Senior Director of Workforce Development Strategy, MassBioEd
John joined MassBioEd in 2021. As Senior Director of Workforce Development Strategy, John works closely with stakeholders across the Massachusetts Life Sciences Industry, academic institutions, and workforce development partners to develop and implement strategies that result in an expanded pipeline with more diverse talent entering the sector. Before joining MassBioEd in 2021, he served as Executive Director of Training, Inc. and the International Learning Center, programs of the YMCA of Greater Boston, where he built partnerships and employer relationships to support job training and adult education. Previously, he was the Executive Director of Quincy Asian Resources for 12 years, serving the growing immigrant community south of Boston through college and career readiness and mentoring programs, adult English education and workforce programs, and community partnerships. John holds a B. A. in International Affairs from American University and a Certificate in Nonprofit Management and Leadership from the Questrom School of Business at Boston University.

Interim Dean College of Professional Studies, Vice Provost Research Economic Development and Director of Bioinnovation in the Office of the Provost
Jared R. Auclair, Ph.D. is currently the Interim Dean College of Professional Studies, Vice Provost Research Economic Development and Director of Bioinnovation in the Office of the Provost at Northeastern University.  As Vice Provost Research Economic Development, Dr. Auclair works to strengthen the bonds between our education and research missions by strengthening the integration of work-integrated credentialed learning and use-inspired research, co-creating with communities and partners while expanding our global mindset.  As Director of Bioinnovation, Dr. Auclair works to leverage important University activities around biotechnology, bringing together experts from a wide range of disciplines and backgrounds to advance the expansion of Northeastern life sciences programs.  In addition to these roles, Dr. Auclair holds a faculty appointment in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology where he collaborates with academic researchers, industry and government in the area of biopharmaceutical development and analysis.

Director, PhD Resources, Professional Development & Postdoctoral Affairs, Boston University
Sasha B. Goldman, PhD is the Director for PhD Resources in Boston University’s Professional Development & Postdoctoral Affairs office. She is responsible for overseeing the PhD Progression micro-credentialing platform for doctoral student professional development, PhD Writing Support, and produces the Vitamin PhD podcast. She is the Co-PI of the NSF Innovations in Graduate Education project which is focused on bringing industry knowledge to the PhD Progression micro-credentials. Sasha develops and leads regular programming, workshops, and trainings for current doctoral students in areas of career planning and professional development, project management, writing and communication, and teaching. 

Dean, School of Science and Health, Associate Professor of Biology, Emmanuel College
Originally from rural Ireland and a first-generation college student, Dr. Deighan obtained a B.A. and PhD from Trinity College Dublin. Following a stint in consultancy Dr. Deighan completed postdoctoral training at Harvard Medical School. As the Dean of Science and Health at Emmanuel College, Dr. Deighan works alongside a terrific team focused on establishing and maintaining a culture of inclusive excellence in undergraduate science education. As part of that work Dr. Deighan leads two Massachusetts Life Sciences Center funded programs; PEER->CELLS which prepares undergraduates from backgrounds inadequately represented in the sciences for future careers in the biopharma sector, and Project CERTI, which aims to provide enhanced competency-based training, understanding, and certification, on biopharma-needed laboratory skills and experiences. 

Ginkgo BioWorks

Vice President of Biotechnology Education Programs, MassBioEd
Michelle joined the MassBioEd team in 2014 and serves as the Vice President of Biotechnology Education Programs. She came to the organization with extensive research, teaching, and administrative experience. She taught a range of undergraduate biology courses at MIT and was a course coordinator and content developer for 7.00x, the first large online biology course offered by edX. While at MIT, she was involved in K-12 science outreach and education programs. Michelle holds a B.A. in both Biology and Chemistry from Colorado State University and a Ph.D. in Pharmacology from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. Prior to joining the Department of Biology at MIT, she worked as a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard University. Michelle joined MassBioEd to refocus on life sciences education and to work with teachers to improve science literacy and encourage student interest in the life sciences and biotechnology.

