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, PhD., 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. 

Senior Associate, Laboratory Enablement, Ginkgo Biosecurity
With a pre-existing background in informal science education, Liz received her Masters degree at the University of New Hampshire studying microbial ecology and her PhD at Tufts University where she studied environmental microbiology, headed large-scale community-based science studies and did research on learning sciences in higher education. After completing a postdoctoral fellowship at Columbia University studying fungal remediation of wastewater, she began work at Ginkgo Biosecurity in their lab enablement division. There, she is joining her love of cutting edge microbiological science with her passion for empowering individuals and labs in diverse settings. She is leading Ginkgo Biosecurity’s international training efforts through building a badging and certification-based program for partner labs working in pathogen surveillance.

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. 

Manager, Education Programs Associate, Massachusetts Life Sciences Center
Linda joined the MLSC in 2023 as Manager for the Education and Workforce Team. With a focus on building a robust talent pipeline for life sciences, she manages grant programs including STEM equipment and professional development for public and post-secondary schools, as well as high school apprenticeship and college internship programs. Prior to joining the MLSC, Linda served as Director of the Biotech Scholars Pathway Program at Framingham State University where she developed the program in partnership with MassBay Community College and the MetroWest Scholars Early Start Program. This program offers biotechnology focused college courses and hands-on training to high school students followed by internships in the industry, which will lead them to great career opportunities while they earn their higher education degrees. Linda holds a Master’s Degree in Molecular Biology and worked in the Plant Biotechnology field for more than 15 years as the managing director of an ornamental plant cloning company in Brazil. 

Director; Molecular, Expression and Screening Technologies (MEST), Sanofi Large Molecule Research 
Dietmar joined Aventis (acquired by Sanofi in 2004) in May 2002 at the Cambridge, US site. He currently leads a multidisciplinary team with 13 scientists within Sanofi’s Large Molecule Research Department (LMR) and is part of the Cambridge, US and extended, global LMR Leadership Team.  His multidisciplinary team provides project teams across Sanofi R&D with Molecular Biology support and manages the Sanofi global plasmid repository. In addition, his team employs highly automated, robotic systems for high-throughput, protein & antibody expression and purification using mammalian cells as well as high-throughput screening of the expressed antibodies and proteins. 

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
Subarna Malakar is the Vice President and Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) for Sanofi North America and Global Specialty Care, supporting employees globally and locally. He is a member of the North America and Global Specialty Care People and Culture Leadership Team and the Global Diversity, Experience and Culture Team. He also serves as an Advisory Member of the U.S. and Canadian Executive DE&I Councils for Sanofi. In his current role, Subarna builds the DE&I foundation and leads a comprehensive and measurable diversity, equity and inclusion strategy integrated with the overall business, community, and talent strategies. He drives Global DE&I strategy and initiatives to embrace and leverage diversity within the organization, supports Sanofi’s diverse patient and customer base, and achieves the Company’s overall purpose and vision. Before Sanofi, Subarna was with FMC Corporation as Global Diversity & Inclusion Officer and at Ahold Delhaize as Vice President and Global Chief Diversity Officer. He has more than 25 years of professional experience with 17 years in diversity, equity & inclusion, corporate social responsibility, culture change management, organizational development, and project management working for global companies, including Thomson Reuters, Unilever, and Sodexo. He has lived and worked in Germany, the Netherlands, and Singapore. Subarna holds an MBA from Temple University: Fox School of Business, a Bachelor of Science from the University of Maryland, a Certificate in Leadership Academy from Harvard Business School, and Certificate in Leadership in Health Equity from Harvard University Chan School of Public Health. He is a board member for the Institute for Corporate Productivity (i4CP) Global Chief Diversity Officers Board. Subarna is a U.S. Army veteran and resides in Pennsylvania with his wife and daughter.  

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.

