Claire currently serves as Director of Business Development of US Health & Life Sciences with a focus on Life Science and Pharmaceutical companies. She works in partnership with US life science companies, pharma, and health organizations to determine innovative Microsoft solutions specific to the company’s issues affecting their patients and their business. She brings with her an expertise in the clinical trial and pharmaceutical industry, having been a global study lead on oncology clinical trials at a large pharmaceutical company prior to joining Microsoft. Claire earned a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry from Seattle University and a certification in the Foundations of Clinical Monitoring. She is passionate about the many services and innovations Microsoft has to offer to reduce time to market for new drugs and provide better outcomes to patients. Claire also has a passion for inspiring young women to be interested in STEM and leadership roles in STEM related fields. She recently hosted and spoke at the HBA Seattle Digital Health Panel and is very involved in local mentorship programs for girls in STEM.

Rachel Chasse is the Director of Innovation for the Digital Medicine Society (DiMe), the professional society for the field of digital medicine. At DiMe, she curates educational programming, leads diversity efforts, and manages patient engagement initiatives, among others. Prior, she worked at Pfizer in Cambridge, MA in the Digital Medicine and Clinical Sciences groups, operationalizing digital inclusions such as mobile apps and wearable technology into the company’s clinical trials. She received her Master’s of Science in Clinical Research Management from Washington University in St. Louis where her career began in Alzheimer’s disease and dementia research. She lives in Chicago.

As President and CEO of the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council, Bob’s mission is to advance Massachusetts' leadership in the life sciences to grow the industry, add value to the healthcare system and improve patient lives. Over the last decade, Bob has truly become a champion for patients by ensuring innovative companies have the best environment possible to research, develop, and commercialize breakthrough therapies and cures for people around the world who need and deserve them. Bob has spent his career in both the public and private sectors. Before joining MassBio, he served as the Undersecretary of Economic Development within Governor Deval Patrick's administration, where he prioritized both healthcare and economic development issues and was a strong advocate for the life sciences industry in Massachusetts. Prior to that, he was elected as State Representative to the 11th Norfolk district for three terms. Bob has also held senior executive positions in the environmental services, capital management and venture capital industries. He brings passion and energy to all of his endeavors.

Nick is a technology executive with 28 years in Clinical R&D, including R&D Operations, IT and Consulting, focused on enabling patients, sites and clinical trial teams, through the right technology enablers. He specializes in digital innovation, leveraging and exploring workflow, warehousing, analytics, mobile, persona based UI, direct from patient capture, eSource, wearables, real world evidence, machine learning & AI, Natural Language Processing, Robotic Process Automation and cross industry standards, striving to make the process of clinical trials easier and quicker for patients, sites and sponsors. Nick has been with Parexel for 24 years in Clinical Research Operations, Corporate IT and Parexel Informatics, and previously was at Sandoz Pharma as Data Manager and Database Designer. He has his MSc in Computer Science and BSc in Zoology.

Shoibal is the Head of the Digital Strategy Group within the Data Sciences Institute at Takeda. In support of Takeda's commitment to digital and data he is responsible for working with colleagues across the enterprise to develop patient-centric digital strategies for the development of novel endpoints and make studies more resilient through decentralized approaches. Prior to this Shoibal was Vice President of PPD Digital where he was responsible for setting the strategy and working with external platform partners and device manufacturers to devise compliant, globally scalable approaches to conduct decentralized trials and to oversee the integration of the technologies into conventional clinical research and data management processes. Prior to that, he spent 13 years at Biogen in a range of roles in translational informatics, data sciences and as part of an innovation hub that launched MS PATHS, a learning healthcare system that utilises technology to capture high quality data as standard of care for over 10,000 MS patients globally supporting RWE and value-based medicine initiatives.

Esther Dyson(@edyson) is executive founder of Wellville (@WaytoWellville), a 10-year nonprofit project (2015-2024) to nudge society towards long-term and equitable thinking by showing the social and financial value of investing in health for all. She is also an active angel investor, focusing on human capital and health (more than “care”), space travel and a variety of useful innovations in areas such as agtech and logistics. Her health investments include 23andMe (former board member), 4D Healthware, Abridge.ai, Big Health, Bioz, Boundless.ai (now owned by Thrive Global), Care.Coach, CareMESH, Clover Health, Devoted Health, Doppel, Eligible, Enso Relief, Epistemic.ai, Ezra.com, Hawthorne Effect, HealthCelerate, HealthTap, i2Dx, MealShare, Medesk, MedicaSafe, mEquilibrium, Mindright, Nanowear, NeuroGeneCES, Nuna, Omada Health, PatientsKnowBest, Pocket Naloxone, Prognos.ai, Proofpilot, Resilient, Solera (also an advisor), StartupHealth, Supportiv, Syllable.ai, Tega Pharmaceutical, Tocagen, Trusty.care, Turbine.ai, Valkee, Virgo, X-VAX and Zipongo. She started her career as a a proofreader, journalist, Wall Street analyst and finally editor/publisher/conference manager (Release 1.0 and PC Forum - 1982-2007). In 1996, she wrote the best-seller “Release 2.0: A design for living in the digital age (Broadway Books). In addition to a Harvard BA in economics, she earned a certificate of completion from the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center (2009) outside Moscow, for her six months of training as a backup cosmonaut.

Christina Farr is a San Francisco-based award winning journalist with experience as an editor, beat reporter, writer and speaker. She covers the intersection of health and technology, exploring how recent policy changes have opened up both opportunities and risks for Silicon Valley. She is currently a senior writer covering health and technology for CNBC. She has freelanced for such publications as USA Today, Mashable and the Telegraph, and her work for Reuters appeared in the New York Times and Yahoo News. She was raised in London, UK, and received graduate degrees from University College London and Stanford University. Specialties Apple, Electronic Medical Records, Health IT, Longevity, Genetics, Startups, Venture Deals. Broadcast and Print Media.

