Hanif Gabrani-Juma, BEng, MASc is a biomedical engineer with a specialization in advanced image analysis. He began his career in cardiology, working with dynamic PET and SPECT scans, before transitioning to oncology at The Ottawa Hospital Division of Nuclear Medicine. Mr Gabrani-Juma previously led the North American branch of Radiomics.bio, an advanced image analysis CRO specializing in comprehensive solid tumor evaluations and predictive analytics using standard clinical CT images. Today, Mr Gabrani-Juma is an Associate Director of Translational Medicine at AstraZeneca, where he co-leads the strategy and external partnerships for exploratory image analysis for translational insights, biomarker discovery and development using CT and Nuclear Imaging modalities.

Tasha was diagnosed with maternal alloimmunization during her second pregnancy in 2019. When her OBGYN could offer little information on the implications of the Kell antibodies discovered or Hemolytic Disease of the Fetus and Newborn (HDFN), she turned to the internet and found an invaluable patient-led support group. This group was pivotal in educating her about this rare condition and empowering her to advocate for proper care during her high-risk pregnancy and post-delivery while her miracle baby battled HDFN.

Tasha has extensive experience in non-profit organizations including the American Red Cross and American Cancer Society. She holds a Master's Degree in Health Promotion Management from Marymount University and a Bachelor's Degree from the University of Mary Washington. Today, she serves on the Board of Directors for the Allo Hope Foundation, a patient advocacy organization born from that support group. She has also continued to advocate for alloimmunized mothers and improving care and outcomes for affected babies by serving as an HDFN Global Patient Council member and contributing to patient-centered research.

Sharib Khan is a Biomedical Informatics Entrepreneur, who combines his passion for the application of computers in healthcare, with his belief in startups as vehicles for change. As Co-founder and Product Lead at TrialX, he is responsible for developing and executing the product development vision. Mr Khan holds a Masters in Biomedical Informatics from Columbia University and an MD from the University of Medical Sciences, Delhi University. An Iyengar Yoga practitioner, he can be found teaching yoga classes or doing headstands, when not brainstorming clinical trials technologies. Contact information for brochure & registration purposes

Emma Sutcliffe is one of the most cited and published experts in the field of patient engagement and patient sciences. Her most recent industry role was as the Global Patient Officer at Ipsen where she managed a patient champion network of 150 colleagues and partnerships with 260 patient organisations for three therapeutic franchises. In 2024, Emma founded ISPEP -- the International Society for Patient Engagement Professionals -- which became the biggest organisation to align and elevate patient engagement practices in the sector. Emma holds several board trustee positions with rare disease patient organisations; her scientific pedigree is as a Medical Biochemist and she recently added to her clinical skill set by qualifying as a psychotherapist and counsellor.

Karen Wood has nearly 20 years of experience enhancing the patient experience at NYU Langone Medical Center, where she has worked to support individuals throughout their healthcare journeys.

Her passion for patient advocacy is deeply personal—she was a caregiver to her father, who battled multiple chronic illnesses, and her uncle, who fought against multiple myeloma and colon cancer.

Beyond her professional work, Ms Wood is a dedicated community advocate, assisting patients in navigating everyday challenges such as transportation barriers, insurance complexities, and medication denials. Her commitment to empowering patients drives her efforts to improve access to care and support those facing the most difficult moments of their health journey.

Niambi Blodgett is the Senior Director of Customer Advocacy for Areti Health, a venture-funded Silicon Valley company using advanced generative AI to revolutionize clinical trial recruitment. Areti's AI Coordinator delivers up to 10x improvement in patient conversion rates which, coupled with its seamless mass outreach capabilities, consistently compresses recruitment timelines from many months to a few weeks across multiple therapeutic areas. Areti currently supports many of the largest US clinical research site networks.

As an experienced operations leader based in Orlando, Florida, she excels in fostering community partnerships, applying innovative engagement strategies, and streamlining organizational efficiency. Previously, as Senior Director of Patient Engagement at EmVenio Research, she built community-based recruitment strategies and established local partnerships to improve clinical trial participation among underrepresented populations. Her healthcare background includes clinical operations, project management, and patient engagement, with a strong record of launching new business units, optimizing patient acquisition, and advancing decentralized trials. A respected industry voice, she has presented widely on data-driven solutions, community-centered healthcare, and collaborative approaches to address health equity gaps.

Dr Valentino is a Professor of Pediatrics at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois USA and is President of the World Federation of Hemophilia USA, which seeks to advance the global mission of the World Federation of Hemophilia in the United States.

He also serves as an Entrepreneur in Residence for the National Bleeding Disorders Foundation venture philanthropy program, Pathway to Cures and he is the co-leader of the Paladin Consortium which is dedicated to transforming the pace of medicines development through optimizing patient advocacy group–industry collaboration. Dr Valentino is the editor of Expert Review of Hematology and a regular reviewer for numerous scientific journals include Haemophila, Blood and Journal of Thrombosis and Hemostasis.

His research has focused on the molecular mechanisms leading to joint disease in people with hemophilia and he has published extensively in this area. Dr Valentino is a staunch advocate for equitable outcomes in health and wellbeing.

Josh Madej brings over 15 years of experience in data-informed healthcare strategy. A former patient and caregiver, he is passionate about amplifying the patient voice. He has led teams across digital strategy, analytics, and marketing to drive patient engagement. As a health-tech entrepreneur, Mr Madej used predictive analytics to improve patient and caregiver experiences from hospital to home. An expert in blending data with human insights, he has led multiple product launches using a “tech and touch” approach. He earned his MS in Data Science & Analytics from Northwestern University and an MBA from MIT Sloan where he was a Sloan Fellow

Professor Bertil Lindmark is the CMO of Vicore Pharma since 2024 and has a long career within the pharmaceutical industry with deep expertise within respiratory and inflammatory diseases. Bertil has held global roles within AstraZeneca, leading the development of global brands like Pulmicort and Symbicort. He was the Head of Research and Development at Almirall, leading the development of the second to market inhaled long acting antimuscarinic, aclidinium bromide. Bertil also held CMO roles in biotech companies, ASLAN Pharmaceuticals, eTheRNA Immunotherapies, and Galecto, where his leadership played a crucial role in driving innovation and advancing pharmaceutical development of both oncology compounds, liver disease compounds and IPF directed therapies. Bertil Lindmark is Professor Emeritus at the University of Gothenburg, chairs the scientific committee at the Board of ALK, and is the Chairman of the Board at Aqilion.

As an Associate Director at Barrington James, it is my role to connect top-tier talent with innovative companies in the pharmaceutical, biotech, and healthcare sectors.

My focus is on placing consultants, from Director to Chief Medical Officer, into smaller, fast-growing companies and with my vast network and in-depth market knowledge, I am passionate about delivering results for both my clients and candidates.