BCLA x WIB Speed Networking Mixer

On Tuesday, August 12th from 6-9pm, we partnered with Women In Bio - Los Angeles (WIB-LA) to cohost our fall Speed Networking Mixer, bringing together an inspiring community of professionals at LA BioSpace. The evening offered a dynamic space for meaningful conversations, career guidance, and community building across the life sciences, biotech, and entrepreneurial ecosystem. Attendees rotated through a series of personalized, five minute one-on-one conversations with mentors whose expertise spanned science, strategy, operations, and leadership.

Among the mentors was Romina Vegezzi, a Human Resources professional with over 15 years of experience who now supports professionals navigating the U.S. job market with clarity and confidence. Lital Gilad-Shaoulian, founder of Purpose Bio and seasoned entrepreneur with a track record of nearly $1 billion in strategic deals, brought her unique perspective on building companies at the intersection of Hi Tech and Biotech. Mariana G. Weber, a PhD trained translational scientist transitioning into medical affairs, shared her journey through oncology, immunology, and infectious disease research. Adding to this mix, Karen Wu, scientist-turned-founder of Lucerna, discussed how her team is advancing fluorescent RNA technologies to tackle pressing challenges in drug discovery. J. Marcella Ayala contributed insights from her role leading strategy and sales for a national general contractor that builds complex facilities powering scientific innovation.

The evening also highlighted mentors working at the forefront of biotech entrepreneurship and operations. Maroof Adil, bioengineer and early-stage operator, reflected on his experiences co-founding and scaling startups in gene editing and cell therapy, while Linda Mansolillo, founder of Elevate Biostrategies and former executive at Roche, Illumina, and Grail, shared her expertise in diagnostics and precision medicine strategy. Tanjina Shapiro, a coach and strategic advisor, offered a supportive perspective on helping high-achieving women navigate transitions with purpose and clarity. Alisha Simmons-Ramirez brought her background in biochemistry and lab operations, showing how she supports research teams in streamlining workflows at SciSure. Meanwhile, Samantha Leano, a biotech and bioinformatics researcher with experience spanning agriculture, pharmaceuticals, and AI, highlighted her work developing deep-learning simulations for evolutionary biology.

Leaders in oncology and translational science also played a pivotal role in the evening. Miriana Moran, with 18 years of experience in oncology and cell therapy at Kite Pharma and Cancer Genetics Inc., shared her expertise in clinical collaborations and biomarker development. Shauna Gerold, with nearly 30 years in commercial sales of single-cell and spatial biology technologies, reflected on her career path and the power of listening as a sales leader. Erika von Euw, a translational research and immunology leader, drew on her success in portfolio management and therapeutic development across modalities including small molecules and CAR-T. Diego Martinez, clinical operations expert with 17 years of experience in decentralized and hybrid research, offered perspectives on managing oncology trials and leading cross-functional teams. Mariana Uchoa contributed insights from her work in regulatory affairs, biomarker testing, and cell therapy. Wendy Ruggeri, an Emergency Medicine physician, bilingual leader, and breast cancer survivor, brought her unique perspective from more than a decade of service in Los Angeles County’s Correctional Health Services.

New voices further broadened the range of expertise in the room. Jeanette Alcaraz, a molecular and cellular biologist, drew on over a decade of research into innate immunity, chronic inflammation, and age-related decline in the intestinal microenvironment. Janet Lim, a PharmD-trained Medical Affairs professional, reflected on her 5+ years of MSL experience in dermatology and biologics, alongside her recent consulting work in stem-cell therapy market entry. Keuna Jeon, Postdoctoral Researcher at the Terasaki Institute, shared insights from her work in medical device development, biomaterials research, and her pursuit of PMP certification. Andrew Miller, Development Associate at BCLA, offered perspectives on supporting life science community growth and engagement, while Dan Gober, Executive Director at Biocom California, drew from two decades of commercialization and pharmaceutical leadership to guide teams through complex go-to-market strategies. Jonalyn DeCastro, Consulting Project Manager at BCLA, highlighted her expertise in medical affairs, strategic planning, and stakeholder engagement across biotech, hospitals, and startups.

Rounding out this diverse group, Krista Marrero, PhD, Co-Vice Chair of WIB-LA, emphasized her ability to bridge behavioral science, neuroscience, and communication to translate complex data into actionable insights. Shruti Rao, Vice-Chair of Women In Bio - Los Angeles, shared her 12 years of experience in cancer precision medicine, biomarker discovery, and AI-driven cancer tools. Cecilia D’Alterio, a biologist turned biotech operations leader, discussed her path from 15+ years managing labs at UCLA and Salk Institute to supply chain and procurement in cell therapy.

Throughout the evening, the room was filled with energy, thoughtful conversations, and new connections. The structured format gave each attendee the chance to meet multiple mentors, ensuring meaningful exchanges and actionable takeaways. We closed this wonderful night with a happy hour and lab tour. We extend our heartfelt thanks to the mentors for generously sharing their time and expertise, and to all attendees for contributing to such an engaging evening. Special gratitude goes to Women In Bio - Los Angeles for their invaluable partnership in making this event a success. We are grateful to our core sponsors: Magnify at CNSI, USC Bridge Institute, Keck Graduate Institute, California Life Sciences, and LA BioSpace, whose support made this outstanding event possible.

This gathering was a true celebration of community, collaboration, and mentorship - and we look forward to building on this momentum at our next Speed Networking Mixer.