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Past Events 

2013


LEADERSHIP STRATEGIES FOR ADVANCING YOUR CAREER IN SCIENCE
May 14, 2013, 6:00 - 9:00 PM

Sandra Glucksmann, WEST Board Chair and SVP of Research and Development at Cerulean Pharma, will share stories of her career challenges and success. She will discuss how to best apply your scientific and analytical abilities to develop influence and negotiation skills. Sandra will share her learning experiences as she transitioned from bench scientist to manager, and from manager to executive in both small and large company settings. She will touch on the following topics: Understanding the difference between leadership and management, leadership abilities and competencies, leadership styles, female leadership styles, and practical tools for leadership (communication, negotiation, leading effective teams, and leadership without authority).

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DESIGN YOUR LIFE
April 30, 2013, 6:00 - 9:00 PM

A workshop by Dr. Samantha Sutton of The Handel Group. Whether you are looking to build stronger relationships at home or at work, get past overwhelm and procrastination to become a master in time design, or take the next step in your career, this workshop introduces you to tools that will help you get there. Samantha will show you how to dig deep to articulate what you truly want in your life, and how to replace limiting thoughts, excuses, and beliefs with new ones that are beneficial. You will pick one area of life that you most want to impact, and create a plan-of-attack for moving forward toward your dreams in that area.  The workshop offers practical tools and step-by-step methods, including structured dialogue, self-analysis, writing exercises and live coaching.

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THE KEYS TO SUCCESSFUL PROJECT MANAGEMENT
April 22, 2013, 6:00 - 9:00 PM

Project Management can be seen as a set of technical tools to manage people, resources, and time in a structured way to accomplish a given objective. It is true that there are useful PM tools and some of those will be touched on in this workshop. However, the main differentiator between a well managed project and a poorly managed one, is the style and approach of the Project Manager. Skills such as influence, change management, resolving conflict, foreseeing and avoiding bottlenecks (human or otherwise), problem solving, and maintaining energy towards the ultimate goal are all leadership capacities that the savvy Project Manager uses to her advantage. Come and learn some lessons from a seasoned and successful Project Manager, Susan RogersProject Consultant at Fresenius Medical Care.

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GIVING AND RECEIVING FEEDBACK
April 2, 20136:00 - 9:00 PM

Good feedback is hard to come by. Often, people shy away from offering honest, constructive feedback, because they worry that the relationship will be damaged. Likewise, people often shy away from asking for feedback, for fear of what they may hear. If we only have our own perceptions to go on, our blind spots will keep us from developing to our full potential. And when we withhold important performance information from others, we keep ourselves comfortable at the cost of their development. Come to this interactive workshop lead by Ali Farquhar to learn about why it is hard to both give and get feedback, and develop some skills that will make it easier. 

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INTERVIEWING AND RESUME WRITING
March 27, 20136:00 - 9:00 PM

Starting a job search can be a daunting process no matter where you are in your career.  There is a lot of competition for jobs and companies want to hire the absolute best.  So how do you ensure you are one of the lucky ones that get to interview for the job you want?  First, you start with telling your story through your resume.  You’re heard the horror stories about that recruiter who only looks at your resume for a matter of seconds and if you don’t have “what they’re looking for” they move on.  Take heart, this isn’t true of all HR departments and hiring managers.  The goal is to target your job search, apply for jobs for which you are qualified, and then ensure your resume speaks to what the hiring manager is seeking.  In this workshop, we’ll talk about how to get noticed and how about those pesky cover letters?  Once you get an interview, we’ll talk about selling yourself to a stranger.  It’s about having a conversation and providing insight to who you are, what you’ve accomplished and how you can help a new company achieve its goals.  Your work starts long before you step foot in an interviewers office, so we’ll talk about researching a prospective employer, questions you should be prepared to ask and questions you need to ask.  Remember, you are interviewing a new employer just as much as they are interviewing you! Workshop run by Heather McGotty, Director of Human Resources at Welch's.

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JOURNEY TO THE TOP: LESSONS LEARNED ALONG THE WAY
March 26, 20136:00 - 9:00 PM

WEST is hosting a panel of C-Suite women at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard for an event called: "Journey to the Top: Lessons Learned Along the Way." Adelene Perkins, Deb Besemer, Kirk Arnold, and Joanna Horobin, four women who have defied the statistics to reach the top of their organizations, will share what they learned on their career journeys and offer advice to other women who would like to follow in their footsteps. This panel discussion will be moderated by Alice Koehn Benson, Executive Vice President at Coulter Partners.  Appetizers, wine, dessert, and coffee will be served.

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THE VALUE BUILDER
March 14, 20136:00 - 9:00 PM

Workshop run by Fredia Woolf, President of Woolf Consulting, Catalyzing Transformational Breakthroughs for Leaders and Teams.

