2023 Employee Champions

Saloni’s work brought the first-ever approved treatment to address symptoms of agitation associated with dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease.  She has also engaged with members of Congress and administration staff to help drive awareness of the disease. Additionally, she has advocated for policy changes that are reflective of the evolving treatment landscape.

Marci has raised awareness of women’s health needs and research efforts at Astellas to treat them. She has discussed the stigma around talking about menopause and other aspects of women’s health. At the same time, Marci joined researchers from companies around the country to meet with members of Congress and their staff to discuss their experience working to bring new medicines to patients.

Dr. Fradette has taken time outside of work to enlighten policymakers about industry risks, science and challenges. She showcases her relentless commitment for patients by amplifying their voices to members of Congress, the FDA and at medical conferences across the world. 

Katrin is one of Novartis' champions who has been a great advocate for Novartis and patients, meeting with key members of state legislatures across the U.S.

She has gone above and beyond to educate policymakers about the importance of R&D and innovative therapies while highlighting the challenges and expenses of bringing new medicines to the market.

Anthony is one of Novartis’ champions who has been a great advocate for Novartis and patients, meeting with key members of state legislatures across the U.S.

He has gone above and beyond to educate policymakers about the importance of R&D and innovative therapies while highlighting the challenges and expenses of bringing new medicines to the market.

Dr. Osinusi advocates for policies that encourage therapies to combat emerging viruses. This includes educating policymakers and administration officials on how intellectual property protections enabled the R&D that was so crucial to Gilead’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It also includes her work to explain how policies that undermine IP protections, like the TRIPS waiver, could impact the future development of antivirals and the ability to respond rapidly to pandemics. 

Tracy is a member of Lilly’s Diabetes and Obesity Corporate Affairs team. They have made a significant impact in increasing access to evidence-based comprehensive obesity care. The team has helped reduce obesity related bias and stigma by engaging the policy community on the importance of person-first language, bias-free imagery, and achieving obesity care access parity. Tracy and the team bring forward the importance of how language matters as part of efforts to reduce weight bias and stigma among policymakers, health care providers, employers, and the media.

Justin is the site lead of Pfizer’s St. Louis, MO office. For the last 15 years, Justin and his team have furthered the understanding of novel biotherapeutics, gene therapies, and vaccines within Pfizer’s R&D organization. There, he has hosted external partners to explain the vital role R&D plays in the biopharmaceutical industry.

Kimberly serves as the project lead for GSK’s Inflation Reduction Act Planning and Implementation team, making her the single point of accountability.

She coordinates GSK’s efforts to adapt to the law’s provisions and ensures the IRA’s impact is included in strategic and operating assessments. Kimberly also engages with government agencies and other groups to discuss how the IRA may impact patient access to essential therapies and innovation.

Helen has helped build UCB’s external community-giving approach. She has long-term relationships with STEM organizations like BioBuilder, as well as organizations doing STEM work, like the Girl Scouts. She organizes service projects for UCB’s Atlanta employees and she even spent her volunteer days on a health mission trip in Honduras.

Dr. Wahdan advocates for advancing the health of women through science, research and accessible treatment options. Over the past few years, she has become a valued partner of Bayer’s Government Affairs team. She plays a vital role in engaging stakeholders and policymakers at every level of government on the changing landscape in women’s health care.