Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast SpreadLove In Organizations - Healthcare Leadership

What if vaccines could do more than prevent disease? In this episode of Spread Love in Organizations, Naji Gehchan sits down with Hanne Callewaert, CEO and co-founder of AstriVax Therapeutics, to explore the next generation of vaccine technology and the emerging potential of therapeutic vaccines. Drawing on more than 20 years of experience in the life sciences, including a decade at GSK Vaccines, Hanne shares her journey from biomedical sciences and patent law to biotech entrepreneurship and explains how AstriVax is developing an innovative DNA-based vaccine platform. She discusses how this technology differs from mRNA vaccines, its potential to generate durable immune responses and strong T-cell activation, and the opportunity to transform how we approach infectious diseases.

A central focus of the conversation is human papillomavirus (HPV) and the potential of therapeutic vaccines to treat persistent infections before they progress to cancer. Hanne explains why HPV remains a major unmet medical need despite the success of preventive HPV vaccines, and how AstriVax aims to harness the immune system to clear the virus and reverse precancerous lesions. She also shares her personal experience with a rare serious adverse event following yellow fever vaccination and reflects on vaccine confidence, benefit-risk assessment, public health, and the importance of scientific evidence. Looking ahead, she discusses the future of therapeutic vaccines, viral oncology, and how advances in machine learning and epitope screening could shape the next decade of vaccine innovation.

Beyond the science, Hanne reflects on building a biotech company from the ground up, growing a team of around 30 people, navigating the challenges of fundraising, and leading through uncertainty. She shares her philosophy of leadership, grounded in curiosity, transparency, continuous learning, resilience, and care for others. As a mother of four and a CEO, she reflects on the importance of leading by example, creating a strong team culture, and finding a trusted community of fellow leaders through the Termeer Institute. Her message is a powerful reminder that building organizations capable of changing patients' lives requires both scientific excellence and genuine care for people.

"If prevention didn’t happen, then treatment should occur before cancer develops."

MEET OUR GUEST Hanne Callewaert, CEO and co-founder AstriVax Therapeutics, Termeer Fellow.

Hanne Callewaert has over 20 years of life science industry expertise. Previously, she was Chief Operating Officer at the publicly listed biotech company Oxurion, leading multidisciplinary teams and has gained extensive vaccine development expertise in several roles at GlaxoSmithKline Vaccines. Hanne initiated her career at Gevers Patents as Patent Attorney Trainee. She has obtained a master’s degree in Biomedical Sciences and a master’s degree in intellectual property law and a PhD in Medical Sciences from the University of Leuven.

AstriVax Therapeutics is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company founded in 2022 and focused on developing DNA-based immunotherapies through a novel technology platform. Their technology aims to address the most challenging diseases, with a primary focus on treating persistent infections with the human papillomavirus (HPV).

For more episodes in partnership with the Termeer Institute click here.

What does it take to build organizations where people and purpose come first? In this episode of SpreadLove in Organizations, Jin Kim shares his perspective on the role of human connection, trust, and intentional leadership in creating environments where people can thrive.

The conversation explores how empathy and accountability can work together to strengthen relationships, support teams, and deliver results. Jin reflects on the importance of understanding people, navigating challenges, and creating a culture where individuals feel valued and empowered.

Whether you are a business leader, entrepreneur, or manager, this episode offers fresh perspectives on building healthier workplace cultures and making a meaningful impact. Listen to Jin Kim on Spread Love in Organizations, a podcast exploring purpose-driven leadership and the human side of organizational life.

"Believe in the mission, stay focused, and keep going despite the rejections."

MEET OUR GUEST Jin Kim, CEO at Miracle.

Jin Kim is Founder and CEO of Miracle, a software company helping biopharma and medical device companies gain real-time visibility into clinical trials. Prior to founding Miracle, he worked with leading pharmaceutical companies and health systems on data interoperability and analytics initiatives. Outside of work, Jin previously trained at the Olympic Training Center as a member of the US Archery Team. Today, he works with clinical-stage companies to improve how studies are monitored and managed, helping teams reduce manual trackers, identify operational risks earlier, and bring new treatments to patients faster.

What does it take to turn a scientific discovery into a treatment that changes patients’ lives? In this episode of SpreadLove in Organizations, Naji Gehchan sits down with Richard Ransohoff, neurologist, neuroscientist, and biotech innovator, to explore a career at the intersection of medicine, immunology, neuroscience, and biotechnology. Richard shares his unconventional journey from studying literature and poetry to becoming a physician-scientist and a leading contributor to research on multiple sclerosis (MS), neuroinflammation, and the immune system. His story highlights how curiosity, unexpected opportunities, and a willingness to follow new questions can shape a meaningful career.

Richard reflects on the scientific breakthroughs, collaborations, and leadership experiences that helped advance understanding and treatment of multiple sclerosis, including the role of chemokines, animal models of disease, and therapies. Drawing on his experiences in academic research, at the Cleveland Clinic, in biotechnology, and with Third Rock Ventures, he explains how promising scientific discoveries can be translated into new medicines and innovative biotech companies. The conversation explores the importance of identifying genuine unmet medical needs, combining scientific rigor with strategic thinking, building complementary teams, and recognizing the serendipity that often drives medical progress. For scientists, physicians, biotech entrepreneurs, and healthcare leaders, Richard offers valuable perspectives on translational research, innovation, and the challenges of bringing new treatments to patients.

At its heart, this episode is about leadership, empathy, resilience, and making a difference for patients. Richard shares his perspective on what makes an effective leader, why authenticity matters, and how to keep moving forward when scientific and professional journeys become difficult. His reflections connect scientific excellence with a deeper sense of purpose: advancing knowledge is meaningful when it ultimately improves human lives.

"Day does follow night."

MEET OUR GUEST Richard Ransohoff, Venture Partner, Third Rock Ventures.

Richard M. Ransohoff is presently (2018-present) Venture Partner at Third Rock Ventures. At Third Rock, Ransohoff works on company creation with particular focus on serious unmet medical need in neurology, immunology and neuropsychiatry. He is a scientific Co-Founder for Abata Therapeutics, where he served for two years as interim Chief Medical Officer (CMO) and member of the Executive Leadership Team. At Abata, he continues as Clinical Advisor. He helped launch Trace Neuroscience, where he serves on the Scientific Advisory Board (SAB).

From 1984-2014 Ransohoff was Staff Member at Cleveland Clinic where he founded and directed the Neuroinflammation Research Center (2005-2014) in the Lerner Research Institute and served (1984-2014) as Staff Neurologist, Cleveland Clinic Mellen Center for MS Treatment and Research. He lists >460 scientific articles and reviews in PubMed (July 2026 H-index 154; >125,000 citations) and trained >70 students and post-docs who hold positions in science, medicine and industry. Ransohoff serves on the American Brain Foundation (ABF) Board of Trustees and Research Advisory Committee, as well as the Board of Directors for the American Society for Neurotherapeutics (ASENT). He was previously on SABs for the Keystone Symposia, Chemocentryx, Vertex, LeukoSite, German Center for Research in Neurodegenerative Disease (DZNE) and the Gladstone Institute for Neurological Diseases (GIND) at UCSF. Ransohoff served on both NIH and National MS Society study section for many years and continues service on Special Emphasis Panels. He was Associate Editor of Neurology for inflammatory and infectious conditions for 10 years, before becoming founding Editor for Neurology: Neuroimmunology and Neuroinflammation. He continues on editorial boards for Trends in Immunology, Trends in Molecular Medicine (until 2024) and Journal of Neuroimmunology. Dr. Ransohoff is also Adjunct Professor, Molecular Medicine; Genetics and Genome Sciences; and Pathology at the Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) School of Medicine and Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine.

Dr. Ransohoff joined Biogen as Senior Research Fellow in 2014 and moved to Third Rock at the end of 2017. At the time he transitioned, he served as VP, and Research/Early Development (RED) Unit Head for Neuroimmunology & MS/Pain/Acute Neurology. He led a group of >45 scientists and clinicians in identifying and prosecuting neuroinflammatory targets for treatment of neurological disease and pain, bringing those relevant for acute neurology indications through phase II proof of concept (PoC). During this time, he directed the transformation of the neuroinflammation portfolio, successfully bringing 5 compounds (internally developed and externally identified) into the clinic as well as directing activities in blood-brain barrier (BBB) function, progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) risk mitigation and novel screening technologies for glial targets, in addition to basic neuroinflammation biology.

Among other awards, Ransohoff was named in “Best Doctors” from 1996-2014 for his expertise in patient care for MS. He received the John and Samuel Bard Award in Science or Medicine, Bard College (2002), F.E. Bennet American Neurological Association Lectureship (2009), the John J. Dystel Award for MS Research from the National MS Society and American Academy of Neurology (2012) and the Distinguished Alumni Award, CWRU School of Medicine (2018). He’s a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and member of the Association of American Physicians.

Richard is married to Margaret Seidler Ransohoff (1988), has two daughters, Amy (born 1989) and Lena (1994). The family recently greeted Amy’s daughters Madeleine (2022) and Abigail (2025).

In this episode of SpreadLove in Organizations, we sit down with Hala Hanna, Executive Director of MIT Solve, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology initiative that identifies and supports social entrepreneurs developing solutions to global challenges. Hala shares her personal journey growing up in Lebanon during wartime, the role of resilience, family, opportunity, and chance in shaping her life, and how those experiences ultimately led her to a career focused on social impact, innovation, and inclusive leadership.

Hala explains how MIT Solve identifies, supports, and scales social impact solutions, sharing lessons from more than 600 innovators and the importance of lived experience, human-centered design, technology, partnerships, mentorship, and community. She discusses what separates promising ideas from solutions that achieve meaningful scale, including the role of networks and strategic partnerships in helping entrepreneurs reach millions of people. She also reflects on her experiences across international development and global leadership and what they taught her about creating change in complex organizations and systems.

At the heart of the conversation is Hala's philosophy that leadership is an expression of love. She explores how humility, listening, trust, transparency, values alignment, and genuine care for people can create stronger teams and enable greater impact. Naji and Hala connect these ideas to Spread Love in Organizations and discuss a leadership philosophy centered on love, discipline, less noise, and more impact - focusing time and energy on what truly matters, whether that means helping patients, empowering entrepreneurs, or creating meaningful change in organizations and communities.

"You’re not what happens to you. You’re what you become out of it."

MEET OUR GUEST Hala Hanna, Executive Director, MIT Solve.

Hala Hanna is the Executive Director of MIT Solve, an initiative of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a marketplace for social impact innovation. Solve finds and supports tech-based entrepreneurs from around the globe whose solutions tackle some of the world’s most pressing challenges, from climate change and economic prosperity to health equity and education. Solve has selected over 600 innovators, with more than 60% based in the Global South. Their solutions, ranging from Indigenous food sovereignty in North America to global Artificial Intelligence for good, have impacted over 370 million lives worldwide. Solve’s ecosystem of nearly 1,000 partners has mobilized $80 million in funding for these ventures.

Prior to MIT Solve, Hala was a member of the Leadership Team at the World Economic Forum, where she was Director of Strategy and Impact. She served as chief of staff to the Managing Director, a former vice-chancellor of Germany, shaping the Forum’s global engagement. In her prior role as Program Lead for the Middle East & North Africa, she curated economic and political discussions at Davos and regional summits, managing relationships with heads of governments and business leaders. During that time, she set up a public-private initiative for employment with the largest business employers in the region based on findings of a study she co-led, training 100,000 youth. The work has since been replicated globally. 

Hala brings two decades of experience in international development, global leadership, and strategic partnerships. Hala’s earlier career was spent at the World Bank and the United Nations, advising senior officials on public sector reform, aid effectiveness, and donor engagement in countries as diverse as Jamaica, Kuwait, Morocco, Senegal, and Yemen. Her experience spans from post-revolution Tunisia, where she contributed to enhancing private sector investment and tourism competitiveness, to Liberia, where she advised the Minister of Planning and Economic Affairs on aid effectiveness and economic strategy. At the World Bank, she set up a network of Francophone African anticorruption activists. She also co-founded a policy platform that counted over 100 thousand subscribers, offering data-driven content and insights to drive public policy reform in the MENA region.

An avid advocate for women in leadership, Hala has held advisory roles with UN Women She Innovates, the UN Global Innovation Coalition for Change, and the Brussels based global network of Women Political Leaders. She has coached women candidates for public office and lectured on gender and policy at universities. Recognized by the Women in Public Service program created by Madeleine Albright and Hillary Clinton, Hala remains a vocal proponent of gender equity in governance and leadership.

Hala holds a Master in Public Policy from Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, with a concentration in Political and Economic Development, and a Master in International Development from American University, where she focused on development economics. She is also a graduate of the Global Leadership program at the World Economic Forum, a fast-track executive program with training at leading academic institutions across Paris, London, New York and Beijing.

A sought-after speaker and thought leader, Hala regularly addresses global forums on tech for good, climate justice, the future of work, inclusive leadership, and social entrepreneurship, including SXSW, Forbes, World Economic Forum in Davos, UN Women, and more. Her insights and writings have been featured in publications in over 5 languages, including: TechCrunch, Fast Company, Project Syndicate, MIT News, World Economic Forum, Arab Weekly, the Hill, Boston Globe and more.

Fluent in English, Arabic, and French with a dash of Spanish, Hala has lived and worked across North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Her global perspective, strategic leadership and ability to bridge sectors, drive her commitment to building inclusive, sustainable solutions that improve lives worldwide.

What happens when a scientist’s career leads from the laboratory to Wall Street? In this episode of Spread Love in Organizations, Johanna Grossman, Head of Healthcare and Life Sciences Capital Markets at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) Group, shares her unconventional journey from aspiring physician and organic chemist to Yale PhD, healthcare leader at GLG, and NYSE executive. Her story highlights the power of mentorship, curiosity, and staying open to unexpected opportunities—and how scientific training can become a foundation for leadership far beyond the lab.

Johanna brings a unique perspective on biotech leadership, healthcare innovation, and the life sciences capital markets, drawing on years of experience working with investors, founders, and hundreds of healthcare companies. She discusses what she sees in biotech leaders who successfully turn scientific breakthroughs into companies and medicines: fearlessness, passion, courage, persistence, and the ability to tell a compelling story. She also explores the evolving biotech IPO market, what investors are looking for in emerging companies, the importance of human clinical data and de-risked assets, and how founders can prepare strategically for going public.

Looking ahead, Johanna sees AI, data, and digital transformation reshaping drug discovery and development, from identifying new targets and designing medicines to optimizing clinical trials and accelerating the path to patients. But her most enduring leadership lesson is simpler: keep an open mind. Say what you are thinking, have the conversation, seek out mentors, and remain open to where the next opportunity may lead. For Johanna, leadership is ultimately about helping people and companies connect the right ideas, people, and capital to move innovation forward and make a difference for patients.

"Science is not enough. You need to be able to communicate, tell your story, and bring people along with you."

MEET OUR GUEST Johanna Grossman, Head of Healthcare & Life Sciences Capital Markets at NYSE.

Johanna Grossman, PhD, is Head of Healthcare & Life Sciences Capital Markets at NYSE Group, part of Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. (NYSE: ICE). In this role, she leads efforts to attract healthcare and life sciences companies to the exchange, advising businesses, private equity and venture capital firms, and other key stakeholders on the IPO landscape, NYSE initiatives, and listing venue selection. Prior to NYSE, Johanna served as Head of Healthcare at GLG, where she oversaw the strategic and operational direction of the firm's U.S. healthcare practice. She led a team of content and client service professionals who organized executive meetings and managed client diligence engagements across all healthcare sectors. Johanna holds a PhD and master's degree in Organic Chemistry from Yale University and a BS in Chemistry from Florida International University.

What does it take to lead in biotech when science, business, uncertainty, and patient needs all collide? In this episode of Spread Love in Organizations, Naji Gehchan sits down with Bradford (Brad) Zakes, Former Senior Vice President of Emerging Companies and Economic Affairs at the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO), for a candid conversation about biotech leadership, drug development, entrepreneurship, innovation, and putting patients at the center of healthcare. Brad shares his journey from serving as a U.S. Army officer to working in pharmaceutical drug development, becoming a biotech CEO and entrepreneur, and ultimately helping emerging biotechnology companies navigate the challenges of building and financing the next generation of medicines.

Brad’s story becomes deeply personal as he reflects on losing his son, Ethan, to adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD), a rare genetic disease. That experience transformed his understanding of the purpose of biotechnology and inspired his family’s work to advance ALD awareness, research, and newborn screening. Brad explains why keeping patients and families at the heart of biotech requires more than words, sharing a powerful example from his leadership experience: bringing patients directly into the workplace so teams could hear firsthand what it means to live with disease. His message is simple yet profound: “Behind every disease is a family. Behind every therapy is a patient. And behind every scientific breakthrough is the possibility of changing a life.”

The conversation also explores the future of biotechnology and healthcare innovation, including gene editing and CRISPR, cell and gene therapy, CAR-T, mRNA, AI-driven drug discovery, regenerative medicine, and the convergence of emerging technologies. Brad discusses the challenge of making breakthrough therapies accessible to patients while maintaining the capital and incentives necessary to sustain biotech innovation. He also shares lessons on leadership, integrity, team building, risk-taking, resilience, and entrepreneurship, before offering a powerful message to healthcare leaders: “We’re not in the business of molecules; we’re in the business of patients.” This episode is a reminder that successful biotech leadership is ultimately about combining scientific ambition with purpose, discipline, and a relentless focus on the people whose lives we are trying to change.

