Stephen Boyd is the CEO of Boyd Technologies and the Co-founder and Board Chair of the Berkshire Innovation Center (BIC). He is frequent speaker on innovation and entrepreneurship and an advisor to start-ups, commercial businesses, and municipalities seeking to create economic vibrancy and sustainable, diverse growth. Steve is a member of the Economic Development Planning Council and the Advanced Manufacturing Collaborative for the Baker | Polito Administration and serves on the Commonwealth’s Manufacturing Emergency Response Team as well as the Steering Committee for the Department of Higher Education. He is a mentor, volunteer youth sports coach and enjoys anything outdoors with his wife and kids.

Brian Johnson was named president of the Massachusetts Medical Device Industry Council (MassMEDIC) in July 2018. An accomplished author, media entrepreneur, Brian serves as the association’s second chief executive officer in its history, managing its day-to-day operations and working with medical device industry executives in developing its policy agenda. Since its establishment in 1996, MassMEDIC has grown to 300 member companies – manufacturers and developers of medical products, suppliers, research institutions and academic health centers – and has advanced the public policy interests of the New England medical device sector on Capitol Hill, Beacon Hill, and before various federal agencies. In 2007, Brian conceived and later launched MassDevice.com, where he been responsible for the strategic vision of the company, from inception through the summer of 2018, including leading the company through an acquisition in 2015 by WTWH Media. As publisher, Brian spearheaded the growth of MassDevice from 0 to 100,000+ readers each month and led the company to profitability in just 3 years and more than $2.8M in annual sales. In 2011, Brian conceived and launched DeviceTalks, a live-interview series featuring leaders in medicine. The event, which is held three times annually in Boston, Minnesota and Orange County, California, has attracted thousands of medical device executives to date and featured leaders from some of the world’s largest medical technology companies. Since 2015, Brian also founded and launched two additional magazines, Medical Design & Outsourcing and Drug Delivery Business News, bringing total readership under his supervision to over 1.5 million. Under Brian’s direction, MassDevice and its associated properties were widely recognized for its commitment to quality journalism. The editorial boards of the New York Times, NPR, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post have cited MassDevice’s coverage of issues pertaining to the medical device industry.

As CEO and President of MassBio, Kendalle Burlin O’Connell leads the strategic direction for the organization and drives policy advocacy for the industry to ensure that Massachusetts life sciences companies have the best environment possible to research, develop, manufacture, and commercialize breakthrough therapies and cures for people around the world. Pursuing innovation and delivering for members are the hallmarks of Kendalle’s more than 16 years at MassBio, including the launch of several multi-year initiatives focused on realizing a diverse and equitable life sciences industry, supporting the continued growth and sustainability of the industry throughout Massachusetts, and providing resources and solutions to companies across the industry value chain. In 2023, she was the driving force behind MassBio’s launch of Bioversity, a non-profit created to develop new training pathways and create employer connections for underrepresented populations and individuals traditionally left out of the life sciences, starting with a workforce training center in Dorchester featuring industry-aligned certification and upskilling programs. Kendalle has earned wide acclaim for her leadership and is active in mentoring and professional organizations. She has earned a spot on the Boston Business Journal’s 2023 Power 50: Movement Makers list, is ranked number 33 on Boston Magazine’s 2023 list of The 150 Most Influential Bostonians, a 2022 recipient of the Cambridge Chamber of Commerce Inspire Award recognizing outstanding women leaders in the Cambridge community, a 2022 Boston power player as named by Axios, a 2021 executive fellow in the inaugural class of the Civic Action Project Collaborative, and a 2019 Boston Business Journal 40 under 40 honoree which acknowledges a leader’s impact on Massachusetts’ industries. Kendalle received her Juris Doctor from Suffolk University Law School and currently serves as a Director on the Board of The Boston Foundation and Vice Chair of the Eastern New England Board of Directors for the American Cancer Society.

Francie transitioned from State Government Affairs to Federal Government Affairs at AstraZeneca in 2020. She has been involved in the US government contract negotiations for the company’s COVID-19 portfolio and supports the Federal Government Affairs & Policy and Corporate Affairs teams on COVID-19 issues. Prior to AstraZeneca, Francie was the Director of Legislative Affairs for the Florida Medical Association and was a regulatory lawyer and criminal prosecutor. Francie holds a Juris Doctor degree from Florida State University.