Assistant Vice Provost for Academic and Career Engagement and Success (ACES), Student Equity, Access and Success (SEAS), UMass Boston
Monique S. Cooper is an equity-minded higher education professional who is passionate about creating and sustaining inclusive campus climates where students from diverse backgrounds can thrive. Her extensive professional experiences include teaching, counseling, advising, and administration. Her multicultural and equity-minded philosophy focuses on optimizing holistic development, cultural empowerment and empathy, and career readiness and satisfaction for all students. She possesses a bachelor’s degree in Human Development and Family Studies from the University of Connecticut, a master’s degree in School Counseling from Cambridge College, and a Ph.D. degree in Learning, Leadership, and Educational Policy from the University of Connecticut. Her dissertation focused on examining perceptions and enactment of equity-minded, culturally sustaining career services. In addition, she has delivered trainings, keynotes, and workshops nationally on a variety of topics including anti-racist career services, building and sustaining culturally responsive teams, and enhancing DEI efforts in higher education.
Currently, Dr. Cooper is the Assistant Vice Provost for Academic and Career Engagement and Success at the University of Massachusetts Boston. She oversees a team of academic and career advisors and career services professionals who are tasked with implementing a holistic, student-centered advising model. Through collaborative efforts, she has secured over $1M in donor funding to support equitable student outcomes and career success.

Director of Strategic Relations, Office of the Chancellor, Northeastern University
Jim Boyle is the Director of Strategic Industry Relations in Northeastern University’s Office of the Chancellor.  His primary focus is driving strategic initiatives designed to innovate and advance Northeastern’s renowned Co-op Program on behalf of internal and external stakeholders.  He also plays a leadership role in delivering broader talent acquisition and workforce solutions for the university’s new and existing industry-partners – ranging from student-candidate sourcing, to novel experiential collaborations, to complex learning & development partnerships; efforts that are positively influencing students, employers, and NU’s wider global network community.  Prior to joining Northeastern he held leadership roles with the Port of New Bedford Massachusetts; the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce; and the Massachusetts House of Representatives, respectively. Jim received his Juris Doctor from the Massachusetts School of Law at Andover and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. 

College of Science-Cooperative Education Director, Graduate Co-op Programs, PhD Work Experience Coordinator, Senior Faculty Co-op Coordinator, Northeastern University
Vanecia Harrison-Sanders is the Director of Graduate Co-op within the College of Science at Northeastern University, where she manages the Co-op program for their Masters’ and PhD Programs. The program includes faculty advisors that prepare and advise students during their co-op journey, while developing and maintaining partnerships Northeastern University students to have access to.  Prior to Northeastern, Vanecia held leadership positions at Merrimack College in North Andover, MA, where she evaluated their college wide internship & co-op programs, while increasing their campus visibility. and Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston, MA where she supported design/build students and alumni in their experiential learning endeavors, and post grad career planning and development. Vanecia’s diverse career background also includes experience in Human Resources related positions within private sector and local and state government, where she facilitated employee benefits, workers compensation and unemployment insurance benefits.   Vanecia has a passion for connecting people with opportunities of learning and development for the purpose of them finding their niche ‘and progressing in their careers. Vanecia received her Master’s degree in Human Resource Management from Emmanuel College and a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Framingham State University. 

Senior Vice President, Head of Human Resources, U.S. Business Unit & U.S. People Advisory Group, Takeda  
Emerson Foster is the Head of U.S. Human Resources for Takeda, a global values-based, R&D-driven biopharmaceutical leader, committed to discover and deliver life-transforming treatments. In this capacity, Emerson leads the people strategy across the company’s U.S. Business Unit. 
He is known for his authentic leadership style that is driven by a passion for connecting business leaders to organizational and community projects to deliver mutual sustainable results. Emerson has built a steady career as an HR leader spanning more than 25 years in various industries that include supermarkets, health services, banking and pharmaceuticals.  
Emerson has experience in non-profits as either a founding member, board member or active participant. He is a founding Board member of Bottom Line (www.bottomline.org), as well as Men and Women of Action, the Boston Men’s Dinner Group and the initial Alumni of Color forum at the University of Rhode Island. Emerson currently sits on the boards of the Massachusetts Business Alliance for Education, New England Culinary Arts Training and on the advisory board for BAM – Becoming A Man.   

