The 8th Annual Women in Bio HERstory Gala 2026 brought together professionals across the life sciences field to celebrate leadership, community, and the women shaping the future of the industry.
Women in Bio (WIB) is a global organization dedicated to advancing women in the life sciences through leadership skill development, mentorship, and community building.
The HERstory Gala is the main event hosted by the Capital Region Chapter of WIB. The Gala is meant to highlight driven innovators in life sciences, who are making significant impacts in their region. The 8th Annual HERstory Gala accomplished just that.
Those that spoke this evening emphasized the importance of mutual support, while also reminding us to remember and appreciate those that paved the way before us. This was also a time of celebration, with awards, grants, and scholarships presented to emerging trailblazers in the life sciences field.
Support from Local Legislature and Industry Giants
With the event being hosted in Rockville, as well as it being a life-science hub, legislature from the local government came out to show their support of furthering scientific development and elevating women in their fields; Montgomery County Executive, Marc Elrich, and Mayor of the City of Rockville, Mayor Monique Ashton.
Elrich shared his support for the life sciences industry and how he is helping to boost scientific development in the area by working directly with companies and encouraging their residency in Montgomery County. He also emphasized the need for respect of women in industry, as well as better support for scientific advancements overall.
Mayor Ashton shared how she is working to make changes in Rockville, to make it a better home for industry leaders and is supporting scientific developments. She also exemplified female trailblazers that have come before us, sharing some of their achievements, noting that they persisted even in the face of overwhelming adversity. Even with recent scientific funding cuts, which disproportionately affected women, Mayor Ashton urged attendees to not give up. She is making changes to the system in her way, but also encourages others to do the same, even if discouraged, saying, “A closed door is not the end of your story. … If the opportunity doesn’t come, create it. We cannot allow the systems that exist today to define how we want to live tomorrow.”
Mayor Monique Ashton summed up the theme of the evening perfectly saying, “Tonight, we celebrate the women who have helped us, and we understand more: more about our world, …our health, …our potential, our own stories. … We belong in every room where science is shaped and decisions are made.”
The HERstory Gala also received support from local industry giants and corporations including Sanofi, Precigen, Qiagen, Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation, Emerging Technology Centers (ETC) Baltimore. These organizations showed their support for the continued formation of a strong community of women in life sciences.
Powerful Leaders Blazing their Own Path
The Keynote Speakers of the evening were two entrepreneurs, who each shared their experiences and paths to reaching success, while offering encouragement to others on their developing career paths.
Ellington West is the Co-Founder and CEO of Sonavi Labs, a medical device and software company based in Baltimore, Maryland. In her Keynote Address, she emphasized courage and persistence in the face of adversity.
West strongly believes in encouraging and supporting other women, but also believing in yourself. A notable message of hers was, “The fear of not being ready is not a stop sign. It is proof that you are reaching for something that actually matters.” She urges the audience to not be limited to what others think of you, saying “…when the world tells you who you can and cannot be, it’s often just limited by someone else’s imagination.”
Liz Powell is the founder and CEO of G2G Consulting and Women’s Health Advocates. In her Keynote Address, she discussed key skills necessary for becoming a good leader and having a strong team. Powell believes in the impact of mentorship and formation of connections within teams to form a stronger working family.
Both of these women drive home Mayor Ashton’s message that “…it’s important that we stand together. We’re here, because others were. Others blazed the path for us, and it’s our job to blaze paths for others.”
Acknowledging and Rewarding Emerging Leaders in Life Sciences
Up-and-coming leaders in the life sciences were presented with awards including the Rising Star Award for an early- to mid-stage career professional recognized for significant contributions to the life sciences, within the Capital Region; the Catalyst for Change Grant for a WIB member who has formed allyship with the local community, created an invaluable resource, and has been actively working to foster a diverse and inclusive environment; and MYstory for HERsotry Scholarships for academic achievement and outstanding potential for a career in life sciences.
- Feyi Ojo – Rising Star Award
- Vanya Paralanov (CELLS) – Catalyst for Change Grant
- Aurna Mitra, Kendall Elenbass, Kyah Young, Tavreet Gill, Sharon Martin, Harshitha Chaluvarayi – MYstory for HERstory Scholarships
Why the Work Women In Bio Does is Important
We asked attendees what they thought of the event, Brena Williams, Principal Scientist at Clasp Therapeutics, said, “It was really an incredible night – to see the women just highlighted and all of the shine that it brought to the evening. It was very special.“
When it comes to the importance of the work Women In Bio is doing, attendees like Teri Ngo and Amrita Madabushi emphasized the importance of the community WIB creates. Teri Ngo, said, “We all are staff or employees around the area, and having such a supportive community helps. Especially around this day and age where everyone needs the support, and our group is very encouraging, very motivating, and very dedicated to help each other.” Amrita Madabushi, said, “That’s why the network is so important, because without that, everyone is working in silos.”
As the evening made clear, HERstory is not just about celebrating progress, it is about continuing to build pathways for the next generation of women in life sciences.
Learn more about Women in Bio and join to gain access to a network of innovative women. Consider joining them for their upcoming events.
Keep an eye out for information regarding next year’s Gala.