Come and Learn the 5-V approach to building your own Value and Confidence as an Upcoming Leader

Value – how to identify, articulate and develop strengths, and re-vision your résumé

Values – how to recognize your personal bottom line, set boundaries, resolve internal conflicts, and make trade-offs

Vision – create an inspiring personal vision and clear the obstacles to putting it into action

Visibility – make strategic choices about where, when and how to be visible, and create an outreach strategy

Voice – develop confidence and “executive presence”, through more effective communication up, down and laterally, within your organization and outside of it.  

Women who gain clarity about and practice these five V's have an excellent basis for developing a strong personal brand and a strategic career path.

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ANATOMY OF A BLINDSIDE
February 13, 2013, 6:00 - 9:00 PM

Workshop given by Bonnie Marcus, M.Ed, CEC, Certified Executive Coach, Forbes contributing writer

The workplace is a highly politicized environment where key decisions about who gets ahead, who gets plum assignments, and who gets the scarce resources are not just decided on merit, but politics.

Everyone talks about the glass ceiling and how women need to knock on the glass ceiling to get ahead. What’s really going on is that there is a political power grid that holds women back, not a glass ceiling, and this power grid is so hidden and buried that women don’t even know it exists. And because they don’t know it exists, they can accidentally step on something and get blindsided.

During this presentation, attendees will learn:

  • How to map the power grid in their organization, identify the key stakeholders and rate their influence.
  • How to use promotion as a political skill for access to informal networks, information, and opportunities.
  • The three essential tools required to get ahead and stay ahead in today’s workplace.

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EFFECTIVE TRANSITION FROM ACADEMIA TO INDUSTRY
January 24, 2013,  6:00 - 9:00 PM

Learn the critical skills necessary for a smooth and effective transition from academia to industry.

Lessons learned from a variety of individual experiences.  Panelist to include:

  • Hila Epstein, Associate Director at Entrega
  • Paula Feinberg-Zadek, Field Application Scientist at GE Healthcare
  • Paulina Hill, Senior Associate at Polaris Venture Partners
  • Rachel Meyers, Vice President at Alnylam Pharmaceuticals
  • Erika Reynoso, Senior Publications Specialist at Vertex Pharmaceuticals
  • Yelena Wetherill, Clinical Research Scientist at ARIAD Pharmaceuticals, Inc

Panel discussion moderated by Gwen Acton, former WEST President and President of Vivo Group.

Article: From Academic Solos to Industrial Symphonies

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2012


WEST's 5th ANNUAL "GIVING BACK" AWARDS CEREMONY
December 4, 2012 Boston, MA 6:00 - 9:30 PM

Please join WEST for our 5th Annual "Giving Back" Awards Ceremony, as we honor three extraordinary women that have made a profound societal impact:

Toni Wolfman - Executive Advisor of the Center for Women and Business at Bentley University. See her bio, HERE.
Yvonne Spicer, Ed.D. - Vice President of Advocacy and Educational Partnerships at the National Center for Technological Literacy. See her bio, HERE.
Vanessa Kerry, MD, MSc - Associate Director of Partnerships and Global Initiatives and Director of MGH Global Health Service Corps Partnership at the Mass General Center for Global Health. See her bio, HERE

We will also honor WEST volunteers and interns.

Wine, Hors d'oeuvres, a three course meal  will be served.
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CAREER POSSIBILITIES: SPEED NETWORKING NIGHT
November 27, 2012 Cambridge, MA 6:00 - 9:00 PM

Do you want to define your value proposition, explore career possibilities, and be inspired by women who have grown their science and technology careers in different directions? 

Panel Discussion and Networking with the following women:

Renuka Babu, MBA - Director of New Ventures in the Office of Technology Development at Boston University
Diala Ezzedine, PhD - Chief Business Officer at X-Chem Pharmaceuticals 
Kelley Hill - Medical Writing Director at Shire Human Genetic Therapies
Jing L. Marantz, MD, PhD, MBA Vice President, Global Medical Affairs at Ariad Pharmaceuticals
Laura McNamee, PhD - Research Scholar at the Center for Integration of Science and Industry and Adjunct Professor at Bentley University   

Theresa O'Keefe, PhD - Chief Scientific Officer, Pharma Cycle Inc.
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INFLUENCING WITHOUT AUTHORITY
October 22, 2012 Waltham, MA 6:00 - 9:00 PM

Sherri Malouf, President and Master Trainer of Situation Management System, Inc., developers of the Positive Power and Influence Program, will be leading the engaging, fun and  experiential learning session "Influencing without Authority. 

Sherri is entrepreneurial, a  seasoned professional trainer and consultant with over thirty years experience. she is highly effective working with different levels of people in a variety of industries.  Sherri has delivered training programs and coached individuals in both the public and private sector in the areas of influence negotiation, leadership and team building.
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FALL NETWORKING EVENT
October 11, 2012 Cambridge, MA 6:30 - 8:30 PM

Come and network! Learn about what WEST has in store for you this year.
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INFLUENCING WITHOUT AUTHORITY
October 10, 2012 Shrewsbury, MA 6:00 - 9:00 PM

Sherri Malouf, President and Master Trainer of Situation Management System, Inc., developers of the Positive Power and Influence Program, will be leading the engaging, fun and  experiential learning session "Influencing without Authority. 

