Celebrating Women in the Life Sciences: Insights from the Women in Bio HERStory Gala

May 20, 2024

The Women in Bio 6th Annual HERStory Gala was an evening filled with celebration, community, and recognition of women making waves in the life sciences industry while championing inclusion. Chaired by Arielle Garcia, MS, the event showcased the remarkable achievements of women driving progress in various sectors within the BioHealth Capital Region.

The prestigious keynote speakers, Dr. Helen Sabzevari, President and CEO of Precigen, and Kelly Schulz, CEO of the Maryland Tech Council, shared their inspiring life stories and career insights, underscoring the importance of women’s leadership in driving innovation and progress.

During her speech, Dr. Helen Sabzevari shared key insights for achieving success, emphasizing three main points. First, she highlighted the importance of understanding one’s environment on both micro and macro levels, and the necessity of having contingency plans (A, B, and C) for when things go wrong. Second, she stressed the significance of basing decisions on facts and reality rather than perception alone, ensuring that choices are informed by the best available knowledge. Lastly, Dr. Sabzevari urged individuals, particularly women, to prioritize earning respect over seeking mere likability. She underscored that credibility in the workplace is crucial, especially during challenging circumstances.

Kelly Schulz imparted her own words of wisdom, stressing the importance of showing up with purpose in every endeavor whether it is in the workplace or personal life and emphasizing that mistakes are not indicative of one’s worth. Schulz also urged attendees not to take themselves too seriously and encouraged laughter as a means of navigating challenges and maintaining perspective, reinforcing the value of resilience and a positive outlook.

Both women also stressed the vital role of mentorship and surrounding yourself with solid support systems. Their insights underscore the critical value of organizations like Women in Bio, which fosters supportive networks. 

The gala culminated in the presentation of the Rising Star Award, which acknowledges outstanding women in the early to mid-stages of their careers in life sciences. Among the nominees were Dr. Heather Pressler, Ashley Williams, Aiswariya Chidambaram, MHSM, PMP, and Savanah Shumaker, M.S., all of whom exemplify leadership, mentorship, and significant contributions to the life science ecosystem. The award was presented to Savanah Shumaker, MS, Analytical Chemist, NIH and Vice-Chair of Sponsorship for Women In Bio – Capital Region. 

About Key Note Speakers:

Helen Sabzevari Ph.D., President and CEO, Precigen

Dr. Helen Sabzevari is President and CEO of Precigen, a gene and cell therapy company, and a member of the Precigen Board of Directors and Kinnate Board of Directors. Dr. Sabzevari brings extensive expertise in research and development of immunotherapy-based therapeutics as well as experience translating novel treatments from the pre-clinical stage into the clinic. From 2015 to 2017, Dr. Sabzevari co-founded and served as Chief Scientific Officer of Compass Therapeutics, a fully- integrated drug discovery and development company focused on manipulating the immune system to treat human disease. From 2008 to 2014, Dr. Sabzevari served as Senior Vice President of Immuno-Oncology as well as Global Head of Immunotherapy, Oncology, Global Research, and Early Development at Merck KGaA/EMD Serono, Darmstadt, Germany. During her tenure, she led the immuno-oncology discovery and early development translational innovation platform and brought forward numerous pre-clinical and clinical assets, including avelumab, an approved anti-programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) checkpoint inhibitor. From 1998 to 2008, Dr. Sabzevari led the Molecular Immunology Group at the Laboratory of Tumor Immunology and Biology at the US National Cancer Institute (LTIB-NCI), where she focused on the design, development, and delivery of novel vaccines and immunotherapies for a range of human cancers.

