Join EWIB-Chicago and J.Thelander Consulting Group for a virtual fireside chat on executive compensation benchmarking in the life sciences startups. As the life sciences sector enters a selective growth phase in 2026, the competition for "battle-tested" leadership adds further pressure for executive compensation. For therapeutics, health tech, and MedTech companies, the challenge is balancing critical cash preservation with the need to attract elite talent capable of navigating rigorous regulatory pathways and R&D, preclinical, clinical, and commercial cycles. This panel will dissect current benchmarks for C-suite compensation and independent board equity, providing a granular look at how these figures shift across sub-sectors. While representation in Life Sciences is at an all-time high, some lingering "equity gaps" persist for women in leadership. Attendees will leave with a strategic understanding of the field and benchmarks for building a high-impact, equitable leadership team that satisfies both institutional investors and top-tier talent

Disclaimer: This event may be recorded, and your image and/or voice may be included in that recording. If you are uncomfortable, please be sure to turn off your webcam.

Program

12:00 p.m. – 12:05 p.m.  Welcome & Introductions
12:05 p.m. – 12:30 p.m.  Discussion
12:30 p.m. – 12:45 p.m.  Audience Q&A

Speaker Bios

Jody K. Thelander, Founder & CEO of J.Thelander Consulting 

Jody is a compensation executive with a track record of successful results and three decades of professional experience. She has a keen understanding of business realities through a diversified background in compensation, sales, and customer service. Her surveys and resulting reports have become a well-respected and highly desired tool for compensation decision-makers in the private capital markets. J.Thelander Consulting provides board and compensation consulting to a full range of private companies and investment firms, including life sciences and tech, venture capital, private equity, and corporate venture. Jody also spent ten years with TRW Space and Defense, both in Washington, DC, and San Francisco, before starting her own firm.

Morgan Thelander, Chief Operating Officer of J.Thelander Consulting, Moderator

Morgan is the Chief Operating Officer at J.Thelander Consulting, the premier global compensation data and consulting firm for the private capital market. She has in-depth experience with private companies through her work at PitchBook in Seattle and Healthbox in Chicago. While at PitchBook, Morgan gained expertise in private company deals and financing tracking, as well as contributing to editorial for their daily newsletter and blog posts. She also has keen insights as to how start-ups bring their products to market through her work with the accelerator program at Healthbox. Morgan graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and is a proud Badger.

Alyssa Master, Director Venture Development at the University of Chicago, Moderator

Alyssa is an experienced operations leader and strategist with a track record of scaling biotech companies and optimizing internal processes. As the first employee of San Diego-based Nucleus Biologics, she played a pivotal role in growing the company from a single-person operation to over 100 employees. She thrives at the intersection of strategy, technology, and execution, ensuring that groundbreaking ideas translate into successful businesses. Passionate about leadership and organizational design, she is committed to fostering high-performing teams and mentoring the next generation of biotech leaders. Alyssa holds a PhD in biomedical engineering and completed postdoctoral research in pharmacology and nanomedicine.

Sheila Zipfel, MS, MBA, Principal & Consultant at Zipfel Drug Discovery, Moderator

Sheila is the 2026 Co-Chair of the Chicago chapter of Executive Women In Bio (EWIB) and a medicinal chemistry leader with more than 25 years of experience spanning Gilead Sciences and Celera Genomics. Her career highlights include designing voxilaprevir (a component of the HCV cure Vosevi®) and advancing multiple programs from early screening through Phase 1. Currently, Sheila operates as a portfolio executive, providing fractional leadership to the biotech startup BioDaVinci and partnering with The Steely Group to drive specialized life sciences staffing. She also serves as an Advisor to the Board of BioLiterate, a non-profit AIxBio community of practice. Sheila is dedicated to accelerating breakthrough science by connecting innovators with the right strategy, technology, and talent.

Pricing Information

• Members: Free
• Non-Members*: Free