Telesia enjoys designing high-impact educational experiences. She activated this passion in her roles as director of multicultural affairs at the University of South Carolina Aiken and as dean for campus life at Presbyterian College. She later transitioned to the association space at the National Association for Campus Activities, serving as director of education and research. She joined the HBA team in early 2021 and works to establish the educational content strategy for the association and to develop global learning initiatives.

Her own life-changing educational experiences ignited and cultivated her enthusiasm for education. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in English from Paine College, a Master’s degrees in student personnel services and higher education business administration and a Ph.D. in educational leadership and policies from the University of South Carolina.

Telesia resides in Columbia, SC and finds joy in reading, traveling and spending time with her husband and son. She is also an avid women’s basketball fan, never missing an opportunity to cheer on her Gamecocks at UofSC and any WNBA team with former Gamecocks.

Shweta Bhardwaj is Director, Global R&D & Digital Policy, Worldwide Govt. Affairs & Policy (WWGA&P), Johnson & Johnson. Her focus and expertise include digital/data science policy, cybersecurity, interoperability, health data, AI, and government regulation of new technologies that enable more efficient and accelerated R&D. Shweta partners externally in shaping digital health, regulatory and health data governance issues, through trade associations such as Global Data Alliance (GDA), BIO, AdvaMed, APACMed and IFPMA. She is Vice Chair- Interoperability Working Group, MedTech Europe.

Shweta holds MSc. in Global Health & Public Policy from the University of Edinburgh (as a commonwealth scholar). In her previous roles, she has worked within MedTech industry, WHO and international non-profits. She is passionate about social impact and engages in J&J's flagship Talent-for-good programs, which address critical areas in healthy equity, access & social determinants of health.

Dr. Kavita Dhamdhere is an ophthalmologist passionate about advancing eyecare, which led her to pursue a PhD and a fellowship at UC Berkeley, focusing on diabetic retinopathy, retinitis pigmentosa, macular edema, and geographic atrophy.

As a strategic leader and physician-scientist, Dr. Dhamdhere has extensive experience driving research and development in multidisciplinary organizations. She is dedicated to delivering the highest quality vision to patients and has played a pivotal role in developing numerous devices and pharmaceuticals that address critical gaps in eyecare.

Currently, she leads clinical development at Tarsus, where she is excited about their pipeline of transformative programs. These initiatives have the potential to impact countless patients suffering from conditions with no approved treatments, reinforcing her mission to drive meaningful change in eyecare.

Beyond her career, she is a proud single mother of two wonderful children—the wind beneath her wings—who inspire her every day to push the boundaries of innovation in eyecare.

Brian is a versatile finance leader with over 25 years of progressive experience in financial reporting, technical accounting, forecasting, consolidations, revenue operations and internal audit. His expertise includes strong understanding of GAAP, technical accounting research, forecasting, SEC filings, internal controls and ERP systems.

Heather is a visionary leader with over 25 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry, excelling in global and national roles. Heather’s deep-rooted passion for cultivating potential shines through her commitment to fostering a workplace culture that emphasizes performance, engagement, and continual development.

A firm believer in the holistic development of leadership qualities, Heather advocates for maintaining balance across all life aspects. She understands that personal well-being directly influences professional effectiveness, integrating this philosophy into her leadership to enhance both the lives and performance of her team members.

Beyond her professional achievements, Heather is a devoted wife and mother of two boys, one of whom is on the Autism Spectrum. She openly shares her experiences juggling the challenges of being a working mom in today's corporate environment, bringing a raw and inspiring message that motivates others to pursue their dreams while being present for what truly matters

Jennifer Kenny is a master of innovation practices. She increases the capacity of leaders, teams and organizations to fuel innovation, performance and revenue in complex and emergent technology ecosystems. Jennifer is passionate about helping amazing people deliver highly successful projects by amplifying others.

For more than 25 years, Jennifer has devoted herself to the study and mastery of the practice of innovation. Building on the disciplines of Systems & Design Thinking, Language Action Design and Human Coordination, she has developed the Mastering the Innovation Mindset™, Mastering Innovation Leadership™ and Mastering Regenerative Leadership™ programs to help senior leaders and their teams ignite and embed transformative innovation practices. These programs provide critical meta-skills, methodologies and frameworks that enable them to lead and amplify cross-functional innovation capabilities, rapidly develop more valuable products and optimal coordination processes.
Jennifer has held senior positions with Accenture, Booz Allen and Gartner, senior executive roles with Wells Fargo Bank, Cisco, University of California, and was CIO at Stanford Research Institute.
She is a kayaker, diver, fisherwoman, gardener, remodeler, avid reader, proud mom, and passionate Irishwoman.