Sherri is entrepreneurial, a  seasoned professional trainer and consultant with over thirty years experience. she is highly effective working with different levels of people in a variety of industries.  Sherri has delivered training programs and coached individuals in both the public and private sector in the areas of influence negotiation, leadership and team building.

During the session, you will:

  • Participate in an exercise to experience influence energy and learn more about the Situational Influence Model.
  • Practice the different ways to positively influence people.
  • Learn how to handle unproductive or stressful interactions.

In preparation for the meeting, please think about a challenging influence situation, as you will apply the influence styles to thinking through how to deal with this situation more effectively.
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WEST FALL EXECUTIVE WOMEN'S DINNER
October 3, 2012 Cambridge, MA 6:00 - 9:00 PM

WEST's first Women's Executive Dinner kicking off the season with a women CEO panel discussing the topic of Challenges facing women CEO's in the current economic climate.
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WEST’S TEN-MONTH LEADERSHIP AND PIPELINE DEVELOPMENT
September 19, 2012 and September 27, 2012 Waltham and Cambridge, MA 6:00 - 9:00 PM

The intention of this program is to develop women in their STEM careers as leaders so that they consistently make a difference in the organizations they serve and in the world.

Core to the program is that each participant collaboratively creates a ten-month impossible project that makes either a societal or organizational impact. The design, development, and implementation of an impossible project serves as a laboratory for learning leadership development.
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OVERCOMING IMMUNITY TO CHANGE
September 24, 2012 Waltham, MA 6:00- 9:30 PM

Have you ever set yourself a goal that you really wanted and needed to reach but found yourself unable to make progress? Or perhaps you took a few positive steps only to slide frustratingly back to square one? Overcoming Immunity to Change provides a powerful methodology to help individuals and teams get “unstuck” and finally make lasting progress on goals that matter to them. It is a process that leads people to a clear understanding of why they do what they do, and how their underlying patterns of thinking keep them from progress even when they seem committed to action. Participants come to the Overcoming Immunity to Change workshop with a particular personal goal in mind and focus on that goal throughout the workshop. By the end of the process, they have a clear handle on how they get in their own way, and practical tools to help them step aside. The process can be used with individuals and with teams to achieve breakthrough change.

As a certified Immunity to Change Coach, Ali has guided many leaders to re-evaluate the outdated stories they tell themselves about what they must do to be successful, and to replace those stories with a new narrative that puts them on a whole new performance curve.

This program includes a three hour long session, as well as a half an hour of networking and food.
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END OF SEASON CELEBRATION NETWORKING EVENT
June 20, 2012 Cambridge, MA
 7:00pm-9:00pm

Come join WEST as we celebrate the end of our busy season with out community.
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PRACTICAL ADVICE FOR THE PART-TIME ALLIANCE MANAGER
June 13, 2012 Waltham, MA 6:00pm-9:00pm

Many in the biopharmaceutical / healthcare sectors have been made responsible for managing collaborations on behalf of their organizations, while maintaining other key responsibilities. What is the most effective way to manage these deals when you are also in another full-time role? What are the “must do” activities to keep your collaborations on track, versus those which might be “nice to have”? Come to this event to hear practical advice from local alliance leaders.
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KEY SUCCESS FACTORS FOR WOMEN IN STEM
June 7, 2012 Worcester, MA 6:00pm-9:00pm

A discussion on research from Catalyst, the Anita Borg Institute, and Harvard Business School on the key success factors for women who want to succeed in their STEM careers. This will be led by WEST's Executive Director Ilene Fischer.
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AN EXECUTIVE WOMEN'S DINNER - THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF WOMEN ON BOARDS
June 6, 2012 Cambridge, MA 6:00pm-9:00pm

Topic: The Economic Impact of Women on Boards 

With panelists:
Steve Grossman - Massachusetts State Treasurer. Bio click HERE
Stephanie Sonnebend - President of Sonesta Hotels and Founder of 2020 Women on Boards. Bio click HERE
Linda Whitlock - Lead Director on Cambridge Trust Board. Bio click HERE
Patricia Flynn - Trustee Professor of Economics and Management at Bentley University. Bio click HERE

The panel will be moderated by Kim Zeoli - Senior Partner at Deloitte & Touche LLP’s National Business Risk Advisory Practice. Bio click HERE
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TO MBA OR NOT MBA

May 30, 2012 Waltham, MA 6:00pm-9:00pm

At some point in their careers, many women in science and technology find themselves presented with this question:  Does it make sense for me to enroll in an MBA plan and, if so, when and under what circumstances? A panel of four very accomplished men and women, two of whom have MBA degrees and two of whom do not, will address the factors that you should take into account in making this decision and the alternative career paths that may be open to you with and without an MBA degree. The panel will be moderated by Bentley University’s Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. 