Acting CEO, Vice President of Economic Development & Partnerships, Massachusetts Life Sciences Center
Jeanne joined the MLSC in October 2020 and currently serves as the Vice President of Economic Development and Partnerships. In this role, she develops and executes strategies to enhance life sciences job growth in the Commonwealth by building relationships with key industry stakeholders, workforce training partners, and public agencies. Prior to joining MLSC, Jeanne served as the Economic Development Director for the Gateway Hilltown Collaborative, a pilot program unifying community development efforts in six small towns in Western Massachusetts. Jeanne earned her BA from Boston University, and worked at the Cambridge-based political magazine Boston Review. She received her Masters in Public Policy and Masters in Business Administration from the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University, where she focused her efforts on entrepreneurship, economic justice, and community development. 

Secretary, Labor & Workforce Development, Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Secretary Lauren E. Jones has more than 17 years of experience working in local and state government, non-profits, and the private sector, with a particular focus on workforce development. As Executive Vice President of the Massachusetts Business Roundtable, Jones led the organization’s workforce development policy and strategy. She previously led the Massachusetts market for the non-profit Apprenti, where she worked with companies to cultivate and diversify tech talent through registered apprenticeships. She also created and led the Business Strategy Unit for Boston Mayor Marty Walsh’s Office of Economic Development, supporting business attraction and employer engagement in the city of Boston. Prior to that, she held several roles in the Patrick-Murray Administration, including Communications Director for the Executive Office of Labor & Workforce Development, Policy & Communications Director for former Lieutenant Governor Tim Murray, and Senior Program Manager of the Economic Development Incentive Program in the Office of Business Development. As Executive Vice President of the Roundtable, Jones was the Co-Chair of the Workforce Solutions Group and served on the Board for the Massachusetts Workforce Association, the Executive Committee for the Alliance for Vocational Technical Education, the Board of Advisors for the Massachusetts Business Alliance for Education, the Boston Private Industry Council, and previously served on the Future of Work Commission. She is also on the Board of Trustees for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s New England Chapter and the Board of Directors for Girls on The Run Greater Boston. She holds a Master’s in Public Administration from Northeastern University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from Providence College. She lives in Boston. 

Senator, Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Senator Sal DiDomenico has proudly served as State Senator for the Middlesex and Suffolk District of Massachusetts since May of 2010. He represents a diverse district that includes the communities of Charlestown, Chelsea, Everett, and about half of Cambridge. Throughout his tenure in the Massachusetts Senate, Sal has remained committed to enhancing the lives of his constituents and residents across the Commonwealth. Since his election to the Senate, Senator DiDomenico has been a vocal advocate of ensuring high quality and accessible early education and care for children in the Commonwealth, tackling environmental injustice, improving economic opportunities for working families, fighting food insecurity in our communities, increasing public education funding, and providing world-class healthcare for all children and their families in Massachusetts. Senator DiDomenico currently serves as Assistant Majority Leader of the Massachusetts Senate, Chair of the Senate Committee on Bills in the Third Reading and Vice Chair of the Joint Committee on Education. He holds a position in Senate President Karen Spilka’s leadership team, joining a select group of members chosen for their ability to lead and their commitment to advancing important issues for the Commonwealth. He also serves as a member of the Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development, Senate Committee on Steering and Policy, Senate Committee on Personnel and Administration. During his time in the State Senate, Senator DiDomenico has filed several pieces of landmark legislation that have been signed into law focusing on issues of community development, education, children’s health, economic development, human and social services, food insecurity, and public safety. Senator DiDomenico has also been recognized by over seventy organizations for his advocacy in the Legislature and was one of only 22 legislators throughout the United States to be selected as a 2015 Early Learning Fellow and as a 2020 Maternal and Child Health Fellow by the National Conference of State Legislators. Prior to his election to the State Senate, Sal began his work in public service by holding four terms as an Everett City Councilor and serving as President of the Everett City Council, as well as Chief of Staff to former State Senator Anthony Galluccio. Before entering state government, he spent twelve years working in the hospitality industry at Sonesta International Hotels and Marriott International.  Senator DiDomenico is a graduate of Cambridge Rindge and Latin High School and earned his B.A. in Business Administration from Boston College. Sal and his wife Tricia, a special education teacher, reside in Everett with their two sons, Matthew and Sal, and their dog Buddy.  