Oriana, an ETH Zurich graduate in medicine and engineering, created FemTechnology Summit to address the neglect of women's health in medical education. Originally her thesis, the Summit has grown into a global movement involving femtech startups, researchers, clinicians, and corporations from over 60 countries. The 2023 Summit, held at Roche HQ, brought together 150 innovators to tackle topics such as "Redesigning Healthcare with Women in Mind," "Financing Innovation in Women's Health," "Women Centric Cancer Care" and "AI & Gender Data Health Gap," influencing initiatives at the World Economic Forum and highlighted at the US Chamber of Commerce.

In addition to the Summit, Oriana launched a university series to promote pioneering research in women's health, collaborating with institutions like ETH Zurich, Imperial College London, and Harvard Business School. She is on the advisory board for the Wyss Institute at Harvard's Women’s Health Catalyst and the Female Project, focusing on machine learning for endometriosis.

Oriana's efforts culminate in FemTechGuide, a comprehensive women’s health platform designed to centralize best-in-class solutions for employees. FemTechGuide aggregates clinical guidelines, research, and innovative solutions to provide personalized healthcare for women. By collecting detailed quantitative and qualitative data through user engagement, FemTechGuide identifies patterns and gaps in women's health, allowing employers to better understand and support the needs of their female employees. This empowers employers to foster a healthier, more productive workforce by addressing the specific health concerns of their female employees.

FemTechGuide's mission is to close the gender data health gap by leveraging existing knowledge and solutions in women's health. The platform systematically applies these insights to map out gaps and barriers in women's healthcare, creating and implementing targeted solutions. Through FemTechGuide, Oriana continues to drive innovation, enhance health outcomes for women, and provide valuable insights for employers.

Dr. Maybank is a highly proficient, award-winning executive physician with demonstrated excellence and leadership in public health, health equity, preventive medicine, narrative strategy, health communications, and organizational change management to advance equity.

Throughout her career, she has served as an honest broker and convener of typically silo-ed sectors and organizations within public health to ensure equitable conversations in planning and organizing for change and impact on well-being and health. Her frameworks and approaches have been adopted by other institutions across the world as well as recognized by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO). She also holds expertise and has led in the areas of maternal and infant health, gun violence, mental health, chronic disease, and neighborhood planning for improved health.

Dr. Maybank’s unique expertise stems from launching several ‘start-up’ Centers and Offices for health equity within health institutions - Suffolk County, NYC Health Department, American Medical Association - to meet and exceed organizational commitments to embed equity in all organizational policies and functions. In recognizing her success and talent, she was also invited by and advised the CDC during the height of COVID on strengthening their internal equity infrastructure.

Dr. Maybank has taught medical and public health students on topics related to health inequities, public health leadership and management, physician advocacy, and community organizing in health. In 2012, she co-founded "We Are Doc McStuffins," a movement created by Black women physicians who were inspired by the Disney Junior character Doc McStuffins.

In the media and on the lecture circuit, Dr. Maybank is highly sought after, appearing on Disney Jr.’s, Oprah, MSNBC, NBC, PBS to name a few and has written op-eds in places like NYT and Washington Post.

She advises on film projects and has received a Telly Award for “Racism & Health in US Medicine, A Conversation with Harriet A. Washington” by Health Affairs, the leading journal of health policy thought and research. She received Highest Alum Honors from Temple Schl of Medicine, Columbia Univ Mailman Schl of Public Health, and the American College of Preventive Medicine along with other numerous awards. She serves on non-profit boards such as Race Forward and the Journal of Medical Regulation, and was appointed under the Biden White House Administration to the US Defense Health Board. Dr. Maybank served on medical missions to Haiti and Cuba.

LaToya Tapscott is the Senior Director, Global Head of the Think Tank at the Healthcare Businesswomen's Association (HBA), where she spearheads initiatives to accelerate gender parity across the healthcare and life sciences industries. With a focus on strategic planning, governance, and fostering key partnerships, LaToya is dedicated to dismantling systemic barriers and advancing gender equity as a core value within organizations.

In her current role, LaToya collaborates with leading companies and thought leaders to develop data-driven strategies that drive transformative change. Her work with the HBA Think Tank includes the cultivation of impactful partnerships, such as the one with BCT Partners, which harnesses data and insights to empower women and promote organizational excellence.

As a Certified Association executive (CAE) with over 15 years of experience in non-profit membership associations, LaToya has a proven track record of engaging stakeholders and building vibrant communities. Before joining HBA, she held senior roles at the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) and the Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC), where she led initiatives that enhanced member engagement and strategic collaboration. She also volunteers with organizations like Association Women Technology Champions (AWTC) and Black Association Executives (BAE).

Dr. Judith is a world renowned mental health expert and board certified psychiatrist who is conducting the first-of-it’s kind study on High Functioning Depression. Her highly anticipated book on High Functioning Depression is released in Spring 2025. With over 1 million social media followers she is the leading voice in High Functioning Depression Worldwide.