Non-MBA Panelists:
Sandra Glucksmann, Senior Vice President of Research and Business Operations at Cerulean Pharma. 
Read her bio HERE
Laura Raminis, Managing partner for Mercer's New England region. Read her bio HERE

MBA Panelist:
Colleen O'Keefe, Senior Level Global Technology Executive. Read her bio HERE 
Chris Bortlik, SharePoint Technologist Specialist at Microsoft. Read his bio HERE
Catherine Mitchell, Senior Director of Technology Services Group for the Enterprise Storage Division within IIP (Information & Infrastructure Products) at EMC Corporation. Read her bio HERE

Moderator:
Michael Paige will moderate the discussion. Read his bio HERE
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A TALE OF TWO INDUSTRIES: THE EMERGING ROLE OF ALLIANCE MANAGEMENT IN THE BIOPHARMA AND TECHNOLOGY SECTOR
May 22, 2012 Cambridge, MA 6:00pm-9:00pm

This evening's event includes a Panel who will be addressing questions such as:

  • What is Alliance Management?
  • How did the practice evolve in the BioPharma and Tech sectors?
  • What is a Typical Week like in Alliance Management?
  • Tools of the Trade:  Governance, Frameworks, and Metrics
  • What are industry-specific differences in managing alliances?
  • Top Tips for Working in Collaborative Relationships
  • Career Pathways / Certifications

The group will then move to several smaller table groupings with Boston area Alliance Managers who will moderate and answer questions on the evening's topic and provide materials outlining key thoughts on the topic.
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WEST's LEADERSHIP AWARDS EVENT    (THIS EVENT SOLD OUT)
May 3, 2012 Cambridge, MA  6:00pm-9:00pm

It is our pleasure to invite you to WEST's fifth-annual Leadership Awards Event, our most exciting and engaging event of the year.

This year's Awardees are:

Ellen Zane- served as President and CEO  of Tufts Medical Center, serves as the Chairperson of the Massachusetts Hospital Association and a director at Parexel. See her bio HERE

Pam Reeve- Founder and CEO of Lightbridge (one of the first women CEO's of a tech firm), chair of the Commonwealth Institute board, Lead director American Tower and on other technology company boards. See her bio HERE

Leanna Caron- SVP and GM of Sanofis's Regenerative Medicine Business, WEST Advisory board member, Canadian and Olympic figure skating judge. See her bio HERE

Cynthia Gilbert- is a technologist and patent attorney who founded Hyperion Law in 2010, after a successful tenure at a prominent national law firm. Cynthia helps small– and medium– sized technology companies protect their key innovations with a comprehensive patent strategy. See her bio HERE

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BUILDING BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL PRESENCE USING SOCIAL MEDIA
April 24, 2012 Waltham, MA  6:00pm-9:00pm

A Panel discussion with experts on social media. Panelist:
Kathleen Buckley, Director of Marketing, Hollister, Inc. Read her Bio HERE
Kathy O'Reilly, Senior Director of Social Media Relations for Monster Worldwide. Read her Bio HERE
Chris Bortlik, SharePoint Technologist Specialist at Microsoft. Read his Bio HERE

Are you doing enough to build your personal profile and your business online? 
What are strategic ways to use social media tools?

Learn about the latest social media tools and how to use them to build real relationships with potential clients and referral sources. Communication strategies can help build business and increase your SEO (search engine optimization). Learn about how to find communities online to expand your reach for potential business. Each tool requires different communication techniques and a plan.

You will learn techniques and how to use the following Social Media Tools: LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and maximizing Timeline format, YouTube, Blogs

Also learn about:
    •    Online Communities
    •    Finding Press Opportunities
    •    How to communicate using these tools
    •    How to integrate all of these into your marketing materials
    •    Overview of SEO and measurement

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ARTICULATING YOUR VALUE: A VALUE BASED APPROACH TO RESUME WRITING, NETWORKING AND INTERVIEWING
April 18, 2012 Boston, MA 6:00pm-9:00pm

Cissie Klavens will lead this practical and interactive program focused on your ability to understand and articulate your value as a critical factor in career success. Cissie has over 25 years of experience as an executive/career coach, search professional, and entrepreneur. She works in organizations and with individuals, encouraging her clients to be reflective and understand their value in the marketplace as a major factor in achieving their goals.
This program will present some innovative and useful ideas that you can integrate immediately in your own career management strategies.

  • How to understanding and articulate your distinctive value (your currency) in the marketplace
    How to adapt a VALUE based approach to:

        • Resume writing
        • Networking
        • Interviews
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MORE TIME FOR YOU NOW

Led by Alesia Latson, author of the book, More Time for Me – This program focuses on managing time so that create work life balance and have more time for yourself. It also trains you to be much more effective in your job.
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ADVANCED COMMUNICATION AND PRESENTATION SKILLS WORKSHOP
March 23, 2012 Cambridge, MA 6:00pm-9:00pm

Many of you asked to take a deeper dive and receiving one-on-one coaching from Tom Kennedy.
This is your opportunity. This program is limited to the first 15 people that sign up.
It is a day long program. You will be videotaped and coached on your presentation and communication skills.

