Susan Windham-Bannister, Ph.D.

President and CEO, Biomedical Growth Strategies LLC

Dr. Susan Windham-Bannister is a nationally and internationally recognized expert in biopharma innovation, market access and market optimization strategies. She has been recognized by the Boston Globe as one of the “10 Most Influential Women in Biotech,” by Boston Magazine as one of the “50 Most Powerful Women in Boston” and by Biosphere as one of the 10 most prominent African American life science leaders. She is Chair of the National Governing Board of the Association for Women in Science (AWIS), a Director of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, a Director of Aridis Pharmaceuticals and a Director of Histogen Inc.

From 2008-2015 Dr. Windham-Bannister served as President and CEO of the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center (MLSC), which administered a $1-billion (USD) Life Sciences investment fund created to catalyze innovation in all sectors of the Massachusetts life sciences community – biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, medical diagnostics and bioinformatics/analytics. She was a member of the Center’s Board of Directors with Boston life sciences luminaries that include Joshua Boger Ph.D., founder of Vertex; Abbie Celniker Ph.D., the first female partner of Third Rock Ventures; Edward Benz, M.D., former President of the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, and Peter Slavin, M.D., President of Massachusetts General Hospital. Since completing her tenure with the Massachusetts Life Sciences Initiative, Dr. Windham-Bannister serves as President and CEO of Biomedical Growth Strategies, LLC, serving as an advisor to innovation initiatives in the U.S. and internationally.

Dr. Windham-Bannister received a B.A. from Wellesley College, a Doctorate in Health Policy and Management from the Florence Heller School at Brandeis University, and a Doctor of Science from Worcester Polytechnic Institute (honoris causa). She completed her doctoral work at the Heller School under a Fellowship from the Ford Foundation and was also a post-doctoral fellow at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School. Dr. Windham-Bannister also served as a Fellow in the Center for Science and Policy (CSAP) at Cambridge University, Cambridge, England.