"Biotech is far more than molecules, clinical trials, or balance sheets. At its core, it’s about patients and families, hope and time."

MEET OUR GUEST Bradford (Brad) Zakes, Former Senior Vice President of Emerging Companies and Economic Affairs at the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO).

Bradford (Brad) Zakes serves as Senior Vice President of Emerging Companies and Economic Affairs at the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO). In this position, he leads BIO’s efforts to support early-stage and emerging biotech companies, foster innovative ecosystems, and drive economic growth across the biotechnology sector.

Brad joined BIO’s senior executive team in 2025 following years of service on BIO’s Board of Directors and as Treasurer. He brings more than 30 years of experience in biotechnology, spanning executive leadership, clinical development, and strategic business growth. Before joining BIO in an executive capacity, he was President and CEO of Cerevast Medical, a company he co-founded in 2009 to develop novel therapeutics for stroke and vascular diseases. He also served as President and CEO of ImaRx Therapeutics, a publicly traded biopharmaceutical company focused on microsphere technology and biotherapeutics.

Earlier in his career, Brad held roles at Hazleton Laboratories, Glaxo (now GSK), and ICOS Corporation. He also served as a commissioned officer in the United States Army. Brad holds a B.S. in Biology from Oregon State University, an M.S. in Toxicology from American University, and an M.B.A. from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business.

In this episode of Spread Love in Organizations, Naji Gehchan sits down with Christian Stegmann, Chief Scientific Officer of Evlabio, to explore the intersection of science, innovation, and leadership in biopharma. Christian shares his personal journey from growing up in his father’s pharmacy in southern Germany to training at the Max Planck Institute and building a career across pharma and biotech. He reflects on formative experiences working in an intensive care unit, where he witnessed firsthand the impact of teamwork, leadership, and unmet medical needs. These experiences ultimately shaped his passion for translating scientific discoveries into medicines that can make a meaningful difference for patients.

Christian also shares a powerful leadership lesson from a drug discovery program that was ultimately discontinued—not because of its science, safety, or biology, but because the commercial case was insufficient. The experience taught him that “amazing science does not necessarily defend itself” and that scientific expertise alone is not enough to advance innovation. He discusses the importance of becoming an integrator who can bridge science and business, communicate with decision-makers, understand stakeholders, and build the support needed to bring promising discoveries to patients. He also reflects on his evolving leadership philosophy, which he describes as “challenge and support,” emphasizing the importance of rigor while creating an environment where people feel safe enough to tell leaders when they are wrong.

The conversation also explores the transformative potential—and limitations—of generative AI in drug discovery and development. Drawing on his experience advancing AI-enabled biologics into first-in-human trials, Christian explains how AI can accelerate hypothesis generation and help tackle previously difficult targets, while emphasizing that human judgment remains essential to validate those hypotheses and decide what truly matters. He shares his vision for connecting large, well-curated healthcare datasets to improve clinical trial design, patient recruitment, and development timelines. The episode closes with reflections on passion, truth-telling, lifelong learning, and what it means to “spread love” in organizations: creating cultures where people are taken seriously enough to be honest, because in drug development, the truth ultimately protects patients.

"I’d rather have a team that tells me the truth than a team that tells me I’m right."

MEET OUR GUEST Christian Stegmann, Chief Scientific Officer of EvlaBio.

Christian Stegmann is Chief Scientific Officer of EvlaBio AG, where he drives scientific strategy and the EVLA-101 program, a first-in-class anti-FGFR4 monoclonal antibody targeting FGF23-driven left ventricular hypertrophy in chronic kidney disease. He was previously Chief Scientific Officer at Absci, where he advanced the company's first clinical-stage biologics from AI-enabled design to first-in-human trials. Earlier, as VP Global Head of Research and Non-clinical Development at CSL Vifor, he built and ran drug discovery in nephrology and hematology. At Bayer, he served as Senior Director and Head of Precision Cardiology Laboratory, co-founding a collaboration with the Broad Institute to generate single-cell atlases of heart disease. Across his career, Christian has a track record of leading teams, inventing novel molecules, and advancing them from research into clinical development. He holds a PhD from the Max Planck Institute in Göttingen and an MBA from MIT Sloan.

Zahra Timsah’s journey spans biomedical research, entrepreneurship, artificial intelligence, and healthcare innovation. In this episode, Zahra shares how her curiosity and passion for experimentation led her from medical school to PhDs in biochemistry and cancer biology, academic research, and eventually entrepreneurship. Her desire to move beyond generating scientific knowledge toward creating tangible impact for patients pushed her to develop new skills in business, finance, and technology. As early as 2016, she was pioneering the use of AI in drug discovery and disease modeling at a time when the technology was still considered futuristic by many.

Zahra argues that the future of healthcare AI is not about replacing human expertise, but amplifying it through what she calls “collective intelligence.” She explains why specialized, expert-guided AI will be increasingly important in healthcare and why trustworthy data, transparency, auditability, observability, and human oversight are essential to responsible AI governance. Through her company iGentic, Zahra is working to turn complex regulatory knowledge, internal expertise, and organizational workflows into AI-enabled systems that can help healthcare and life sciences teams move from drafting to submission more efficiently. For leaders, her message is clear: educate yourself about AI, understand what good looks like, measure the value it creates, and start with focused pilots rather than following technology trends blindly.

The conversation also explores Zahra’s personal definition of leadership and legacy. She sees leadership as inspiring others and creating impact that resonates beyond personal visibility, while emphasizing the importance of continually reinventing yourself in response to changing needs. She reflects on inspiring the next generation of her family, supporting talent in Lebanon, and the power of the BioLink community to connect Lebanese leaders around collaboration and action. Her final advice to healthcare leaders captures the spirit of the conversation: don’t follow trends, focus on what helps you achieve your mission and vision, and learn from the mistakes of those who went before you.

"It’s not artificial intelligence. It’s collective intelligence."

MEET OUR GUEST Zahra Timsah, Co-Founder & CEO of i-GENTIC AI.

Dr. Zahra Timsah, PhD, MBA, MSc, is a scientist, entrepreneur, and AI governance leader with more than 18 years of experience across biotechnology, pharma, MedTech, healthcare, financial services, and regulated AI.

Her career started at the bench, where she worked on biomedical research, published scientific work, contributed to patented innovation, and was affiliated with leading institutions including Cancer Research UK and the Royal Society. That foundation gave her deep exposure to the full bench-to-bedside pathway: discovery, translational research, clinical development, IND and BLA readiness, regulatory strategy, commercialization, and market adoption.

She later moved from science into enterprise transformation, building and scaling AI-driven platforms and data businesses across healthcare, pharma, MedTech, and financial services. She has held leadership roles across organizations including IQVIA, GSK, and MassMutual, and has helped build AI and Data Analytics Centers of Excellence that brought together data governance, regulatory intelligence, AI strategy, operating models, and enterprise adoption.

Zahra has founded and exited multiple companies, including one IPO, and has worked with Fortune 500 organizations on AI deployment, precision medicine, regulatory intelligence, compliance, and digital transformation. Her work bridges science, product, regulation, and commercialization, giving her a rare end-to-end view of how innovation moves from research into real-world clinical, enterprise, and market settings.

She has also contributed to policy and advisory initiatives connected to the FDA, U.S. Senate, World Economic Forum, and broader regulatory ecosystems, with a focus on safe AI adoption, data compliance, Software as a Medical Device, and responsible deployment of emerging technologies.

Today, Zahra is applying that same bench-to-bedside discipline to AI. Her focus is on making governance operational, not theoretical, by turning complex regulations, SOPs, clinical requirements, and enterprise policies into real-time controls that can govern AI systems, data workflows, MedTech submissions, healthcare operations, and enterprise decisions before risk becomes failure.

This episode is in partnership with BIOLINK.org, For more episode with Biolinkers click here.

In this episode of Spread Love in Organizations, Sophie Kornowski reflects on a remarkable leadership journey spanning global pharmaceutical companies, biotech, investing, and entrepreneurship. From her early days in diagnostics during the AIDS epidemic to leading Boston Pharmaceuticals through its successful transformation and acquisition, she shares how both inspiring mentors and difficult setbacks shaped her leadership philosophy. Sophie explains why great leadership is built through continuous learning, self-awareness, and staying close to the people doing the work, while creating an environment where teams feel supported, challenged, and accountable.

The conversation explores what it takes to build and lead successful biotech organizations in today's demanding environment. Sophie shares the principles that guided Boston Pharmaceuticals: identifying where true value lies, committing to a clear strategy without drifting, and remaining flexible in execution without losing sight of the mission. She discusses balancing empowerment with accountability, making courageous decisions amid uncertainty, and why exceptional companies combine a differentiated scientific vision with outstanding execution, commercial thinking, and teams that are willing to question assumptions and keep learning.

Looking ahead, Sophie offers an optimistic perspective on the future of healthcare innovation, highlighting major opportunities in metabolic disease, oncology, and immunology while emphasizing that improving patient health remains the industry's ultimate purpose. In a memorable reflection on leadership, she describes leadership as "friendship," explaining that trust, psychological safety, and genuine human connection give people the courage to speak up, innovate, and achieve extraordinary results. She closes with a powerful reminder for leaders navigating uncertainty: stay the course, keep learning, and maintain open, honest dialogue with your teams and boards.

"If people feel they are not in danger, they will have courage. They will be creative. They will speak up."

MEET OUR GUEST Sophie Kornowski, CEO Sophiekor Insights.

Sophie Kornowski is a long-time biotech and pharmaceutical executive and now the CEO of Sophiekor Insights.

Prior to this role, Sophie served as Chief Executive Officer and Chair of the Board of Boston Pharmaceuticals, where she led a remarkable transformation of the company, culminating in its successful acquisition by GSK in 2025 for up to 2 billion dollars. Before that, Sophie was a Partner at Gurnet Point Capital, a private investment firm focused on healthcare, where she was a successful investor in several innovative start-ups and high-growth businesses developing and commercializing products across areas including ADHD, cancer, and food allergy. Earlier in her career, Sophie was Executive Vice President of Partnering at Roche and a member of the Extended Corporate Executive Committee of F. Hoffmann-La Roche, as well as a board member of Chugai Pharmaceutical. In that role, working closely with the R&D and commercial teams at Roche and Genentech, she led global partnering and M&A strategy across biotech, pharma, health tech, and research institutions worldwide.

Previously, Sophie also led Roche’s largest affiliate outside the United States, based in France, for many years.

In this episode of Spread Love in Organizations, Kristina Masson, Co-Founder and Executive Vice President of Business Operations at Acrivon Therapeutics, shares her journey from scientist to entrepreneur and biotech executive. She reflects on how a passion for cancer research, combined with the right timing, technology, and partnerships, led to the creation of Acrivon and its pioneering precision proteomics platform. Kristina also discusses the challenges of building a company from the ground up, taking it public, and translating cutting-edge science into therapies that have the potential to transform patients' lives.

The conversation explores the future of precision medicine and how Acrivon's AP3 platform is helping reshape oncology drug development by identifying predictive biomarkers, understanding resistance mechanisms, and enabling smarter clinical trial design. Kristina explains how integrating diagnostics, drug discovery, and therapeutics within one organization accelerates innovation while increasing the likelihood of delivering the right treatment to the right patient. She also shares insights into leading teams across the United States and Sweden and building a collaborative culture that fuels scientific excellence.

Beyond science and business, the discussion turns to leadership. Kristina reflects on the importance of accountability, authenticity, kindness, and integrity in building high-performing organizations. She explains why love and high performance are not mutually exclusive and why leaders have a responsibility to remain focused on the ultimate goal: improving patients' lives. This episode offers an inspiring perspective on purpose-driven leadership, entrepreneurship, and creating lasting impact in healthcare.

"When we have good science, good people, and good options for patients, it's our obligation to make it work."

MEET OUR GUEST Kristina Masson, Co-Founder and Executive Vice President of Business Operations at Acrivon Therapeutics.

Kristina Masson, Ph.D., MBA is a global biotech executive, entrepreneur, and scientist with extensive experience in company building, translational drug development, and operational leadership. She is Co-Founder and Executive Vice President of Business Operations at Acrivon Therapeutics (NASDAQ: ACRV), where she leads key business operations and works closely with the CEO and executive team to scale the organization and support corporate execution.

Since co-founding Acrivon, she has helped grow the company from an early-stage startup into a public biotechnology company with more than 80 employees, building high-performing teams and an integrated U.S.–Scandinavian organizational culture.

In parallel, Dr. Masson serves as President and CEO of Acrivon AB, the company’s wholly owned Swedish research subsidiary, where she oversees European operations and scientific infrastructure. Dividing her time between Boston and Lund, she plays an important role in aligning strategy, talent, and operations across the company’s U.S. and European teams.

Prior to her current roles, Dr. Masson founded OncoSignature AB, a biotechnology company focused on biomarker discovery, which was later acquired by Acrivon Therapeutics and became foundational to the company’s proprietary technology platform. Earlier in her career, she was a Principal Scientist at Merrimack Pharmaceuticals and completed her postdoctoral fellowship at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, where she conducted research at the intersection of molecular biology and systems science.

Dr. Masson holds a Ph.D. in Molecular Signaling and an M.Sc. in Biomedicine from Lund University, as well as an Executive MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management. She also serves as a mentor with the Termeer Institute.

Click here for more episodes in partnership with The Termeer Institute.

In this episode of Spread Love in Organizations, Naji is joined by Amy Simon, Chief Medical Officer of Beam, for a conversation about leadership, scientific innovation, humility, and the human side of healthcare. Amy shares her remarkable journey from physician-scientist and academic researcher at Tufts University to biotech executive leading the development of transformative medicines. She reflects on what drew her to medicine, her passion for solving complex problems, and how curiosity and a desire to bring scientific discoveries closer to patients shaped her career. Amy opens up about one of the most important transitions in her career: moving from academia, where she had built expertise and recognition, into biotech, where she had to relearn how to lead in a different environment. She shares the humility that came with realizing that technical expertise alone is not enough — effective leadership requires influence without authority, continuous learning, curiosity, and the ability to create environments where people feel safe to speak up. We discuss psychological safety, trust, healthy conflict, feedback, and the importance of building cultures where diverse perspectives can help teams make better decisions. We also explore the future of medicine and the promise of precision therapies, including how new technologies could transform the way we prevent and treat disease. Amy shares her hope for the next generation of leaders: people who are mission-driven, willing to challenge conventional thinking, and courageous enough to innovate beyond what has been done before. A powerful conversation on leadership as a never-ending journey, the responsibility we have to patients, and why bringing humanity, care, and even love into organizations can help us achieve extraordinary things together.

"We never stop growing or needing to grow."

MEET OUR GUEST Amy Simon, M.D. is Chief Medical Officer of Beam.

Amy Simon, M.D. is Chief Medical Officer of Beam. Dr. Simon brings more than 20 years of clinical experience to Beam, serving in roles as a physician-scientist in academia and the biotechnology industry.

Dr. Simon joins Beam from Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, where she spent over a decade in various roles with increasing responsibility for the clinical development of RNAi-based medicines, most recently serving as Vice President, Clinical Development. During her tenure at Alnylam, she led the successful execution of clinical programs from natural history studies to Phase 1 through Phase 4 studies, regulatory interactions with both U.S. and ex-U.S. authorities, and drug approvals in the U.S. and EU. Dr. Simon was the lead clinician developing GIVLAARI® (givosiran) for patients with acute hepatic porphyria, which was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2019. Prior to entering the biotech industry, Dr. Simon worked in academia at Tufts University, serving as a professor and a director of the Asthma Center in the Pulmonary and Critical Care Division at Tufts University School of Medicine and as a professor at Tufts Graduate School of Biomedical Science where her laboratory conducted basic science research on asthma. She began her career in clinical practice, training as a resident in internal medicine and as a fellow in pulmonary and critical care medicine at Tufts Medical Center.

Dr. Simon holds a B.A. in History and Science from Harvard University, and an M.D. from Tufts University School of Medicine.

In this episode of Spread Love in Organizations, Naji Gehchan sits down with Pedro Coelho, Founder and CEO of Biorce, to explore how artificial intelligence is transforming the future of clinical research. Pedro shares the deeply personal story that inspired his mission: the loss of his father to melanoma despite gaining access to an innovative clinical trial. That experience led him to question the inefficiencies of the clinical research ecosystem and ultimately fueled his determination to build technology that could help bring life-saving therapies to patients faster.

Pedro discusses how Biorce is reimagining clinical development through an AI-powered operating system designed to support every stage of the process—from asset strategy and protocol design to site selection, patient matching, and study execution. He explains how AI can identify avoidable protocol amendments, optimize trial design, and help organizations make smarter decisions with greater speed and precision. The conversation offers a fascinating look at how AI is evolving from a productivity tool into a strategic partner for drug development teams.

Beyond technology, Pedro reflects on leadership, culture, and the importance of keeping patients at the center of innovation. He shares why great leadership requires adaptability, humility, and a willingness to challenge conventional thinking. Together, Naji and Pedro explore a future where AI accelerates medical breakthroughs while human judgment, purpose, and compassion remain essential. It is an inspiring discussion about innovation, resilience, and the opportunity to transform healthcare for millions of patients around the world.

"If you don't have a great culture, you will not succeed in the age of AI."

MEET OUR GUEST Pedro Coelho Founder & CEO of Biorce.