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BUILDING YOUR PERSONAL BRAND WORKSHOP 

March 6, 2012 Waltham, MA 6:00pm-9:00pm

West's Executive Director Ilene Fischer will lead this program that she developed when she worked with Management guru Tom Peters.
In this program you will:
Understanding branding and its importance in the fullest sense.
Understand your personal brand promise and how it contributes to the strategic direction of your team, organization, and your strategic partnership.
Design a personal brand strategy that increases your distinction and inspired performance.

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MORE TIME FOR ME
March 5, 2012 Waltham, MA
6:00pm-9:00pm
Led by Alesia Latson, author of the book, More Time for Me – This program focuses on managing time so that create work life balance and have more time for yourself. It also trains you to be much more effective in your job.
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EXECUTIVE WOMEN'S DINNER: LESSONS LEARNED - BARBARA LYNCH EVENT
WEST invites executive women who currently hold or have held positions of Director or above to attend

LESSONS LEARNED FROM A SERIAL ENTREPRENEUR
March 1, 2012 Cambridge, MA 6:00pm-9:00pm
With James Beard Award winning Chef and owner of nine restaurants Barbara Lynch
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WEST VOLUNTEERING MEETING
February 23, 2012 Cambridge MA

Thank you for your interest and support of WEST by your interest in volunteering. We will be holding a WEST volunteer meeting on 2/23/12 from 6-8:30pm. We will serve a light dinner at the meeting.

The meeting will run from 6-8:30pm. We will have time for networking from 6-6:30pm. From 6:30-8pm we will offer you an overview of our volunteer program and discuss the details on what each volunteer job entails. We will ask you to fill out information about your talent, interest, and areas that you would like to develop so that we can decide the volunteer position that is best suited for you. We will discuss upcoming volunteer opportunities for you to participate in. From 8-8:30pm we will network and close the evening. This event is complimentary and acknowledgement of your willingness to support WEST through your volunteer efforts.
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MORE TIME FOR ME
February 22, 2012 Cambridge, MA 6:00pm - 9:00pm

Led by Alesia Latson, author of the book, More Time for Me – This program focuses on managing time so that create work life balance and have more time for yourself. It also trains you to be much more effective in your job.
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PART 2 PROGRAM MANAGEMENT IN LIFE SCIENCES

Part 2 Workshop February 16, 2012 Waltham, MA 6:00 PM - 9:00pm
Please join us for this exciting and participatory two-part series led by:
Emily Walsh, Ph.D.
Principal Consultant at Halloran Consulting Group, Inc. and Marie Keaveney, Ph.D. Experienced Program Manager

Learn the techniques and tools effective program managers use to:
    •    Align and organize teams
    •    Track projects
    •    Provide senior management visibility on project progress
Learn the tools from simple time-lines to responsibility matrices to strategies for financial planning. You will learn key techniques and ways to best implement them in order to ensure success for your project and pipeline.
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ADVANCED COMMUNICATION AND PRESENTATION SKILLS
February 9, 2012 Worcester, MA 6:00 - 9:00pm

You never get a second chance to make a first impression: Most executives agree that effective communication and presentation skills make a definitive difference in growing your career and being promoted into challenging roles.

In this interactive workshop led by Tom Kennedy, Former WBZ News Anchor and CEO Coach, you will engage in advanced tools for effective communication and presentation skills that will enable you to boost your success in your career and in business.
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PART 1 AND 2 PROGRAM MANAGEMENT IN LIFE SCIENCES
Part 1: WEBINAR February 2, 2012; Part 2 (upcoming): Program Management 201 February 16, 2012 Waltham, MA 6:00pm - 9:00pm
Please join us for this exciting and participatory two-part series led by: Emily Walsh, Ph.D. Principal Consultant at Halloran Consulting Group, Inc. and Marie Keaveney, Ph.D. Experienced Program Manager
Learn the techniques and tools effective program managers use to:

    Align and organize teams
    Track projects
    Provide senior management visibility on project progress

Learn the tools from simple time-lines to responsibility matrices to strategies for financial planning. You will learn key techniques and ways to best implement them in order to ensure success for your project and pipeli
ne.

