Program - BIO Patient Advocacy Changemakers Event 2025

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October 27, 2025

Breakfast

Schuyler Ballroom

7:00 AM 8:30 AM
( Your local time: - )
Registration

Pre-Function Area

7:00 AM 5:00 PM
( Your local time: - )
Welcome and Opening Remarks

Schuyler Ballroom

8:30 AM 8:45 AM
( Your local time: - )

Speakers

Michele Oshman, Chief Patient Advocate and Head, Patient Advocacy Center of Excellence - Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO)

Karin Hoelzer, Senior Director, Patient Advocacy - Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO)
It Starts with the Patient

Schuyler Ballroom

8:45 AM 9:30 AM
( Your local time: - )

Moderator

Karin Hoelzer, Senior Director, Patient Advocacy - Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO)

Speakers

Kim Czubaruk, Vice President of Policy - CancerCare

Annie Kennedy, Chief of Policy, Advocacy & Patient Engagement - EveryLife Foundation for Rare Diseases

Kathryn Schubert, President & CEO - Society for Women’s Health Research

Erika Sward, Chief Advocacy Officer - UsAgainstAlzheimer's
Walking the Talk

Schuyler Ballroom

9:30 AM 10:15 AM
( Your local time: - )

Moderator

Sarah Alspach, Executive Vice President and Chief Communications Officer - Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO)

Speakers

Eric Dube, President and CEO - Travere Therapeutics

Paul Hastings, President & CEO - Nkarta
Break

Schuyler Ballroom

10:15 AM 10:30 AM
( Your local time: - )
State of Play: Legislative Landscape for ‘26

Schuyler Ballroom

10:30 AM 11:15 AM
( Your local time: - )

Moderator

Patrick Plues, Senior Vice President, State Government Affairs & Affiliate Relations - Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO)

Speakers

Hannah Green, Assistant Vice President, Nationwide Policy - American Lung Association

Kari Lato, Director of Policy & Advocacy - Rx4good

Northe Saunders, President - American Families for Vaccines
State of Bliss: Strategies for Success

Schuyler Ballroom

11:15 AM 12:00 PM
( Your local time: - )

Moderator

Dmitri Siegel, US Government Affairs, Policy & Alliance - Bristol Myers Squibb

Speakers

Hilary Gee Goeckner, Director, State & Local Campaigns - Access to Care - American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network

Amy Goodman, Vice President and Counsel for Policy + Advocacy - Colorado BioScience Association

Mark Hobraczk, Public Policy Director - AiArthritis

Brian Warren, Vice President, State Government Affairs - Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO)
Buffet Lunch

Schuyler Ballroom

12:00 PM 1:00 PM
( Your local time: - )
Vaccines Need a Shot in the Arm from Us

Schuyler Ballroom

1:00 PM 1:45 PM
( Your local time: - )

Moderator

Phyllis Arthur, Executive Vice President & Head of Healthcare Policy & Programs - Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO)

Speakers

Lynn Albizo, Chief Public Policy Officer - Immune Deficiency Foundation

Melissa Horn, Director, State Policy - Arthritis Foundation

Martha Nolan, Senior Policy Advisor - HealthyWomen

Pam Traxel, Senior Vice President, Alliance Development and Philanthropy - American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, Inc.
Fireside Chat: Our Mission Moment

Schuyler Ballroom

1:45 PM 2:15 PM
( Your local time: - )

Moderator

Michele Oshman, Chief Patient Advocate and Head, Patient Advocacy Center of Excellence - Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO)

Speakers

John F. Crowley, President and CEO - Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO)
Break

Schuyler Ballroom

2:15 PM 2:45 PM
( Your local time: - )
When News Breaks...

Schuyler Ballroom

2:45 PM 3:30 PM
( Your local time: - )

Moderator

Mike Huckman, Senior Advisor, Executive Communications - Real Chemistry

Speakers

Mike Porath, CEO, The Mighty; Executive Director - Dup15q Allianc

Reed Tuckson, Chair & Co-founder - Coalition for Trust in Health & Science

Missy Voronyak, Healthcare Social Media Strategist + CEO - Voronyx
Patient Access in the US and Abroad

Schuyler Ballroom

3:30 PM 4:15 PM
( Your local time: - )

Moderator

Ben Collins, Lead, Policy Alliances - Biogen

Speakers

John O’Brien, President and CEO - National Pharmaceutical Council

Thayer Roberts, Deputy Director - Partnership to Improve Patient Care (PIPC)

Ashira Vantrees, Director of Legal Strategy & Advocacy - Aimed Alliance
Fireside Chat featuring George Tidmarsh, MD, PhD, Director, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Schuyler Ballroom

4:15 PM 5:15 PM
( Your local time: - )

Moderator

John F. Crowley, President and CEO - Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO)

Speakers

George Tidmarsh, Director - Center for Drug Evaluation and Research - U. S. Food & Drug Administration
Day 1 Closing Remarks

Schuyler Ballroom

5:15 PM 5:30 PM
( Your local time: - )

Speakers

Paul Hastings, President & CEO - Nkarta

Brian Maloney, Senior Director, External Affairs - Genentech, A Member of the Roche Group
Networking Reception

Michele's

5:45 PM 7:15 PM
( Your local time: - )

