2026 AWIS-Boston Annual Speed Networking with STEM Professionals

This engaging and fast-paced event brings together early-career scientists and students with experienced professionals from across the STEM landscape. Attendees will rotate between tables in a round-robin speed-networking format, gaining insights into career paths, industry trends, and advice from STEM leaders.

We have an outstanding line-up of professionals (bios below) spanning clinical and translational research, scientific publishing, AI and precision medicine, infectious disease and biosafety, biotech entrepreneurship, STEM education, nonprofit strategy, and global scientific communications who will be sharing their relevant journeys, challenges, opportunities, and provide feedback/advice to attending members whether they are currently exploring or in the early stage of the STEM field(s).

The evening will be divided into two parts. The first part (6:00–7:30 PM) will feature structured small-group networking with STEM professionals, with brief timed rounds that allow attendees to rotate between tables and hear from multiple speakers. The second part (7:30-8:00 PM) will shift to informal networking over light refreshments and snacks.

Guest Bio(s)

Dr. Flavia Nery is a Medical Director at Biogen with deep expertise clinical research and translational neuroscience. She received her Ph.D. in Human Genetics and Molecular Biology from the University of Campinas (UNICAMP) Brazil in 2005. Her doctoral thesis was recognized with the CAPES Award for the best Ph.D. thesis in Brazil, a national honor granted by the Ministry of Education.

Following her Ph.D., Dr. Nery completed a three‑year postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard University in the laboratory of Dr. Xandra Breakefield. She was appointed Instructor in Neurology in 2008, during which time she secured independent funding from the NIH, DMRF, and PMDF to support her research in dystonia. She has authored multiple scientific publications and mentored both undergraduate and postgraduate trainees.

In 2013, Dr. Nery pursued a clinical research fellowship in Neurology at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital and Harvard Medical School under the mentorship of Dr. Felipe Fregni. Her work focused on clinical trials evaluating noninvasive brain stimulation techniques, including transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and transcranial direct current stimulation ( tDCS), for neurological disorders. In 2016, she returned to Massachusetts General Hospital to work with Dr. Kathy Swoboda on clinical and translational research in rare and neuromuscular diseases, including spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). Dr. Nery joined Biogen in 2018 and has since led multiple clinical development programs in Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, gaining extensive experience across early‑ and late‑stage trials.

Dr. Shawnna Buttery combines her extensive publishing expertise with her curiosity about all aspects of biology as the Editor-in-Chief at Cell Reports. Her laboratory training focused on cell biology. Since 2012, Shawnna has worked as a scientific editor for journals including BBA, Cell Reports, and STAR Protocols.

Ava Amini is a Principal Researcher at Microsoft Research in Cambridge, MA. Her research focuses on developing new AI methods to understand and design biology, with the ultimate aim of realizing precision biomedicines that improve human health.  In addition to research, Ava is passionate about AI education and outreach — she is a lead organizer and instructor for MIT Introduction to Deep Learning, an in-person and global course on the fundamentals of deep learning, where she has taught AI to 1000s of students in-person and over 100,000 globally registered students online, garnering more than 11 million online lecture views.

Dr. Minmin Yen (she/her) is CEO and Co-Founder of PhagePro, a biotech startup developing bacteriophage-based solutions to combat antimicrobial resistance in resource-limited settings. She leads the development of ProphaLytic-Vc, an orally administered, cold-chain–independent phage cocktail designed to prevent the transmission of cholera. Her work centers on inclusive, in-country partnerships to advance equitable access to innovative antimicrobials. Dr. Yen has been recognized with honors, including MIT Technology Review’s 35 Innovators Under 35, Boston Business Journal’s Women Who Mean Business, and the Henri Termeer Legacy Fellowship. She holds degrees from MIT, Tufts University, and Boston University in biological engineering, microbiology, and public health.

