Terri Gaskell | CTO, Rinri Therapeutics
Restoring Hearing. Redefining Possibility.

In this episode, I speak with Terri Gaskell, Chief Technology Officer at Rinri Therapeutics, about the revolutionary work her team is doing to treat sensorineural hearing loss through stem cell therapy.

Terri shares her remarkable journey from academia to biotech, the real-world hurdles of early-stage leadership, and the power of staying grounded (even when things get weird, wild, or wonderfully promising).

We talk science, strategy, identity, and authenticity — all wrapped up in a clinical trial story that just might restore hearing for those who’ve lost it.

🎙️ This episode of She Leads Biotech is proudly sponsored by Phacilitate & Women in Advanced Therapies (WIAT).

📌 Chapters / Timestamps:

00:00 – Meet Terri Gaskell & the Rinri mission
03:05 – The science behind restoring hearing via stem cells
07:20 – From university spinout to clinical trials: how it all began
11:40 – Navigating burnout & building balanced leadership
14:30 – Why authenticity matters more than ever in biotech
17:25 – Terri’s Women in Advanced Therapies experience
19:40 – The highs, lows, and marigolds of team management
22:55 – How academia prepared (and didn’t prepare) her for biotech
26:15 – Advice for new biotech leaders: confidence vs competence
29:30 – Rinri’s clinical pipeline and what’s next
33:00 – Final reflections on purpose, progress, and patient impact

#SheLeadsBiotech #TerriGaskell #RinriTherapeutics #HearingLoss #CellTherapy #BiotechLeadership #WomenInSTEM #RegenerativeMedicine #CNAInternationalUSA #SharronCoxStudio #WIAT #Phacilitate #LifeSciences

Showing Up Fully: Katrina Rice on Leadership, Identity & Inclusive Trials
This week, I sit down with Katrina Rice, Chief Delivery Officer of Biometrics Services at eClinical Solutions, for a raw and empowering conversation about identity, leadership, and impact.

Katrina shares her journey from a first-gen college student in Alabama to a self-made C-level executive — and the courage it took to create the job she wanted when no one else offered it. We talk about the power of showing up as your full self, the ongoing challenges facing women of color in biosciences, and why diversity in clinical trials isn’t optional — it’s life-saving.

🎙️ Sponsored by Phacilitate & Women in Advanced Therapies (WIAT)

Whether you're mentoring others, navigating your own path, or working to make your workplace more inclusive, Katrina’s story is a masterclass in resilience and authenticity.

📌 Chapters / Timestamps

00:00 – Intro
02:15 – Growing up in Alabama and finding a path into science
05:45 – What it felt like to be the only Black woman in the room
08:30 – Transitioning from IT and government work to clinical research
11:10 – Creating her own role at eClinical Solutions
15:45 – What it means to lead with purpose, not just title
20:00 – Diversity in clinical trials: why it matters and where we’re falling short
25:30 – Representing communities of color in data and design
29:45 – Advice for young professionals entering the life sciences
34:00 – The power of authenticity and finding your own leadership style
37:10 – Closing thoughts: identity, impact, and legacy

Full episode now live on Spotify, YouTube, and wherever you get your podcasts.

#SheLeadsBiotech #Phacilitate #WIAT #KatrinaRice #eClinicalSolutions #DiversityInClinicalTrials #BiotechLeadership #WomenInSTEM #AuthenticLeadership #LifeSciences #SharronCoxStudio #CNAInternationalUSA

From Molecules to Machine Learning: CTO Chaemin Lim on Drug Design & Leadership.
What does drug discovery look like in the age of AI?

In this episode of She Leads Biotech, Sharron Cox sits down with Chaemin Lim, Chief Technology Officer of Coiled Therapeutics, for a wide-ranging discussion that spans synthetic chemistry, startup life, and the future of AI in oncology.

With over 15 years in drug development, Chaemin shares how her love of chemistry began in her father’s lab in Korea and evolved into a career at the intersection of data, design, and deep science. From building AI tools for medicinal chemists to learning how to translate science for investors, her journey is anything but linear and all the more inspiring for it.

In this episode:
00:00 Intro
02:30 Growing up in science (and her dad’s chemistry lab)
05:45 Pharmacy school and falling in love with drug development
10:40 Building her own computational chemistry lab in grad school
17:30 From postdoc to industry: how AI came into play
21:00 What AI can and can’t do in drug discovery
26:30 Startup life and translating science to strategy
29:00 Advice for women in biotech and defining yourself as a “designer”
33:00 What’s next for Coiled Therapeutics

Tune in for a thoughtful, practical, and occasionally hilarious conversation that proves science and leadership are anything but boring.

#SheLeadsBiotech #ChaeminLim #CoiledTherapeutics #DrugDesign #AIInBiotech #WomenInSTEM #AuthenticLeadership #LifeSciences #BiotechLeadership #CNAInternationalUSA

In this episode of She Leads Biotech, I sit down with Carolyn Yeago, Director of the MS in Biomedical Innovation & Development – Advanced Therapeutics at Emory University.

