Logo for LaunchBio Program: Larger than Life ScienceLogo for LaunchBio Program: Larger than Life Science

Building a strong network for life science innovators

  • October 11, 2022
  • 4-7pm ET
BioLabs New Haven

HIRING CONNECTICUT

The Talent Pipeline and the Future of Biotech Jobs

Program

Larger Than Life Science® is an event series open to everyone interested in building a strong support network for life science and healthcare innovators.

Join us to make some new connections, talk biotech talent, and discuss Connecticut’s jobs of the future. Beer, wine, and light appetizers will be provided.

4:00 – 4:30pm: Registration & Networking + Speed Networking by MilliporeSigma
4:35 – 5:20pm: Session 1 | Making the Hire
5:25 – 5:45pm: BioLabs Facility Tour
5:50 – 6:35pm: Session 2 | The Talent Pipeline
6:35 – 7:00pm: More networking!

Panel 1

Making the Hire

More Americans are working in the life sciences than ever before. The workforce grew by 79% between 2001-2021–compared with 8% growth across all US occupations. Likewise, U.S. graduates in biological and biomedical sciences totaled more than 163,000 in 2020—double the number just 15 years ago. With demand for life sciences talent at an all time high, employers are experiencing new challenges attracting qualified candidates and keeping them engaged.

This session examines what makes a startup stand out to potential employees and your top priorities when creating and filling positions. Leaders in executive recruitment, HR and venture capital will discuss how to navigate this competitive market; build a great team for your startup; and why Connecticut is the place to be for top talent.

Speakers

  • Dawn Hocevar, President & CEO of BioCT

    Dawn Hocevar, President & CEO of BioCT

    Dawn Hocevar is the President & CEO of BioCT, dedicated to the growth of Connecticut’s bioscience industry. She serves on the Connecticut Economic Advisory committee. She also serves on the Southern Connecticut State BioPath Advisory Board and recently, Dawn joined the Cellular and Molecular Biology Graduate Program Advisory Board at the University of New Haven. Dawn is a board member at BioSurplus, an equipment asset management company. In 2017, Dawn was elected as President and Board Chair of Women in Bio (WIB). Dawn regularly testifies before state legislative committees; has moderated and contributed to many industry panel discussions.

  • Stephen Bloch, MD, MS, CEO at Evolveimmune

    Stephen Bloch, MD, MS, CEO at Evolveimmune

    Stephen is an entrepreneur, venture capitalist and former practicing physician. He knows firsthand the challenges of building successful healthcare companies. His mission has been to make healthcare delivery more effective and affordable. Before co-founding EvolveImmune, Steve helped start and finance leading healthcare companies as a general partner at Canaan Partners. Steve has served on the boards of companies in biopharma, digital health, medical devices and diagnostics, often as board chairman. Steve is currently chairman of the board at Liquidia (LQDA-NASDAQ), executive chairman of Allyx Therapeutics and is a member of Dartmouth Medical School’s Board of Advisors.

  • Scott Phillips, MAc, CFO at Halda Therapeutics

    Scott Phillips, MAc, CFO at Halda Therapeutics

    Scott is a strategic CFO with consistent success in building, transforming and leading high growth global and startup biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies. Scott is an expert at fundraising, financial strategy, analysis, process and has a control background with a diverse blend of experience across finance disciplines. Scott is accomplished in leading finance functions during periods of complexity and growth, while building lasting financial, accounting and cost controls. Scott previously served as SVP for Biohaven Pharmaceuticals, and SVP for Alexion Pharmaceuticals Inc.

  • Mary Ann Melnick, MBA, Director of Operations at BioLabs

    Mary Ann Melnick, MBA, Director of Operations at BioLabs

    Mary Ann Melnick is Director of Operations for Biolabs New Haven, an international membership-based network of shared lab and office facilities dedicated to supporting and accelerating the launch of early-stage life science companies. She is responsible for overseeing growth of site activities and operations at Biolabs’ newest location in New Haven, CT. Before joining Biolabs, Mary Ann supported the launch and managed lab operations for the Politi Lab in the Yale Cancer Center at the Yale School of Medicine. Prior to Yale, she spent several years as a Senior Research Assistant in the Varmus Lab at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.

  • Heather Dolan, SVP at Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc.

    Heather Dolan, SVP at Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc.

    Heather Dolan joined Challenger, Gray & Christmas as a Regional Director for the NY/NJ metro area in 2010, bringing 12 years of professional business development and account management experience. While at Challenger, Heather has been promoted twice and is now a Senior Vice President, still serving the NYC Metro area as well an expanded territory covering Philadelphia and Wilmington, DE. In her current role, Heather is responsible for managing client transitions, business development for both outplacement and executive coaching and has successfully managed many outplacement projects and national account programs.

  • Cynthia Green, PhD, MBA, MD at CT Innovations

    Cynthia Green, PhD, MBA, MD at CT Innovations

    Cyndi Green has been managing director at Connecticut Innovations since joining in early 2020. In 2019, Cyndi retired from Pfizer in NYC, where she was head of Business Development Search and Evaluation for anti-infectives and vaccines. Her technical leadership at Pfizer led to the formation of Pfizer/GSK spinout ViiV Healthcare, as well as the acquisitions of an anti-infective franchise from AstraZeneca and vaccine portfolios from Baxter and GlaxoSmithKline. Prior to Pfizer, she held various scientific and business positions at CuraGen, and her expertise spans the spectrum of drug development in preclinical to marketed assets, technologies, diagnostics and research platforms.

