In today’s competitive investment landscape, the ability to tell a clear, compelling, and consistent story can be the difference between breakthrough funding and another closed door. For women’s health founders, crafting that narrative—one that resonates with diverse stakeholders without compromising the core innovation—is both a challenge and a critical opportunity.

Join us at WIB's Annual Plenary event during the 2025 BIO International Convention for a future-focused conversation about the role of narrative in unlocking capital for women’s health. This session will unpack what makes a narrative powerful and enduring, how founders can align their innovation thesis with market opportunity, and how storytelling can build the conviction investors need to say yes.

With insights from Seema Kumar (CEO, Cure), Kristen Dahlgren (Founder, Cancer Vaccine Coalition), and Claire Love (Partner and Leader of Healthcare Deals Strategy, PwC), attendees will leave with actionable tools to sharpen their own narratives—and help fuel the next era of investment in women’s health.

Ticket includes two drink vouchers and heavy appetizers.
 

Program

5:30 p.m. Networking Reception
6:00 p.m. Panel Discussion / Q&A
7:00 p.m. Closing Remarks / Networking

Speaker Bios

Kristen Dahlgren, Founder and CEO of the Cancer Vaccine Coalition

Kristen is an award-winning journalist turned breast cancer advocate and founder of the nonprofit Cancer Vaccine Coalition. For the first 30 years of her career, Kristen traveled the world, documenting some of the biggest news stories of our time. She reported for NBC Nightly News and NBC's Today show, was nominated for an Emmy award for leading the network's coverage of the Parkland School shooting, served as a backup anchor for Lester Holt, and won an Edward R. Murrow award for her feature reporting. In 2019, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and immediately decided to share her story to help other women recognize the different ways their own cancers could present. Through her reporting, Kristen also learned about the research that was happening on breast cancer vaccines. After a conversation with UW Cancer Vaccine Institute's Dr. Nora Disis, Kristen realized that vaccines for breast cancer were no longer a "pie in the sky" idea but something that was close and achievable. She couldn't stand by and watch anyone else suffer. CVC is partnered with the nation’s top vaccine and cancer researchers, with a goal of getting a safe and effective breast cancer vaccine to market in 5 to 10 years.  

Seema Kumar, CEO of Cure

Seema joined Cure Experience in 2022 as the Chief Executive Officer. Prior to Cure, Ms. Kumar spent nearly 20 years at Johnson & Johnson in senior leadership roles, including most recently as the Global Head, Office of Innovation, Global Health and Scientific Engagement, and served on J&J’s Innovation Strategy, Public health leadership and the COVID-19 vaccine steering committee, where she led the company’s external affairs efforts and public education program on COVID and vaccine literacy. Before her tenure at J&J, Ms. Kumar was the Chief of Staff to Dr. Eric Lander and the Chief Communications Officer at the Whitehead Institute/Massachusetts Institute of Technology Center for Genome Research, where she played a leadership role in the Human Genome Project. She has also held leadership positions at the U.S. National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), the National Institutes of Health, and Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Ms. Kumar holds an MS in science journalism and communications from the University of Maryland. 

Claire Love, Partner and Leader of Healthcare Deals Strategy and Value Creation Practice at PwC

Claire has 20+ years of experience, primarily in healthcare strategy. Claire leads the overall Deals Strategy and Value Creation practice for healthcare, focusing on commercial due diligence, operational due diligence, and value creation for private equity and corporate clients. Claire brings deep expertise across pharma and med tech companies, as well as supporting tools, technologies, inputs, and services providers. In addition, she has worked across the women's health ecosystem from pharma to fertility to menopause to med device. Claire earned her MBA from Harvard Business School with honors and her MPA from Harvard Kennedy School. She earned her BA from Yale University in economics and international studies. She also studied at Oxford. Prior to PwC, Claire worked at the Boston Consulting Group for a decade. Before her consulting career, she worked at Credit Suisse in equity research and structured credit products.

Pricing Information

• Members/Guests: $75
• Non-Members*: $110

*Not a Member? Click here to purchase a WIB membership and gain access to our video library, mentorship opportunities, and more. 

Please read WIB's Code of Conduct, In-Person Event Waiver, and Refund Policy. 

Note: A confirmation email will be sent after registration has been completed. 

Registration Deadline

June 12, 2025

Parking Information

The Farnsworth Street Garage (17 Farnsworth Street) is located directly across the street (approx. $32 for 3 hours). Another option is the garage at 27 Boston Wharf Road (approx. $25 for up to 12 hours) or the Seaport South Garage (approx. $18 for up to 13 hours). Both 27 Boston Wharf Road and Seaport South Garages are within a 5-minute walk from the building.

Public Transit Information

Genesis 12 Farnsworth is less than a 7-minute (0.4-mile) walk from South Station and has access to the MBTA Red Line, Silver Line, and Commuter Rail.

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