2026 HBA Rising Stars

Nominated by their  Corporate Partner companies, these Rising Stars represent various sectors across the healthcare industry.  These leaders are not only exceptional contributors within their companies but also powerful advocates for health equity and for workplace talent globally, significantly contributing to the HBA’s vision of Creating Leaders for Life. 

Jennifer Olson 
Abbott

Mariana Nelson
AbbVie Inc.

Kiearrah Lawrence
AbbVie Inc.

Christina Chou 
Accenture

Heather Reeves
Advanced Clinical

Sam Morley
Advanced Clinical

Iliana García
Alivia Health

Lauren Alves
Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Daniela Musumeci 
Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Jennifer Petty 
Alora Pharmaceuticals, LLC

Emily Drayer 
Altos Labs

Tracy Schorner 
Amgen

Maureen Ptasinski 
Amplity

Michelle LaRosa 
Apellis Pharmaceuticals

Janine Buonato 
Arcellx

Sarah Grant 
AstraZeneca

Sara O'Donnell 
athenahealth

Caroline Fairfax 
Atlas

Jennie Merrifield 
Bayer AG

Kara Eaton 
Bayer AG

Jessica Klass 
BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc.

Bahar Demirdirek, PhD 
Bristol Myers Squibb

Sophie Draper 
TG Therapeutics, Inc.

Brendan Leddy 
Calcium+Company

Kate Sorensen 
Cartesian Therapeutics

Nicole Barnor 
Cullinan Therapeutics

Yu-Ri Chae 
Daiichi Sankyo

Kelley Janosko 
Daiichi Sankyo

Meredith Lovegrove 
Doximity

Maire Jung 
Eli Lilly and Company

Deanna Horner 
EVERSANA

Shirley Plews 
Ferring Pharmaceuticals, USA

Emily Julius 
Fingerpaint Group

Flavia Llimona 
Fortrea

Laura Højland Larsen 
Genmab US, Inc.

Tashica Amirgholizadeh
Gilead Sciences

Devi SenGupta 
Gilead Sciences

Eva Hellman 
Haemonetics Corporation

Jenn Bridwell 
Impiricus

Shannon Doyle 
imre Health

Ann O'Brien 
Incyte

Josephine Fedou 
Ipsen

Ashley Laursen 
Ipsen

Dairin Pernet 
IQVIA

Maria Jose Cook 
ISPOR—The Professional Society for Health Economics and Outcomes Research

Eloho Ojabunor 
Jazz Pharmaceuticals

Anna Citarrella
Johnson & Johnson

Ashton Jacoby 
Johnson & Johnson

Dasha Polyarskaya 
Kyowa Kirin

Kim Hembrook 
Lundbeck US

Molly Simons 
Merge

Kelsey Gilbert 
Millennium Medical Education Resources Ltd.

Martina Scionti 
Novartis

Amrita Sawhney 
Novartis

Susan Griffin 
Novo Nordisk

Kelly Ressel 
Novo Nordisk

Tali Voloshin-Sela 
Novocure

Peggy Cossean Schenck 
Organon

Shawn Takiguchi
Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc.

Marissa Puc 
PANTHERx Rare Pharmacy

Kara Alfonso 
Pfizer Inc.

Serra Uluisik 
Pfizer Inc.

Roshanak T. Semnani, PhD 
Precigen

Samantha Akhzar 
PrescriberPoint

Caitlin Berry 
Prime Therapeutics

Anna Sim 
ProcDNA LLC

Katy Marcum 
QuidelOrtho

Justine Han 
Red Nucleus Solutions, LLC

Anwesha Dey 
Roche Genentech

Maria Chitty-Lopez 
Rocket Pharmaceuticals

Sarah Zahlmann 
Sanofi

Lindsay Macrino 
Shionogi Inc.

Bhavisha Desai 
Sobi Inc. (North America)

Sarah Hendry 
Spherix Global Insights

Townes Denemark 
Syneos Health

Vanessa Akpore 
Takeda Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Allana Sanborn 
Takeda Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Jenny Gallo 
Teva Pharmaceuticals

Amanda Casey 
The HWP Group

Valeria Boers Trilles 
Trinity Life Sciences

Alexandria Harrold 
UCB, Inc.

Rose Sumrall 
Underscore Marketing

Pavithra Kannan 
ZS