Pedro Coelho is Founder & CEO of Biorce, an AI-native company transforming how clinical trials are designed, optimized, and executed. After years advising pharma and biotech companies as a strategy consultant in the life sciences sector, Pedro saw firsthand how inefficiencies in the clinical research process were slowing access to life-saving treatments. The consequences weren’t just operational; they were human. Drugs were too expensive. Timelines too long. And too many patients were left behind. In 2024, he founded Biorce to change that. Biorce, short for “Biology’s Force,” is building the world’s first true AI assistant for clinical trials. Pedro is passionate about the intersection of technology, data, and human impact, and believes AI has a central role to play in reshaping how treatments reach those who need them most.

In this episode of Spread Love in Organizations, Naji Gehchan sits down with Greg Tietjen, Co-Founder and CEO of Revalia Bio, for a fascinating conversation that bridges science, technology, leadership, and humanity. Greg shares his unconventional journey—from studying English literature and pursuing a career in jazz guitar to becoming a physicist, scientist, Yale professor, and biotech entrepreneur. Along the way, he reflects on the life experiences, setbacks, and moments of reinvention that shaped his approach to learning, leadership, and purpose.

At the heart of the discussion is Revalia Bio’s mission to transform the way medicines are developed by creating human-centered data platforms built around donated organs and advanced perfusion technologies. Greg explains how the industry’s biggest challenge is not a lack of innovation, but the gap between promising discoveries and successful patient outcomes. He shares his vision for “Human Data Trials,” a new approach designed to generate more predictive human data earlier in development, helping researchers make better decisions, reduce risk, and ultimately bring more effective therapies to patients.

Beyond the science, Greg offers a thoughtful perspective on leadership, culture, and trust. He discusses the importance of stewardship, vulnerability, collaboration, and creating environments where people from different backgrounds can work together toward a shared mission. Drawing on lessons from music, academia, and entrepreneurship, he explores why the future of innovation depends not only on technology, but also on our ability to build trust, embrace discomfort, and transform challenges into enduring impact. This episode is a powerful reflection on purpose-driven leadership and the human side of scientific progress.

"We transform loss into enduring impact."

MEET OUR GUEST Greg Tietjen Co-Founder and CEO at Revalia Bio.

Greg Tietjen is the CEO and co-founder of Revalia Bio, where he leads the team pioneering Revalia’s Human Data Trials™ — a new class of preclinical and clinical companion studies that generate human-relevant data before a drug ever reaches a patient. These trials are powered by Revalia’s Human Data Stack™: an integrated platform that connects perfused non-transplantable human organs, de-identified patient records, biopsy data, organ-on-chip systems, and advanced AI/ML analytics into a unified model of human biology.

Greg and the team’s founding insight was that non-transplantable human organs — often discarded due to conditions like cancer or fibrosis — could serve as the Rosetta Stone of the Human Data Stack™. These organs provide unmatched physiological relevance and enable the integration of otherwise siloed human data sources. This approach gives new purpose to donated organs that would otherwise go unused, transforming the tragic loss of one person into a platform capable of enabling others to develop breakthrough therapies that may save countless lives. It’s a system built on honoring donor gifts while bringing together care teams, biotech innovators, and regulators as One Team, moving at lightning speed to transform the future of medicine together.

Greg’s path to biotech was anything but conventional. After earning a degree in Literature and training to be a musician, a severe elbow injury forced him to change course. He went on to complete a PhD in Biophysics at the University of Chicago and postdoctoral training in Biomedical Engineering at Yale. As a faculty member at the Yale School of Medicine, his lab became internationally recognized for advancing the frontiers of human organ research.

In 2023, Greg left his tenure-track role at Yale to build Revalia full-time. Today, he’s focused on laying the foundation for a new era of biomedical innovation — one that is ethically grounded, operationally scalable, and powered by real human data.

In this episode of Spread Love in Organizations, Naji Gehchan sits down with Justin McKay, co-founder of Radiological Care Services (RCS), to explore how a personal healthcare experience sparked a mission-driven company focused on patient and staff safety. After contracting an infection from contaminated X-ray garments while working in hospitals, Justin realized a major gap existed in infection prevention practices. What began as frustration turned into purpose, leading him to build RCS from the ground up despite years of uncertainty, financial struggle, and skepticism from the industry.

Justin shares his deeply personal journey growing up in rural Indiana, raised by a single mother who instilled in him the values of service, humility, and generosity. Those early lessons shaped not only his entrepreneurial resilience but also the culture he intentionally built at RCS. Today, the company has grown into a national organization rooted in servant leadership, where employees are encouraged to serve their communities, care for one another, and bring humanity back into the workplace.

The conversation also dives into the broader challenges facing healthcare today, from patient safety and infection prevention to leadership and organizational culture. Justin speaks candidly about why he believes healthcare still has work to do, while remaining hopeful about innovation and positive change. Above all, this episode is a powerful reminder that businesses thrive when people feel valued, seen, and loved - and that spreading love in organizations is not optional, but essential to meaningful leadership.

"People over profits. Every single time."

MEET OUR GUEST Justin McKay, Co-Founder, RadCare Services.

Justin McKay is the Co-Founder of Radiological Care Services (RCS), a leading provider of X-ray garment cleaning and sanitization solutions. With over 15 years of experience in the healthcare industry, Justin is passionate about patient and staff safety. Driven by a personal experience with a hospital-acquired infection linked to contaminated X-ray garments in 2012, Justin co-founded RCS in 2013. Since then, he has spearheaded the company’s growth, transforming it from a cleaning service to a comprehensive solutions platform.

Prior to RCS, Justin held leadership positions in national sales at Ferris Mfg. Corp., a manufacturer of medical textiles. Justin is a recognized expert in X-ray garment care and infection prevention. He leverages his expertise to collaborate with healthcare departments, developing customized programs that deliver value, consistency, and measurable outcomes.

In this episode, Naji welcomes Elisabetta Vitali, Executive Director of the Giovanni Armenise Harvard Foundation, to explore her unique journey from high-level finance to leading a mission-driven organization at the intersection of science and philanthropy. After a successful career in investment banking and infrastructure funds, Elisabetta made a deeply personal and values-driven transition into the nonprofit world, motivated by her own health experiences, her family background in science, and a desire to contribute meaningfully to both scientific progress and her home country of Italy.

Elisabetta shares the powerful story behind the Foundation, born from a personal tragedy that highlighted the urgent need for deeper investment in basic science. Today, the organization supports early-stage, high-risk research and fosters collaboration between Italy and the United States, with a strong focus on developing scientific talent. Through initiatives like career development awards, the Foundation not only funds research but invests in people, helping scientists build labs, grow careers, and create long-term impact across borders. Their work demonstrates how sustained commitment to fundamental science can generate ripple effects in innovation, education, and global collaboration.

Throughout the conversation, Elisabetta reflects on leadership, legacy, and the importance of humanity in science. She emphasizes motivation, respect, and long-term vision as key drivers of impactful leadership, especially in fields where results may take years to materialize. Her perspective highlights a powerful truth: advancing science is not just about discoveries, but about nurturing communities, empowering individuals, and building systems that allow knowledge - and people - to thrive.

"Without investing in basic science, we’re basically trying to build the skyscraper starting from the roof."

MEET OUR GUEST Elisabetta Vitali, Executive Director of the Giovanni Armenise Harvard Foundation.

Elisabetta Vitali is the Executive Director of the Giovanni Armenise Harvard Foundation, a role she has held since February 2025, after more than a decade of leading the Foundation’s Italian Programs. With over 25 years of international experience across philanthropy, finance, and strategic management, she brings a distinctive combination of analytical depth, leadership, and cross-sector vision to advancing the Foundation’s mission of supporting world-class scientific research and fostering collaboration between Italy and the United States.

Before joining the Foundation in 2014, Elisabetta built a successful career in investment banking and infrastructure finance. She served as Vice President at Lazard & Co., where she advised leading European corporations on mergers, acquisitions, and complex cross-border transactions totaling more than €3.5 billion. She later joined AEDES SpA, supporting the firm’s international expansion and fund management strategy, and became one of the investment partners at F2i SGR, Italy’s largest infrastructure fund, where she oversaw major transactions in energy, transportation, and utilities, contributing to a portfolio exceeding €2 billion.

Drawing on her financial and strategic background, Elisabetta transitioned to the nonprofit sector, where she has since applied the same rigor and long-term vision to advancing scientific excellence and collaboration across the Boston and Italy. At the Armenise Harvard Foundation, she has launched several key initiatives—including the Armenise Harvard Airalzh and INF-ACT Mid-Career Awards—and strengthened partnerships between Italian institutions, Harvard Medical School, and global research organizations.

A graduate of Bocconi University with full honors in Economics and Social Disciplines, Elisabetta is known for her ability to connect people and ideas across sectors and borders, and commitment to translating strategy into lasting impact for science and society.

In this episode of Spread Love in Organizations, Naji Gehchan sits down with Mona Flores, a physician, former Global Head of Medical AI at NVIDIA, and a leader at the intersection of healthcare, technology, and impact. Mona shares her unconventional journey from investment banking to cardiac surgery and ultimately to pioneering work in artificial intelligence. She reflects on the power of reinvention, the importance of following purpose over plan, and how her experiences shaped a vision of scaling healthcare impact from one patient to millions through AI-driven innovation.

The conversation explores both the present and future of AI in healthcare - from improving workflows today to enabling entirely new, AI-native approaches to drug discovery, diagnostics, and disease prevention. Mona also highlights her humanitarian work through the “Your Turn” campaign, mobilizing global tech talent to support Lebanon. Grounded in a deep sense of purpose, she challenges healthcare leaders to embrace AI without fear, focus on real-world impact, and use their “one life” to create meaningful change at scale.

"Don’t be afraid of AI, be afraid of not using it to make the world better."

MEET OUR GUEST Mona Flores, physician and healthcare innovator with a passion for advancing medicine and science through artificial intelligence, former Global Head of Medical AI at NVIDIA.

Mona Flores is a physician and healthcare innovator with a passion for advancing medicine and science through artificial intelligence. As the former Global Head of Medical AI at NVIDIA, she helped build and lead a global ecosystem bringing AI technologies into healthcare. She completed her medical training at OHSU, UC San Diego, Stanford, and Columbia, and also holds an MBA and a Master's in Biology. With experience spanning cardiothoracic surgery, digital health, and investment banking, Mona brings a multidisciplinary perspective to solving healthcare's most complex challenges. She continues to work at the forefront of AI, science, and medicine, focused on scalable innovation that improves patient care and drives meaningful impact.

To learn more, go to the Campaign site yourturnlebanon.com and you can also follow here.

More about BIOLINK.org here, and for more episodes with BioLinkers click here.

In this episode of Spread Love in Organizations, Naji Gehchan welcomes Catharine Smith and Jason Cordeiro for a conversation on leadership, ecosystem building, and the future of biotech. Catharine Smith, an experienced healthcare and nonprofit leader, shares her journey from clinical and health system roles to leading the Tremier Institute, where she focuses on developing the next generation of biotech leaders. Jason Cordeiro, Chief Operating and Innovation Officer at MassBio, reflects on his path from scientific research to ecosystem leadership, emphasizing his passion for connecting innovators and enabling the development of new therapies for patients.

The discussion highlights the strategic partnership between the Tremier Institute and MassBio, including the creation of the Founder Link initiative. Both guests explain how this collaboration emerged from shared goals and parallel strategic planning processes, ultimately aiming to strengthen the early-stage biotech ecosystem in Boston and beyond. By combining MassBio’s extensive industry network with the Tremier Institute’s leadership development expertise, the partnership provides founders and executives with a structured space for connection, learning, and peer support.

The conversation also explores the evolving definition of leadership in healthcare and biotech. Catharine and Jason emphasize that leadership is not only a skill that can be learned but one rooted in empathy, human-centered thinking, and purpose. They stress the importance of community, resilience, and aligning innovation with patient impact. The episode closes with reflections on “spreading love in organizations,” underscoring the belief that kindness, authenticity, and strong relationships are essential to building meaningful, high-impact healthcare organizations.

"In biotech, progress happens when leadership, community, and science come together to improve humanity."

MEET OUR GUESTS Catharine Smith CEO of the Termeer Institute, & Jason Cordeiro Chief Operating & Innovation Officer, MassBio.

Catharine Smith is a mission-driven executive leader with more than 15 years of experience scaling high-impact organizations at the intersection of healthcare, innovation, and equity. As the inaugural CEO of the Termeer Institute, she has built an international leadership organization from the ground up, launching global partnerships and scaling programs that expand access and opportunity for emerging leaders across the biotechnology ecosystem. Prior to the Termeer Institute, Catharine served as the CEO of the Clinton Health Matters Initiative at the Clinton Foundation where she led a team focused on stigma reduction and overdose prevention related to the opioid epidemic. 

Known for her inclusive leadership and ability to bridge sectors, Catharine is a trusted voice on leadership, health equity, and innovation, regularly teaching and speaking at international forums. Catharine’s leadership is grounded in a deep commitment to advancing women and underrepresented leaders, supporting emerging talent, and building ecosystems where diverse voices shape the future of leadership.  Catharine is a Fulbright Scholar and holds a master’s degree in business administration from the Massachusetts Institute. 

Jason Cordeiro is the Chief Operating & Innovation Officer. He joined MassBio in September of 2018 as the Vice President of Consortium Operations. In his current role, Jason is responsible for helping drive MassBio’s strategic vision and ensuring the organization is always positioned to support the industry. He is responsible for leading the membership organization and focuses on industry partnering and early-stage company support through our Partnering programs and Edge services. In his tenure at MassBio, Jason has overseen the launch of several new programs, including MassBioDrive, Align Summit, and the MassBioHub.

Jason received a B.S. in Biology from Emmanuel College. He had worked at BIDMC researching the effects of NSAIDS on ovarian, prostate, and breast cancers and had spent nine years with Thermo Fisher Scientific in various commercial roles. Jason combines his professional talents and love for the outdoors as he sits on the board of Elevate Youth, a local organization. He currently resides on the South Shore with his wife and two children.

More Episode in partnership with the Termeer Institute can be found here. Give them a listen!

In this inspiring episode of SpreadLove in Organizations, Naji Gehchan sits down with serial biotech entrepreneur and investor Moise Khayrallah to explore a remarkable four-decade journey across pharmaceutical drug development, leadership, and purpose-driven innovation. From his roots in Lebanon and academic beginnings in psychology at the American University of Beirut and UNC Chapel Hill, Moise reflects on how research methodology, pattern recognition, and a deep sense of purpose unexpectedly led him into the world of biotech. He shares how the transferable skills of rigorous research and team building became the foundation for founding and scaling multiple successful biotech ventures, including companies behind transformative assets such as Sunosi.

The conversation dives into the realities of building companies in one of the world’s highest-risk industries. Moise offers powerful lessons on entrepreneurship in biotech: move fast, stay nimble, capitalize on existing scientific data, and know-how to take bold but calculated risks. He introduces a memorable leadership concepts - the “line of foolishness” - the delicate balance between courage and recklessness. Through stories from his own ventures, he explains how experience-driven pattern recognition, conviction, and the courage to act under uncertainty are essential to bringing medicines from concept to patients. The discussion also looks ahead to the future of medicine, where Moise sees AI playing a transformative role in breaking down complex umbrella diseases into more precise and treatable subgroups.

Beyond business and science, this episode is deeply human. Moise speaks passionately about leadership as courage, legacy as responsibility, and love as a force for healing organizations and societies. This conversation is a profound reflection on resilience, service, and what it truly means to lead with vision and heart in healthcare.

"Without courage, you can’t get anything done. If you wait until everything is perfect, you don’t get anywhere."

MEET OUR GUEST Moise Khayrallah, CEO Emergo Therapeutics, Founder and Chairman, Lebanon & Beyond.

Dr. Moise Khayrallah is a serial entrepreneur and investor in pharmaceutical drug development and biotechnology. He acquired his experience over a 40-year period across diverse pharmaceutical environments, including large pharmaceutical companies, contract research organizations, and biotechnology companies.

His latest startup venture is Emergo Therapeutics Inc., which develops drugs to modulate inflammatory cytokines and improve the functioning of the immune system in infectious disease indications. Emergo is his fifth startup biopharmaceutical company.

He is also Chairman of the Board and co-Founder of QuatroBio, LLC, a startup biopharmaceutical holding company focused on developing drugs for central nervous system disorders. In addition, he currently serves on the Board of Directors of several startup companies in the pharmaceutical and information technology industries.

Prior to these positions, Dr. Khayrallah co-founded and led Aerial BioPharma, LLC, which sold its major drug asset, Sunosi (solriamfetol), to Jazz Pharmaceuticals in early 2014.

In 2010, Dr. Khayrallah was co-founder, President, and CEO of Neuronex Inc., a company focused on developing treatments for patients with certain seizure disorders. Neuronex was acquired by Acorda Therapeutics in 2013.

In 2006, he co-founded and served as President and CEO of Addrenex Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a specialty pharmaceutical company that developed and received FDA approvals for compounds targeting the adrenergic system. Addrenex was acquired in late 2009 by Shionogi & Co. of Japan.

In 2002, Dr. Khayrallah founded Alius Pharma, LLC, a consulting company partnering with small biotechnology companies in cancer drug development.

From 1999 to 2002, he served as VP of Clinical Affairs at Cytran, Inc., a Seattle-area biotechnology company, where he led the product development team for the company’s lead oncology compound and participated in financing and joint venture activities.

Prior to that, Dr. Khayrallah served as Director of Clinical Research and Regulatory Affairs at Lineberry Research Associates (later Constella Group and SRI International) in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina.