Director of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion, MassBio
Alongside colleagues at MassBio’s workforce training center – Bioversity – Tom advises on launching, growing, and sustaining DEI initiatives, especially as they relate to supporting non-traditional talent. This critical work is part of MassBio’s commitment to improve representation and belonging across the life sciences, develop a more diverse talent pipeline, and make their members more successful and better aligned with patient populations.​ 
Prior to joining MassBio, Tom led the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce’s Economic Inclusion team and moved to Boston from the UK where he ran local corporate philanthropy broker Businesses for Islington Giving” 

Vice President, Talent and Inclusion, Diversity and Equity, Vertex
Diana Cruz Solash is Vice President, Talent Development, Culture and Inclusion, Diversity and Equity at Vertex Pharmaceuticals. In collaboration with senior leaders, employee resource networks, community affairs and human resources, Diana is responsible for progressing Vertex’s global ID&E strategy and talent programs. Prior to Vertex, Diana spent 20+ years at EY in various HR leadership roles – from recruiting and learning & development to corporate social responsibility, and organizational development – and spearheaded their global D&I roadmap and ethnic minority retention strategy for seven years. Most recently, Diana served as the first ID&E leader at Infor – a global software company with 17,000 employees. Diana holds a BA in Economics & Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania. She is an avid runner who serves as a mentor for Fred’s Team and enjoys spending quality time with her children Max and Scotty. 

Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, North America and Global Specialty Care People & Culture, Sanofi

President, Venture Investments, Johnson & Johnson Innovation
Marian Nakada has over 30 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry, starting her career at the laboratory bench at Centocor and moving to a research leadership role before Centocor’s acquisition by Johnson & Johnson.  She later transitioned to Janssen business development and eventually joined JJDC in 2013.  
Marian has a A.B. in Biology from Harvard and a Ph.D. in Pharmacology from the University of Pennsylvania.  She has authored 62 peer reviewed publications and 14 book chapters and is a past reviewer for the NIH Pharmacology Study Section.   She is currently on the Boards of Navitor and a stealth NewCo and is a Board Observer for ONL Therapeutics, Aetion, Iterative Health, Arkuda Therapeutics and Rome. 
Marian is also a grass roots co-founder of IgniteVC that is working to champion change through its diversity & inclusion efforts. Outside work, Marian is a Board Member at InnerCity Weightlifting whose mission is to amplify the voice and agency of people who have been most impacted by systemic racism and mass incarceration. 