As Deputy Chief of Innovation and Strategy at Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Patricia leads key corporate initiatives including the identification, assessment and implementation of strategic business opportunities. Upon arriving at Harvard Pilgrim in 2015, Patricia led the formation of the Center for Innovation. The Center’s aim is to actively drive the growth and diversification efforts of the organization through partnerships and investments in emerging health care solutions. Partnering with early stage digital health organizations and renowned health care organizations, Patricia’s work in innovation and strategy is focused on improving the quality, value and experience of health care through insight and innovation. Prior to her current role, Patricia was Vice President of Business Development at Fallon Health where she launched new government health plan solutions (PACE, Duals, Medicaid) in expansion geographies. Patricia is committed to supporting community health and human service organizations, and currently serves on the boards of Kennedy Donovan Center and Genesis Club.

Adam Landman, MD, MS, MIS, MHS is Chief Information and Digital Health Officer at Brigham Health (BH), Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine at Harvard Medical School, and an attending emergency physician at BWH. He is an expert in information systems development and implementation. He led a three-year, $7 million custom software development project to move BWH Emergency Department clinicians from paper-based to electronic documentation. He helped oversee the implementation of Epic and several critical laboratory information systems. Dr. Landman has also designed and developed mobile apps to securely capture and store clinical images and to improve electronic medication administration and reconciliation. He also created the BWH Digital Health Innovation Group to spur hospital use of digital technology as well as facilitate appropriate use of digital tools by clinicians, innovators, and researchers. As CIO, he is currently responsible for the stabilization and optimization of the EHR, all other hospital information systems, and digital health innovation.

Craig Lipset is a recognized leader at the forefront of innovation in clinical research and medicine development. He is an advisor to technology and biopharmaceutical companies, leading universities, and the venture community, bringing vision and driving action at the intersection of research, digital solutions, and patient engagement. Craig was the Head of Clinical Innovation and Venture Partner at Pfizer, on the founding Operations Committee for TransCelerate Biopharma, and on the founding management teams for two successful startup ventures (Perceptive Informatics and Adnexus Therapeutics). During that time, Craig designed and launched multiple industry firsts — from the first fully remote/virtual clinical trial for a new medicine to the first returning of results and data to research participants. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research, the MedStar Health Research Institute, and the People-Centered Research Foundation (the central office for PCORnet), as well as on the Editorial Board for Therapeutic Innovation & Regulatory Science. Craig has been listed among the PharmaVOICE most inspiring people in the life sciences, Pharmaceutical Executive’s Emerging Leaders, CenterWatch Top 20 Innovators in Clinical Trials, and the AlleyWatch Who’s Who in eHealth. He studied Music at Brandeis University and earned a Master of Public Health from Columbia. When not working to accelerate research, Craig can be found at hockey rinks, dance recitals, or dog walks.

Award winning former Boston TV news and business anchor Mike Nikitas led live coverage of countless major news events, including the Boston Marathon bombings, 9/11, and New Hampshire Presidential Primaries. He interviewed hundreds of major newsmakers and business leaders, and hosted numerous fundraisers, debates and conferences. Known for clarity and credibility, he brings these characteristics to the core of his work with clients. Nikitas is an adjunct professor of “Media Strategy and Skills,” teaching graduate students at the Carsey School of Public Policy at the University of New Hampshire, Durham. He has guest-lectured at Harvard, Northeastern and Boston University. He has a special interest in veteran’s issues and is the longtime emcee of the annual Massachusetts Veteran’s Day Ceremony. Nikitas appeared as a newscaster in two movies, including the hit film “Ted.” Nikitas is a five-time Emmy nominee as Outstanding Anchor in Boston, and has been inducted into the prestigious “Silver Circle” of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

Unity Stoakes is on a life-long mission to achieve the impossible: to improve the health and wellbeing of everyone in the world. By combining the power of moonshot thinking, a transformer mindset, and collaborative communities, he believes anything is possible. In 2011, Unity co-founded StartUp Health with Steven Krein, his business partner of more than 20 years, to invest in a global army of entrepreneurs, called Health Transformers, to embark on one extraordinary crusade: to achieve health moonshots, each of which can improve the lives of at least one billion people. Unity has been a tech entrepreneur since the mid-nineties, previously co-founding OrganizedWisdom and helping build The Privacy Council, Middleberg Interactive, and Webstakes.com/Promotions.com, which he helped take public on NASDAQ with his business partner of 20 years, Steven Krein. Unity has appeared on Bloomberg TV, CNBC, CNN, NPR, and USA Today, and speaks to entrepreneurs, world leaders, and CEOs around the world about the future of health. He is the publisher of StartUp Health Magazine and co-host of StartUp Health NOW, a weekly web series about Health Transformers. Unity grew up on a farm in Oxford, Iowa, went to Boston University and currently lives in Berkeley, CA, with his wife and two young kids.

Steven Wardell advises digital health leaders on growth strategies, fundraising, trade sales, and strategic alternatives. He is the author of The Future of Digital Health and the producer of the DigitalHealth InvestorTalk show. He was the first Wall Street analyst focused on digital health and therapeutics, where he was named a Rising Star by Institutional Investor. Steven has also held senior positions at digital health companies Activate Networks, PatientKeeper, and Informed Clinical Sciences, and founded the Boston chapter of Health 2.0. You can follow him at Twitter.com/StevenWardell.