Sponsored by:

October 28, 2025

Registration

Pre-Function Area

7:00 AM 4:00 PM
( Your local time: - )
Breakfast

Schuyler Ballroom

7:00 AM 8:30 AM
( Your local time: - )
Day 2 Opening Remarks

Schuyler Ballroom

8:30 AM 8:35 AM
( Your local time: - )

Speakers

Eric Dube, President and CEO - Travere Therapeutics

Paul Hastings, President & CEO - Nkarta

Karin Hoelzer, Senior Director, Patient Advocacy - Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO)
The Next Small Thing (Small Molecules, Big Promises)

Schuyler Ballroom

8:45 AM 9:30 AM
( Your local time: - )

Moderator

Emily Roberts, Director - Issue Advocacy - Genentech

Speakers

Maureen Elias, Government Relations Deputy Director - Veterans - Wounded Warrior Project

Holly Kordasiewicz, Senior Vice President, Neurology - Ionis Pharmaceuticals

Melanie Lendnal, Senior Vice President of Policy & Advocacy - ALS Association

Luke Rosen, Founder - KIF1A.ORG
21st Century Access

Schuyler Ballroom

9:30 AM 10:15 AM
( Your local time: - )

Moderator

Michele Oshman, Chief Patient Advocate and Head, Patient Advocacy Center of Excellence - Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO)

Speakers

Leah Howard, President and CEO - National Psoriasis Foundation

Al Reba, Senior Vice President of Immunology & Cardiovascular Commercialization - Bristol Myers Squibb
Break

Schuyler Ballroom

10:15 AM 10:30 AM
( Your local time: - )
The Best Laid Plans...

Schuyler Ballroom

10:30 AM 11:15 AM
( Your local time: - )

Moderator

Ashley John, Director, Issue Advocacy - Novartis

Speakers

Kimberly Beer, Senior Vice President, Policy and External Affairs - National Health Council

Brian Connell, Vice President, Federal Affairs - Blood Cancer United (formerly the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society)

Anna Hyde, Vice President of Advocacy and Access - Arthritis Foundation

Patrick Wildman, Senior Vice President, Advocacy & Government Relations - Lupus Foundation of America
Downstream Effects of the IRA

Schuyler Ballroom

11:15 AM 12:00 PM
( Your local time: - )

Moderator

Karin Hoelzer, Senior Director, Patient Advocacy - Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO)

Speakers

Ryan Gough, Executive Director - Partnership to Advance Cardiovascular Health

Steve Postal, Senior Director of Policy and Regulatory Affairs - National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA)

Daneen Sekoni, Vice President of Policy and Advocacy - Cancer Support Community (CSC)

Jennifer Snow, Founder and Managing Director - Apteka
Lunch

Schuyler Ballroom

12:00 PM 12:30 PM
( Your local time: - )
Fireside Chat with Will Reeve

Schuyler Ballroom

12:30 PM 1:30 PM
( Your local time: - )

Moderator

John F. Crowley, President and CEO - Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO)

Speakers

Will Reeve, Correspondent - ABC News
Break

Schuyler Ballroom

1:30 PM 1:45 PM
( Your local time: - )
Content Creation 101: Building Your Digital Foundation

Schuyler Ballroom

1:45 PM 2:45 PM
( Your local time: - )

Speakers

Kati Morton, Content creator, author & licensed therapist
Federal Policy Braintrust: Ask the Experts

Hamilton Room

1:45 PM 2:45 PM
( Your local time: - )

Moderator

Michael Ward, Director, US Alliance Development - AstraZeneca

Speakers

Anna Abram, Senior Advisor, Health Care Policy and Legislation - Akin

Remy Brim, Principal, Health Care Practice Head - BGR Government Affairs, LLC

Rai Downs, Partner - Tarplin, Downs & Young, LLC

Erin Estey Hertzog, Partner - Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP
Content Creation 201: Strategies to Grow and Measure Your Impact

Schuyler Ballroom

2:45 PM 3:45 PM
( Your local time: - )

Speakers

Kati Morton, Content creator, author & licensed therapist
State of the Art (State Policy Engagement!)

Hamilton Room

2:45 PM 3:45 PM
( Your local time: - )

Moderator

Kristen Crawford, Head of State Alliances, Global Government Affairs and Policy - Amgen

Speakers

Melissa Horn, Director, State Policy - Arthritis Foundation

Amanda Krzepicki, Policy Director - Autoimmune Association

Melodie Narain-Blackwell, President & Founder - Color of Gastrointestinal Illnesses (COGI)

Shree Thaker, Director of Communications & Partnerships - Amputee Coalition
Closing Remarks

Schuyler Ballroom

3:45 PM 4:00 PM
( Your local time: - )

Speakers

Michele Oshman, Chief Patient Advocate and Head, Patient Advocacy Center of Excellence - Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO)

Paul Hastings, President & CEO - Nkarta
Networking Tea and Sendoff

Pre-Function Area

4:00 PM 5:00 PM
( Your local time: - )

Sponsored by:

2025 Ally Sponsors

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Alnylam Pharmaceuticals

Bristol Myers Squibb

Jazz Pharmaceuticals

Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals

2025 Supporting Sponsors

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Johnson & Johnson