From 1987 to 1996, he held various leadership roles at Burroughs Wellcome Co. and later Glaxo Wellcome (now GSK), where he led clinical trials and programs resulting in FDA approvals in CNS indications.

He holds a Ph.D. in Psychology from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from American University of Beirut.

Beyond biotechnology, Dr. Khayrallah is deeply involved in entrepreneurial and non-profit networks in the United States and internationally.

He currently serves as the Honorary Consul for Lebanon in North Carolina, supporting the Lebanese American community and representing its interests in Lebanon and the United States.

He is also the Founder and Board Chair of Lebanon & Beyond (L&B), a nonprofit organization dedicated to revitalizing Lebanon and strengthening ties with its global diaspora through innovative educational programs.

Its flagship programs include:

• Jouzour: an immersive summer program reconnecting young members of the Lebanese diaspora with Lebanon through cultural education, service, and community-building
• Jana: a multi-year initiative focused on reimagining equitable education in Lebanon in the age of artificial intelligence and digital transformation

In 2014, he endowed the Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies at North Carolina State University, the first center of its kind outside Lebanon and the first privately endowed center in NC State’s history.

The Center is dedicated to preserving and documenting the history of the worldwide Lebanese diaspora through archives, documentaries, exhibitions, lectures, and the annual Khayrallah Prize.

Dr. Khayrallah has also served on numerous boards and advisory councils, including:

• Board of Trustees, Lebanese American University
• International Advisory Council, American University of Beirut
• Board of Directors, North Carolina Biotechnology Center
• Chair, Carolina Ballet
• Chair, Go Global NC
• Chancellor’s Philanthropic Council, UNC-Chapel Hill
• Board of Visitors, UNC School of Education

At UNC’s School of Education, he created the Moise A. Khayrallah Innovation Fund, supporting the Master of Arts in Educational Innovation, Technology, and Entrepreneurship program.

Dr. Khayrallah remains committed to advancing education, entrepreneurship, culture, and philanthropy, while building bridges across communities and generations.

This episode is in partnership with BIOLOINK.ORG. More episodes with BIOLINKERS here.

In this episode of Spread Love in Organizations, Naji Gehchan sits down with Kylie Wagner, a senior commercial leader at Takeda with more than 20 years of experience across rare, specialty, and chronic care markets. Kylie shares the personal journey that brought her into healthcare, from her upbringing in the Midwest and her background as a competitive tennis player to the deeply personal experiences that shaped her commitment to improving patient outcomes. Her story is one of resilience, systems thinking, and purpose-driven leadership.

Together, Naji and Kylie explore what it truly takes to turn strategy into impact in healthcare and biotech. Kylie explains why even the strongest commercial strategies can fail when organizations do not execute effectively across complex cross-functional teams. She offers powerful insights into the importance of operations, decision-making, and building systems that allow teams to move faster so innovation can reach patients without delay.

The episode also dives into Kylie’s leadership philosophy, centered on trust, accountability, and clarity. She shares how leaders can create high-performing teams in times of uncertainty by listening deeply, empowering others, and embracing a digital-first mindset. This conversation is a thoughtful look at modern healthcare leadership and a powerful reminder that every decision made inside an organization ultimately shapes the patient experience.

"Patients cannot and should not wait."

MEET OUR GUEST Kylie Wagner, BioPharmaCommercial Executive.

Kylie Wagner is a commercial executive with more than 20 years of experience leading growth, portfolio performance, and launches across rare, specialty, and chronic markets.

She currently leads Marketing and Business Unit Customer Engagement at Takeda, where she is responsible for commercial strategy and P&L performance for a complex portfolio. Her work centers on translating scientific innovation into real-world adoption by aligning strategy, access, and customer engagement.

She builds organizations grounded in trust and accountability so teams can perform in uncertainty and turn strategy into consistent results.

In addition to her commercial leadership roles, she previously served as Chief of Staff to the U.S. Business Unit President, supporting enterprise strategy across the organization. She holds an Executive MBA from MIT Sloan School of Management.

In this episode of Spread Love in Organizations, Naji Gehchan sits down with Lina Polimeni, Chief Marketing Officer, Consumer at Eli Lilly, to explore what it truly means to lead with purpose in healthcare marketing. Lina shares her unconventional journey into the industry, from aspiring to work in music and film to building a 20+ year career at Lilly, and how her passion for meaningful, impactful work has shaped her leadership philosophy.

Together, they dive into the evolution of healthcare marketing, emphasizing the need to move beyond conversations centered on illness and instead bring health into everyday life. Lina highlights the power of emotional storytelling, authenticity, and cultural relevance in driving real impact, far beyond traditional metrics. She also offers a behind-the-scenes look at how she fosters bold creativity within her teams by creating a culture of trust, accountability, and psychological safety.

The conversation goes deeper into leadership, inspiration, and personal growth. Lina reflects on the importance of experiences outside of work to fuel creativity, the influence of her upbringing on her leadership style, and her belief that true impact lies in shaping both culture and future leaders. Her closing message is a powerful reminder: healthcare leaders should see themselves not just as leaders in healthcare, but as leaders of health, bringing it to the forefront of everyday conversations and ultimately improving lives.

"Don’t think of yourself as a healthcare leader. Think of yourself as a leader in health."

MEET OUR GUEST Lina Polimeni SVP, Chief Marketing Officer Consumer at Eli Lilly and Company.

Lina Polimeni leads Eli Lilly and Company’s global consumer marketing strategy across its corporate brand and medicine portfolio. Since joining Lilly in 2004, she has held a range of leadership roles across business and marketing, including leading U.S. Direct-to-Consumer advertising, serving as Cialis regional brand leader for Australia, Canada, and Europe, and launching Taltz with consumers while leading marketing for diabetes. She has spearheaded transformative initiatives that have reshaped the company’s approach to media, multicultural marketing, sports partnerships, and celebrity engagement. Polimeni’s campaigns have earned multiple Effie Awards and positioned Lilly at the forefront of purpose-driven, emotionally resonant storytelling that builds trust and drives better patient outcomes. An influential voice in marketing, she has been recognized as one of Campaign US’s Top 50 CMOs, an Ad Age Woman to Watch, and a 2025 Campaign Inspiring Women honoree. She continues to push boundaries with work that fuses creativity, impact, and purpose—bringing category-breaking campaigns to life that redefine what healthcare marketing can achieve.

In this insightful return to Spread Love in Organizations, Naji welcomes back award-winning leadership professor and executive coach Amer Kaissi to discuss his newest book, The Positive Intent Mindset. Building on the foundation of his previous work, Humbitious, Amer shares how his upbringing in war-torn Lebanon, and the example of his mother leading an orphanage during the civil war, shaped his belief that humility and ambition must coexist in effective leadership. In times of crisis and complexity, he argues, leaders must connect with humility while elevating standards with accountability.

The conversation dives deeply into the heart of the Positive Intent Mindset: choosing to assume positive intent as a starting point for leadership. Amer explains that in today’s environment, many teams suffer not from lack of talent, but from assumptions of negative intent that erode trust, engagement, and collaboration. Assuming positive intent is not naïve optimism, it is a courageous leadership choice. It begins with trust, invites open dialogue, and is reinforced by accountability when behaviors are repeated or misaligned. When leaders trust first, they create psychological safety, accelerate collaboration, and foster healthier relationships while also protecting their own wellbeing from the toll of rumination and negativity.

Throughout the episode, Amer offers practical tools leaders can apply immediately, including three reflective questions to challenge bias and judgment. He reminds us that leadership today requires projecting calm, inspiring hope, and being intentional about spreading love, while holding people to high standards. In difficult times, trust and accountability are not opposing forces; they are partners. This episode is a compelling call for leaders in healthcare and beyond to lead with courage, discipline, and a mindset that builds trust before mistrust takes root.

"Trust is the starting point. Project calm, inspire hope, and make accountability the standard."

MEET OUR GUEST Amer Kaissi, an-award winning Professor of Leadership.

Amer Kaissi is an-award winning Professor of Leadership. He is an executive coach that has worked with hundreds of leaders and teams all over the world. Amer is the author of five books, including “Humbitious: the power of low-ego, high-drive leadership.” His newest book is "The Positive Intent Mindset: Exceptional Leadership Through Trust & Accountability". He has been featured on the Harvard Business Review podcast and numerous other media outlets. He has spoken on leadership topics at more than 300 organizations and professional conferences. He lives in San Antonio with his wife and has two grown children in college.

More on Amer and where to find his books here.

In this episode of SpreadLove in Organizations, Naji sits down with Hafedh Haddad, medical director and founder of B2G Life Sciences, to explore a career shaped by curiosity, courage, and meaningful encounters. From medical school in Tunisia to leading pioneering gene therapy clinical trials in France, Hafedh shares how openness to opportunity, rather than rigid planning, guided his journey across academia, biotech, and global clinical development.

Hafedh reflects on the power of encounters in shaping both career and character. He discusses his transition from preclinical research to clinical development, the launch of world-first gene therapy trials in rare diseases, and the founding of his consulting company. Throughout the conversation, he emphasizes the importance of trusting the journey, embracing change, and allowing purpose to evolve through experience.

At its core, this episode is about discovery, of the world, of science, and of oneself. Hafedh offers thoughtful insights on leadership, long-term vision versus adaptability, and the responsibility of working in rare and genetic diseases. It’s a powerful reminder that meaningful impact in healthcare often begins with curiosity and grows through humility, relationships, and a deep commitment to patients.

"Plan the bigger vision. Let the details unfold, and move with them."

MEET OUR GUEST Hafedh Haddad Founder & CEO @ B2G Life Sciences.

Hafedh is a medical doctor and holds a master’s degree in clinical research. He has 20 years of experience in clinical research and clinical development, with – among other specialties - a focus on rare and genetic diseases, oncology and biotherapies.

Early in his career, he has collaborated to a few preclinical research programs in neuromuscular disorders within academic laboratories in Paris. He later joined Généthon, a French biotech specialized in the development of advanced therapies, to set up and lead two world premiere gene therapy clinical trials in rare diseases (AAV based in vivo gene therapy in limb girdle muscular dystrophy type 2C and lentiviral ex vivo gene therapy in Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome).

He founded B2G Life Sciences, a medical consulting company in 2011, and has since then worked on several clinical research projects and medical affairs missions for several companies including biotechs and big pharma as well as academic institutions in Europe and North Africa.

Hafedh is an entrepreneur in the healthcare sector with both a strategy and operation-focused mindset. He worked on the ideation and development of different projects including staffing and training, biobanks and MedTech projects.

Hafedh graduated from the Faculty of Medicine of Tunis (Tunisia) and University Pierre et Marie Curie (UPMC), Paris (France).

In this episode of Spread Love in Organizations, host Naji Gehchan welcomes Nelson Repenning, Faculty Director of the MIT Leadership Center and Distinguished Professor at MIT Sloan, to explore why so many organizations struggle to turn proven management ideas into real, sustained impact. Drawing on decades of research in system dynamics and organizational design, Nelson unpacks the hidden forces that keep teams trapped in constant firefighting despite the best intentions, smart people, and well-documented best practices.

At the heart of the conversation is Nelson’s work on dynamic work design, the foundation of his new book There’s Got to Be a Better Way. He explains the “capability trap” that pulls leaders toward short-term fixes and away from long-term learning, and introduces five practical principles that help organizations escape this cycle: solving the right problem, structuring work for discovery, connecting the human chain, regulating flow, and using visual management. Through real-world examples, from manufacturing to healthcare and drug development, Nelson shows how small, well-designed changes can unlock surprisingly large gains in performance, engagement, and impact.

The discussion also dives into leadership, healthcare complexity, and the thoughtful use of AI, emphasizing that effective change doesn’t come from top-down initiatives or copying “best practices,” but from leaders who are willing to go see the work, listen deeply, and develop people. Nelson closes with a powerful reminder: great leadership is not about issuing targets or demanding solutions, but about creating the conditions where people can surface problems, learn together, and do meaningful work. A compelling episode for anyone seeking to build more humane, resilient, and effective organizations.

"Most organizations don’t have a strategy problem, they have a flow problem. We take on far too much work, and everything grinds to a halt."

MEET OUR GUEST Nelson Repenning, Faculty Director of the MIT Leadership Center, and the School of Management Distinguished Professor of System Dynamics and Organization Studies at the MIT Sloan School of Management.

Nelson P. Repenning is the Faculty Director of the MIT Leadership Center, and the School of Management Distinguished Professor of System Dynamics and Organization Studies at the MIT Sloan School of Management.

His early work focused on understanding the inability of organizations to leverage well-established tools and practices. He has worked extensively with organizations trying to develop new capabilities in both manufacturing and new product development. Nelson has also studied the failure to use the safety practices that often lead to industrial accidents and has helped investigate several major incidents. This line of research has been recognized with several awards, including best paper recognition from both the California Management Review and the Journal of Product Innovation Management.

Building on his earlier work, Nelson now focuses on developing the theory and practice of Dynamic Work Design—a new approach to designing work that is both effective and engaging— and Dynamic Management Systems, a method for ensuring that day-to-day work is tightly linked to the strategic objectives of the firm. His book (co-authored with Don Kieffer) There Has Got to Be a Better Way describing Dynamic Work Design will be published by Public Affairs in 2025. He is also a partner at ShiftGear Work Design and serves as its chief social scientist.

In 2003, Nelson received the International System Dynamics Society’s Jay Wright Forrester Award, which recognizes the best work in the field in the previous five years. In 2011 he received the Jamieson Prize for Excellence in Teaching. He was recently recognized by Poets and Quants as one of the country's top instructors in executive education.

Nelson is also an avid bike racer and regularly competes in Masters cycling events. He holds a BA in economics from Colorado College and a PhD in operations management and system dynamics from MIT.

In this deeply human and wide-ranging conversation, Giovanni Abbadessa shares the personal journey that shaped his vocation as a physician, scientist, and leader. Growing up in Naples as the son of a prominent hematologist, Giovanni initially resisted medicine, only to discover his calling through lived experiences that blended science with humanity. A transformative humanitarian trip to India, working alongside communities affected by leprosy, profoundly reshaped his understanding of dignity, service, and impact. This experience, combined with early clinical exposure, led him to choose oncology, not just for the science, but for the deep, often spiritual connection with patients and families at life’s most vulnerable moments.

Giovanni traces his evolution from clinician to translational scientist and biotech leader, moving across Italy and the United States, from hospitals to research labs, and ultimately into biotech and pharma. He reflects on pivotal moments, from enrolling patients in landmark oncology trials, to building basic science programs from scratch during his PhD in Philadelphia, to navigating the realities of startup biotech during financial crises. Across academia, small biotech, and large pharma, Giovanni highlights how resilience, curiosity, and an unwavering focus on patients guided his decisions, including when to leave organizations due to poor leadership and when to stay and rebuild through trust, compassion, and shared purpose.

At the heart of the episode is Giovanni’s philosophy of leadership and collaboration. Drawing from decades of nonprofit volunteering, community building, and formal leadership training at Harvard Business School, he emphasizes that “drugs don’t develop drugs. People develop drugs.” He argues that effective collaboration starts with honesty about needs, mutual respect, and trust, and that innovation requires humility, failure, and resilience. With memorable metaphors, from pizza as a catalyst for breaking silos, to leadership as a team sport rather than a solo game, Giovanni offers powerful insights for healthcare leaders on how to spread love in organizations by putting people, connection, and purpose first.

"Drugs do not develop drugs. People develop drugs."

MEET OUR GUEST Dr. Giovanni Abadessa, Chief Medical Officer at ModeX Therapeutics.

Giovanni Abbadessa is a Medical Oncologist and PhD with 23 years drug development experience across academia, small biotech, and pharma. He is a passionate, hands-on, and entrepreneurial leader specializing in oncology, hematology, and rare disease pre-clinical and clinical (Phase 1-3) development. Giovanni has worked on the development of nearly 30 clinical and as many preclinical experimental drugs across eight classes of agents. He is known for a collaborative leadership style, growing and uniting people and science through transparent, results-driven teams. Giovanni has strong strategic, operations, business development and board management experience in both corporate and nonprofit sectors, and has led investor relations, medical affairs, and commercial assessments, enjoying a vast network of academic and industry collaborators.

Presently, as Chief Medical Officer at ModeX Therapeutics, a small biotechnology firm in Weston, MA, Giovanni guides strategy and execution of a variety of clinical programs in oncology and infectious diseases. Additionally, he shapes preclinical oncology research, is responsible for business development and defines corporate strategy with the rest of the company C-Suite, aligning scientific innovation with business objectives while inspiring cross-functional teams.

From 2017 to 2024, Giovanni held a series of senior leadership roles at Sanofi. As Vice President of Oncology Early Development, he was a member of the company’s executive leadership team, oversaw Phase 3 and commercial strategy, built and led an oncology team of 25 who led cross-functional work performed by ~300 people on ~20 early clinical and as many preclinical assets for solid and hematological malignancies and kidney transplant. His portfolio included small molecules, checkpoint inhibitors, ADCs, cytokines, T and NK cell engagers, intratumoral RNA, and cell therapy. He spearheaded strategy and execution for interactions with global Health Authorities, and represented Sanofi with investors, governments, and academic institutions.

Prior to joining Sanofi, Giovanni spent nearly a decade at ArQule, a small biotech company where he advanced to Vice President of Clinical Development, Preclinical Research and Medical Affairs, responsible for development from basic lab research to Phase 3. He worked on MET, AKT, FGFR, Eg5, BRAF, and BTK small molecule inhibitors for cancer and rare pediatric diseases and supported business development, investor relations, people and company strategy alongside the C-Suite and the Board.

