Dr. Korie Grayson is a biomedical engineer, chemical engineering researcher, and a diversity advocate in STEM. She is a first-generation student and proud alumna of the HBCU Norfolk State University, where she earned her BS in Chemistry (2012). Korie obtained her MS (2017) and PhD (2020) in Biomedical Engineering from Cornell University where she studied cancer drug resistance in 2D and 3D prostate cancer cell culture environments. Currently, Korie is a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Michigan in Chemical Engineering. Her research focuses on the evaluation of novel nano- and microparticles for therapy in neutrophilic, acute inflammatory disease and cancer.

Korie is passionate about increasing the number of underrepresented minorities in STEM by illustrating that #representationmatters. She is the Diversity Chair for @womendoingscience, a popular IG account that showcases women in STEM from all over the world. She is also on the planning council for STEMNoire, a holistic wellness and research retreat for Black women in STEM, and the Finance Director for BlackInCancer, an organization that aims to strengthen networks and highlight Black excellence in cancer research and medicine. She is also a part of the STEM Avengers that successfully planned the STEM Success Summit, a virtual conference designed to equip and empower young adults, who are traditionally underrepresented in STEM, to launch and build a successful STEM career with purpose. Korie continues doing advocacy work via community service, workshops, and speaking engagements while (Re)Defining the Image of STEM!

Jennifer has been involved in clinical research and regulatory affairs for more than 25 years. She is the President of Cook Research Incorporated (wholly owned subsidiary of Cook Medical Incorporated, Bloomington, Indiana). Cook Research Incorporated is involved in product development, testing, clinical studies, medical and scientific writing, and regulatory submissions for medical devices, combination devices and cell-based therapies. Jennifer also serves as Cook Medical’s global leader for Clinical Affairs and is a member of the executive leadership team.

Jennifer’s professional service in the medical device industry includes serving as the Co-Chair representing the US industry for the ISO 14155 global standard which addresses good clinical practice for the design and conduct of clinical investigations in human subjects. Jennifer represents Cook Medical on the Board of Directors for the Medical Device Manufacturers Association (MDMA) tackling challenges facing the medtech industry and spends time meeting with the U.S. Congress discussing these challenges. Jennifer is on the Clinical Science and Medical Officer Advisory Committee with the Medical Device Innovation Consortium (MDIC) and on the Governing Board for the National Evaluation System for health technology (NEST) where she collaborates with FDA, industry and healthcare professionals in identifying pathways for bringing new technologies to patients. Jennifer is a member of the advisory council for Purdue University’s Women’s Global Health Institute which was founded to improve the health of women through research and training developed at Purdue.

Jennifer is a member of the Class of 2017 Hoosier Fellows Program at Indiana University which provides opportunities for experienced leaders to study diverse leadership styles and principles with practical implementation. Jennifer earned her BS in Engineering (emphasis in biomedical engineering) and MS in Physiology from Purdue University (1993, 1995). In 2020, Jennifer was honored to receive from Purdue’s School of Engineering Education the Outstanding Alumni Award.

Jennie Lopez embodies "Bring Yourself to Work" in everything she does. She empowers diversity and engages employees and organizations to achieve new highs.

Her superpower? Her authenticity! She realized that her strengths are a combination of her Latinx heritage, passions, and learnings from being a mom. Intentionally using her strengths has been the secret towards her personal and professional successful growth journey.

Jennie is originally from Puerto Rico and moved to the US to complete her Master's Degree in Chemical Engineering.Her engineering career includes roles in both Manufacturing & Quality (including Site Head roles) and the business side (Global Brand Leader, Sr. Leader & Chief Operating Officer). She is currently a Sr. Director leading Global Recruiting and Talent Acquisition for Eli Lilly and Company. Jennie is also an executive board member for the Organization of Latinx at her company focusing on developing and accelerating Latinx talent. In 2021 Jennie Lopez joined the Board of Directors for Genesis Research.

In parallel, she has also found success in her dancing and fitness careers. Her experiences include: Back up dancer for artists like Julio Iglesias and Ednita Nazario, TV shows, Superbowl Winning NFL Cheerleader/Captain, Fitness Instructor, Presenter and Zumba Master Trainer.

