The Pathway for Success for Hispanics and Latinos in Biotech

Location:  

Johnson & Johnson

320 Bent St.

Cambridge, MA

Carolina Alarco has more than 25 years of experience in the biotech industry in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Carolina is the founder and principal of Bio Strategy Advisors, a strategic business consulting firm servicing biotech and medtech start-ups and medium-sized life sciences companies. She is the Co-Founder and Chair of Latinos in Bio, a 501(c)(3) non-profit which amplifies the social capital of latinos in the Biotech industry. She serves on the Board of 3 private biotech companies: Syte.bio, Dione Antibiotics and NED Biosystems; and on the Advisory Board of Eastern Bank. She is also a Strategic Consultant at Interlink Markets Investment Bank, an Angel investor at Walnut Ventures and The Longevity Network, and a Venture Partner at AccelHUB Ventures. She serves on the Mass General Hospital Physicians Organization (MGPO) Board of Trustees, the Massachusetts STEM Advisory Council, the Latino Council at Boston Children’s Hospital (past-Chair) and the Board of Latinos in Bio. She has also served on the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce Women’s Advisory Board, on the CURE Rare Disease Foundation Board and on the New England Latin American Business Council. Carolina holds a Graduate Degree in Business and Management from Harvard University (Cambridge, MA, USA) and a BS in Business Administration from the University of Lima (Lima, Peru).

Dr. Jesús Gómez-Navarro is a physician-scientist, medical oncologist, and drug development executive with over 20 years of experience in biopharma, including developing clinical talent and providing the technical oversight that led to the approval of seven anticancer drugs and biologics in the US, EU, Japan, and China. Retired now from Takeda after 25 years in the US, Jesús is a dual citizen, spending time in Boston and Madrid to balance work and family life and expand his reach. As the principal of Oncadios LLC he intends to leverage his connections with academic researchers and industry leaders and continue to help organizations build partnerships and collaborations and assist others in embracing and pursuing emerging opportunities, steering and striving towards curing cancer.

Dr. Laura Lande-Diner is the Chief Business Officer at Satellite Bio. Lande-Diner is an experienced C-level executive and entrepreneur with a deep scientific background and demonstrated expertise in platform companies across a broad range of technologies and therapeutic modalities. Prior to joining Satellite as the first employee, she co-founded and helped build four life sciences companies. Lande-Diner is passionate about diversity and is committed to efforts that improve the balance of women represented in the life sciences. Born and raised in Argentina, Lande-Diner earned her Ph.D. in Epigenetics and Molecular Biology from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem Medical School in Israel and conducted her postdoctoral training in Circadian Biology at Harvard Medical School.

Dr. Joyce Ojeda is an Associated Director, Translational Clinical Medical Leader at the Immunology-Therapeutical Area of Janssen Pharmaceuticals. Before joining Janssen, Joyce held different positions at Sanofi Pasteur, in the MoH of Mexico, and at the Faculty of Medicine of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) as an adjunct professor of Epidemiology and research collaborator. Joyce is also the leader of the J&J HOLA chapter in Cambridge and is participated in diverse activities of DE&I strategy at J&J. Joyce is passionate about DEI Strategy to drive change and contribute within J&J and around the world. Born and raised in Mexico, Joyce holds an MD and MSc in Epidemiology and Public Health from the UNAM.

Juliana Soto-Giron is the Translational Bioinformatics Lead at Solarea Bio. Juliana has experience in discovery and early clinical research for live biotherapeutic product (LBP) development and diverse R&D knowledge with an interest in women’s health, the microbiome, and chronic inflammatory diseases. Juliana is passionate about developing innovative solutions to improve human health and increasing the representation of women in biotech. Juliana is also a mentor committed to advocating and inspiring young girls from underrepresented communities to reach their potential in the STEM fields. Born and raised in Colombia, Juliana holds a Ph.D. in Bioinformatics from Georgia Tech and a M.S. in Molecular Biology from the University of Puerto Rico.