Undersecretary of Economic Strategies, Massachusetts Executive Office of Economic Development
Sarah Stanton is the Undersecretary of Economic Strategies at the Executive Office of Economic Development in the Healey/Driscoll administration. Ms. Stanton is responsible for the state’s tourism and international trade sectors through the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism and the Massachusetts Office of International Trade and Investment. She is also leading the office’s efforts on the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s cross-secretariat Workforce Skills Cabinet and helps coordinate federal opportunities like CHIPS and Science Act funding, and ARPA-H. In addition, Ms. Stanton works closely with quasi-government partners Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, Massachusetts Life Sciences Center, and MassVentures. Ms. Stanton was previously the Town Manager of Bedford, Massachusetts. In this position, which is appointed by the elected Select Board, Ms. Stanton served as chief executive of the Town. Ms. Stanton has held several key roles in local government over the past 18 years—including Budget Director for the City of Cambridge, Finance Director/City Auditor for the City of Salem, and other municipal leadership roles in the Town of Ipswich, City of Woburn, and City of Haverhill. She is an adjunct professor in the graduate programs for city planning, political science, and public administration at Boston University, Merrimack College, and Northeastern University. Ms. Stanton holds an undergraduate degree in Political Science from Plymouth State University, and a master’s degree in Public Administration from Northeastern University. 

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
Dominique is Takeda’s U.S. Business Unit Head of Culture & Engagement and HR Chief of Staff, where she focuses on the People Experience, HR strategy, and governance. In 2023, Dominique served as the Interim Head of U.S. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, playing a pivotal role in driving Takeda’s U.S. DE&I initiatives to build a solid DE&I foundation that continues to support Takeda’s growth and focus on becoming a leader in this space.  Dominique previously served as Talent Acquisition Leader for USBU and Global Product & Launch Strategy (GPLS) groups, providing strategic direction and thought leadership to ensure inclusive and equitable practices were embedded throughout all aspects of the recruitment journey. Dominique joined Takeda in 2016 and was a primary lead for talent acquisition integration during the 2019-2020 Shire acquisition. She emphasized the need to create sourcing and talent identification plans centered on equitable practices to increase representation, an inclusive social media strategy, and the development of recruitment partner training aligned with Takeda’s vision and mission.   Before joining Takeda, Dominique held roles with PwC, Northern Trust Bank, and agencies within the financial services sector. Dominique began her undergraduate journey at Hampton University in Hampton, VA, and completed studies at Governors State University in IL, receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology. Outside of work, Dominique is the mom of two college juniors and finds time to celebrate the small things in life. 

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.  

Talent Acquisition Strategy & Enablement and Chief of Staff to CHRO, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals
Meghan Scott is Director of Talent Acquisition Enablement and Chief of Staff to the CHRO at Alnylam Pharmaceuticals. In this role, she provides strategic leadership across Talent Acquisition Global Operations, Employment Brand and Emerging Talent. Additionally, she provides strategic leadership and operational support to Alnylam’s HR Leaders to ensure critical talent strategies are effectively accomplished.  
Prior to Alnylam, Meghan was responsible for Talent Acquisition at Invaio Sciences, one of Flagship Pioneering’s portfolio companies. Prior to joining Invaio, Meghan’s career focused on University Relations at Biogen and Medtronic, where she built data-informed talent acquisition and talent development strategies, and managed key talent programs at the enterprise level.  
Meghan received her bachelor’s degree from Cazenovia College and her master’s degree in HR from Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations. 

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.