Vincent Amoruccio is a biomedical data scientist with 20 years of experience using advanced analytical tools to transform data into actionable information and knowledge for some of the largest biopharmaceutical and clinical organizations. He is currently the Head of Data Sciences for a clinical-stage biotech and previously served as the Head of Biometrics at a commercial-stage biotech, where he helped lead the company from the clinical to the commercial stage. He has also served in individual contributor and leadership roles in global statistical programming for small and large clinical research organizations, biotech, and pharmaceutical companies. He is an adjunct professor in biostatistics for multiple universities, and he shares his passion for helping others enter the health and life sciences industry. He earned his Ph.D. in Biomedical Informatics and master's in Biostatistics and Computer Information Systems. In the past, he has been a key player in establishing employee resource groups (ERGs) for LGBTQ colleagues and their allies and in integrating with other ERGs. He firmly believes everyone should feel comfortable being their authentic selves in the workplace. He has been and always will be dedicated to roles and organizations, bringing transformative therapies to people suffering from disease and in need of health care and in the need to create an inclusive environment.

Glenda Didienne is a senior facilities manager at Travere Therapeutics where she focuses primarily on corporate safety. Prior to Travere, she was with Inovio Pharmaceuticals where her initiation into the corporate world of the life sciences began as a mere office manager. During her 12 years at Inovio, she thrived in her various roles and eventually became the company’s Jill-of-all-trades facilities manager. Her love of volunteering and desire to continuously grow and learn as a leader personally and professionally led her to joining the board of various associations. She is currently a proud and dedicated board member of OUTbio San Diego, a member of the leadership team for VOICE (Valuing Our Inclusive Community Experience), Travere’s employee resource group (ERG), and an active member of the San Diego chapter of the International Facilities Management Association (IFMA) where she also held various board and committee roles. Besides work and being a serial volunteer, she’s a late onset soul swimmer, hill killing roadie, reluctant runner, and above average mother of two girls.

Lorena Kanu holds an undergraduate degree from the University of California, Berkeley, complemented by a master’s degree in health care administration and an MBA from the University of California, Davis. She began her professional journey as an undergraduate student assistant with the State of California's Infant Botulism Treatment and Prevention Program, where she assisted in preparation for an FDA inspection for an orphan drug called BabyBIG®. Lorena transitioned into the biotech and pharmaceutical industries, where she has built a diverse career spanning manufacturing, academia, and various roles within biotech and pharma organizations. Lorena is currently serving as a Clinical Research Director at Merck Research Laboratories, within the Global Country Trial Operations department serving as the therapeutic operational lead for Infectious Disease in the US. In this role, she spearheads initiatives to enroll representative participants in clinical trials, employing a variety of strategic tactics to ensure the target population for each disease under study is accurately represented in Infectious Disease. Her teams’ efforts have resulted in notable success in achieving diverse enrollment across multiple studies. As a participant in Alianza, one of Merck’s employee business resource groups, Lorena actively contributes to fostering an inclusive workplace culture. She also serves as a mentor in several company mentoring programs, including Alianza, skills first, Gen 2 Gen, and within her department, further demonstrating her commitment to DE&I. Born in Mexico and fluent in Spanish, Lorena is deeply passionate about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) efforts, both in her professional endeavors and personal life. Her unique background and experiences enrich her perspective, driving her to advocate for underrepresented communities in the clinical research landscape.

Alyssa Kobela started her career in laboratories as an analytical chemist supporting commercialization of small molecule drug products in the Merck pipeline. During this time, she lived abroad in Ireland for nearly 6 months supporting the drug product manufacture of new drugs. This experience allowed Alyssa to submerse herself in diverse cultures and sparked her passion for inclusion.  In her current role, Alyssa sits in the small molecule pre-approval Chemistry Manufacturing and Controls (CMC) group within the Regulatory Affairs organization bringing important medications to market through executing strategy and delivering regulatory filings. In 2018, she was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis and faced many challenges both personally and in the workplace after diagnosis. Additionally, her son was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder at 2.5 years old. To promote awareness, break stigmas and advocate for lasting change, Alyssa joined the executive leadership team of the CapABILITY Network (cAN) lending her skills in project management and analytics. CapABILITY Network is one of 10 Employee Business Resource Groups at Merck and offers colleagues with disabilities/chronic illness, caregivers, neurodivergents, and their allies a safe space to connect and share their stories.  Our mission is to foster a disability-inclusive and confident workplace where everyone can share their whole selves and thrive.  She also co-founded the Rare Disease Community in which their aim is to offer awareness and support for those diagnosed with a rare condition or their caretakers. Our 19+ cAN Communities are disability-focused groups for employees to share their experiences and learn from each other.  Alyssa has continued to take on increasing responsibility in the organization and now serves as a Chief-of-Staff to the global leads of the capABILITY Network. She was also interviewed by the company's podcast "Career On Purpose" on how she navigated getting a life altering diagnosis and maintaining a successful, purpose driven career. In her spare time, Alyssa is an ambassador for MS4MS (Mission Stadiums for Multiple Sclerosis) a non-profit MS organization who aims to spread awareness, support clinical research, and contribute to families directly impacted by MS.  You can find her most days in the gym training for Adaptive CrossFit where she is the reigning "2024 Fittest on Earth" in the neuromuscular minor division, or spending time with her husband, Chris and 4-year-old boy, Koa.

Tamara Thorpe is a globally recognized leadership consultant, speaker, and facilitator specializing in leadership, mentoring, and organizational culture.  As the owner of TNT Development, she helps individuals and organizations build values-driven leadership that fosters inclusion, collaboration, and innovation. With over two decades of experience, Tamara equips emerging and seasoned leaders with the tools to navigate diverse, multi-generational workplaces. An expert in leadership and mentoring program development, executive coaching, and DEI strategy, she provides tailored solutions for businesses and nonprofits worldwide. Her expertise in cultural and generational competence helps organizations bridge gaps, harness diverse perspectives, and create inclusive, high-performing teams. She also explores mentoring and workplace culture as the host of the Making Connections Podcast. Whether working with startups, Fortune 500 companies, or mission-driven organizations, Tamara is committed to shaping the next generation of transformative leaders.