Dr. Sabzevari’s contributions in the field of tumor immunology earned her the National Institutes of Health (NIH) merit award for a major contribution to the field of cancer immunotherapy. She has also received the Mass High Tech’s Women to Watch Award, the PharmaVOICE 100 Award (2013 and 2022) and the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) Team Science Award for her work on the NCI Cancer Immunotherapy Program Team. Most recently, Dr. Sabzevari was recognized on the Forbes 50 over 50: The Visionary List, Maryland’s Top 100 Women by The Daily Record, and PM360’s Elite 100 in the Strategists category. Dr. Sabzevari received her doctorate in cell and molecular immunology and completed her postdoctoral work at the Department of Immunology at the Scripps Research Institute, working on various immunotherapeutic modalities in the treatment of cancer and autoimmune diseases.

Kelly Schulz, CEO of the Maryland Tech Council

Kelly Schulz is a mother, wife, and successful small business owner, and she served seven years in Governor Hogan’s administration as the Secretary of Labor and Secretary of Commerce. In her most recent role as Secretary of Commerce, Kelly oversaw the state’s primary economic development agency, responsible for attracting new businesses, job growth, and workforce development. Under Kelly’s leadership, the department also served as the largest resource to provide financial assistance to struggling Maryland companies adversely impacted by COVID-19. Prior to entering her career in public service, Kelly was always focused on her community. While raising her boys, Kelly put herself through college and worked as a server and bartender in the evenings and on weekends, yet always made time to serve on the school PTA and to volunteer with Brandon and Bradley’s sports teams. Kelly went on to work as a program manager for a defense contractor and then became a partner in opening a small business – a cybersecurity firm. Wanting to continue to serve her community, Kelly was successfully elected to the Maryland House of Delegates, representing Frederick County. As a Delegate, Kelly took her knowledge and experience as a small businesswoman and served on the Economic Matters Committee, where she focused on legislation relating to banks and other financial institutions, business occupations and professions, economic development, labor and employment, unemployment insurance, and workers’ compensation.

Recognized by newly-elected Governor Hogan for her knowledge and expertise on economic matters, she was appointed as Secretary of the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation (DLLR) in 2015. At DLLR, Kelly managed nearly 2,000 employees and oversaw an annual budget of $375 million. Under her leadership, Maryland’s apprenticeship program grew to its highest level since 2008, with more than 10,000 apprentices statewide, and received national recognition as one of the top programs in America. Additionally, Kelly worked tirelessly to work with businesses regulated within the department to have a clear voice on how to work successfully within the state as a partner as opposed to the preexisting adverse relationship. In 2018, after Governor Hogan’s reelection, Kelly assumed her role in the Department of Commerce, where she continued her positive approach to building relationships with a variety of industries to improve their opportunities within the state. Kelly likes to promote Prosperity with a Purpose – bringing more opportunities to the state has an effect on those who would not otherwise have opportunities. Kelly currently lives in Frederick County, Maryland, with her husband John Nowell.

About Winner of Rising Star Award: 

Savanah Shumaker, M.S.

Savanah L. Saldaña-Shumaker, recipient of the Rising Star Award, hails from Green Bay, WI, and holds a Bachelor of Science in Human Biology with a Chemistry Minor from the University of Wisconsin – Green Bay. Furthering her education at Concordia University Wisconsin, she earned an MBA Certificate in Management and a Master of Science in Chemical Product Development. Saldaña-Shumaker’s career spans roles as a Program Coordinator at CUW and an Analytical Chemist at NIH – National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), specializing in Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy. She is also an entrepreneur, founding SCS Laboratory Solutions, Inc., and Nazte Beauty, LLC. As Vice-Chair of Sponsorship for Women In Bio – Capital Region, she champions diversity and inclusion in STEM.  

These amazing women collectively embody the spirit of innovation, resilience, and empowerment within the life sciences industry inspiring future leaders. This event serves as a powerful reminder of the progress made and the ongoing commitment needed to support and uplift women in the life sciences, ensuring a future where their contributions continue to shape and enhance the industry. To read more inspiring stories about women in the life sciences industry, check out our article featuring 11 inspiring women, including Dr. Helen Sabzevari and Kelly Schulz.