Kristen Hege retired from her biopharma executive role at Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS) and her academic hematology practice at UC San Francisco in 2023 to pursue her lifelong dream of thru hiking the 2,650-mile Pacific Crest Trail from Mexico to Canada with her husband.

In this unique presentation, she reflects on her pioneering 30-year history with research and development of CAR-T cell immunotherapy for cancer, from the dawn of this breakthrough field at Cell Genesys, a startup Bay Area biotech company in the 1990s, to Celgene, and ultimately BMS. A career highlight was overseeing the development of Abecma, the first BCMA targeted CAR-T cell treatment for multiple myeloma, a program that she led from target identification to FDA approval.

She will also share her Pacific Crest Trail story and reflections on leadership lessons learned from this grand adventure that should resonate with all who pursue high-risk endeavors in science and medicine. Finally, she will reflect on her efforts to turn her PCT hike into a philanthropic effort to support and advance the next generation of women physicians and scientists working on cancer immunotherapy. This fundraising initiative is named in honor of her mother, a pioneering physician who was the only woman to graduate from her medical school class at Univ. Pennsylvania in 1953.

This interactive workshop introduces participants to the Social Styles framework to foster self-reflection and more effective workplace communication. Through a blend of personal style identification and engaging reflective exercises led by Victoria Rayel, attendees will gain actionable insights into their interpersonal dynamics, ultimately strengthening professional relationships and team collaboration.

Effective communication is essential for building trust, strengthening relationships, and working effectively with others. By understanding your own communication style and learning to adapt to different personalities, backgrounds, and perspectives, you can improve collaboration, reduce misunderstandings, and navigate challenges with confidence. 

SWE and WEST are partnering to offer an interactive program on building stronger communication skills. The event begins with a workshop led by Rebecca Gay, where participants will explore different communication styles, gain insight into their own communication preferences, and better understand the motivations behind the styles of others. The workshop will be followed by a panel discussion featuring real workplace experiences and practical takeaways. You'll hear strategies for communicating more effectively, building stronger relationships, and navigating workplace interactions. Topics will include communicating across different styles, proactive communication, conflict and difficult conversations, and how communication evolves with leadership and influence.

Join us for a thought provoking conversation inspired by a TED style talk on the role of psychological and nervous system safety in leadership.

Drawing from over 30 years in biotech and a deeply personal journey, Suha Patel will explore:

• Why confidence is often misunderstood - and what's really happening beneath it
• How early experiences shape how we show up at work
• The hidden role of nervous system safety in leadership, decision making and team performance.
• Why the future of leadership requires integrating both head and heart and IQ and EQ

The keynote will be followed by a panel discussion with Suha Patel, Beth Gardner, VP of Patient Supply at Beam Therapeutics and Karin von Hodenberg, VP of Quality at Monte Rosa Therapeutics. 

Kick start your development with a 1:1 goal setting session, training, and mentor stories. Then, each of the following two-hour virtual sessions features core pods, small group topic based discussion, and networking.

• Each core pod has a general topic for the whole program that is set from the beginning based on preferences ranked in the interest survey. The same group with around 2 mentors and 5 mentees will meet for 30 minutes each session building towards your goal and driving accountability. 
• Small group topic based discussions allow you to work with a broader range of mentors on the most popular discussion topics. Mentors will address a topic with 1-3 mentees. The mentor and fellow mentees will change each session.
• Short structured networking activities are designed to help you connect to your peers.
• Mentor stories allow you to hear the career journeys and hard won wisdom from each of the mentors.

WEST Mentors are from all areas of the biopharma and tech industry, with a wealth of experience and expertise across academia, start-ups, biotech, and multi-national pharmaceutical companies including CEOs, heads of functions, leaders, and coaches. They have the lived experience and diverse perspectives to help you with your goals.

The dates of the program are 9/10, 9/17, 10/8, 10/29, 11/19, 12/10. All session will be via Zoom 6-8pm ET.