Chief Executive Officer, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals
Dr. Yvonne Greenstreet was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Alnylam in October 2021. For nearly seven years, as President and Chief Operating Officer and now CEO, she has led Alnylam in the pursuit of innovative therapies to address unmet medical needs. She is responsible for overall corporate vision, strategy, value creation, organizational development, and R&D of RNAi therapeutics to address genetic medicine, cardio metabolic diseases, and hepatic infectious diseases.
Throughout her 25 years in the biopharmaceutical industry, she has been instrumental in delivering medicines that transform the lives of people living with diseases in the United States, Europe, and around the world.
Since assuming leadership of Alnylam, she has achieved FDA approval for AMVUTTRA, the first second generation RNAi therapeutic, and has overseen many additional milestones across Alnylam’s clinical pipeline.
These successes have increased momentum toward the Company’s Alnylam P5 x25 goals. As President and COO, she led the transformation of Alnylam from an R&D organization to a commercial company. Dr. Greenstreet oversaw creation of all commercial capabilities, including creation of a sales force, and launched ONPATTRO, GIVLAARI, and OXLUMO, the Company’s first commercial products which ushered in a new class of medicines: RNAi therapeutics. She secured partnerships and landmark financing for Alnylam, raising $2.2 billion over 5 years, and secured the largest-ever royalty monetization of a non-approved product.
Born in London and raised in Ghana, Dr. Greenstreet was educated in England and France, earning a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery degree from the University of Leeds. She then practiced as a clinician before receiving her MBA from INSEAD in Fontainebleau, France, and moving into the biotechnology industry where she could have greater impact on more patients. She moved to the United States in 2004.
In 2024, Yvonne was recognized as Woman of the Year by Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association. In 2023, she was named Middle Market Executive of the Year by Boston Business Journal. In 2022, she was named among the 100 Most Inspiring People in the Life Sciences by PharmaVoice, 100 People Transforming Business by Business Insider, and was featured in the Involve Heroes Executives Role Model List of 2022. In 2020, she was included in Boston Business Journal’s list of Women Who Mean Business. In 2013, Fast Company named
her among the 100 Most Creative People in Business, and she has been repeatedly recognized as a role model for women of color in the biopharmaceutical sector.
Dr. Greenstreet previously served as Senior Vice President and Head of Medicines Development at Pfizer where
she was on the executive team leading a rapidly growing $16 billion division. For the previous 18 years, she worked at GlaxoSmithKline plc as Senior Vice President and Chief of Strategy for Research and Development, as well as in various prior positions of increasing responsibility. Dr. Greenstreet serves on the board of directors of The American Funds. She is a member of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Scientific Advisory Committee, the Discovery Council of Harvard Medical School and a member of the Board of the Biomedical Science Careers Program. She also is a member of Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) Health Section Governing Board (HSGB).

President, U.S. Business Unit, and U.S. Country Head, Takeda 
Julie Kim is President of the U.S. Business Unit, U.S. Country Head and member of Takeda’s Executive Team. The U.S. Business Unit portfolio encompasses gastroenterology, neuroscience, plasma-derived therapies and rare diseases. 
She joined Takeda in 2019 through the acquisition of Shire, where she held several diverse roles with increasing responsibility. As part of Takeda, she became the President of the Plasma-Derived Therapies Business Unit, the position she occupied until April of 2022, when she became President of the U.S. Business Unit and U.S. Country Head. 
Julie has 30 years of experience in health care, with leadership positions at global, regional, country and functional levels. In the biopharmaceutical industry, her experiences have spanned a variety of therapeutic areas, international market access, country and regional general management, marketing and emerging market development.  
Julie is known for strong, collaborative and inclusive leadership that enables Takeda to meet the needs of the people the company serves while driving innovations that will improve patients’ lives. Her global outlook, a result of having worked in many countries in Europe, Asia and Latin America, as well as having lived in the U.K., Switzerland and the U.S., have helped her create teams that are diverse in multiple dimensions to enable inclusive decision-making that keeps the patient at the center.   Julie serves on the boards of directors for PhRMA, an organization which represents the country’s leading innovative biopharmaceutical research companies, and Croda International, a company which leverages smart science to create high-performance ingredients and technologies that improve lives. She was named one of Boston’s 50 Most Influential Asian American Pacific Islanders in 2023, to The 2022 PharmaVoice 100 list and to Fierce Pharma’s list of 2020’s Fiercest Women in Life Sciences.  She earned an MBA from the J. L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University and a bachelor’s degree in economics from Dartmouth College. She resides with her family in the Boston area.