Earlier, as Senior Medical Director, Clinical Development at Ziopharm Oncology, a small biotechnology company engaged in research and clinical development of novel chemo-derivatives, Giovanni spearheaded global Phase 1 and 2 clinical trials in solid and hematologic malignancies of three molecules.

Giovanni spent his post-doctoral fellowship at Temple Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia, PA, leading and mentoring a small team of scientists on in vitro/in vivo gene therapy projects in cancer models and contributing to patient treatment strategy as a Visiting Oncologist. Giovanni began his Oncology career in 2001 in Milan, Italy, at the Istituto Clinico Humanitas as an Oncology Fellow and Sub-Investigator, where he led four Phase 1-3 clinical trials with small molecules and biologics.

Giovanni serves as a Scientific Board member at Biond Biologics, HiFiBiO, as Scientific Committee member at the ESMO-TAT oncology conference, and as nonprofit Board Member at the Comitato Italiani all’Estero, the Scuola Piccoli Italiani di Boston, and the Professionisti Italiani a Boston.

Govanni earned a PhD in Genetic Oncology from Temple University and the University of Siena, Italy, a Clinical Oncology Fellowship from the Istituto Clinico Humanitas in Milan and the University of Genoa, Italy, and an MD summa cum laude et plausum from Federico II Medical School in Naples, Italy. He speaks native Italian, fluent English and Spanish, proficient French. He published over 60 peer-reviewed articles, 120 conference abstracts (20+ presented orally), and gave ~40 conference talks.

In this episode of Spread Love in Organizations, Naji Gehchan welcomes Dr. Basil Upton, executive business director at Eli Lilly, servant leader, and catalyst behind the podcast itself. Basil shares his deeply personal journey from growing up in Maine under the guidance of his grandparents to building a 24-year career in healthcare. With a background in psychology and counseling, Basil reflects on how his desire to help others ultimately led him to pharmaceutical leadership, where purpose, performance, and people intersect.

The conversation dives into Basil’s doctoral research in Educational Leadership and Organizational Innovation, which examined how leadership styles influence employee engagement during periods of both strong and weak performance. His findings challenge conventional thinking: engagement is driven not by shifting leadership styles, but by consistent servant leadership behaviors — active listening, empathy, recognition, and collaboration — especially during challenging times. Unexpectedly, Basil also highlights the powerful role of peer relationships and teamwork, sometimes outweighing even a supervisor’s influence on engagement.

Together, Naji and Basil explore what it truly means to “spread love in organizations.” They challenge leaders to rethink engagement as a core performance metric, not a soft concept, and to recognize the profound impact leadership has on people’s lives beyond work. Basil leaves listeners with a call to action for healthcare leaders everywhere: seek feedback, lead with humility and accountability, embed servant leadership into the DNA of organizations, and intentionally create environments where people — and patients — can truly thrive.

"The impact a leader has on someone’s life beyond work is tremendous."

MEET OUR GUEST Dr. Basil Upton, Executive Business Director at Eli Lilly.

Basil is a purpose driven transformational and servant leader dedicated to helping others reach their potential. He is entering his 24th year with Eli Lilly and Company where he is an executive business director. His teams have consistently exceeded performance expectations for numerous years. Basil’s work accomplishments include business director of the year, Elite coach, Platinum Performer, and recipient of several Coaching Awards. In the summer of 2024, Basil graduated from Marymount University in Arlington, VA with a doctoral degree in Educational Leadership and Organizational Innovation. He studied how a supervisor’s leadership style affects the engagement of pharmaceutical sales professionals during periods of varied sales performance for his dissertation.

In this special episode, part of our collaboration with the Biosciences Lebanese International Network (BIOLINK), I had the joy of welcoming an extraordinary leader whose career sits at the intersection of science, innovation, and purpose: Rania Abou Samra, Vice President and Head of Innovation & R&D for Nestlé Middle East and North Africa. With more than two decades of experience across global roles in nutrition, health science, and product development, Rania brings a rare blend of deep scientific expertise, entrepreneurial spirit, and human-centered leadership. Her mission has remained unwavering since her days studying Nutrition and Dietetics at AUB and later completing a PhD in Obesity and Nutrition at the University of Toronto: advancing nutrition to positively impact lives.

Rania takes us on a moving journey from her childhood in northern Lebanon — where an early fascination with biology sparked her dream of fighting malnutrition — to her unexpected leap from academia into the global food industry. She shares how Nestlé’s scale allows her teams to deliver meaningful change, from fortifying foods in underserved regions to designing science-based innovations rooted in prevention rather than treatment. We dive into the evolving landscape of nutrition, from the rise of GLP-1 therapies to the growing attention on ultra-processed foods, and Rania illuminates how food companies can play a critical role in helping people lose weight safely, protect muscle mass, and maintain overall health in a world where these medications are becoming mainstream.

We also explore Rania’s leadership journey across cultures — from Lebanon to Switzerland, the U.S., and now Dubai. She speaks candidly about navigating emotional expression, resilience shaped by her upbringing, and the balancing act of staying true to her identity while adapting to global environments. Her reflections on cultural agility, authenticity, and the lessons she’s carried with her across continents offer a powerful reminder of what it means to lead with purpose. Rania’s story is one of passion, courage, and an unshakeable belief in the power of science to improve lives — and it’s truly inspiring to hear how she continues to spread impact through innovation in nutrition.

"Innovation without impact is meaningless; the goal is to create solutions that truly improve lives."

MEET OUR GUEST Rania Abou Samra, Vice President and Head of Innovation & R&D for Nestlé Middle East and North Africa.

Rania Abou Samra has served as the Vice President and Head of Innovation and Research & Development at Nestlé Middle East and North Africa since April 2025. With over 20 years of experience in Nutrition and R&D, she has a strong technical and scientific background that drives innovation forward.

Prior to her current role, Rania assumed the position of Global Head of Product & Technology Development for Nestlé Health Science in January 2022, following her tenure as Vice President of Research and Development at the Vital Proteins business.

Rania's professional journey includes her previous roles as Global Director of Science and Technology at Nestlé Health Science and Global R&D Lead for Consumer Care. Across various Nestlé research centers, she has lent her expertise to diverse sectors as well as her entrepreneurial spirit, translating scientific and technical insights into breakthrough innovations for both patients and consumers.

She earned both her Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Nutrition and Dietetics from the American University of Beirut, followed by a PhD in Obesity and Nutrition from the University of Toronto.

Rania aligns her mission with her passion to advance nutrition and positively impact lives through science. Her unwavering commitment to making the benefits of nutrition accessible to all remains a driving force in her personal and professional pursuits.

More Episode with BIOLINKERS can be found here.

In this inspiring episode of SpreadLove in Organizations, in partnership with the Termeer Institute, host Naji Gehchan welcomes Charlene Son Rigby, CEO of Global Genes, who shares the deeply personal journey that brought her into the rare disease space. After years of searching for a diagnosis, her daughter was found to have STXBP1, a rare neurodevelopmental disorder. That life-altering moment led Charlene to co-found the STXBP1 Foundation, driven by the urgent need to accelerate research and give families like hers a path toward hope. Her story bridges science, advocacy, and parenthood—reshaping her career and purpose.

Charlene discusses how this experience led her from the tech and genomics industry to nonprofit leadership, first with RareX and now with Global Genes. She highlights the organization’s mission: to empower rare disease communities through support, education, and research. Recognizing that much of early progress in rare diseases now begins with patients themselves, Charlene explains the rise of the “next-generation advocate”—families who build data, mobilize researchers, and initiate therapeutic development even in ultra-rare conditions. The merger of RareX and Global Genes was designed to strengthen this ecosystem and give advocates the tools they need to drive discovery.

Looking ahead, Charlene is optimistic about the future of therapeutic development, especially as genetic tools and platform approaches open the door to faster, more scalable progress. Yet challenges remain - particularly the economic and regulatory barriers that hinder early-stage rare disease research. She calls for continued collaboration, smarter infrastructure, and systems designed to make innovation accessible to even the smallest patient communities. Above all, Charlene emphasizes leadership rooted in clarity, conviction, and hope - standing tall in what matters as we work toward cures for all.

"Really focusing on what matters, and standing tall in that, is so important."

MEET OUR GUESTS Charlene Son Rigby, CEO of Global Genes.

Charlene Son Rigby is Chief Executive Officer of Global Genes. Charlene has spent her career building organizations at the intersection of data, technology, and life sciences. Charlene led the merger between Global Genes and RARE-X, a health technology nonprofit. She was previously Chief Business Officer at Fabric Genomics and held executive roles at enterprise software and genomics companies, including Oracle and Doubletwist. She started her career in neuroscience research at Roche. When Charlene’s daughter was diagnosed with a rare genetic disease, she co-founded the STXBP1 Foundation. She is committed to finding a cure for her daughter’s disorder. Charlene’s unplanned connection between her personal life and profession has helped push forward the search for a cure for her daughter and kids like her, and given her work deeper meaning. Charlene is a Termeer Scholar. She holds a B.A. in Human Biology from Stanford University and an M.B.A. from the Haas School of Business at U.C. Berkeley.

More episodes with Termeer Institute can be found here, or on your favorite Podcast App.

In this inspiring conversation, Naji welcomes Sekhar Naik, a serial entrepreneur, aviation enthusiast, long-distance runner, and community builder who believes deeply in authentic human connection. Sekhar shares his remarkable journey from growing up in a small town in South India to navigating the bustling streets of Mumbai, exploring opportunities in Dubai, and finally coming to the United States for his MBA. His early experiences — marked by hustle, curiosity, and reinvention — shaped his path toward entrepreneurship and taught him the power of storytelling and adaptability.

Sekhar reflects on how his values around ethical and empathetic growth crystallized later in life, especially after experiencing the culture of innovation and fairness in the U.S. He credits his father’s principled influence, financial insecurities in childhood, and the challenges he witnessed in India’s textile industry as key drivers behind his desire to control his own destiny. These experiences informed his belief in taking thoughtful risks and “picking where to put your hard work,” a philosophy that guided him from turning down a secure corporate job to founding his own company as an immigrant without a safety net.

Today, Sekhar leads MResult, a technology consulting company that grew from a one-person operation into a global firm of over 1,000 employees — with no sales team, scaling entirely through trust, word of mouth, and excellence. He shares how the company evolved from data and analytics into cloud, digital, and AI/ML solutions, always staying agile and grounded in deep client relationships. At the heart of MResult’s success is Sekhar’s unwavering commitment to people-to-people connection—an ethos reflected in the company’s culture, his philanthropic work, and his belief that authentic relationships and purpose-driven innovation are the true engines of enduring impact.

"You have to pick where you put your hard work — success isn’t just effort, it’s choosing the right place to apply it."

MEET OUR GUESTS Sekhar Naik, Founder and CEO at MResult.

Sekhar Naik is a serial entrepreneur, business leader, aviation enthusiast, long-distance runner, and above all a community builder who believes in the innate power of authentic people-to-people connections. He is the recipient of Karnataka Rajyotsava Award, one of highest civilian honors bestowed by the Government of Karnataka, India. As the founder of MResult, Sekhar has built a foundation of ethical and empathetic commercial growth by serving as a trusted advisor to a select group of respected global brands. His mantra of success is enabling and empowering people to take decisions and lead with confidence. His belief in the capability of people goes beyond the traditional yardstick of qualifications and expertise to intent and hunger to do more, do better. This is reflected in a culture of customer excellence. Sekhar is also a co-founder and investor in a variety of startups, providing them with both mentoring as well as financial support. In his commitment to pay it forward he is a major donor of YMCA Naik Family Branch in Mystic, Connecticut. An accomplished commercial pilot with Instrument, and Jet Type Ratings, Sekhar is available to clients wherever they might be. When not flying or mentoring the MResult team, Sekhar is passionate about running and has completed both the New York and Philadelphia marathons. He is a tech enthusiast constantly exploring new frontiers. But beyond this all, he is a storyteller, a lifelong learner, and a believer in investing in relationships that transcend transactional limits. Sekhar is committed to academic partnerships that explore leading edge innovation and investments in cutting edge technologies around Gen AI and Biotechnology companies. On the personal front, he is very grateful for his family and the privilege of leading a high performing team solving some of the industry’s most complex challenges.

In this inspiring episode of Spread Love in Organizations, Naji Gehchan welcomes Vanessa Almendro Navarro, Vice President and Head of Science and Technology Innovation at Danaher. Vanessa shares her powerful personal story — from growing up in Spain as the first in her family to attend college, to witnessing cancer’s impact on her loved ones, and ultimately dedicating her career to driving innovation in oncology and biotechnology. Her journey from academic research at Dana-Farber to leading enterprise innovation at Danaher reflects her deep commitment to transforming ideas into tangible impact for patients.

Vanessa discusses how she bridges AI-enabled R&D, commercialization, and innovation to accelerate drug discovery and development. She emphasizes the importance of focusing innovation on solving real problems, being pragmatic rather than chasing the “next shiny thing,” and ensuring that technologies meaningfully advance patient outcomes. She sees the convergence of AI, biotechnology, and robotics as a pivotal moment — an “innovation revolution” — that could redefine how we discover and deliver healthcare solutions.

Reflecting on her leadership journey, Vanessa highlights humility, resilience, and collaboration as essential traits for leaders in healthcare. Her guiding philosophy — “Don’t give up; we’ll figure it out” — captures her approach to overcoming challenges and inspiring others. Vanessa also shares her work with the Brain Tumor Investment Fund, where she supports translating early research into new therapies for patients. She calls on leaders to embrace this era of possibility with focus, courage, and humanity, because, as she reminds us, “Patients are not waiting.”

"Don’t tell me no, tell me how. There’s always an opportunity to move forward."

MEET OUR GUESTS Vanessa Almendro Navarro, Vice President, Head of Science & Technology Innovation at Danaher Corporation.

Vanessa Almendro Navarro, PhD, MBA, is a life sciences executive who builds at the intersection of innovation, AI-enabled R&D, and commercialization. As Vice President and Head of Science & Technology Innovation at Danaher, she leads enterprise innovation and operating-model modernization across a global portfolio. She designed and scaled the Danaher Beacon distributed R&D program with leading academic partners, launched the Danaher Nexus intrapreneurship pipeline, established the Danaher Antibody Capability Center, and created the Danaher Summits to connect operating companies with top domain expertise.

Previously, Vanessa co-founded and led the Brain Tumor Investment Fund; served as Head of Strategy & External Innovation at Eisai and Head of Strategy & Operations at Repertoire Immune Medicines; and held scientific and commercial roles at Vertex. Earlier in her career, she was a research fellow at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Harvard Medical School. She holds a PhD in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology (University of Barcelona) and an Executive MBA (MIT).

Her expertise spans venture origination, IP strategy, translational development, partnerships and BD, and capability building in diagnostics and therapeutics. She serves on the boards of the Brain Tumor Investment Fund and MIT Sandbox and is a member of the ARM CEO Advisory Council.

In this special episode of Spread Love in Organizations, Naji sits down with Rose Saia, Executive Director of the Centre Street Food Pantry, to explore the deep connection between food, health, and dignity. Rose shares her powerful personal story — from growing up food insecure in South Boston to leading a community-driven food relief organization that now serves six Greater Boston communities.

Drawing from her lived experience and leadership through the pandemic, Rose reflects on transforming Centre Street’s model to ensure equitable, dignified access to nutritious food for families in need. She discusses how food insecurity — often hidden even in affluent areas — is not only a social issue but also a public health crisis that intersects with housing, income, and healthcare access.

Rose and Naji explore what leadership looks like in times of crisis, how communities can mobilize around empathy and purpose, and why solving hunger requires partnerships across health systems, local organizations, and individuals. Despite the challenges, Rose’s message is one of resilience and hope: our shared humanity drives us to help one another—and through food, we can touch lives and health in the most fundamental way.

"When everything said we couldn’t, our community proved we can."

MEET OUR GUESTS Rose Saia, Executive Director at Centre Street Food Pantry.

Rose Saia Executive Director of Centre Street Food Pantry. Rose joined Centre Street in 2019 as a part-time Pantry Manager. When the pandemic began, she pivoted the operation to a new program and distribution model to address the exponential increase in food insecurity. She became Executive Director in 2021. Prior to joining Centre Street, she was Pantry Director for Open Table, a Metrowest regional grocery and meals agency. Her experience in nonprofit organizations includes being a member of the board of directors and marketing chair for The Capital Network and WEST (Women Entrepreneurs in Science and Technology), and as a CEO coach for women leading high-growth businesses at The Commonwealth Institute. Her professional career is anchored in high technology, where she was a leader of technical, product marketing, and business development teams for startups and global providers. She was the CEO and co-founder of a network security consulting and product company that was acquired by Juniper Networks. Rose is also a published writer and professional true-life storyteller who has appeared on local stages and on the national television series, “Stories from the Stage.”

Visit and help Centre Street Food Pantry.

Donate here.

In this episode of SpreadLove in Organizations, Naji is joined by Jean-Noël Pellegrin and Alain Eudaric, two veteran leaders in biotech and pharma, to discuss their new book, The Thriving Biopharma Business. With decades of experience shaping strategy, finance, and innovation across global markets, they share how purpose, clarity, and collaboration fuel success in one of the world’s most complex industries. Both guests describe their journeys — from engineering, finance, and corporate leadership at major companies like Sanofi — to helping biotech and pharma leaders align science, strategy, and market needs. Their mission through their book is clear: to help biotech innovators turn groundbreaking ideas into real-world impact.

