
Oriana Papin-Zoghbi is the CEO and co-founder of AOA Dx, recognized as a leader in women’s health and diagnostics. Named one of Inc.’s Top 100 Female Founders in 2022, she is driving innovation in early cancer detection, particularly for cancers impacting women. Oriana brings global experience from both startups and major life sciences companies, with a strong track record in market strategy, product launches, and leading teams through successful exits. Her work spans HPV screening in East Africa to diagnostics in oncology and maternal-fetal medicine.
At AOA Dx, she has raised over $20M in venture funding and $1M in grants, and has been part of top accelerators including Y Combinator and MassChallenge. Her leadership has earned recognition from Bloomberg, MassNextGen, The Eddies, and The Wave Summit. She holds a degree in Economics and International Relations from Boston University and has worked across diverse global markets.
HAIYAN PENG, PHD
Director, Research, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals
Haiyan Peng is a passionate, research-driven neuroimmunologist and the Director of Research at Alnylam Pharmaceuticals. With a PhD in Neuroscience from The Ohio State University and a Master’s in Pharmacology from Sichuan University, she brings a strong interdisciplinary foundation to her work. Haiyan has extensive training in neuroscience, immunology, and cellular and molecular biology, with a proven track record of advancing scientific discovery across academia and industry.
Before joining Alnylam, she served as a postdoctoral fellow at Biogen and as a Senior Scientist at Eisai US, where she contributed to innovative therapeutic strategies in neurodegenerative and immune-related diseases. Her work continues to bridge the gap between cutting-edge research and real-world therapeutic impact.
KATHRYN REXRODE, MD, MPH
Chief, Division of Women’s Health and Professor, Harvard Medical School
Dr. Kathryn Rexrode is Chief of the Division of Women’s Health in the Department of Medicine and a Professor at Harvard Medical School. A board-certified internist, she practices primary care at Brigham and Women’s Hospital’s Fish Center with a focus on women’s health.
She earned her MD from Case Western Reserve, completed her primary care residency at BWH, and later pursued an epidemiology fellowship and MPH at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Dr. Rexrode leads NIH-funded research on stroke and cardiovascular disease in women, with a focus on metabolic and hormonal risk factors. She also serves as Faculty Director for the Office for Women’s Careers, where she supports women’s advancement in academic medicine and leads leadership training for junior faculty.
LAURA TADVALKAR, PhD
Managing Director, RA Capital
Laura Tadvalkar is a Managing Director on the Venture Team at RA Capital Management, where she focuses on new company creation and early-stage investments. She currently serves as a Board Director for Be Biopharma, Expansion Therapeutics, Hemab, and Aliada Therapeutics. Before joining RA, Laura was a Principal at MP Healthcare Venture Management, and earlier in her career, she worked as a Consultant at Clarion Healthcare.
Laura holds a BS in Chemistry from Yale University and a PhD in Chemical Biology from Harvard University. With a broad range of experiences across therapeutics and investment, she brings a unique and valuable perspective to her work in advancing innovative healthcare solutions.
DAVID WALT, PHD
Professor of Pathology, Harvard Medical School; Core Faculty, Wyss Institute at Harvard University
David Walt is a pioneer in single-molecule detection whose microwell array technology transformed genetic and proteomic analysis, drastically reducing the cost of DNA sequencing. His lab develops cutting-edge diagnostic tools for early cancer detection, infectious diseases, neurodegeneration, and personalized medicine.
A founding figure behind Illumina, Quanterix, and other biotech startups, Walt also co-leads the Wyss Diagnostic Accelerator to fast-track clinical innovations. He holds multiple prestigious academic appointments at Harvard and has been widely honored for his contributions, including election to the National Academies of Engineering and Medicine and induction into the National Inventors Hall of Fame.
PIRAYE YURTTAS BEIM, PHD
Founder and CEO, Celmatix
Piraye Yurttas Beim, PhD is the founder and CEO of Celmatix Therapeutics, a biotech company advancing precision medicine in women’s health. A pioneer in FemTech, she has led breakthroughs in ovarian biology and novel therapeutics to extend and improve ovarian function, cure endometriosis, and improve fertility treatments, earning Celmatix recognition from Fast Company as one of the Most Innovative Companies.
Dr. Beim trained at Cornell (Weill), Memorial Sloan Kettering, and University of Cambridge, and has spent over 25 years at the intersection of genomics, women’s health, and innovative product development spanning digital health, diagnostics, and therapeutics. She serves as Chair of the Endometriosis Foundation of America, a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network, she has been recognized by Fortune, Elle, and Inc. for her leadership in science and entrepreneurship and is active policy advocate for women’s healthcare and innovation.