NEW YORK, Feb. 01, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Women In Bio (WIB), an organization of professionals committed to promoting careers, leadership, and entrepreneurship of women in the life sciences, announced today the appointment of another female executive to a life sciences company board. Launched in 2016, Boardroom Ready is Executive Women In Bio’s exclusive executive development platform, designed to fuel women’s participation on corporate boards in the life sciences.
WIB is delighted to announce that Jane Wasman, President, International and General Counsel of Acorda Therapeutics, has been appointed as Chair of the Board of Directors of Sellas Life Sciences (NASDAQ:SLS). Sellas Life Sciences is a late-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of novel immunotherapies for a broad range of cancer indications. Ms. Wasman participated in WIB’s Boardroom Ready program in 2017.
“Boardroom Ready provides a strong platform for women to expand their networks and maximize their opportunities to join company boards. With research showing that board diversity correlates with improved company results and increased shareholder value, programs such as Boardroom Ready can benefit both individual women executives and the companies whose boards they join.”
Ms. Wasman continued, “I am delighted to be working with my fellow directors to support the team at Sellas as they continue building on their progress in developing their novel immunotherapy pipeline to address the unmet needs of patients battling cancer.”
Ms. Wasman is a strategic leader with over 20 years in the biopharmaceutical industry, including extensive U.S. and international experience. An adaptable executive serving in both C-suite and board of director chair roles, she has achieved success in a range of settings, from large, public multinational companies to privately held start-up companies. Her expertise includes M&A, strategic development, corporate governance, litigation, commercial, compliance and government affairs, as well as operational implementation.
As President, International and General Counsel at Acorda Therapeutics, Ms. Wasman leads long-range planning and development in addition to international expansion. In this role, she collaborates with senior leadership on commercialization, licensing/M&A strategy and implementation, investor relations, product pipeline development and government affairs activities. She also built and manages Acorda’s legal, compliance, IP and quality functions. Her department was recognized as one of four "Best Legal Departments" nationally by Corporate Counsel in 2013.
In its third year, Boardroom Ready is a dynamic program aimed to place executive women on corporate boards. “We are very excited with the progress we have made in our first two years. We have had multiple board placements, and the momentum is with us,” remarks Carolyn Brougham, Chair of the Boardroom Ready Program. “We are currently accepting applications to the 2018 Boardroom Ready cohort. We look forward to seeing another dynamic group of women join corporate boards around the world.” For more information about the Boardroom Ready program, please go to:
http://www.womeninbio.org/page/BoardroomReady.
Women In Bio (WIB) is an organization of professionals committed to promoting careers, leadership, and entrepreneurship of women in the life sciences. Each of its 13 chapters hosts numerous events throughout the year, including networking, career development, professional education, and executive level-focused events. WIB also hosts a mentorship program which offers women the chance to mentor or be mentored, a Young Women In Bio program, which offers events and encouragement to middle-school aged girls, webinars, and the support of a large national organization with 13 chapters and growing. As a volunteer organization, WIB offers leadership opportunities at every stage of your career, and a chance to expand your network in a supportive and professional environment. For more information, visit www.womeninbio.org.
Boardroom Ready - In its third year, the Boardroom Ready Program is a cohesive program designed to elevate, promote, and place highly qualified women to corporate boards. Intensive board competency building curriculum at George Washington University, held annually to refine each candidate’s understanding of the duties, responsibilities, and commitments related to serving on both public and private boards, is only the beginning. Boardroom Ready candidates also work with a professional resume writer to craft a board-tailored Curriculum Vitæ and biography. In addition, each candidate is partnered with an experienced board mentor to help navigate the path to board service. Throughout the program and following completion, WIB, LifeSci Advisors and other sponsors work to facilitate matching program graduates with companies seeking new board members. For more information regarding the Boardroom Ready program, including cost, the selection process, and application requirements, please visit http://www.womeninbio.org/page/BoardroomReady.
Contact: Carolyn Brougham, Chair Boardroom Ready, Women In Bio
E-mail: boardroomready@womeninbio.org