Carolyn’s career has taken her from being the first female co-op engineer at a med-tech company to shaping how the next generation of biotech leaders are trained — with a strong foundation in clinical, regulatory, and commercial strategy.

We talk about:

• Why early-stage biotech companies often skip critical operational knowledge

• How academia and industry can work together more effectively

• The importance of building teams who understand the why, not just the how

• What’s happening in Atlanta’s growing biotech ecosystem

• And how this new master’s program is filling the gaps most startups don’t even know they have

If you’re hiring early-career talent or thinking about where your next pipeline of leadership will come from — this episode is for you.

📌 Chapters / Timestamps

00:00 – Meet Carolyn Yeago
03:00 – From co-op engineer to biotech educator
06:30 – The gaps she saw in early-stage teams
09:30 – Building a program around the full product lifecycle
13:30 – Regulatory awareness in the classroom
17:00 – Collaborating with industry, founders, and faculty
21:00 – What makes a student stand out in biotech
24:00 – The rise of biotech in Atlanta
27:00 – Final advice for future leaders

🎓 Applications for the 2026 cohort are now open.

🟣 This episode is sponsored by Phacilitate and Women in Advanced Therapies (WIAT).

#SheLeadsBiotech #CarolynYeago #EmoryUniversity #AdvancedTherapeutics #BiotechEducation #WomenInSTEM #WorkforceDevelopment #AcademicInnovation #LifeSciences #CNAInternationalUSA

In this episode of She Leads Biotech, I’m joined by Deanna Angello, a seasoned commercial leader whose career spans some of the biggest names in healthcare: Pfizer, Kite Pharma, J&J, and Genentech.

But this isn’t just a highlight reel of commercial success. It’s a conversation about what happens when life interrupts the script — and how that moment can bring clarity, courage, and an entirely new sense of purpose.

We talk about:

• Navigating career grief after personal loss

• How Genentech prepared her for some of the most high-stakes commercial threats in biotech

• Why FDA approval is only the beginning — not the end — of access

• Building scalable systems that serve both patients and teams

• What she's looking for in her next chapter as a Chief Commercial Officer

If you're building something big — and looking for someone who’s done it all but still thinks like a builder — you’ll want to hear this one.

📌 Chapters / Timestamps

00:00 – Meet Deanna Angello
02:00 – From Pfizer to Genentech: early lessons and leadership
06:00 – Grief, clarity, and stepping off the treadmill
10:00 – Building commercial systems that last
14:00 – Patient access and the real work after FDA approval
18:30 – What she’s looking for in her next CCO role
23:00 – Advice for leaders ready to rethink their own path

#SheLeadsBiotech #DeannaAngello #BiotechLeadership #WomenInSTEM #ChiefCommercialOfficer #LifeSciences #PatientAccess #AuthenticLeadership #CareerPivot #CNAInternationalUSA

In this episode of She Leads Biotech, Sharron Cox sits down with Theresa Tribble, a dynamic entrepreneur and life sciences leader whose career has taken her from health policy and MBA halls to some of the most innovative companies in biotech.

Theresa has led strategy and growth at Everlywell, BigHat Biosciences, and Droplet Biosciences, and now she’s preparing to summit Mount Kilimanjaro as part of the 2026 Timmerman Traverse — raising $1M+ for early-career cancer researchers.

This conversation is honest, bold, and full of insight for anyone navigating their own career pivots or seeking purpose in the path less traveled.

We talk about:

• Why she’s drawn to companies that “should already exist”

• The difference between mentors and sponsors (and how to find both)

• What made Everlywell the riskiest — and most rewarding — move

• Leadership without a science background (and why it works)

• The climb of a lifetime for cancer research

• Her personal checklist for knowing when to say “yes” to an idea

  
  

📌 Chapters / Timestamps

00:00 – Meet Theresa Tribble
02:00 – Her unexpected path into life sciences
05:00 – Working at Everlywell: a bold career leap
08:30 – Finding purpose in patient proximity
11:00 – How she evaluates new ideas and career moves
14:30 – Mentorship vs sponsorship
18:00 – BigHat Biosciences and Droplet: different models, shared mission
22:00 – Career pivot tips for people outside the lab
25:00 – Timmerman Traverse: climbing Kilimanjaro for cancer research
30:00 – Advice for building a career with meaning

🎧 Tune in for a conversation that blends strategy, mission, and a whole lot of heart.

In this episode of She Leads Biotech, Sharron Cox sits down with Katja Betts, CEO of PROGEN, one of Germany’s first biotech companies — now 40 years strong and still evolving.

Katja’s leadership journey is anything but typical. From marketing to the boardroom, she now leads a 45-person team that partners globally with biotech giants like Thermo Fisher and Bio-Techne. But at the heart of it all? A deep commitment to precision, collaboration, and progress that lasts.