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CAREER POSSIBILITIES: SPEED NETWORKING NIGHT

January 31, 2012 Cambridge, MA 6:00pm-9:00pm
Do you want to define your value proposition, explore career possibilities, and be inspired by women who have grown their science and technology careers in different directions?
Evening Career Mentors:
Mary Stack, Vice President of Finance at Cubist Pharmaceuticals.
Jagathi Gururajan, Director, Operations, RBM Technologies.
Patricia McGloin is a global marketing executive who is best known for her leadership in the areas of strategic positioning, branding, go-to-market planning and execution. Pat currently chairs the Marketing Committee for WEST.
Sandra Glucksmann, Ph.D., is currently Senior Vice President of Research and Business Operations at Cerulean Pharma and Chair for WEST Board of Directors.
Paulina Hill, Senior Associate at Polaris Venture Partners.
Karla Ferry, Global Account Director at TIBCO Software.Cambridge, MA
Ramani Varanasi, Biopharma Executive, Strategy & Business Development Consultant.
Cynthia Gilbert, Intell
ectual Property attorney.

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CAREER NAVIGATOR PROGRAM 

January 27, 2012 Kendall Square, MA 6:00pm-9:00pm (last Tuesday of each month for six months)

Find your optimal path to career success with the guidance of expert career experts from WEST. Our Career NavigatorTM Program will help you find the most fulfilling destinations to fit your industry career and life objectives in a series of six customized, small groups sessions made up of 15 WEST members.

Each session will be interactive, driven by the needs of the WEST-selected participants and guided by leading women in the science and technology community. Capture the power of the WEST network and find the smart way to energize and advance your career by demonstrating your commitment and drive to improve. Maximize your contributions on the industry career path you have chosen with the WEST community helping you at every critical turn.
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BUILDING YOUR PERSONAL BRAND WORKSHOP 

January 17, 2012 Waltham, MA 6:00pm-9:00pm

West's Executive Director Ilene Fischer will lead this program that she developed when she worked with Management guru Tom Peters.
In this program you will:
Understanding branding and its importance in the fullest sense.
Understand your personal brand promise and how it contributes to the strategic direction of your team, organization, and your strategic partnership.
Design a personal brand strategy that increases your distinction and inspired performance.
MORE INFO


WEST TOWN-HALL MEETING

January 11, 2012, Cambridge, MA 6:00pm-9:00pm
The WEST Executive Director and Board of Directors is offering this town-hall meeting to share the direction and vision for the organization and to answer any questions you may have about WEST's vision. This will also be a networking opportunity..

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2011


 

HOLIDAY PARTY: GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY AWARDS
Come Join The WEST 2011 Holiday Party Through Pictures! Here

December 13, Cambridge, MA  6:00pm-9:00pm
Be inspired by and celebrate women that give back to the community.
Join us as we honor:
Barbara Lynch, keynote speaker,James Beard award-winning chef (No. 9 Park, Menton, Sportello) and serial entrepreneur,
speaks about launching an initiative to cultivate healthy, sustainable eating habits at Boston’s at-risk schools
Microsoft’s Sara Spalding and her community relations team: offering event space to non-profit organizations and
supporting early stage start-ups and students in technology

Eliane Markoff, founder of Art in Giving, an organization promoting the fine arts to benefit her pediatric cancer research foundation
...and Noteworthy, Extraordinary WEST Volunteers
Participate in the Silent Auction to support WEST’s mission and community
  • Dinner for 10 prepared by chef Barbara Lynch and chef/owner
  • Ana Sortun, of Oleana
  • Tickets to the Boston Bruins and other Boston based events
  • Coaching in presentation skills by Tom Kennedy – former WBZ anchor
  • Golf packages, food & wine baskets and much more!
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PROJECT MANAGEMENT IN TECHNOLOGY - PANEL DISCUSSION
November 17, Boston, MA 6:00pm-9:00pm
Join WEST as a panel of experts in Project Management in Technology share their valuable perspectives and strategies for success.
Please join our panelist: Tiffany Willis - Agile Coach with BigVisible Solutions transforms organizations through enterprise wide agile adoption and Elizabeth Gallant - Project Success Expert is currently responsible for leading regulatory, Sarbanes-Oxley and internal profitability reporting projects for State Street.

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PROGRAM MANAGEMENT IN LIFE SCIENCES
November 1, Boston, MA 6:00pm-9:00pm

Two-part workshop led by: Emily Walsh, Ph.D. Principal Consultant at Halloran Consulting Group, Inc. and Marie Keaveney, Ph.D. Experienced Program Manager. Learn the tools from simple time-lines to responsibility matrices to strategies for financial planning. You will learn key techniques and ways to best implement them in order to ensure success for your project and pipeline.
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EXECUTIVE WOMEN'S DINNER
October 25, Boston, MA 6:00pm-9:00pm
Ilene Lang, President & CEO of Catalyst, will be announcing Catalyst's latest research on Women in the Workplace. This event is open to executive women that are director level or above or if you are in transition, in your last job you were a director level or above. 

