Join us for a morning of empowerment, insights, and networking at our exclusive Networking Breakfast & Panel Discussion. In a rapidly evolving industry like life sciences, staying ahead of the curve is paramount. That’s why we’ve curated a panel of distinguished experts to delve into one of the most groundbreaking intersections in healthcare: Artificial Intelligence in Precision Medicine. Gain invaluable insights from industry-leading women who are spearheading innovations at the intersection of AI and Precision Medicine.

We’ll discuss:

• The current landscape of AI in Precision Medicine
• Overcoming challenges and ethical considerations
• Future prospects and emerging trends
• Opportunities for women in the field

Space is limited, so secure your spot now to be a part of this exclusive event. Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity to connect, learn, and be inspired!

Program

8:30 a.m. Networking Breakfast
8:50 a.m. Opening Remarks
8:55 a.m. Panel Discussion
9:40 a.m. Q&A
9:55 a.m. Closing Remarks

Opening Remarks

Gina Ford, DPh, MBA, Executive Director of Women In Bio

Gina Ford is a highly experienced professional with 20 years of expertise in the life sciences, biotech, and pharmaceutical industries. Throughout her career, she has held leadership roles in corporate strategy, commercial, portfolio management, business development, and patient advocacy. As the principal of One Joule, LLC, a corporate strategy consulting firm she founded, Gina provides strategic advice to life science clients on various aspects of their business, including company formation, corporate strategy, fundraising, dealmaking, and US commercial and globalization strategies. In her recent Executive and C-suite roles at OncoSynergy, NephroSant, and Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Gina was responsible for Corporate Strategy, Corporate Development, and Commercial Planning, where she helped drive growth and development for these companies. Gina is a Doctor of Pharmacy with an MBA. She is an accomplished start-up and growth phase expert, sought after for her successful fundraising experience at all levels. Early in her career, Gina was the executive director for the International Academy of Compounding Pharmacist. Her long-term focus on patient advocacy highlights her commitment to the life science industry’s core mission of improving patient outcomes through innovative therapies and treatments. Gina’s previous industry leadership roles include AcelRx Pharmaceuticals, Ipsen Pharmaceuticals, Solstice Neurosciences, and Elan Pharmaceuticals. 

Speaker Bios

Sarah Benson-Konforty, MD, Managing Partner at 1010VC

Dr. Sarah Benson-Konforty is a globally experienced transformational leader with over 15 years of cross-industry knowledge and expertise in product, business development, operations, finance, and investments. Sarah serves on the Advisory board of Pepticom, an Israel-based breakthrough technology that designs novel peptide drug candidates, utilizing unique biocomputational AI software to optimize the drug discovery process, accelerate time to market, and reduce development risks and costs. Sarah is a member of The Board of Directors of The Alliance for Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare, an international advocacy organization dedicated to the responsible adoption and application of Al/ML in healthcare. They are dedicated to the discovery, development, and delivery of better solutions to improve patient lives. She also serves on the Advisory board of Healthee (formerly Insurights), a medical benefits platform. She was formerly the Founding Managing Partner at the early seed stage fund Gimmel Entrepreneurs Group, where she led the investments in Digital Health, Pharma, and Biotech. She also served as Head of Business Development at Seaurchin.io (Acquired by Algolia). She was the Co-founder of Macpire, a leader in building web and CRM platforms. As part of her volunteering work, Sarah is currently a member of the board of directors at Public Invention, a 501c3 Non-Profit organization that democratizes inventions for the benefit of humankind (pubinv.org). Sarah also leads the Business Development club as part of INTRO - Introus.org (501c3), the largest Israeli tech community in Silicon Valley.

Holly Reeves, Health Industries Emerging Company Market Leader, PwC US, Moderator

Holly is the market leader for our Health Industries Emerging Growth Company practice nationally. With extensive experience working with venture-backed organizations, she has guided them through the process of starting operations, completing initial public offerings, and transitioning into commercial public companies. Holly brings leading insights, methodology, and technical expertise, including relevant IPO experience. Holly has been involved with a wide variety of business and financial reporting issues, including internal controls, mergers and acquisitions, collaborations, revenue recognition, commercial product launches, accounting for equity instruments, and stock-based compensation. She also has significant experience dealing with SEC reporting matters and has assisted numerous venture-backed biotechs with their initial public offering. As a recognized subject matter expert in the pharmaceuticals and life science industry, Holly supports client service teams nationwide by sharing her deep industry experience and offering practical solutions based on thoughtful analysis. She is also a frequent presenter at seminars.

Ariane Tom, PhD, Founder & Managing Director of Kaleida Capital

Dr. Ariane Tom is the Founding Partner of Kaleida Capital, investing in early-stage startups in precision neuroscience and neurotechnology. Throughout her academic career at Stanford, Ariane spearheaded interdisciplinary research programs in neural interfaces with applications in brain-mapping, prosthetics, drug delivery, and neuromodulation. She is a published co-author in top-tier research journals Science Magazine and Nature Portfolio with Karl Deisseroth and Zhenan Bao (h-indexes 171, 194, respectively). As a neurotechnology innovation thought leader, she is a frequent speaker at events where she discusses neurotechnology development and investment landscape. She has applied over a decade of research insight to venture capital, patent law, and public policy, cultivating a top-performing investment track record in biotechnology. She has served as a Board Observer for companies spanning neuroimaging, cancer diagnostics, drug discovery, and immunotherapy. Ariane holds a BS in materials science & engineering, an MS in bioengineering, and a PhD in bioengineering, all from Stanford University.

Ashley Van Zeeland, PhD, MBA, Vice President, Corporate Development and Strategic Planning at Illumina

Dr. Ashley Van Zeeland has been driving innovative genomics research and development programs for 20 years and is currently Vice President of Corporate Development at Illumina after holding various executive roles within the company’s Research and Product Development team starting in 2018. Prior to joining Illumina, she was co-founder and CEO of Cypher Genomics, a cloud-based genome interpretation company, which sold to Human Longevity, Inc. (HLI) in 2015. At HLI, Dr. Van Zeeland served as Chief Technology Officer, directing the software and bioinformatics development for a large-scale genomics platform, and enabling health intelligence and related products. Prior to founding Cypher Genomics, she served as Director of Strategic Partnerships at the Scripps Translational Science Institute, where she focused on novel public-private partnerships to accelerate translational research. Before transitioning to that role, she was a research fellow in bioinformatics and statistical genetics at the Scripps Translational Science Institute and led groundbreaking work in neuroimaging genetics of autism, neurodevelopmental disorders, and other rare genetic pediatric diseases while a research assistant at UCLA. Dr. Van Zeeland has received numerous business and science awards, including the BIOCOM Life Science Catalyst award and San Diego 500 Influential Business Leader awards in 2016, 2017, and 2020, and she serves in advisory and board roles with other companies. She received a PhD in neuroscience from the University of California, Los Angeles; an MBA from the University of California, San Diego – Rady School of Management, and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Colorado.
 

Pricing Information

• Members: $50
• Non-Members*: $75

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Note: A confirmation email will be sent after registration has been completed. 

Parking Information

Parking is available at the hotel for a fee.

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