Jean-Noël and Alain dive into the lessons behind The Thriving Biopharma Business, highlighting key principles that drive sustainable growth in life sciences. They explore how companies like Moderna and Vertex Pharmaceuticals turned uncertainty into opportunity through bold strategy, storytelling, and disciplined leadership. The discussion brings to life their concept of integrative leadership — a model that connects perspectives across R&D, regulatory, finance, and commercial teams to accelerate decision-making and value creation. Through vivid examples of M&A integration and strategic partnerships, they illustrate how restraint, empathy, and emotional intelligence often determine whether innovation thrives or stalls in complex corporate settings.

The conversation closes on the human side of biotech leadership — purpose, resilience, and love. The authors reflect on how storytelling and empathy are as crucial as data in convincing investors, partners, and patients to believe in a vision. They emphasize that thriving in biotech requires relentless curiosity, business acumen, and the courage to lead with compassion. As Jean-Noël and Alain put it, spreading love in organizations means creating environments where collaboration, integrity, and shared purpose drive breakthroughs that truly change lives.

"Great outcomes demand more than science — they require decisive leadership.” – Alain Eudaric

“Integrative leadership turns transactions into true partnerships built on trust.” – Jean-Noël Pellegrin

MEET OUR GUESTS Alain Eudaric, President Idea Pathways.

MEET OUR GUESTS Jean-Noël Pellegrin, Sr Director Valuation and Finance Support to Business Development, M&A at Sanofi.

Alain Eudaric brings over 30 years of global expertise in biopharma, life sciences, and consulting, specializing in strategy, M&A, alliances, and innovation-led growth. He has held leadership roles at Kearney, Thermo Fisher Scientific, and Parexel International, driving transformative programs and business success. As President of Idea Pathways, Alain focuses on driving operational excellence and fostering innovative growth strategies for the biopharma industry. He is an alum from Harvard Medical School, Johns Hopkins University, MIT, Purdue University, and Ecole Centrale de Lille with advanced degrees in Biotech, Business, Science, and Engineering.

Jean-Noël Pellegrin has over 15 years of expertise in M&A and business development, with a proven track record of contributing to several hundred transactions. He began his career at EY before most recently joining Sanofi, where he has spent the last 20 years in France and the United States. His 30 years of combined experience across global public company finance, audit, accounting, and strategic transactions make him a trusted expert in valuing life sciences assets and structuring complex deals. He is an alum of Babson College and Sciences Po, with advanced degrees in Business and Finance.

Find their book here!

In this special episode of SpreadLove in Organizations, in partnership with the Boston Biotechnology Summit, Naji Gehchan welcomes Benjamin Hadida, co-founder and CEO of Exeliom Biosciences, a French clinical-stage biotech company pioneering microbiome-based immunomodulation therapies. Benjamin shares his inspiring journey from studying finance and molecular biology to creating his “dream job” — building a biotech company developing novel drugs from scratch. Motivated by the strong scientific potential in France and the desire to bridge academia with industry, he co-founded Exeliom to transform promising academic discoveries into real-world treatments. Under his leadership, Exeliom has raised $29 million to advance EXL01, a first-in-class therapy targeting the innate immune system, now in Phase 2 trials for oncology, inflammatory bowel disease, and infectious diseases.

Benjamin reflects on the early challenges of founding a biotech without a predefined roadmap, emphasizing the value of curiosity, humility, and adaptability. With no regulatory precedent or traditional C-suite structure, his team built a unique organization focused entirely on what their lead program needed to reach the clinic — not on personal titles or egos. This disciplined focus, coupled with clear alignment among co-founders and scientific advisors, allowed Exeliom to move an academic concept into advanced clinical trials. He highlights one key leadership lesson for biotech founders: always ask, “What does the program need?” — a mindset that drives both strategic clarity and organizational culture, ensuring every decision serves the science and the patients it aims to help.

Benjamin also dives into the science behind Exeliom’s groundbreaking approach. Rather than targeting a molecule, their innovation emerged from clinical observations linking patient responses to immunotherapy with gut microbiome composition. Exeliom’s therapy leverages a specific bacterial strain, Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, to modulate macrophages via the innate immune receptor NOD2 — effectively enhancing immune responses depending on disease context. Looking ahead, Benjamin sees EXL01 as an add-on immunomodulator that could boost responses to checkpoint inhibitors or anti-TNF treatments. His biggest challenge now is educating pharma partners about the real potential of microbiome-based therapies, often misunderstood after past industry missteps.

"Put yourself behind others, not in front of them… You cannot be successful without love."

MEET OUR GUESTS Benjamin Hadida, Co-Founder & CEO of Exeliom Biosciences.

Benjamin Hadida is co-founder of Exeliom Biosciences, a clinical-stage biotech company founded in 2016 in France, winner of the Biotech Summit Pitch this year. With experience spanning investment banking, venture capital, regulatory affairs, biotech operations, and applied research, Benjamin brings a multidisciplinary perspective to biotech innovation. He holds master’s degrees in Management from ESSEC Business School, and Molecular and Cellular Biology from Sorbonne. Under his leadership, Exeliom has raised $29 million to develop EXL01, a groundbreaking microbiome-based immunomodulator targeting the innate immune system. This first-in-class therapy is now in Phase 2 trials for Immuno-oncology, Inflammatory Bowel Diseases and Infectious Diseases.

In this inspiring episode of SpreadLove in Organizations, in partnership with the Termeer Institute, host Naji Gehchan welcomes Dr. Fernando Vieira, CEO and Chief Scientific Officer of the ALS Therapy Development Institute (ALS TDI). A physician-scientist and engineer, Fernando shares his deeply personal journey from aspiring inventor to leading one of the world’s foremost non-profit biotechs dedicated to ALS. His passion stems from the loss of his close friend to the disease, which shaped his life’s mission - to translate scientific discovery into real treatments for people living with ALS.

Fernando offers an inside look into the unique non-profit biotech model at ALS TDI -an organization that combines scientific rigor with mission-driven purpose. With integrated research programs spanning cell biology, pharmacology, and clinical data, ALS TDI develops and validates therapeutic targets, often spinning off intellectual property to for-profit partners to advance drug development. Fernando highlights the advantages of staying focused on a single disease area, building institutional knowledge, maintaining long-term commitment, and ensuring every effort serves the ALS community. He also explores the promise and challenge of rare disease research, emphasizing the complexity and need for multiple targeted therapies to address ALS’s many subtypes.

Looking ahead, Fernando expresses optimism about emerging technologies, AI applications, and omics data transforming ALS research. From digital biomarkers and machine learning to novel therapeutic modalities, he believes the field is entering a new era of precision and hope. Reflecting on leadership, he defines it as servant leadership: serving the mission and his team with empathy and humility. As a recent Termeer Fellow, he praises the Foundation for fostering mentorship and connection among healthcare innovators.

"Think about the people that you're trying to serve, and meet them where they are. Understand their needs, and let that guide everything you do."

MEET OUR GUESTS Fernando Vieira, CEO and CSO at ALS Therapy Development Institute, Termeer Institute Fellow.

Fernando Vieira has over 20 years of dedication to advancing ALS research and treatment development at the ALS Therapy Development Institute (ALS TDI), a non-profit biotech company. Dr. Vieira has progressed through various leadership roles at ALS TDI, culminating in his current positions as Chief Executive Officer and Chief Scientific Officer. He leads a team of over 25 researchers, overseeing target discovery, drug discovery, biomarker development, and translational ALS research.

Having lost his closest friend to ALS, Fernando is deeply committed to translating scientific discoveries into clinical applications that benefit people with ALS. Fernando’s work integrates preclinical pharmacology, multi-omics, and digital outcome measures, driving the preclinical validation of multiple drugs, including tegoprubart, now in clinical development for ALS, along with kidney transplant. He has worked to establish ALS TDI as a hub for innovative ALS research infrastructure, fostering collaborations to enhance disease monitoring and therapeutic outcomes.

Fernando is a recognized leader in ALS research, affirmed by his roles on the Research Committee of ALS ONE and the International Alliance of ALS/MND Associations Research Directors Forum. He holds multiple patents for novel therapeutic approaches for ALS and has contributed to publications in multiple high impact journals such as Nature Communications, Nature Genetics, and Science Translational Medicine. Fernando earned a degree in biological engineering from the University of Florida and his MD from Harvard Medical School. Outside of his professional life, Dr. Vieira is a dedicated father to a high school-aged son in Newton. He actively participates in his son's activities with a local Scouting America troop. In his free time, he enjoys running, hiking, and playing basketball.

In this special episode of SpreadLove in Organizations, produced in partnership with the MIT Club of Boston BioSummit, Naji Gehchan welcomes Dimitrios Skaltsas, CEO and co-founder of Intelligencia AI. Founded in 2017, Intelligencia is a pioneer in applying artificial intelligence, data science, and biomedical expertise to transform decision-making in pharmaceutical R&D. Dimitrios shares his remarkable journey from studying law in Greece to leading one of the most innovative companies in healthcare AI. Inspired by his roots and driven by a deep sense of purpose, he reflects on the pivotal moments that shaped his career — from consulting at McKinsey to discovering a passion for innovation in life sciences — and how love, family, and giving back have guided his mission.

Dimitrios dives into the origins of Intelligencia AI and the crucial problem it set out to solve: improving R&D productivity and redefining how risk is assessed in drug development. By building machine learning models to predict the probability of clinical success, Intelligencia provides pharmaceutical companies with a robust decision-support tool, helping them prioritize programs, optimize portfolios, and ultimately bring new therapies to patients more effectively. Dimitrios emphasizes that AI should complement, not replace, human judgment, serving as a powerful tool to support intuition with data-driven insights. As the company continues to grow, it is expanding into new therapeutic areas, geographies, and functionalities, with a focus on making drug development smarter, faster, and more predictive.

The conversation also explores the human side of leadership and innovation. Dimitrios shares how his love of painting — from abstract canvases to portraits of people he knows - mirrors his leadership philosophy: balancing big-picture creativity with deep human connection. He defines leadership as a responsibility to serve others and sees clinical trials as both a blessing and a challenge; essential for patient safety but ripe for innovation. On AI, he is optimistic yet cautious, recognizing its transformative potential alongside its risks if not guided by ethics and discipline. This episode offers a rich exploration of purpose-driven leadership, the intersection of art and science, and the future of AI in reshaping how life-changing medicines are discovered and developed.

"AI is a huge opportunity for life sciences, but without ethics, it can mislead us."

MEET OUR GUESTS Ditrios Skaltsas Co-Founder & CEO, Intelligencia AI.

As the CEO and co-founder of Intelligencia AI™, Dimitrios Skaltsas drives the AI-driven technology organization's business and investment growth strategy while overseeing critical functional areas of the multidisciplinary global team. Founded in 2017, Intelligencia AI leads the way in leveraging proprietary data, biomedical expertise and artificial intelligence (AI) with its patented technology to address significant challenges in the pharmaceutical industry. These challenges include lengthy drug development timelines, excessive costs, and unsustainable return on investment (ROI). Its suite of AI-powered solutions delivers actionable insights crucial in mitigating risks and enhancing decision-making associated with drug development by providing an accurate, unbiased assessment of a drug’s probability of success. 

In 2024, the company received a U.S. patent for its accurate and transparent probability of drug success assessments. It also earned its inaugural spots on the Inc. Regional (Northeast) and Inc. 5000 for the first time. The Healthcare Technology Report recognized it as one of the Top 100 Healthcare Technology Companies. In 2021, the company completed its Series A funding and was named one of Forbes's Top AI Companies to Watch. During this time, Dimitrios played a pivotal role in establishing a strategic partnership with ZS, a global professional services company. Before tapping into his entrepreneurial spirit and co-founding Intelligencia AI, Dimitrios spent over a decade in various leadership roles within the healthcare and life sciences sectors.

He holds an MBA from INSEAD and a law degree from University College London (UCL) and the University of Athens. In his leisure time, you can find him painting or enjoying the Greek countryside.

In this episode of SpreadLove in Organizations, I am joined once again by my longtime friend and colleague, John Bamforth, to celebrate the launch of his new book Race to Innovation. John’s remarkable journey has taken him from his roots in Wigan, England, to building global brands at Eli Lilly, and most recently, leading the Eshelman Institute for Innovation at UNC-Chapel Hill. He was my very first guest when I started this podcast four years ago, and it’s a joy to welcome him back as we reflect on his career, his growth, and the bold ideas he is now championing.

John shares the story behind Race to Innovation, which highlights the often-overlooked history of innovation and entrepreneurship in marginalized communities, particularly African American communities. The book blends untold stories of past trailblazers with interviews of today’s innovators, all grounded in the belief that unlocking potential in underrepresented groups creates value for all of us. This is not a zero-sum game; rather, encouraging diversity of thought and entrepreneurship helps societies thrive together.

Our conversation goes beyond the book, touching on the meaning of innovation, the intentionality required to build diverse, trusting teams, and the essential role of purpose in uniting people around bold goals. John’s insights remind us of the power of assuming potential in every individual and of leading with genuine care for one another. His vision is a hopeful call to see difference not as division but as a force for solving the world’s most pressing challenges - together.

"Innovation starts with assuming potential in every individual - and unlocking it benefits us all."

MEET OUR GUESTS John P Bamforth, independent Director for Humacyte and a member of the commercialization committee.

Dr John Bamforth PhD is an independent director for Humacyte Inc (NASDAQ: HUMA) and a member of the commercialization committee. In addition, he has served on the Boards of the Structural Genomics Consortium (https://www.thesgc.org) and READDI (https://readdi.org). On the READDI Board, John recruited 4 independent Board members including Sen Richard Burr and Lydia Ogden PhD (JNJ) and he chairs the compensation committee. He is an advisor to several privately owned biotech and healthcare companies and is an active investor. John is co-founder of the B and M Impact Foundation (BMimpact.org) which is focused on creating wealth and health in disadvantaged communities.

John had a 30-year career at Eli Lilly and Company culminating in the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) role from 2016 to his retirement in 2018. He was also CMO of Lilly's $10B US operation from 2012-2016. Over his career at Lilly John was known for building highly engaged teams and launching multiple brands across the globe. Probably, his best-known success was the building of Cialis globally, the $2B a year blockbuster brand. On his retirement from Lilly, John was hired to lead Eshelman Innovation at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, an institute that was founded by a $100M gift, the largest gift in UNC's history. The institute leverages industry practices and the University's $1.5B research enterprise to develop novel therapeutics alongside digital health technologies. He stepped down from the role in 2025 after 6 years to focus on his board work and philanthropic endeavors.

John has a pharmacy degree and PhD from his education in the United Kingdom. Pharmavoice named John one of Pharma's top 100 'Inspirational Leaders' in 2007 and his alma mater, Aston University, awarded him an Honorary Doctorate for service to the Pharma Industry in 2012. John lives in Chapel Hill, North Carolina with his wife Sue, and has two adult children, Thomas and Rebecca.

More about the Book on this link!

In this special episode of SpreadLove in Organizations, I had the honor of hosting Dr. François Nader and Khalil Barrage, the visionary co-founders of BioLink. This New York–based nonprofit is on a mission to connect biosciences professionals of Lebanese origin around the world, while building a sustainable life sciences ecosystem in Lebanon. François shared his inspiring journey from physician in Lebanon to global biotech leader, including turning around NPS Pharma before its $5B acquisition by Shire. Khalil reflected on his path from Lebanon to becoming one of the most active biotech investors through The Invus Group, with landmark investments in companies such as Moderna.

Both leaders opened up about the origins of BioLink, which were born out of tragedy but fueled by hope. In the aftermath of the Beirut port explosion, they witnessed the strength and generosity of the Lebanese diaspora in the life sciences community. This moment of crisis revealed an incredible network of Lebanese talent across the industry and sparked the idea to create a global platform. BioLink was established not only to bring these leaders together, but also to lay the foundation for a life sciences economy in Lebanon that can create opportunities for the next generation.

Throughout our conversation, François and Khalil emphasized values of vision, resilience, and credibility in leadership. They reminded us that true leadership shines in times of crisis, and that success in biotech requires grit, integrity, and long-term commitment. Above all, they shared a dream: to harness the collective power of Lebanese professionals worldwide to contribute back to Lebanon and build something enduring. This episode is a testament to purpose-driven leadership, collaboration, and the belief that together, we can inspire change.

"Leaders show the most leadership during a crisis." -François Nader "In biotech, there are no shortcuts — integrity and the right team matter.” - Khalil Barrage

MEET OUR GUESTS Francois Nader chairman of GEn1E Lifesciences, and board director of Moderna and Ring Therapeutics.

MEET OUR GUESTS Khalil Barrage Managing Director at The Invus Group.

This is a special episode, the first of a series in partnership with Biosciences Lebanese International Network – BioLink. This New York-based non-profit is on a mission to build a global community of professionals in biosciences of Lebanese origin, like me, and it turns out, there’s quite a few of us. Most interestingly, it has set a bold vision, which is to catalyze a life sciences ecosystem in Lebanon by working with local talent and academic centers, with the support of the Lebanese diaspora community. This is an ambitious goal, but BioLink.org’s founders Dr. Francois Nader and Khalil Barrage are some of the most accomplished people in the industry, and if anyone can pull it off, they can. I’m thrilled to have them with me today!