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COMMUNICATION WORKSHOP BY TOM KENNEDY 

October 13 and October 18 6:00pm - 9:00pm
A workshop led by Tom Kennedy, former WBZ news anchor and CEO Coach. You never get a second chance to make a first impression. Most executives agree that effective communication and presentation skills make a definitive difference in growing your career and being promoted into challenging roles. In this interactive workshop you will engage in advanced tools for effective communication and presentation skills that will enable you to boost your success in your career and in business. 
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INNOVATIVE TRENDS IN LIFE SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY

September 20, Boston, MA 6:30pm-9:30 pm
Continuing our theme of Innovation, Passion and Perseverance, WEST is presenting "Innovative Trends in Life Sciences and Technology" with speakers, Susan Windham Bannister, President and CEO of Massachusetts Life Science Center and Irene Greif, IBM Fellow and Director of the IBM Center for Social Software.  
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WEST - MASS LIFE SCIENCE CENTER'S FY2012 ACCELERATOR LOAN PROGRAM 
July 7, Cambridge, MA 4:00pm-5:30pm 
WEST is collaborating with Mass Life Sciences Center to bring you the FY2012 Accelerator Loan Program. The primary objective of the Accelerator Loan Program is to provide working capital to early stage life sciences companies that are in the process of further developing their science/technology and have not yet raised more than $7.5 million in equity financing. This is an information session about who is eligible for these loans and how to apply for them.
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WEST LEADERSHIP AWARDS EVENT
June 8,
Cambridge, MA 6:00pm-9:00pm
It is our pleasure to invite you to WEST's fourth-annual Leadership Awards Event, our most exciting and engaging event of the year. This is our opportunity to acknowledge women who have demonstrated extraordinary leadership in science and technology. Join us in honoring these talented women, who have achieved success either within larger organizations, or in starting their own companies. Be moved and inspired by the stories these exceptional women share, network with the movers and shakers in the Science and Technology community.

2010 WEST Leadership Awardees:

Jennifer Tour Chayes
- Distinguished Scientist and Managing Director of the Microsoft New England Research and Development (NERD) Center

Laura Fitton - CEO/Founder of www.oneforty.com
Joanna Horobin - CEO Syndax
Lydia Villa-Komaroff - Chief Science Officer Cytonome
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"WOMEN DON'T ASK": EFFECTIVE NEGOTIATION STRATEGY WORKSHOP
May 19, Cambridge, MA 5:30pm-9:00pm

Whether they want higher salaries, enhanced career opportunities, or more help at home, women are much less likely than men to ask for what they want. Women pay for this reluctance in every aspect of their lives-from under-utilization of their skills at work to strained relationships and health problems at home. They advance more slowly professionally and often fail to rise into positions for which they're well qualified-and where they have a lot to contribute. These are losses that women (and their employers) don't need to suffer. By mastering a few basic principles, planning carefully, and practicing, you can become an effective negotiator.
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'GET ON BOARD: INSIDE THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS'
April 7, Cambridge, MA 5:30pm-9:00pm
If you would like to serve on a board, are already on a board, or work with a board, join us for Get on Board! The panelists are directors of both for-profit and nonprofit organization boards, and will address issues relating to service as directors, including the combinations of skills and experiences that boards are seeking, how to best position yourself for nonprofit or for-profit board candidacy, resources available to help you identify and take advantage of both paid and volunteer board opportunities, what it’s like to serve as a director on a board, and issues particular to women on boards.
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VC & ANGEL INVESTOR PANEL DISCUSSION
March 10, Cambridge, MA 6:00pm-9:00pm
Both Angel Investors and venture capitalists (VCs) provide funding for early stage science and technology companies.  Our expert panel will discuss the similarities and differences between these two types of investors, what they are looking for in prospective companies, the best way to pitch an idea to a potential investor, and career opportunities related to investing in start-ups.
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JOB INTERVIEWS: THE ART & STRATEGY OF SUCCESS' WORKSHOP

February 17, Cambridge, MA 5:30pm-9:00pm

The gateways to career advancement are successful interviews. How do we investigate new, potentially interesting opportunities? In a challenging job market, how do we ensure that the impression we make during an interview will distinguish us from the rest?  Join us to learn valuable strategies that will help expand your reach as well as get you noticed and remembered by hiring managers.
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ALTERNATIVE CAREERS FOR SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS

February 10, Cambridge, MA 6:00pm-9:00pm

If you are exploring your options, leaving your job, or want to learn more about career choices, please join us for our annual Alternative Careers in Science and Technology event. Meet and network with an extensive panel of “One-Night Mentors” who have experience breaking into and thriving in careers outside of academia including: business development, patent law, consulting, communications, project management, financial services, and technology transfer.
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ANNUAL WEST HOLIDAY PARTY AND NETWORKING EVENT

January 20, Boston, MA 6:00pm-9:00pm

This annual event celebrates Women, Entrepreneurs, Science and Technology. The energetic and festive occasion provides formal and informal networking opportunities with other WEST members, a chance to hear about exciting developments at WEST, entertainment, good food, and time to enjoy the party. We will also be acknowledging those who "Give Back" to others in science and technology.
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2010

  

'PROFESSIONAL TURBOCHARGE: ENTREPRENEURIALLY MANAGING YOUR CAREER AND LIFE'

