NHLS, ISPE Boston Event Showcases Regional Career Pathways for Women in Life Sciences

For some women in life sciences looking to advance their careers, find a new role or even get started, finding that pathway forward can feel more challenging than editing genomes or formulating a drug compound.  

NH Life Sciences has partnered with International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering (ISPE) Boston Area Chapter for a Women in Pharma event. The event will provide networking opportunities and a panel discussion showcasing career development tools and support. 

“I speak to women all the time, whether they have a job or they're laid off. I always say, ‘Let me know when you get to the interview process. I can help you negotiate a salary,’” says Brooke Cote, director of market development at Surplus Solutions and co-chair of Women in Pharma. “People don't know what they can ask for.” 

 While women outnumber men in entry-level roles in the pharmaceutical and medical products industry, that representation steadily decreases at increasing tiers of job responsibility, according to a 2024 Women in the Workforce report by McKinsey & Company. That is even more pronounced for women of color.  

While women are making breakthroughs in medicine, they are not always breaking through to the C-suite.  

“We're trying to provide our members the opportunity to learn about things they might not know about that are important to their career or that are important to who they are as individuals,” says Dorrian Cohen Fragola, vice president of business development at C&W Services and co-chair of Women in Pharma. “Our goal is to create a strong community for women, led by women.” 

 The New England biotech community is marked by collaboration and diversity.  

“This panel is to showcase how we can all work together and how there are amazing, powerful women in New Hampshire and New England,” Cote says. “I hope that empowers other women to take a look at some other companies and take a step across that border." 

NHLS President Andrea Hechavarria, who took a nonlinear path to life sciences after starting her career in government, previously participated in a panel during ISPE Boston’s annual product showcase at Gillette Stadium. 

Hechavarria will participate in the Women in Pharma panel with Varija Verma, executive director of analytical science and technology at Vertex Pharmaceuticals, and Kerri Edwards, interim head of MSAT at Lonza. Fragola will moderate the discussion. 

 “Our goal as an organization is to keep finding ways to collaborate,” Fragola says. “Especially as New Hampshire continues to be an expansive and growing market in the life sciences industry.”  

The event will take place Oct. 16 at Lonza’s Portsmouth facility. Participants will be able to network and enjoy great food during the registration period from 4 to 5 p.m. The panel will speak for about an hour, with a question-and-answer period reserved. Another hour of networking will follow the panel.  

You can learn more or register for the event with the ISPE Boston.