They talk about:

• PROGEN’s mission to make gene therapy tools more accessible and scalable

• The leadership mindset Katja brought from brand strategy to biotech

• Why innovation doesn’t have to be loud to be bold

• Gender and generational bias in biotech leadership

• How PROGEN is supporting clients around the world — without losing focus

Whether you’re scaling a biotech company or building a career in life sciences, this episode offers a thoughtful, grounded take on leadership, growth, and impact.

📌 Timestamps / Chapters
00:00 – Meet Katja Betts & PROGEN’s history
03:30 – From branding to biotech: Katja’s unconventional career path
06:00 – What makes PROGEN different (and why clients stay 20+ years)
09:00 – The mission: Making gene therapy better, together
12:30 – Building tools that work without specialist equipment
15:00 – Collaborating with Thermo Fisher, Bio-Techne, and more
18:00 – Leadership in Germany: differences, networks, and gender dynamics
22:00 – The weight of legacy and the power of steady progress
25:00 – Advice for new leaders in biotech

🎧 Listen now and share with someone building something with meaning.

Jennifer Chain | The Leukopak Lady – Why Starting Materials Matter More Than You Think

In this episode of She Leads Biotech, host Sharron Cox sits down with Jennifer Chain, immunologist, consultant, and founder of CSM Consulting, to explore a topic most people in biotech overlook, the strategic importance of starting materials in cell and gene therapy.

Known on LinkedIn as The Leukopak Lady, Jennifer shares her journey from academia to entrepreneurship, her deep expertise in donor qualification, and why collection centers and therapy developers need to start thinking upstream if they want downstream success.

Chapters:
00:00 – Meet Jennifer Chain: From West Texas to starting materials expert
03:00 – Why she chose gamma delta T cells over cancer research
06:30 – Why donor selection is critical to manufacturing and clinical outcomes
10:30 – What most execs misunderstand about leukopaks
13:00 – How she built a consulting business (and the startup that didn’t work out)
17:00 – The viral video series: “The Leukopak Lady” on LinkedIn & YouTube
20:00 – The regulatory grey zones no one is talking about
23:00 – Centralized vs decentralized manufacturing: hidden bottlenecks
27:00 – Why donor stewardship is the new frontier in cell therapy
30:00 – Her advice for early-career scientists breaking into the space

Whether you're in CMC, clinical, regulatory, or BD — this episode will shift how you think about supply chains, success rates, and what it really means to build therapies that work.

Listen now and follow Jennifer at #LeukopakLady for more insight.

Susan Nichols has spent her career bridging the gap between innovation and impact. Now, as CEO of Propel Biosciences, she’s helping startups in the cell and gene therapy space build commercial strategies that work, for patients, investors, and everyone in between.

In this episode of #SheLeadsBiotech, Susan shares how her personal connection to rare disease shaped her path, what she learned transitioning from Big Pharma to biotech, and why commercialization isn’t just about revenue, it’s about responsibility.

Chapters:
00:00 – Meet Susan Nichols and her personal connection to rare disease
03:00 – Why cell and gene therapy felt like “sci-fi” — and what made her believe
06:30 – From Big Pharma to startup life: learning to lead without the handbook
10:00 – The patient as north star: what keeps her going
12:00 – Leadership vs. management: how her style evolved
17:00 – Managing individuals, not job titles
20:00 – Why mentoring isn’t about advice — it’s about curiosity
22:30 – What Propel Biosciences does, and how she helps companies get market-ready
26:00 – Why good science isn’t enough without a clear commercial pathway
30:00 – Breaking through the noise: messaging, clarity, and value
33:00 – Advice for those entering CGT (and what not to do)

🎧 Tune in to hear from a powerhouse who’s seen every side of the industry — and is now paying it forward.

In this episode of She Leads Biotech, Sharron Cox sits down with Angela Vollstedt, Director of Global Cell & Gene Therapies Portfolio at Novartis, for a conversation that blends operational grit with visionary thinking.

Angela’s career spans two decades in pharma — from legacy manufacturing to advanced therapies — and she’s now at the forefront of shaping how personalized medicine can become scalable, accessible, and sustainable.

We talk about:

• Her unexpected start in a male-dominated manufacturing environment

• The creative shift from operations to product development

• Rethinking biotech leadership in uncharted territory

• The “bus” model that could transform patient access in CGT

• The mindset young biotech professionals need to succeed today

Whether you’re scaling a CGT company or just starting out in life sciences, Angela’s story offers grounded insights and bold ideas about what it means to lead at the edge of innovation.

Listen now and share with a leader navigating the new frontier of biotech.

📌 Chapters / Timestamps:
00:00 – Meet Angela Vollstedt
01:00 – Her entry into pharma & manufacturing
05:00 – Being one of the only women in the room
07:00 – Lessons that shaped her leadership style
11:00 – Transitioning into product development
14:00 – Entering advanced therapies
16:00 – Balancing excellence with innovation
18:00 – A "bus" that could change patient access
23:00 – Why patient awareness matters
26:00 – What keeps her passionate about the work
28:00 – Advice for the next generation of biotech leaders