Panel 2

The Talent Pipeline

Recent economic and global impacts on talent and the workplace have been dramatic. Employers across industries are experiencing new challenges in attracting qualified candidates and keeping them engaged. The dramatic growth in the life sciences has compounded this issue for the biotech industry. Top talent often receives multiple offers with compensation packages greater than what’s been seen in previous years. This session examines certain options a startup has when looking for their initial employees. Community and educational leaders from Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce, Yale, UConn, SCSU, UNH, and QU will discuss their focuses, successes, and needs of educating the student, developing student-talent, and assisting them to navigate opportunities entering into the bio-industry.

Speakers

  • Dawn Hocevar, President & CEO of BioCT

    Dawn Hocevar, President & CEO of BioCT

    Dawn Hocevar is the President & CEO of BioCT, dedicated to the growth of Connecticut’s bioscience industry. She serves on the Connecticut Economic Advisory committee. She also serves on the Southern Connecticut State BioPath Advisory Board and recently, Dawn joined the Cellular and Molecular Biology Graduate Program Advisory Board at the University of New Haven. Dawn is a board member at BioSurplus, an equipment asset management company. In 2017, Dawn was elected as President and Board Chair of Women in Bio (WIB). Dawn regularly testifies before state legislative committees; has moderated and contributed to many industry panel discussions.

  • Mostafa Analoui

    Mostafa Analoui, PhD, Executive Director of UConn Ventures at University of Connecticut

    Mostafa Analoui, Ph.D., is executive director of venture development and the Technology Incubation Program (TIP) at the University of Connecticut. Previously, he was head of healthcare and life sciences at Livingston Securities, with investment focus in private and public companies in biotech, medtech and healthcare services. Prior to that, he was the senior director at Pfizer Global Research and Development. He is actively involved in investment, management and scientific/business development of nanotechnology, drug discovery/development, diagnostic imaging and global strategies. At Pfizer, he was the site head for global clinical technology in Groton and New London.

  • Garrett Sheehan, MBA, JD, President & CEO of Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce

    Garrett Sheehan, MBA, JD, President & CEO of Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce

    Garrett Sheehan is the President & CEO of the Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce. In this role, he also leads the Regional Leadership Council and the Quinnipiac Chamber of Commerce. He is also a past President of the Connecticut Economic Development Association (CEDAS) and currently serves on the organization’s executive committee. Through his work with the Chamber, Garrett is focused on the economic growth of the Greater New Haven region as well as the state of Connecticut. The combined Chambers have a membership of more than 1200 businesses. The Chambers serve as the facilitator for the business community in New Haven and the larger region.

  • Josh Geballe, MBA, MD at Yale Ventures

    Josh Geballe, MBA, MD at Yale Ventures

    Josh Geballe is Senior Associate Provost for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Yale University. Prior to joining Yale Ventures in 2022, Josh served as Chief Operating Officer for the State of Connecticut under Governor Ned Lamont. With responsibility for all executive branch agencies covering 30,000 employees, he led successful initiatives to modernize state operations and expand the use of technology to improve services and reduce cost. In addition, he led the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, establishing nationally recognized programs for testing, contact tracing, nursing home protection, safe school operations and vaccination.

  • Christine Caragianis Broadbridge - PhD, Exec. Director of Research & Innovation at SCSU

    Christine Caragianis Broadbridge - PhD, Exec. Director of Research & Innovation at SCSU

    Christine Caragianis Broadbridge is a Professor of Physics and Executive Director of Research and Innovation at Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU). Her professional career began at Trinity College (Hartford), where as a faculty member she established an electron microscopy facility for physical and life sciences with funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF). Additionally, she founded and directed the United Technologies Corporation/Trinity College Engineering Initiative (UTCEI), a program designed to enhance the representation of women and underrepresented minorities in STEM.

  • Eva Sapi, PhD, Professor in Biology & Environmental Science at University of New Haven

    Eva Sapi, PhD, Professor in Biology & Environmental Science at University of New Haven

    Eva Sapi is an internationally recognized expert in Lyme disease research. She is on the front lines of searching for a cure for a disease that the Centers for Disease Control say is the fastest- growing vector-borne disease in the United States.She was the first to discover the presence of Borrelia biofilm in human infected skin tissue, a finding that was published in the European Journal of Microbiology & Immunology, an international peer-reviewed online journal, representing one of her 70 peer-reviewed scientific papers on Lyme disease. The director of the University’s Lyme Disease Research Program, Dr. Sapi has trained more than 90 graduate students in Lyme disease research.

  • Janelle Chiasera, PhD, Dean & Professor, School of Health Sciences at Quinnipiac University

    Janelle Chiasera, PhD, Dean & Professor, School of Health Sciences at Quinnipiac University

    As dean of the School of Health Sciences, Chiasera will lead a school that offers graduate and undergraduate programs in such areas as physical therapy, occupational therapy, physician assistant, pathologist’s assistant, biomedical sciences, diagnostic medical sonography, social work, athletic training, microbiology and immunology, cardiovascular perfusion and radiologic sciences. Chiasera replaces William Kohlhepp, who announced last year that he would step down as dean of the School of Health Sciences and the end of the 2018-19 academic year to return to the physician assistant faculty.

Co-Hosts

Tags