December 8, Cambridge, MA 6:00pm-9:00pm

Now is the time for thinking ahead to get ahead! Evaluate and boost your career for the new year! Take a proactive and strategic approach to what new directions and explorations you want to make next year in this special panel discussion and networking event.  
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'LAUNCHING STARTUPS'

Co-sponsored by Society of Women Engineers (SWE)

November 18, Boston, MA 6:00-8:30pm

Dr. Abigail Barrow, Founding Director of the Massachusetts Technology Transfer Center, will share insights on how startups get off the ground and find funding. She will also discuss the roles and opportunities available to engineers in emerging technology firms. In addition, she will review the resources supporting technological and scientific entrepreneurship in the state. 
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'IMPACT OF 'NEW MEDIA' ON SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY'

November 9, Cambridge, MA 6:00pm-9:00pm
Join a lively panel discussion about the how "new media" tools have far reaching impacts – beyond the obvious use of Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter – in today's competitive science and technology research and business environment. 
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'ASSERTIVENESS AS ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT: STRATEGIES FOR TECHNICAL WOMEN' WORKSHOP

October 21, Cambridge, MA 5:30pm-9:00pm

This workshop will teach dynamic strategies and techniques to help you ramp up your confidence and effectiveness.  
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'MARKETING YOUR IDEAS (AND YOURSELF)' PANEL DISCUSSION
October 14, Cambridge, MA 
This panel discussion will address both "hard" and "soft" issues to better articulate and market your ideas (and your self) to achieve your professional goals. 
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'COMMUNICATION STYLES' WORKSHOP
September 21, Cambridge, MA

Communication skills are ranked among the most useful in advancing careers, keeping a job, or finding new employment. This 3-hour participatory workshop will help you better understand your style to be more effective in your career in science, technology or any field. 

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'FALL KICKOFF PARTY'
September 14, Cambridge, MA
Join us at WEST's fall kickoff event and help us celebrate the organization's 10th anniversary! Everyone is welcome to attend.
 
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'SUMMER SKILLS SERIES' WORKSHOPS

June & July 2010

Summer is a great time to expand your skill set! This series consists of small, interactive 3+ hour workshops in which you will gain new expertise through participatory exercises and lectures. Designed specifically for those in the science and technology industries. You can sign up for just one workshop, several, or the whole series – there is an increasing discount the more workshops you sign up for. 

   DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS: EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION DURING CONFLICT

   NEGOTIATE FOR SUCCESS: OUTCOME DRIVEN DISCUSSIONS

   HERDING CATS: EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP IN SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

   CREATING YOUR "BRAND" USING SOCIAL NETWORKING TECHNOLOGY

   NAVIGATING CHANGE: MANAGING PERSONAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL TRANSITIONS

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WEST LEADERSHIP AWARDS CELEBRATION

June 9, 6:00pm-9:00pm Cambridge, MA

The third annual WEST celebration honored women who have been entrepreneurial – either by starting their own companies, or by taking risks and achieving success within larger companies. The awards were presented at an elegant evening party in Cambridge. MORE INFO 

NETWORKING WORKSHOP: LEARNING THE ART OF THE 'INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEW'

April 28, 5:30pm-9:00pm Cambridge, MA

In a challenging job market, the most successful seekers are those that make the most effective use of their networks to find connections they did not know they had, uncover opportunities that may not even be posted and ensure that their resumes are actually read and remembered by hiring managers.

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ALTERNATIVE CAREER PATHS FOR SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS

April 14, 6:00pm-9:00pm Cambridge, MA

Over 15 One-Night Mentors made brief presentations about how they broke into and thrived in careers outside of academia. They were then available for speed networking at separate tables for an opportunity to ask them questions.

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MORE IMPACT IN LESS TIME

March 25, 6:00-9:00pm Cambridge MA

The three major obstacles faced by many executive women – and what you can do to avoid them.

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BUILDING STRONG RELATIONSHIPS AT WORK

March 10 Noon-2:00pm Luncheon,Cambridge MA

At some point many of us have to deal with a difficult boss or coworker. This luncheon seminar will provide concrete tools for handling challenging work situations. Led by Katherine Crowley and Kathi Elster, coauthors of the bestselling book Working With You is Killing Me.

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PROJECT LEADERSHIP SERIES

February 2010

Project and alliance management are becoming increasingly important in the science and technology industries. In this two part WEST series, you will expand your leadership, influencing and motivational skills.  
  MANAGING THROUGH INFLUENCE  
  PROJECT MANAGEMENT 101

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ANNUAL WEST HOLIDAY PARTY AND NETWORKING EVENT

January 21  6:00pm-9:00pm Boston, MA

This annual event celebrates Women, Entrepreneurs, Science and Technology. The energetic and festive occasion provides formal and informal networking opportunities with other WEST members, a chance to hear about exciting developments at WEST, entertainment, good food, and time to enjoy the party. We will also be acknowledging those who "Give Back" to others in science and technology.

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