Francois is a pharma veteran who sits on the board of several biopharma companies. He is chairman of GEn1E Lifesciences, and a board director of Moderna and Ring Therapeutics, as well as a senior advisor to Blackstone Life Sciences. Francois became well known within the industry, when he took the helm of NPS Pharma in 2006. The company was then on the verge of insolvency. Francois turned it around and sold it less than a decade later for more than $5 billion to Shire. 

Khalil is a managing director at The Invus Group, a New York-based global investment firm. He established the Public Equity Group which invests in emerging innovative biotech companies, and co-manages private biotech investments, making Invus one of the most active investors in biotech, according to PitchBook. Khalil also sits on the board of several biotech companies, including ElevateBio, Sensorion, Onxeo, Protagenic Therapeutics, and Orthobond.

In this episode of Spread Love in Organizations, Naji Gehchan had the pleasure of hosting Catharine Smith, the inaugural Executive Director of the Termeer Institute. The Institute honors the legacy of former Genzyme CEO Henri Termeer by supporting biotech leaders who are driven by patient impact. Catherine shared her powerful journey, from growing up with limited access to healthcare, to leading initiatives at the Clinton Foundation and Harvard, and now shaping a movement that empowers early-stage biotech CEOs to tackle some of healthcare’s biggest challenges. Her personal story, rooted in seeing healthcare as a human right, set the stage for our inspiring conversation.

Throughout our discussion, Catherine highlighted the importance of leadership as a catalyst for systemic change. Drawing from her experience in hospital medicine, primary care, and crisis response, she emphasized that effective leadership goes beyond technical expertise —it’s about training, mentoring, and empowering people to drive meaningful improvements in patient care. At the Tamir Foundation, this philosophy translates into supporting biotech founders not only with resources and technical skills, but also with values-aligned networks, mentorship, and leadership development tailored to their journeys.

Catherine also shared her perspective on the future of biotech as a powerful lever for change in healthcare. From the promise of rare disease therapies to the growing energy in women’s health, she stressed how science and innovation must be matched with responsibility, equity, and human-centered leadership. For her, the “human variable” is the most crucial factor in whether breakthroughs succeed in transforming lives. As we closed, Catherine reminded healthcare leaders to hold onto their “why,” seek partnerships, and focus on solving big problems together. It was a conversation full of hope, responsibility, and a call to action for leaders across healthcare and biotech.

"Biotech can be a lever to change healthcare."

MEET OUR GUEST Catharine Smith, Executive Director of the Termeer Institute.

Catharine Smith serves as inaugural Executive Director of the Termeer Institute (Former Termeer Foundation), which carries on the bold legacy of former Genzyme CEO Henri Termeer, who was committed to mentoring emerging leaders and whose dedication to patients resulted in groundbreaking treatments for rare diseases. The Termeer Foundation understands that bringing new treatments to patients is grueling work with a low probability of success and believes we can improve these odds by positively impacting the human variables in healthcare. By supporting biotech leaders, the Foundation seeks to increase the probability of creating cures and solving healthcare’s greatest challenges.

Prior to the Termeer Foundation, Catharine served as the CEO of the Clinton Health Matters Initiative at the Clinton Foundation where she led a team focused on stigma reduction and overdose prevention related to the opioid epidemic. Before that role, Catharine was the Executive Director of the Harvard Center for Primary Care where she led business development, strategy, and operations for a think-tank focused on improving value-based, patient-centered care.

Catharine holds a master’s degree in business administration from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a graduate degree in social science research from the University of Chicago.

In this episode, Naji Gehchan welcomes Selin Kurnaz, CEO and co-founder of Massive Bio, a health tech company using AI and data-driven solutions to expand access to cancer clinical trials. Selin shares her personal journey from a structured career in engineering and private equity to founding Massive Bio after her family’s experience with cancer. What started as a side project quickly became her full-time mission, as she realized the immense challenges and dedication required to drive change in healthcare. Since 2015, she has led Massive Bio to impact over 160,000 patients worldwide, with a focus on underserved communities and equitable access to clinical trials.

Selin highlights the importance of applying engineering principles to clinical operations, particularly in solving the long-standing challenge of patient recruitment in oncology trials. By combining systematic problem-solving with regulatory knowledge, Massive Bio addresses inefficiencies across the patient enrollment journey—identification, pre-screening, and last-mile enrollment. She explains how AI enables scalability, reducing the time it takes to match patients with clinical trials from months to minutes. This approach not only empowers patients to advocate for themselves but also helps physicians and pharma companies accelerate drug development, creating both individual and population-level impact.

Discussing leadership and growth, Selin emphasizes resilience, teamwork, and the importance of early adopters in driving healthcare innovation. She speaks candidly about the challenges women face in senior roles within health tech and the need for true meritocracy. At Massive Bio, she fosters a flat, mission-driven culture where every team member feels empowered and connected to the purpose of improving patients’ lives. Her closing advice to healthcare leaders is to remain resilient, embrace humility, and stay grounded—focusing on what truly matters: health, team, and impact.

"I’m not seeking fairness in life, but success in the unfairness of life."

MEET OUR GUEST Selin Kurnaz, CEO and co-founder of Massive Bio, a health tech company improving access to cancer clinical trials through AI and data-driven solutions.

Selin Kurnaz is the CEO and co-founder of Massive Bio, a health tech company improving access to cancer clinical trials through AI and data-driven solutions. She holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering and brings over a decade of experience in life sciences strategy and operations. Inspired by her family’s cancer journey, Selin launched Massive Bio in 2015 to make cutting-edge treatments more accessible, particularly in underserved communities. Under her leadership, the company has onboarded over 160,000 patients and built a global network of sites, partners, and advocates. Selin is also a recognized voice for women in tech and digital health innovation.

About Massive Bio: Massive Bio is a healthcare technology company using AI to match cancer and rare disease patients with clinical trials and optimize drug use for better outcomes. Founded to address the barriers patients face in accessing advanced treatments, the platform simplifies and personalizes the clinical trial journey. With over 160,000 patients onboarded and partnerships with top pharma companies across 17 countries, Massive Bio is transforming oncology care. Its solutions reduce inefficiencies, accelerate drug development, and improve treatment access globally. The company is now expanding beyond trial matching into broader oncology services to become a leading data-driven cancer care platform.

In this episode of Spread Love in Organizations, Naji Gehchan welcomes Christy Fernandez-Cull, CEO of DaVinci Wearables and a trailblazer in tech and health innovation. Christy shares her inspiring journey from childhood curiosity — designing a cereal dispenser to let her hardworking parents sleep in — to leading groundbreaking work at companies like Apple, Waymo, and Google. With a PhD from Duke and an MBA from MIT, Christy blends deep technical expertise with visionary leadership, always guided by a moral compass instilled by her family and a relentless curiosity about the world.

Christy introduces her current venture, DaVinci Wearables, with the bold ambition of becoming the “body API for better health.” She describes a future where garments not only clothe us but also provide real-time biometric insights, especially focused on women’s health, a historically underserved field. With partnerships across universities and health systems, DaVinci is building a wearable ecosystem that tracks hydration, hormones, nutrition, and physical activity, empowering users through a smart companion app that educates and nudges healthier habits. Their unique platform blends data, personalized coaching, and community, aiming to democratize body intelligence for every stage of a woman’s life.

Throughout the conversation, Christy speaks candidly about the challenges and joys of entrepreneurship, especially as a female founder in health tech. She emphasizes the importance of empathy — both toward others and oneself — and encourages founders to stay anchored in purpose by connecting directly with the people they serve. Christy’s reflections on leadership, equity in women’s health, and the role of love and service in organizations offer powerful inspiration for healthcare leaders seeking to drive meaningful change.

"If you need to feel inspired, go directly to your customer… They’ll remind you why you started."

MEET OUR GUEST Christy Fernandez-Cull, CEO of DaVinci Wearables and former leader of sensing teams at Waymo (Google Self-Driving) and Lyft's Self-Driving Division.

Dr. Christy Fernandez-Cull is CEO of DaVinci Wearables and former leader of sensing teams at Waymo (Google Self-Driving) and Lyft's Self-Driving Division. She played a key role at Apple, contributing to autonomous systems and releasing the first LiDAR module in the 2020 iPad. Dr. Fernandez-Cull has experience in Defense technologies at MIT Lincoln Laboratory and consumer products at Apple. She advises VCs and startups in mobility, autonomous vehicles, and digital health, and serves on several boards. She holds a Ph.D. from Duke University and an MBA from MIT and lectures at Columbia University and MIT.

Longer Dr. Christy Fernandez-Cull is the CEO of DaVinci Wearables. Previously, she led the sensing and perception system’s teams at Waymo - formerly Google Self-Driving. She was also the Head of Sensors at Lyft Level 5 Self-Driving Division, leading sensor architecture for Lyft vehicle platforms — designing machine eyes to help transform transportation of the future. Prior to Lyft, she was a senior technologist at Apple spanning autonomous systems and the Camera and Depth Hardware team that released the first-of-kind Light Detection and Ranging module in the 2020 iPad. She has spanned both the development of Defense technologies at MIT Lincoln Laboratory and at-scale consumer-product technologies at Apple. She is a senior science advisor to multiple VCs and startups in the areas of sensors and systems for mobility applications, autonomous vehicles and digital health and wearables. She’s a Board member of Omnitron and a Venture Partner and Deep Tech Advisor at L’attitude Ventures and serves on a non-profit board. She received her MS and Ph.D. in Engineering from Duke University and MBA from MIT and enjoys mentoring in STEM/STEAM fields and serves as a adjunct/lecturer at Columbia University, guest lecture and AI practitioner at MIT-LL and MIT Media Lab.

In this episode of Spread Love in Organizations, I had the pleasure of hosting Michael Pietrack, a seasoned recruiter in the pharmaceutical industry with nearly two decades of experience. Michael shared his fascinating journey, starting as a college baseball coach and transitioning into pharmaceutical recruiting by chance. Over the years, he has placed more than a thousand professionals, making a significant impact on the industry by connecting top talent with critical roles in medical affairs and beyond. Michael’s commitment to improving healthcare by enabling the success of industry leaders was evident as he discussed how recruiting for this field has become a purposeful mission for him.

Michael offered invaluable advice for both hiring managers and job seekers. For hiring managers, he emphasized the importance of clarity in defining roles, avoiding the pitfall of hiring clones, and trusting one’s gut instinct when making decisions. For candidates, he highlighted the need to have a clear career strategy, prioritize the “people” factor when considering opportunities, and be willing to take risks for growth. Michael also shared insights from his podcast, The PharmaVerse, where he explores leadership across the pharmaceutical universe. One key takeaway from his interviews is the central role of genuine care in effective leadership—a value deeply aligned with our podcast’s focus on spreading love in organizations.

"Leadership is leading from the front while ensuring no one is left behind."

MEET OUR GUEST Michael Pietrack Practice Lead for Pharma and Biotech recruiting team at Kaye/ Bassman International Corp.

Michael Pietrack has been recruiting in the Pharmaceutical Industry for nearly 20 years. He and his team have successfully placed more 1,000 Pharmaceutical professionals during that time, leaving a positive impact on the industry. Michael started his recruiting career with The Alpine Group, where he led the Medical Affairs Search Practice. In 2015, Michael co-founded TMAC Direct, an executive search firm exclusively devoted to Medical Affairs. Under Michael’s leadership, TMAC Direct was named one of the Top US Executive Search Firms by Forbes. In 2023, Michael joined Kaye/Bassman to lead the expansion of the already established and high-performing Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology Search Practice. Aside from recruiting, Michael is also a speaker, recruiting trainer, and an accomplished author and was recognized as one of Pharma’s 100 Most Inspiring People by PharmaVoice. Michael is also a fellow podcast host on The Pharamaverse Podcast, where he engages in insightful conversations with industry leaders. 

On this episode, I had the privilege of hosting Afarin Bellisario, a mentor at MIT Sandbox, author, and tech entrepreneur with an extraordinary life story. Afarin began by sharing her journey from her childhood in Iran to becoming a prominent figure in high-tech and entrepreneurship in the U.S. Growing up in a family that straddled traditional and modern Iran, she had a unique perspective on navigating the contrasting worlds of South and North Tehran. Her education, initially rooted in mathematics, became her ticket to freedom and opportunity, culminating in her studies at NYU and MIT. The tumultuous events of the Revolution profoundly shaped her, compelling her to forge a new path in America. She eloquently described how curiosity, resilience, and adaptability fueled her career, whether in corporate America or mentoring young entrepreneurs.

We also delved into her debut novel, Silence Whispers, which tells the story of a young woman navigating transformative changes in her life and country. Afarin explained how this fictional character, Gohar, was inspired by both her own experiences and the rich stories of her heritage, blending historical and personal elements. Through extensive research and creative writing, she captured the complex dualities of Iranian society and the broader universal struggles of identity, resilience, and transformation. Afarin emphasized that while Gohar shares some traits with her, the character stands apart as a vehicle for exploring the broader human experience. The novel serves as both a personal exploration and a reflection on the cultural and societal shifts of her homeland.

Finally, Afarin shared her philosophy on the intersection of history and technology, emphasizing how understanding the past can inform and guide our technological future. Drawing on examples from her work with startups and historical case studies, she highlighted the recurring patterns in how society reacts to radical new technologies. From the advent of radio to the rise of artificial intelligence, Afarin underscored the importance of maintaining human agency and using technology as a tool for good. Her reflections offered profound insights into leadership, innovation, and the enduring need to balance progress with humanity.

"Change is inevitable; embracing it with curiosity turns challenges into opportunities."

MEET OUR GUEST Afarin Bellisario Consultant, Advisor at MIT, and Author.

Afarin Bellisario bridges East and West, technology and the human condition, and past and present. Born and raised in Tehran in a family with its feet in the past and its head in the future, she led a successful career in high-tech and international business in the US after earning her PhD (from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). But writing had always been her passion. Having written professionally in pre-revolutionary Iran, she has published op-eds in major papers, including the Boston Globe and an essay, Movies with my Aunt, as part of the anthology Love & Pomegranates. 

Today, she mentors startups, teaches, and writes about the clash between tradition and modernity and how the past can shed light on our technology-fueled future. A music lover, she is a Cambridge Chamber Ensemble board member and writes for their newsletter as well as on Medium. Afarin continues to discover new destinations globally.

In this episode of SpreadLove in Organizations, Naji hosted Jason Bhardwaj, a seasoned life science executive and CEO of Nova Anchora. Jason shared his journey from growing up in a science-oriented household to leading biotech startups. He described how his passion for healthcare and business developed through his studies in biomedical engineering at Duke and a decade-long career in consulting. His transition from consulting to entrepreneurship reflects his drive to build impactful solutions in heatlthcare.

Jason highlighted key lessons from his experience building and leading biotech teams. He emphasized the importance of finding personal gratification in the startup ecosystem, where milestones - like moving a project from concept to clinic - feel profoundly rewarding. He discussed the critical role of people decisions in virtual biotech models, stressing the importance of rigorous hiring processes and selecting the right partners to ensure a cohesive and capable core team. Jason's philosophy centers on creating an environment where each team member's unique skills contribute to breakthrough innovations.

Beyond biotech, Jason shared his commitment to community and education. With two young children, he recently announced his candidacy for the Newton, Massachusetts public school committee. Inspired by a family legacy in teaching, he aims to contribute to educational development and support local families. This passion underscores his belief that learning is a lifelong journey, whether in science, business, or public service.

"Find the way you want to make a difference"

MEET OUR GUEST Jason Bhardwaj CEO of Nova Anchora.

Jason Bhardwaj is an experienced life sciences executive with a broad background leading in startups and ~20 years working in healthcare. Currently, Jason is the CEO of Nova Anchora, developing a recombinant protein-based treatment for DEB (dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa). Prior to this, Jason served for 6 years as CEO of another dermatology-focused biotech (Follica, a drug-device combination product for alopecia). Jason has led or advised across a wide range of technologies (drugs, devices, combinations), as well as indications (e.g., Dermatology, Psychiatry, Cardiology, Ophthalmology). Prior to life science startups, Jason studied biomedical engineering (Duke), received a masters degree in business (Harvard), and developed a decade of foundational experience in consulting (Bain) working with some of the largest healthcare innovators on a full functional suite of critical challenges (e.g., growth strategy, pricing, M&A diligence, organizational and operating model alignment). Jason and his family live in Newton, MA, where he is involved in the community as a soccer coach, marathon runner, and most recently via a bid for the school committee.

Find more and support Jason's mission: www.jason4newton.com

In this episode, Naji engages in a deep conversation with Angela Justice, an award-winning Chief People Officer, executive coach, and neuroscientist. Angela shares her journey from consultant to Chief People Officer and founder of Justice Group Advisors, providing unique insights from her extensive experience in healthcare, biotech, and nonprofits. Angela’s curiosity about human behavior, which began with her passion for dance, has driven her to explore the concept of potential in individuals and teams. She discusses how her lifelong fascination with understanding people’s motives and capacities fueled her career in executive coaching, where she helps leaders identify and maximize their strengths while fostering strategic alignment in organizations.

Angela emphasizes the power of purpose-driven leadership and the importance of aligning individual motivations with organizational goals to cultivate high-performing teams. She shares that one of the most vital aspects of leadership is focusing on a larger purpose, especially in healthcare, where the mission centers on improving patient lives. In her view, humility is essential for leaders, allowing them to embrace diverse ideas and remain open to learning from their teams. Angela believes that fostering an environment of collaboration and unity around shared goals can significantly enhance both individual and team performance, driving sustainable success in organizations.