Vice President of Education and Workforce Programs
Ryan Mudawar joined the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center (MLSC) in 2009 and currently serves as Vice President of Education & Workforce Programs. He oversees the development and implementation of the MLSC’s education and workforce investment strategy and leads efforts that foster partnerships and collaboration with public, private, and non-profit stakeholders. He manages programs and initiatives that focus on enhancing, expanding, and diversifying the life sciences talent pipeline. These most notably include the MLSC’s largest and longest-running program, the Internship Challenge, which has created more than 6,000 internships for college students with over 1,000 companies. The success of the program led to the creation of a high school apprenticeship program, as well as an internship program for students with data science skills. He also manages equipment and professional development grants for public middle and high schools and capital grants for post-secondary institutions. 
Prior to joining the MLSC, Ryan worked at several non-profit organizations throughout Greater Boston. He is a lifelong Massachusetts resident, receiving his Master’s in International Relations from Suffolk University and a Bachelor’s in Political Science from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. 

Head of Culture & Engagement, HR Chief of Staff for the United States Business Unit, Takeda

Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Propel Careers
Lauren is the co-founder and CEO of Propel Careers, a life science search and career development firm focused on connecting talented individuals with entrepreneurial life sciences companies. She has recruited for >60 innovative life sciences organizations to help them hire talent and has coached thousands of students, postdocs, medical residents and professionals to advance their careers. Lauren presents often at conferences and at universities and research institutions on career development topics to inspire the next generation of talent. Before Propel, she spent about 10 years in life sciences advancing drug molecules through SNBL USA, Aptuit, Quintiles, and Absorption Systems. She has a B.S. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Gettysburg College and an MBA (focused in the health sector and entrepreneurship) from Boston University. She is on Boards including: MassBioEd (Chair), National Tay-Sachs & Allied Diseases Association; and Advisory Boards: the Professional Science Masters Program at Framingham State University and NE GWISE. Lauren actively mentors young scientists through groups like the Association of Women in Science and The International Center for Professional Development.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Manager, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals
Crystal R. Davis (She/Her) currently serves as a DE&I practitioner but brings over two decades of experience as an administrative professional spanning various roles in academia, life sciences and healthcare.  
Beyond her professional endeavors, Crystal is deeply passionate about holistic health and is dedicated to addressing health disparities within her community. As a certified holistic health coach, she champions the importance of incorporating herbs, fruits and vegetables into daily diets. Motivated by the firsthand impact of chronic illnesses on her own family, Crystal embarked on a personal wellness journey, leading her to establish Whole Body Vitality, LLC. Through her business, she endeavors to raise awareness and provide guidance on achieving optimal health and wellness through a variety of holistic wellness modalities. 

Director, Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion, Blueprint Medicines
Rizwana, a female Muslim immigrant of South Asian and Arab heritage, is an unwavering advocate for equity, diversity, and inclusion (ED&I) in all facets of life. Rizwana’s academic journey began with a Bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience from Boston University, followed by a Master’s degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences with a specialization in Regulatory Affairs from George Washington University. Despite her scientific background, Rizwana’s career trajectory has taken a transformative path catalyzed by her lived experiences. She currently serves as the Director of ED&I at Blueprint Medicines. In this capacity, she leads the organization’s global ED&I strategy and programs, working within a dynamic and evolving culture and business model.  
Rizwana recognizes the criticality of challenging norms, dissolving barriers, and establishing equitable practices in every sphere. She passionately champions the voices of Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC), and other historically marginalized groups, understanding true creativity and innovation stem from honoring those who have been suppressed. Embodying the belief that collective action is the key to achieving sustained change, Rizwana’s dedication to ED&I extends beyond her professional role. In her forever roles as a daughter, sister, wife, aunty, and friend she is driven by a singular belief – together, we go farther.  

Senior Manager, USBU Talent Acquisition, Takeda
Lindsey Mastrototoro is a Sr. Manager of Talent Acquisition at Takeda Pharmaceuticals.  In her current role, she oversees a team who is responsible for the talent acquisition process for the US Commercial Business Unit.  The majority of her career has been within the life sciences industry with a primary focus on optimizing the employee life cycle. She received her degree in HR Management from the University of Massachusetts and has held roles in the Talent Acquisition and HRBP space throughout her career.