Give to Gain- International Women’s Day Panel (Tracelink & AWIS Joint Collaboration)

Hosted by TraceLink and in collaboration with MASS AWIS (Boston), Join Us in celebrating International Women’s Day (IWD) this year with a special Panel Event on the theme “Give to Gain.”

What to Expect:

An inspiring virtual event centered on this year’s IWD theme, “Give to Gain”—highlighting the power of reciprocity, mentorship, and collective support in STEM.

Event Highlights:

A distinguished panel featuring Joanne Kamens, Lydia Villa-Komaroff, and Natanja Craig Oquendo (bio(s) below), who will share:

• Personal stories of giving back to women colleagues and receiving pivotal support from women mentors

• Practical conversations on female leadership, gender equality, mental health, self‑esteem, and closing the wage gap

• An interactive Q&A exploring how we can build each other up in STEM workplaces

Format: 

Moderated panel (45 min) + audience Q&A (15 min)

Come hear proven leaders discuss how generosity creates opportunity, and leave with actionable ideas for supporting women in your networks. When women thrive, we all rise.

Panelist Bio(s)

Dr. Kamens received her PhD in genetics from Harvard Medical School and has had a varied career in academia, pharma, biotech, and the nonprofit sector. Over two decades ago, she founded the Boston chapter of the Association for Women in Science (MASS AWIS) after an entire week went by without a single meeting with any other women. This led her on a scientific journey to understand the inequities that caused this disparity.  She currently brings this unique scientific perspective and background to her work as a consultant to teams and organizations developing processes and cultures that support success. Joanne also serves as  Director of Alumni Programming at PharmStars, a digital health startup accelerator. Joanne was the Executive Director/CEO of the international biotechnology nonprofit, Addgene, for a decade, realizing single-digit employee turnover and collaborating with dozens of inclusion organizations to make the company a Best Place to Work in Boston for 6 years running (#1 Best Place in 2016). She serves on multiple boards, including OpenBiome, the National Association for Women in Science, and Cohort Sistas (a mentoring community to support Black women and femme PhD scholars). Joanne is a leader in creating and supporting mentoring programs and has been nominated for the Presidential Medal of Honor in STEM Mentoring. 

Lydia Villa-Komaroff, Ph.D., is founder and President of Intersections SBD Consulting. She is a molecular biologist, a business executive, and a diversity advocate. She was among the early cadre of scientists who first joined DNA from animals or people to DNA from bacteria to make useful proteins and to study biological processes and human diseases. She is a board member of Cytonome (and served as CEO and CSO before Cytonome was acquired by STGen), a member of the Preventive-Personalized Medicine Advisory Group of the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center, and serves on several academic advisory boards. Villa-Komaroff held faculty positions at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center, Children's Hospital (Boston), and Harvard Medical School. As an administrator, she served as Vice President for Research at Northwestern University (Illinois) and Vice President for Research and Chief Operating Officer of the Whitehead Institute (Cambridge, MA). She has served on advisory committees for the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine, and the AAAS and ATTC board of directors. She served on the board of Transkaryotic Therapies and, as Chair, led negotiations with Shire that led to the sale of TKT to Shire. She is a co-founding member of SACNAS (Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science), a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), and the Association for Women in Science (AWIS). Her awards include the 2013 Woman of Distinction from the American Association of University Women, the 2016 Elting Morison prize from the MIT Program in Science and Technology, and the 2021 SACNAS Presidential Award. She received her BA from Goucher College, her PhD from MIT, and a certificate in executive management from Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management.

Natanja Craig Oquendo has spent her career centering the voices of Black and Brown people. At a young age, Natanja was inspired by activists defending her community from systemic injustice. Their success spurred her strong belief in grassroots organizations’ power to drive change. However, after entering the sector and discovering that those most impacted by foundation investments were absent from the decision-making tables, she was determined to change philanthropy. And she did just that by creating a comprehensive grassroots strategy from the ground up for one of the largest community foundations in Massachusetts. She brings an unwavering passion for community solutions, her unique lived experience, and over 20 years of nonprofit and philanthropic expertise to her work as Executive Director of the Boston Women’s Fund.

Since joining Boston Women’s Fund in 2020, Natanja has advanced the organization’s mission to invest in, advocate for, and uplift women, girls, and gender-expansive individuals. Under Natanja’s leadership, in less than three years, the Boston Women’s Fund tripled its grantmaking dollars and more than doubled the number of its grantees. She built a diverse team of passionate, innovative people dedicated to liberation, and along with the board and staff, she supported the development of the fund’s five-year strategic directions, strengthening the fund's commitment to equitable philanthropy.

Prior to the Boston Women’s Fund, Natanja held positions at The Boston Foundation, Fidelity Investments, The Partnership, Inc., The Possible Project, and the Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts. Natanja is highly involved in the broader non-profit and philanthropic community in Boston, advising and consulting several aligned organizations and leaders. Natanja was a fellow of the UMass Center for Women in Politics and Public Policy and the Black Leadership Initiative. Natanja was also a YW Boston 2023 Academy of Women Achievers honoree, named one of 2023’s Most Influential Bostonians by Boston magazine, and recently awarded the Larsen Danforth Foundation Award from Visions Inc. for her lifelong career centering the voices of Black and Brown people.

Natanja has found a home in the Boston Women’s Fund. She enjoys singing 80s love songs at karaoke, spending time with family and friends, and traveling. However, Natanja’s greatest work is that of a mother and grandmother to her three daughters, two sons, and granddaughter Mila.

all of which she could not do without her loving husband, Jason.

FREE event, registration required

Register Here

Open to All Supporters: You don't have to be a woman to join AWIS. Anyone who believes in gender equity in STEM is welcome to become a member and/or to join this event.

 This is an online event. All registrants will receive a Zoom link an hour before the event.