Angela also speaks about her journey in embracing her unique strengths, or “edge,” which she describes as critical to thriving in one’s career. She encourages leaders and professionals to discover what makes them unique and leverage that distinctiveness as a strategic advantage.

"Move up in your life, not just in your career. Think bigger about the legacy you want to leave, and you’ll bring more impact to the world."

MEET OUR GUEST Angela Justice Chief People Officer, executive coach, and trusted advisor.

Angela Justice is an award-winning Chief People Officer, executive coach, and trusted advisor to top executives. A neuroscientist by training, Angela began her career as a management consultant at McKinsey & Company before holding senior leadership positions in Medical Affairs, Patient Advocacy, and Human Resources. Most recently, she was the Chief People Officer and Head of Medical Affairs at TCRTherapeutics. Angela's diverse background and hands-on experience in the C-suites and boardrooms of healthcare, biotech, and nonprofit sectors provide her with a unique and informed perspective. Her deep understanding of human and organizational behavior enables her to drive sustainable change, helping leaders establish strategic alignment, address blind spots, and leverage strengths for exceptional results. As the Founder and Managing Director of Justice Group Advisors, Angela is dedicated to helping leaders earn and embrace their seat at the table.

You can download here the workbook to find your edge! Thank you Angela for this gift!

Learn more about Angela's work here.

In this episode, Naji talks with Rebecca Yeung, an accomplished leader who shares her journey and the wisdom encapsulated in her book, "What Rules?". The conversation starts with Rebecca recounting a pivotal choice during a challenging period in her life: accept misery or fight for change. This philosophy underpins her book, which challenges conventional expectations and societal "rules" that often guide people's lives and careers.

Rebecca explains the inspiration behind the book's title, crediting her executive coach Gayle Grader, who helped her recognize that by not adhering to typical "rules," she was able to break through barriers like the "bamboo ceiling." This led to the exploration of six key rules in her book: the goals rule, strengths rule, opportunity rule, limits rule, either-or rule, and happiness rule. These rules prompt deeper reflection on what drives us, encourage embracing one's strengths, and challenge traditional success metrics.

Throughout the episode, Rebecca discusses the importance of finding fulfillment and celebrating small wins along life's journey. She emphasizes that success is not solely defined by titles or wealth but by meaningful progress and continuous improvement. She also shares practical tips for leaders to help their teams grow by applying these principles in the workplace, fostering environments where individuals can thrive, develop, and find true joy in their work.

Rebecca's insights offer a fresh perspective on redefining success, encouraging listeners to live authentically and find happiness in the present, rather than constantly pursuing elusive future goals.

"Life is too short to live by someone else’s rules."

MEET OUR GUEST Rebecca Yeung Corporate Vice President at FedEx Corporation.

Rebecca Yeung is a Corporate Vice President at FedEx Corporation and leads Operations Science and Advanced Technology. In her role, she is responsible for driving critical aspects of FedEx’s innovation and transformation strategy including scaling up robotics and automation technology, autonomous vehicles, decision science, and electromobility. She sits on the FedEx Strategic Management Committee, a C-suite leadership group that sets the strategic direction for the enterprise.

As an expert in both advanced technology and logistics operations, she frequently speaks at high profile industry forums including Fortune, World 50, Reuters Momentum, CES, The AI Summit-Silicon Valley, TechCrunch Mobility, HBS Tech Conference and MIT The Engine Tough Tech Summit. In March 2024, Rebecca was recognized by Reuters Events as one of the top 20 Trailblazing Women in Enterprise AI who are demonstrating real influence, impact, and leadership in large-scale enterprise AI deployment.

Rebecca joined two public boards in 2023 – Royal Caribbean Group (NYSE: RCL) and Columbus McKinnon (NASDAQ: CMCO), bringing to both her technology and innovation expertise and strategic perspective. She has also previously served as a Board of Director for the Mid-South Food Bank between 2013 and 2022.

In this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Karim Benhadji, Chief Medical Officer at Inspirna. With nearly 20 years of experience in oncology drug development, Karim shared his journey from medical school in Algeria to his leadership roles in the biotech industry. He recounted how his passion for science and technology initially led him to medicine and eventually to oncology, a field that has seen transformative advancements over the past two decades. Karim’s experience spans various stages of drug development, including his pivotal role in the approval of key oncology drugs while serving at companies like Eli Lilly and Taiho Oncology.

Karim emphasized the value of taking risks and embracing opportunities, which propelled his transition from academia to the pharmaceutical industry. He recounted how a recruiter’s unexpected call introduced him to clinical research at Eli Lilly, where he gained significant expertise in oncology drug development. Over the years, he led teams in both big pharma and smaller biotech environments, learning the importance of diversity, culture, and team collaboration. He shared his leadership philosophy of authenticity, humility, and empowering others, which has been integral to his success in building high-performing teams to develop life-saving therapies for cancer patients.

As the conversation progressed, Karim highlighted the rapid advancements in oncology, especially the promise of precision medicine and cell-based therapies. He expressed optimism for the future, acknowledging the challenges but also celebrating the scientific progress that has given patients more treatment options. He also touched on the potential of artificial intelligence to revolutionize drug discovery and clinical trial processes, reinforcing his belief that while 90% of drug development efforts may not lead to immediate breakthroughs, they contribute invaluable knowledge to the field and ultimately drive innovation for patients.

"It's all for the patients—they can't wait, and every day lost in bureaucracy or indecision impacts their lives."

MEET OUR GUEST Karim Benhadji Chief Medical Officer at Inspirna.

Karim Benhadji is currently Chief Medical Officer at Inspirna. He has nearly 20 years of experience in biopharmaceutical oncology drug development, and most recently served as Chief Medical Officer of GV20 Therapeutics. He previously served as Senior Vice President, Head of Clinical Development and Operations at Taiho Oncology where he oversaw the development of early and late phase portfolio assets, including the FDA approval of LYTGOBI® (futibatinib) in cholangiocarcinoma and the Phase 3 SUNLIGHT that led to the FDA approval of LONSURF® (trifluridine/tipiracil) in combination with bevacizumab in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer.

Prior to joining Taiho Oncology, Karim spent 13 years with Eli Lilly and Company in oncology development roles of increasing responsibility, including overseeing several immuno-oncology programs. Dr. Benhadji received his M.D. from the University of Oran, and completed his Oncology fellowship in the universities of Oran and Paris. He also received a Master of Science in Pharmacology and Therapeutics in Oncology from the University of Paris.

In this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Suman Lal, whose journey from medical school in India to becoming a leader in innovation is as remarkable as it is unconventional. Initially embarking on a path toward medicine, Suman realized that his true passion lay beyond traditional medical practice. An encounter during medical school inspired him to explore other fields. This decision led him into research and ultimately to Singapore, where he found himself immersed in the country's burgeoning life sciences and healthcare innovation sector. While Suman experimented with various career paths — including academia and research — he discovered that his curiosity drove him to explore new industries rather than settle into any one role.

Following his research phase, Suman transitioned into sales within the life sciences industry, a humbling experience that taught him valuable lessons in resilience and adaptability. He spent five years distributing products for early-stage companies, a role that honed his business acumen and led him to appreciate the practicalities of industry work. Afterward, he pursued an MBA at MIT Sloan, where he was drawn to Boston’s vibrant innovation ecosystem. Suman's post-MIT journey took him through several pivots, including starting a cosmetics startup, which introduced him to the world of drug discovery and eventually brought him back to Boston. His passion for innovation led him to the Cambridge Innovation Center (CIC), where he worked on building global innovation ecosystems.

Suman’s current focus is on developing the Technology Innovation Studio (TINS), a "mini ecosystem" that combines physical space, curated networks, consulting, and innovation labs to accelerate breakthroughs in healthcare, life sciences, and beyond. With partnerships spanning MIT and CIC’s global network, Suman envisions TINS as a model for fostering collaboration between scientists, entrepreneurs, and investors to solve complex problems. His ambition is to replicate this model in innovation cities worldwide, creating a sustainable platform for innovation and learning that empowers individuals and communities alike.

"Every challenge is an opportunity to create something better."

MEET OUR GUEST Suman Lal is Managing Director of Technology Innovation Studio (TINS).

Suman Lal is Managing Director of Technology Innovation Studio (TINS) - a physical space in Kendall Square that brings together business leaders, scientists, serial entrepreneurs, investors, industry experts, corporate innovation teams and policy experts to explore and apply tools, methods and models in innovation. Suman is also a Senior Advisor to the Cambridge Innovation Center (CIC) that operates innovation campuses and labs across cities in US, Europe and Asia, and in his previous role worked closely with the leadership team to advise diverse stakeholders in cities and regions around the world on building innovation infrastructure and ecosystems.

Suman is also a Senior Advisor to the Venture Cafe Global Institute (VCGI) that operates the Venture Cafe gatherings in 15 cities, often described as the heartbeat of several innovation districts. Suman has deep experience in the area of technology commercialization, by making independent inventions, licensing intellectual property from major research institutions to form NewCos, and operating venture studios where he took interim CEO roles at the portfolio companies. Prior to this, Suman did technical sales and distribution for 15 early-stage companies over a 5 year period, gaining valuable insights into how early-stage companies transitioned into profitable and scalable businesses.

Suman has an MD in clinical medicine and an MSc in human genetics and did his PhD in precision medicine & clinical pharmacology. Suman received his MBA from MIT as a Sloan Fellow, focusing on innovation and global leadership.

In this episode, my guest Diana Haydar shared her remarkable journey, growing up in Lebanon in a modest family amidst the complexities of war and the resilience it demanded. From her childhood, surrounded by her close-knit sisters, to the school memories we shared, it was clear how both the warmth of family and the trials of war shaped her. School debates and the realities of wartime Lebanon not only matured us beyond our years but also laid the foundation for her leadership journey. Despite the hardships, she drew strength from her experiences, which continue to fuel her resilience today.

As a physiotherapist, she worked with children with special needs in Lebanon, confronting firsthand the struggles of families navigating a healthcare system that offered little support. Her compassion and drive led her to transition into a leadership role within the insurance industry, advocating for patient care and tackling the inequities in healthcare access. She recounted her experience managing teams, demonstrating how she embodied courage and commitment to serving those in need.

Relocating to Dubai in 2021, she faced new challenges, but her determination and adaptability shone through. Reflecting on the stark contrasts between healthcare systems in Lebanon and the UAE, she emphasized her commitment to improving access and ensuring equitable healthcare. Her leadership is defined by resilience, purpose, and the ability to inspire her teams to push forward even in the face of adversity, underscoring a deep-rooted passion for making healthcare more accessible and fair for all.

"Nothing can stop us from doing our job; we will never cease serving the people we are meant to serve."

MEET OUR GUEST Diana Haydar, Director of Direct Sales at Nasco Insurance Group.

Diana Haidar is the Director of Direct Sales at Nasco Insurance Group. Diana has been a key part of the Nasco Insurance group for 20 years, starting in Third Party Administration and then moving into the Direct Broker business, She now covers Middle East's direct portfolio, including Medical, General, and Life insurance. She started her career as a certified physiotherapist, then worked at a mountain Hospital with children with special needs . She holds also a master’s degree in Hospital and Health Management from ESCP & ESA . With 20 years of hands-on experience in the medical field as a professional as well as in insurance industry, Diana has been involved in various aspects of the business, from operations and sales to planning and growth. For over two decades, Diana has been empowering teams, encouraging fresh perspectives, and finding new ways for Nasco Middle East to grow in the world of direct sales. She's a leader dedicated to making a lasting impact on the insurance industry.

In this special episode in partnership with ESCP Business School, I’m joined by Jessica Leygues, an ESCP Business School MSc Biopharmaceutical Management alum, current General Secretary of the Women's Cancer Institute, for a thought-provoking conversation about her inspiring journey and her work redefining healthcare systems. Jessica, an engineer by training from AgroParisTech, shared her early career in biotech consulting and her transition to leadership roles, including as CEO of Medicen Paris Region during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. She discussed how her experiences in the public and private sectors gave her insight into where real impact can be made in healthcare.

Jessica emphasized that values-driven leadership and small teams have allowed her to focus on deep, meaningful change, particularly in her current project, building the Women's Cancer Institute from scratch. We explored her belief in co-constructing solutions alongside patients and teams, and how this approach is central to her leadership style. She noted the importance of fighting for what you believe in, balancing small victories, and ensuring inclusivity in decision-making.

We also touched on the broader challenges in women's health, where systemic gaps, such as the underrepresentation of women in clinical trials, are leading to disparities in outcomes. Jessica's goal with the Women's Cancer Institute is to address these gaps with a holistic approach that includes personalized care, patient feedback, and a commitment to changing the cultural narratives around women's health.

It was an inspiring conversation about leadership, innovation, and the future of healthcare, all driven by the belief that listening to people and co-creating solutions is the key to meaningful progress.

"Fight for what you believe in"

MEET OUR GUEST Jessica Leygues, General Secretary of Women’s Cancer Institute.

Jessica Leygues is the General Secretary of Women’s Cancer Institute in France. Jessica is an engineer by training from AgroParisTech, and started her career at Alcimed consulting firm where she spent eight years developing new healthcare markets (Biotech/MedTech) for entrepreneurs, start-ups, SMEs and large corporations as well as for the public and semi-public innovation sector, including the French Ministry of Research, research institutes, competitiveness clusters and knowledge transfer centers. Strongly committed to optimization initiatives for healthcare systems, Jessica then joined Celgene, where she was responsible for a partnership hub aimed at developing the healthcare value model. In April 2020, the midst of COVID pandemic, Jessica became the CEO of Medicen Paris Region, Europe’s leading health cluster, where she redefined the strategic positioning of the group in order to launch concrete reindustrialization initiatives to accelerate growth in the French healthcare industry and boost national sovereignty to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

In this episode, we dive with Alison Fragale, a research psychologist, award-winning professor, international keynote speaker, and author, into the profound insights of understanding human behavior, especially for those of us in leadership positions. We explore how essential it is to recognize that at the core of any organization, it's the psychology of the people involved that really drives success. Alison highlights how often leaders, especially those with technical backgrounds, might overlook the importance of these human factors until they face significant challenges in getting people to move in the right direction. It's not just about the data or scientific narratives; it's about connecting with people on a level that influences their behavior.

We also discuss the critical role of status and power in our lives and organizations. Status is about respect—how much we are valued by others—while power is about controlling resources that others care about. These two are closely linked, but they are distinct. Alison emphasizes that many people assume if they are powerful, they will automatically be respected. However, the reality is often the opposite; respect is the foundation that can lead to power. This understanding is particularly important when addressing issues like gender and minority status in the workplace, where ascribed characteristics can unfairly influence status.

Tune-in to learn more in this incredible conversation with Alison, and don't hesitate to get her recently published book!

"Be yourself in the most strategic way possible"

MEET OUR GUEST Alison Fragale, a research psychologist, award-winning professor, international keynote speaker, and author.

Alison Fragale, a research psychologist, award-winning professor, international keynote speaker, and author, on a mission to help others — especially women — work and live better by understanding and applying the science of people. Alison excels in translating her deep academic expertise is in status, power, negotiation, and influence into actionable advice. Alison is currently Professor at Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina and her research appeared in several news outlets such as Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, to name a few…

In this special episode in partnership with ESCP Business School, I’m joined by Clarissa Gorin, a pharmacist and ESCP Business School MSc Biopharmaceutical Management alum, who transitioned from the blockchain industry to head Medical Affairs at Ad Scientiam, a MedTech company specializing in digital biomarkers. Clarissa shares her journey from a traditional pharmacy career path to embracing tech innovation in healthcare, particularly in the fight against counterfeit medicines in developing countries. Her work at Ad Scientiam, which originated from the Paris Brain Institute, focuses on creating digital biomarkers using smartphone sensors and AI to monitor and predict the progression of neurodegenerative diseases. Clarissa's unique perspective highlights the importance of adaptability and the practical application of technology to meet real-world needs in the healthcare sector.

Throughout the episode, we dive into Clarissa's experiences in navigating cultural challenges in tech adoption, particularly in developing regions, and how this has shaped her approach to leading innovative projects. She emphasizes the value of understanding the specific needs of both patients and healthcare providers when developing new technologies, and the critical role that digital biomarkers and AI can play in the future of medical diagnostics and treatment. Clarissa also reflects on the importance of accessibility and humility in tech development, ensuring that solutions are not only high-tech but also practical and adaptable to diverse healthcare settings around the world.

"Effective leadership hinges on adaptability and the ability to respond swiftly to change."

MEET OUR GUEST Clarissa Gorin, Head of Medical Innovation, Medical Affairs at Ad scientam.

Clarissa holds a dual degree in Pharmacy and a Master of Science (MSc) specialized in pharmaceutical and biotechnology management from ESCP Business School. She quickly developed a keen interest in emerging technologies, data management, and their applications in the healthcare sector. Following her initial professional experience focusing on the blockchain industry and the fight against counterfeit medicines in developing countries, Clarissa joined Ad Scientiam in 2020 as Head of Medical Affairs.

Ad Scientiam, a MedTech company originating from the Paris Brain Institute, specializes in developing digital biomarkers that enable the monitoring and prediction of the progression of certain neurodegenerative pathologies and rare diseases. These innovative markers are derived from proprietary algorithms for measuring precise analysis movements, vocal activity, or image processing derived from smartphone sensors and AI technologies. Within Ad Scientiam, her role involves working collaboratively with the Scientific Board to ensure the development and validation of these biomarkers, leveraging her medical knowledge and expertise.