Background
Anita holds a Doctorate of Pharmacy and a BS in Molecular and Cellular Biology from The University of Arizona. Her extensive healthcare journey spans over two decades, encompassing various facets of the healthcare ecosystem, including retail pharmacy, large healthcare systems, and a pivot into the biotech/pharmaceutical sector. Anita was formerly the Associate Director, Scientific Communications, Global Medical Affairs at BioMarin overseeing operations and technology implementations.
Anita & AWIS
Anita joined AWIS Palo Alto in January 2022. She quickly began volunteering with board members and began working towards priority initiatives. Anita was formerly the secretary and later became the president in 2023.
Anita’s unwavering passion for science and technology has driven her career, enabling her to explore global opportunities aimed at enhancing patient outcomes. Her experiences have also extended to advising health tech startups in creating innovative healthcare solutions to enrich patients’ medical journeys.
Personal
Diversity and inclusion are at the core of Anita’s values. During her time at BioMarin, she co-founded the Asian employee resource group and served as the co-chair of the mentorship program, amplifying the importance of mentorship and support within the organization.
As a mother of two young daughters, Anita is inspired to create a community that promotes women’s leadership while balancing family life. Beyond her professional pursuits, she finds joy in meaningful conversations over delicious food, camping, sports fishing, and exploring the world through travel.
Background
Meike Herget is the CTO of a medical device startup, Avails Medical, which she has co-founded. Meike holds a PhD in biochemistry from Goethe University in Frankfurt, Germany, and a postdoc from Stanford School of Medicine. She was an Ignite Fellow at the Stanford School of Business, where she met her company co-founder. Meike has gained a lot of experience being a women entrepreneur facing many difficult situations including competing with male counterparts. She has high motivations to share her experience with the AWIS Palo Alto chapter and community and to create a path forward to transform the way women leaders are seen in today’s society.
Meike & AWIS
Meike is no stranger to AWIS. She was a guest speaker and panelist on several of the chapter’s events sharing her story and advice with the STEM community. A lot has been achieved for women in leadership positions, but there is still a lot to be done and Meike is excited to support AWIS Palo Alto members and supporters in growing the community to include a network of scientists, angel investors, VCs, or scientists from industry.
Personal
Meike is a mother of two young children juggling startup and family demands.
Background
Diliana is a Drug Development and Program Management Leader with over 20 years of experience in Biotech and Pharma.
She obtained her MD degree from Medical University Sofia, Bulgaria and completed her Post- Doctoral Training at University of Connecticut Health Center in molecular biology and Immunotherapy of Cancer and Infectious Diseases. Diliana’s interest in Drug Discovery and Development took her to Boehringer-Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Revance Therapeutics and most recently to Coherus Biosciences, where she was a VP of product development overseeing the Biosimilar Portfolio.
Diliana & AWIS
Diliana is a passionate coach and mentor, guiding and managing scientists through different levels of their career development. Those she has mentored range from undergrad and graduate to established researchers and Program Managers at Director / Senior Director levels. Her strong believe that “Science is Gender Blind” drove her to be actively involved in Women Unlimited, Lean In Palo Alto Chapter, and since 2023, AWIS Palo Alto Chapter.
Personal
Diliana recently founded her own consulting company, DMS Biotech Consulting, and is excited to leverage her experience in advising Biotech companies through different stages of Drug Discovery and Development.
Background
Reem holds a MSc and a PhD in Genetics from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem in Israel. She came to the United States to pursue a postdoctoral position at Cornell University, investigating host-pathogen interactions. Reem moved to California to join the University of California at Davis. There she worked on disease mechanisms and pathway deregulation in different diseases including cancer.
Reem & AWIS
Reem has been involved with the Palo Alto Chapter of AWIS since 2010 and served as President from 2012 to 2016. She joined the chapter to meet like-minded women in science and build a professional network after moving to the San Francisco Bay Area.
Personal
Reem is a mother of two daughters that re-entered the work place after 2-year hiatus from research. She has successfully transitioned beyond the bench to pursue career in clinical and medical affairs in the private sector. Reem is active in organizations promoting women’s rights and social justice.