Justyna Jaskiewicz is a Scientist and Adjunct Professor at the New England Regional Biosafety Laboratory at Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, where she conducts infectious disease research under BSL-3 containment. Her work focuses on host–pathogen interactions and developing interventions against zoonotic diseases of global and public health importance. A veterinarian by training, she earned her degree from the Warsaw University of Life Sciences and specialized in animal infectious diseases at the Royal Veterinary College in London and trained in food safety at WHO. A Fulbright Scholar, she completed her PhD in Infectious Diseases at Tufts University. During her postdoctoral training at MGH/ Harvard Medical School, she integrated infectious disease research with cryobiology, contributing to the first successful methods for parasite cryopreservation. She mentors students and early-career scientists, participates in the Top Minds Poland Fulbright mentoring program, and serves on the Engineering Workforce Development Board at the Engineering Research Center, ATP-Bio.

Dr. Christalyn Rhodes is a biotech executive and founder operating at the intersection of genetic medicine, AI, and human performance. She earned her PhD from Harvard University and is currently a Sloan Fellow (SFMBA 2026) at MIT Sloan School of Management.

She began her industry career at Flagship Pioneering, where she helped incubate novel therapeutic platforms and later co-founded an RNA editing company focused on precision genetic interventions. She went on to serve as Associate Vice President of Genetic Medicine at Eli Lilly, leading external innovation and partnerships to accelerate next-generation RNA and gene-based therapies.

Previously, Dr. Rhodes was Head of Academic Partnerships and Expert-in-Residence at the Harvard Innovation Labs, advising startups at the interface of science, healthcare, and technology and building pipelines between academic founders and industry.

She is currently the Founder and CEO of Harmonie Health, an AI startup leveraging advanced machine learning to understand the progression of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis and its role in neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders. The company applies these insights to develop a modality-agnostic therapeutic platform that integrates data across biological, behavioral, and digital domains to inform personalized interventions. Across roles, Dr. Rhodes has built a reputation as a strategic connector of disciplines, translating complex biology into scalable platforms and partnering models that serve patients, clinicians, and innovators alike.

Bonnie Bertolaet, Ph.D., has served as the Executive Director of Science Club for Girls (SCFG) since 2019, after serving as the Board Chair in 2018. She ushered in a new era of growth at SCFG, while maintaining a steadfast commitment to increasing the accessibility of quality STEM programming and mentorship to girls and gender-expansive youth from underrepresented communities. Under Dr. Bertolaet’s leadership, SCFG has experienced continuous expansion, increasing youth participation from communities underrepresented in STEM, and increasing representation from these same communities in SCFG’s mentor corps,

staff, and Board of Directors. Dr. Bertolaet has also overseen the successful addition of virtual programming in response to the pandemic, including spring and summer vacation programming and a weekly online TV show, while expanding engagement with corporate and community partners. SCFG’s current K-12 strategy, building on its storied 30-year history, places it in a unique position to address systemic inequities in STEM related to gender, race, and socioeconomic factors, transforming the face of STEM and building the pipeline for a future of a diverse, skilled STEM workforce. Prior to SCFG, Dr. Bertolaet conducted research in cancer and inflammation in the fields of biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology and as a drug discovery scientist in biotech before transitioning to STEM education. She worked with educational organizations in public and private schools in a variety of roles before moving to the non-profit sector and joining the leadership at Science Club for Girls. Dr. Bertolaet received her B.A. from Amherst College and her Ph.D. from Harvard University and trained as an NIH postdoctoral fellow at the University of California, San Diego, and The Scripps Research Institute. She also currently serves on the Council of the Harvard University Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School Alumni Association.

Ashwini Ghogare, Ph.D., MBA, is a scientist-turned-intrapreneur passionate about transforming how medicines are discovered. Over the past decade, she has led ambitious, high-impact initiatives in global pharma, bringing together AI, automation, and vision to accelerate drug discovery. As the founder of the AIDDISON Platform and the AIDD Automation Lab, Ashwini built and scaled these ventures from concept to commercialization—reshaping how small-molecule discovery is done: faster, smarter, and more predictable. She thrives on moving AI-driven technologies from concept to the lab bench, building extraordinary teams, and turning bold ideas into products with measurable business impact.

