WIB-Metro New York & Women.NYC: Books, Bagels, & Bio – Redefining Innovation and Leadership

WIB–Metro New York and Women.NYC hosted a breakfast networking and leadership event designed to expand connections and inspire women in the life sciences—especially those early in their careers—to be bold and aim for leadership. Sixty people attended the event at the New York Genome Center on November 7, and Dr. Joan Fallon’s down-to-earth style and approachability made a strong impression on the room. Dr. Fallon, Founder and CEO of Curemark, shared her entrepreneurial journey, offering candid insights on navigating investors, regulatory hurdles, and persistent doubt while pushing against the status quo. She highlighted Curemark’s work developing drugs for neurodegenerative diseases, including its first-of-its-kind autism treatment that recently completed a successful Phase III clinical trial. Dr. Fallon encouraged aspiring leaders to “manage risk” rather than avoid it, push through fear, and never let others mistake kindness for weakness. If the only answer to “Why not?” is “We’ve never done it that way,” she reminded everyone that’s exactly where innovation happens. Her remarks set the tone for an hour of structured networking roundtables led by industry leaders.

Submitted by Wendy Diller