Steady the Ship: Managing People and Priorities Through Waves of Disruption

Tanya Silva Alcorn is Senior Vice President, Sterile Injectables and Biotech Operations, at Pfizer. She started her career at Pfizer over two decades ago and now has oversight of 19 manufacturing plants globally, which produce more than 200 medicines and vaccines and more than 4 billion doses each year.

With over two decades at Pfizer, she previously served as Vice President of Global Supply Chain, managing demand, supply, and inventory for around 600 products across 175 markets. Notably, Tanya played a crucial role in distributing Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine and oral treatment, leading a global team to develop an innovative cold chain distribution process and the thermal shipper, now part of the Smithsonian collection. Her leadership during the pandemic highlighted her decisive and visionary capabilities.

Tanya is the daughter of Portuguese immigrants and was born and raised in New Jersey. She received her bachelor’s degree in Biological Science from Rutgers University and went on to receive a master’s degree in Systems Engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology, where she currently serves on their Advisory Board. She has received recognition as both a Rising Star and a Luminary from the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association and currently holds positions on both the HBA Global Board of Directors and The HBA Foundation Board of Directors. Tanya was recently named to Women We Admire’s “Top 50 Women Leaders in Healthcare for 2025” and is also a member of CHIEF, a senior executive women’s network.

Passionate about mentoring young women in STEM, Tanya sponsors a mentorship program at Pfizer, supporting women through various career stages. She emphasizes authenticity in leadership, especially for women in male-dominated fields. Tanya is married with three children and enjoys traveling with her family.

Jennifer Weaver is the Director of Business Operations at Pfizer for the Sterile Injectable and Biotech Operations Operating Unit with PGS, where she oversees the governance, business operations, communications and recognition for SBO. Prior to this role she led the Strategy, Operations Management and Supply Chain teams at the Sanford, North Carolina vaccine manufacturing site.

She serves as a catalyst for effective leadership, ensuring alignment of priorities, teams, and communications to deliver outstanding business results while pursuing collective goals. With more than 25 years of industry experience across diverse disciplines in both on-site and corporate roles, she is dedicated to organizing processes, fostering a positive organizational culture, and mentoring colleagues to support their professional growth.

Jennifer has a Master of Science in Biotechnology Management from the University of Maryland, Certificate in New Drug Development from Temple University School of Pharmacy, and a Bachelor of Science in Biology from East Carolina University. She currently serves on the programming committee in the Research Triangle Park Chapter of the Healthcare Businesswomen's Association.

Outside of work, you will find her cheering loudly at professional sporting events, exploring new destinations, and dedicating time to her family, friends, and dogs.