Dr. Judith Joseph is a renowned speaker, podcaster, on-air medical media expert and has lectured at The White House to the Executive Office of The President of The United States. She was also awarded a 2023 US Congress and House of Representatives Proclamation Award for her social media advocacy and research in Mental Health. She has worked with various media outlets such as Oprah Daily, Good Morning America, Wendy Williams Show, Tubi, Apple TV, The Today Show, The Tamron Hall Show, CBS, NBC, MSNBC, Investigation Discovery, Pix11news, The Doctor Oz Show, Newsweek and Parents.com.

She is Chair of the Women in Medicine Initiative at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians & Surgeons. Dr. Judith's Podcast "The Vault” is the only mental health podcast filmed in a former diamond safe in Midtown Manhattan. She interviews leaders in mental health and entertainment.

Dr. Joseph is the Owner and Principal Investigator at Manhattan Behavioral Medicine PLLC, and has worked on over 60 clinical research trials in behavioral health and neuroscience. She is a skilled psychometric rater. She is an expert on High Functioning Depression and her site is conducting the first of its kind research on High Functioning Depression. Dr. Joseph is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Child and Adolescent psychiatry at NYU Langone Medical Center/NYU Child Study Center. She is a Board Certified Psychiatrist and Child & Adult Psychiatrist who specializes in psychopharmacology and talk therapy. Her private practice is located in Midtown Manhattan.

She teaches medical media courses to physicians and medical students at Columbia University, New York University and Harlem Hospital. She is the 2020 and 2023 award winner for the Share Care for best Mental Health Web Series with MedCircle and an ADHD piece with Good Morning America. She is on the board of Let's Talk Menopause and has advocated for health policy changes for Women’s healthcare.

Mary Stutts is the Chief Executive Officer of the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association (HBA) where she leads the global mission to accelerate the advancement and impact of women in the business of healthcare and health equity.

Mary brings to the HBA 30 years of experience leading the strategic integration of corporate branding, marketing, health equity, inclusion, and digital innovation for biopharma, healthcare, and media companies. Her expertise and cross functional acumen have provided global leadership to organizations and Fortune 500 companies including Genentech, Bayer, Bristol Myers Squibb, Sumitovant, UnitedHealth Group, Kaiser Permanente, Stanford Health Care, and Comcast NBCUniversal.

Previously, Stutts was the Global Chief Inclusion and Health Equity Officer at Real Chemistry where she drove inclusion and equitable care for clients by integrating customized digital analytics and data intelligence to increase market penetration and clinical trial diversity.

Among her many accomplishments, as the former Chief Inclusion and Health Equity Officer at Stanford Health Care, Stutts worked directly with the board to curate the Inclusive Leadership Workshop which was designed to develop executives capable of leading, growing, and transforming organizations while addressing racial and social injustice and inequity amongst all stakeholders. Additionally, Stutts led Genentech’s $5 million Diversity in Clinical Trials initiative to increase the representation of people of color and women; enhanced a culture of workplace inclusion and health equity during Bristol Myers Squibb’s business model transformation; and oversaw fulfillment of the FCC’s digital equity conditions in Comcast’s California Region required for the acquisition of NBCUniversal.  

Stutts is a recognized advocate of women in leadership and has been at the forefront of board readiness programs to increase the representation of women and people of color on public and private corporate boards.

As an accomplished author, Mary’s new book, Recurring Themes of Exclusion in the Workplace, provides an in-depth analysis of ongoing exclusionary practices in the workplace and details the path needed to achieve true “inclusive diversity.” Her book The Missing Mentor:  Women Advising Women on Power, Progress and Priorities has been dubbed a surrogate mentor for women focused on career advancement.

Stutts earned a Master of Health Administration degree at the University of Southern California and is a graduate of the Executive Program on Strategy and Organization at the Stanford University Graduate School of Business.

Kathryn “Katie” Schubert has served as President & CEO of the Society for Women’s Health Research (SWHR) since April 2020. She is a trusted leader and consensus builder among women’s health stakeholders, and previously served as chief advocacy officer at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM). Schubert began her career on Capitol Hill and subsequently advised organizations on policy strategy in the healthcare space. She is a board member of the National Health Council, Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance, and ASPN Foundation. She is a previous president of Women in Government Relations, and in 2020 was named Advocate of the Year by Professional Women in Advocacy for her work on inclusion of pregnant and lactating populations in research, and in 2024 named as one of the most influential people shaping policy in healthcare by the Washingtonian magazine. Schubert holds a bachelor’s degree from Mary Washington College and a master’s degree from the George Washington University. When not advocating for women’s health, she’s spending time with her husband, three kids, and dog George.