Jennie is frequently invited as a guest speaker at many local and national organizations and was awarded 2020 Working Mother of the Year. She enjoys making intentional fun memories with her family Brad, Izzie (11), & Ethan (8)- they are the WHY and fuel for everything she does.

After many years of working hard to hide her unicorn horn she realized that that’s where magic takes place. She is now proud of being an intentional unicorn and empowers all to do the same.

Jennie is frequently invited as a guest speaker at many local and national organizations and was awarded 2020 Working Mother of the Year. She enjoys making intentional fun memories with her family Brad, Izzie (11), & Ethan (8)- they are the WHY and fuel for everything she does.

After many years of working hard to hide her unicorn horn she realized that that’s where magic takes place. She is now proud of being an intentional unicorn and empowers all to do the same.

Dr. Karl Lewis is an assistant professor at theMeinigSchool of Biomedical Engineering at Cornell University. Dr. Lewis’s research interests center on understanding the interplay of mechanical cues and biological changes in musculoskeletal tissues. His group develops new intravital imaging techniques for studying mechanotransduction and mechanobiology. They interrogate how acute sensing mechanisms in musculoskeletal cells relate to tissue-level changes in healthy and disease states, with the objective to use this knowledge to identify new targets for therapeutic intervention in musculoskeletal disease.

In addition to academic research, Dr. Lewis has committed his time to volunteer service and community outreach. As a graduate student he was the founding president of the City College of New York Biomedical Engineering Graduate Student Association, which was dedicated to promoting STEM through outreach in New York City. Moreover, he has worked in numerous professional societies to advance inclusion initiatives nationally and internationally.

Rod Cotton, an entrepreneurial senior leader in the pharmaceutical industry, is known for his holistic perspective, bias for action in the face of challenges, and commitment to agile processes. In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, Rod and his team accelerated six ground-breaking products in 11 months, including the first launch of the market’s most accurate and in-demand molecular diagnostic test.

A key influencer across all levels of the organization, Rod is currently SVP, Head of Strategy & Transformation and Chief of Staff to the CEO for Roche Diagnostics, the North American headquarters of the world’s largest ($14B) diagnostics company. With 35+ years of healthcare experience, Rod has driven the financial turnaround and cultural transformation of four global healthcare companies, led teams of up to 280 total reports, managed P&L of $1+ billion, and served as a key member of the senior leadership team executing the most significant restructuring of the company in two decades. 

Rod has solved extraordinary challenges of product scarcity, supply chain, product allocation, and logistics to achieve accelerated global sourcing and self-manufacturing in line with testing guidelines, in collaboration with prominent C-Suite and Lab leaders, U.S. Congressional leaders, governors, mayors, and state COVID-19 taskforces in 23 states.

As a member of the board of directors of The United Way of Central Indiana (UWCI), Rod has led key initiatives to raise the stature of the organization, including its 90+ member board, 300+ committee members and C-Suite; strengthen governance, crisis leadership, and infrastructure; and support growth of its endowment from $55M to $121M in 2020. He served as an influential panel member in the interviewing, vetting, selection, and integration of UWCI’s new President, CEO, and board member from 10+ potential candidates. A director since 2009, Rod has also served on the executive, governance, D&I, strategic affairs, capital campaign, fundraising, and other committees.

Rod holds an M.B.A., an M.S. in Strategic Management, and a B.A. in Biological Sciences & Technology. Prior to Roche, he held roles at Baxter International and other firms. A frequent public speaker on diversity, Rod is an executive sponsor for Roche’s Asian, Black, and Latino affinity groups and a supporter of its LGBTQ group, and he was an early (and the first male) member of the Roche Women Leader Initiative.

Dr. Willerth, a Full Professor in Biomedical Engineering, holds a Canada Research Chair in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Victoria where she has dual appointments in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and the Division of Medical Sciences. She also holds an appointment with the School of Biomedical Engineering at the University of British Columbia. She recently founded the start-up company - Axolotl Biosciences that sells high quality bioinks for bioprinting human tissue models. She is an active member of the steering committee of the B.C. Regenerative Medicine Initiative and the Stem Cell Network. She also serves as a staff scientist at Creative Destruction Lab. She served as the Acting Director of the Centre for Biomedical Research and the Biomedical Engineering undergraduate program at the University of Victoria from 2018-2021 and as the President of Canadian Biomaterials Society from 2018-2019.