Healthcare Businesswomen's Association

HBA Research Triangle Park: A Letter from the President

Greetings HBA Research Triangle Park,

I am thrilled to serve as your HBA Research Triangle Park (RTP) President for my first year. RTP is an established chapter in the Southeast Region. The Board is comprised of talented and passionate women dedicated to supporting the HBA to further the advancement and impact of women in the business of healthcare and advocate for gender parity and health equity.

Our RTP Board includes the following:

  • President – Deidra Hudson (Apellis Pharmaceuticals)
  • Vice President – Natasha Wiley (Biogen)
  • Director of Operations – Cherlona Walston (ICON)
  • Director of Programming and Events – Marianne Levandowski (LabCorp)
  • Director of Membership and Engagement – Rosebud Kearney (Parexel FSP)
  • Director of Marketing and Communications – Gayle Flynn (Cognizant)

We are also fortunate to work with an esteemed group of regional leaders in HBA Southeast and a diverse group of committee members in the areas of Programming, Membership, Marketing, Mentorship, and Corporate Relations.

Together, this newly formed team accomplished the following year-to-date:

  • #1 in new members in the Southeast Region with 40% growth in new membership
  • #2 in total membership in the Southeast Region 
  • 2 Educational programs with speakers on topics of transformational leadership, executive presence, & allyship
  • 1 in-person networking event at Lulu Bang Bang Restaurant in Durham (60+ attendees)
  • 1 in-person Coffee Chat with our founder Peggy Marcus
  • 5 corporate partners assigned to the RTP: GSK, IQVIA, LabCorp, Fortrea, and KBI Biopharma
  • Established 4 RTP Mentoring circles (10 mentees, 7 mentors)

We are planning the following events for Q4, 2024:

  • New member program “Making the Most of Your HBA Membership
  • Meet the HBA program and End of Year Networking Event
  • Annual Collaboration with Women in Biotech for our end-of-the-year educational event with typical attendance of 70+ in November – educational program focused on women’s health.

We are now focused on rounding out 2024 and planning for 2025! We are working with our members, partners, and advisors to strategically plan programs for the year that are valuable and relevant to women in healthcare and support gender parity, diversity, and inclusion. We will continue to offer both educational and networking programs focused on a range of topics, including novel events such as a Meet the HBA at the Museum and other fun experiences. The HBA also runs a fantastic Mentorship program that runs throughout the year, and the RTP has 4 mentoring circles this year!

HBA RTP is lucky to be a part of the community, as it is home to hundreds of healthcare-focused organizations including biopharma, medical device, diagnostics, research, hospitals, managed care, universities, and consulting agencies. Whether you’ve been part of the HBA for many years or are new to the chapter, we hope you will join us at a networking or educational program this year and find out what we have to offer.

We encourage women and men at any career level to participate in and engage with our local HBA RTP chapter. If you’re looking to volunteer, speak, or sponsor an event, don’t hesitate to contact us based on your area of interest. Come grow with us!

We look forward to closing out 2024 with impactful events and to a promising new year in 2025!

Deidra Hudson
President, HBA Research Triangle Park | HBA Southeast Region

 

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