2004: Founding Presidents

HBA usually chooses one individual as its Strategic Transformation Achievement Recognition (STAR), formerly Volunteer of the Year award, but this year to show our appreciation to the women who "made it happen," we are proud to award this honor to the founding presidents of the HBA chapters and affiliates. They have dedicated their time, energy, passion and commitment to making the Healthcare Businesswomen's Association (HBA) a powerful national voice for the advancement of women in the healthcare industry and to bringing the HBA closer to our members.

Join us in honoring the HBA founding presidents:

Atlanta Chapter (2000)
Jan Hannon
President
Envision Communications, Inc.
Jan Hannon is president of Envision Communication Inc., a premiere medical education company located in Atlanta, GA. She founded Envision 9 years ago, after relocating from New York and running Adair Green’s Atlanta-based healthcare division. Hannon has over 20 years of experience in the healthcare communications field. “I was immensely proud and honored to serve as the Founding President of the Atlanta Chapter of the HBA,” Hannon said. “I believe it is extremely important for women in this community to have an avenue for their continued growth, success and advancement in order to have a positive impact on the healthcare industry across the nation.”

Boston Chapter (2001)
Karla Gonye
National Director
Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association
Karla Gonye recently joined the HBA as national director, serving to advance women’s careers through the corporate membership program. With more than a decade of industry experience, Gonye established the Boston Chapter and served as president for two years. Her most valued professional experience was during her seven-year career at Schering-Plough Corporation as manager/leader of a sales team. When asked about her experience as the HBA Boston chapter founding president, Gonye responded, “it was definitely a career highlight. Most significant to me was the opportunity to create some energy and focus around women supporting women professionally. From a national perspective, the combined success of the chapters strengthens the HBA, facilitating its emergence as a powerful force in the industry that continues to lead women to new heights.”

San Francisco Chapter (2001)
Gayathri Koundinya
Commercialization Manager
CV Therapeutics, Inc.
Through Gayathri’s leadership the San Francisco chapter enrolled over 200 members and 2 pivotal corporate members, Genentech and Guidant, during its first year. Gayathri was also critical in enrolling support of many of the leading female executives in the area. Over the past three years, the chapter has become a mainstay in the Bay Area healthcare community.

Chicago Affiliate (2003)
Kimberly Farrell
President
Unlimited Performance Training, Inc.
Kimberly A. Farrell is the founder, president and CEO of Unlimited Performance Training, a pharmaceutical training organization based in Deerfield, IL. She is a member of the Pharmaceutical Representative Magazine (PRM) Advisory Board and columnist for the PRM series of articles featuring career strategies for women in leadership. Farrell owns the trademark for WIN Leadership, the premiere leadership seminar for mid-senior level women in the healthcare industry. “The first [HBA Chicago Affiliate] meeting was held in February, 2003,” Farrell said as she proudly recalled her early days as founding president. “Membership has since grown to more than 125 members including four major Chicago corporations: Abbott, TAP, Unlimited Performance Training Inc. and AstraZeneca Chicago.”

Indiana Affiliate (2003)
Teresa Pascarelli
President
Integrity Pharmaceutical Corporation
Terri Pascarelli served Integrity Pharmaceutical Corporation as COO and then president from November, 2001 until present. Her experience includes over 20 years in pharma, at Boehringer Ingelheim and Roche, spanning diverse functions including executive management, R&D, managed healthcare, government affairs, trade and sales. She has degrees from Rutgers (BS-Pharmacy) and Pace (MBA). “Having been an HBA member on the east coast, I am so appreciative of the opportunity to share the benefits of the HBA with so many talented healthcare industry professionals in Indiana,” Pascarelli said.

Mid-Atlantic Affiliate (2003)
Susan Torroella, MBA
CEO
Columbia MedCom Group
Susan Torroella is CEO of Columbia MedCom Group, comprised of INNOVIA Education Institute, an ACCME accredited provider, and Medicalliance, provider of professional communications. Mid-Atlantic HBA President, Susan’s healthcare experience spans global marketing at Schering-Plough where she used her four languages, to healthcare work in West Africa.

Metro Chapter (2004)
Charlene Prounis
Executive Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer
Corbett Accel Healthcare Group
Charlene Prounis opened the Accel agency with her partners in 1999 and helped lead Accel to national prominence in only two years when it was selected as “Agency on the Rise.” Accel recently joined forces with another top Omnicom agency to form Corbett Accel Healthcare Group. Prounis was promoted into an executive leadership role as the chief marketing officer. When asked about the value of the HBA expanding nationally via chapters and affiliates, Prounis underscored the enhanced opportunities this offers to HBA members. “Being the HBA Metro chapter president allows me to focus on the individual member and develop programs that are going to help that member advance her career. Now [the HBA] can offer more skill-building programs on key skill sets such as negotiation and mentoring. We are also better positioned to hear the advice and counsel of successful senior-level women and to bring programs of topical focus to industry.”

All information in the honoree’s bio is reflective of the time they won the award.