EWIB-Connecticut: DE&I Initiatives in Action – Ideas on How to Get Started

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) have elevated in priority for leaders across all industries and Executive Women In Bio (EWIB)-Connecticut is hosting an opportunity to learn from leaders in the field. The topic is relevant for the workforce where representation and reputation are concerned, and also requires attention when considering patient needs and health equity. COVID-19 has exacerbated our need to give greater attention to DEI and not in the historical activity-oriented and often times cosmetic approaches in the past.

Now, more than ever, our approaches need to be accessible (to all), actionable (unambiguously prioritized), and sustainable (aligned with purpose). Join us for this panel discussion with a Q&A for implementing initiatives.

Program

11:30 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. Welcome and panelist introductions
11:45 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Discussion from panelists
12:30 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Q & A from audience

Speaker Bios

Sarah Johnson, Manager of Culture, Diversity, and Inclusion / East Coast at Canaan

With well-rounded experience representing strong organizational and communication skills, Sarah has project management, promotion, and fundraising/development experience in the music, art, and tech industries. Sarah first joined Canaan as an Executive Assistant, while managing administrative duties, she also coordinated and bolstered Canaan’s first NYC office. Sarah is dedicated to creating a workplace culture that is equitable for all. She has a BA in communications from SUNY Oswego, Oswego NY.

Deborah Kroeger, SPHR, Senior Director, Talent Acquisition at Arvinas

Deborah Kroeger is the Senior Director of Talent Acquisition of Arvinas, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing new therapeutics for cancers and other difficult-to-treat diseases. With more than 200 employees, Arvinas’ headquarters is located in New Haven, CT. Celebrating her 15th year in the biopharma industry, she lives her passion of helping people achieve fulfilling careers and leading successful talent management strategies that attract, develop, and retain top talent. Her advice to candidates and organizations is the same: Know thyself, know your “differentiated” value in the talent exchange marketplace, and be authentic in communicating your “brand”. Deborah is certified in Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) personality assessment and Strong Interest Inventory (SII) career self-assessment tools. In her free time, Deborah enjoys creating memories with her husband, of 28 years, and four daughters, ages 27, 24, 22, and 20. They all appreciate good food and desserts, travel in the US and globally, whale watching, gardening, and watching NY Giants football!

Nicole Platzer, Global External Inclusion and Diversity Lead at Astra Zeneca

Nicole Platzer is Global External Inclusion and Diversity (I&D) Lead at AstraZeneca. In this role, she builds, maintains, and supports relationships between key external stakeholders and thought leaders, including external companies, councils, policymakers, diverse suppliers, and patients to develop solutions that support AstraZeneca’s I&D Contribution to Society priorities. Ms. Platzer holds a BS in biology with a minor in communications from Suffolk University in Boston, Massachusetts.

Sarah Ringuette, Executive Director, Regulatory Affairs at Biohaven Pharmaceuticals

Sarah has over 20 years of experience in pharmaceutical development including the past 10 in regulatory affairs and is currently Executive Director in Regulatory Affairs at Biohaven Pharmaceuticals. She has led regulatory strategy for small molecules, biologics, and cell and gene therapies from pre-IND through market approval and post-marketing, in oncology, immunology, infectious disease, neurology, metabolic and complement conditions, and ophthalmology across rare, ultra-rare, and non-orphan indications.

Deborah Waltz, Vice President, Quality at SpringWorks Therapeutics

Deborah is a senior quality leader with a proven track record bridging the gap between R&D and Technical Operations. She has a history of creating efficiencies, minimizing costs, and optimizing competitive edge by improving overall compliance and reducing regulatory risk. Her technical expertise includes GCP, GLP, GMP, and Drug Safety / Pharmacovigilance quality system, process, program support as well as quality system design, development, and implementation on various scales and complexities. Deborah has over 34 years in the global pharmaceutical research environment participating in over 30 NDA/BLA/MAA submissions across all therapeutic areas with an emphasis in Cardiovascular, Oncology, Anti-Infective/Immunology, Pulmonary/Respiratory, Gene Therapy/Gene Transfer, Nuclear Medicine/Diagnostic Imaging, and CNS.