Ashwini is recognized internationally as a thought leader in GenAI and automation for drug discovery and was honored as one of the 'Top AI 100 Leaders and AI Leader of the Year' in 2025'. She holds a Ph.D. in oncology research and an Executive MBA from the Wharton School of Business. And corrently is the co-founder of her consulting firm BioFinIQ LLC, a strategic AI consultancy at the intersection of biotech and finance, helping clients accelerate discovery, optimize AI portfolios, and unlock R&D insights through advanced GenAI, and intelligent platform design.

Casey Holmes Fee, MS, PgMP, is a program management expert with over 15 years of experience optimizing operations in the nonprofit sector. Casey holds a bachelor’s in communications from Cornell University, a master’s in health policy and management from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and the Program Management Professional credential from the Project Management Institute.

She dedicated much of her career to healthcare innovation, including eight years leading the Integrated Care Program at Boston Children’s Hospital. Today, Casey is the founder of CHF Program Consulting, which specializes in advancing non-profit program management, and authors the bimonthly newsletter, The Non-Profit Program (thenonprofitprogram.com). An advocate for gender equity, she also serves as President of the Boston Chapter of the Alumnae-i Network for Harvard Women, leading a program to advance women’s leadership.

Sarah Strattman is a seasoned global scientific business leader with over 20 years of experience in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. She has a strong background in developing and executing pre-market strategies, particularly in immunology, and has been recognized for her ability to transform functional teams across strategic, operational, and cultural levels.  Sarah is known for her expertise in fostering cross-functional collaboration, optimizing business strategies, and driving impactful scientific communication.

Currently serving as the Director of Global External Communications at Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Sarah leads global communication strategies for innovative therapies targeting serious B-cell-mediated diseases. Her career includes leadership roles at Takeda, Sanofi, Genzyme, and Amgen, where she has successfully managed teams, developed strategic medical and regulatory plans, and contributed to the launch and lifecycle management of various therapeutic products, including monoclonal antibodies, proteins, and small molecules.

Sarah holds a Master of Science in Regulatory Affairs from Temple University and a Bachelor of Science in Biology from George Washington University.  She has also pursued continuing education in clinical trial recruitment strategies at Vanderbilt University.  Sarah was a committed athlete growing up and through college, and she works to integrate the team mindset into her leadership philosophy.  Her professional journey is marked by a commitment to scientific storytelling, team mentorship, and advancing healthcare solutions for patients worldwide.

Ana M. Bozas, PhD, CMPP, is a Scientific Communications and Publications Leader with more than a decade of experience shaping portfolio-level strategy across the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors. She has most recently served as the Director of Clinical Evidence Strategy and Scientific Communications at Vera Therapeutics, having previously held leadership roles at Ipsen, Pear Therapeutics, Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Sanofi, and Akebia Therapeutics.

Throughout her career, Ana has translated complex clinical, real-world, and HEOR data into compelling, high-impact scientific narratives across therapeutic areas, including rare disease, immunology, neurology, and nephrology. She has built global publication programs from inception and across the product lifecycle and has shared insights on launch readiness and digital medical communications through industry podcasts. Ana holds a PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Utah and is an ISMPP™ Certified Medical Publication Professional. Passionate about mentorship, she actively supports early-career professionals and frequently speaks at industry meetings.

MASS AWIS (Boston) would like to thank Microsoft* for providing the event space and its support of STEM non-profits.

*Microsoft creates platforms and tools powered by AI to deliver innovative solutions that meet the evolving needs of its customers. The technology company is committed to making AI available broadly and doing so responsibly, with a mission to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more!

Cost: $15 for AWIS Members & $20 for General Admission.

Registration required. Limited spots available.

Register Here

Registration Deadline: 27th April 2026, 11:59 PM ET.

In accordance with the Microsoft building policies, please bring a government-issued photo ID and sign the Microsoft liability waiver upon arrival with building security.