By Mary Moore, BBJ Reporter
The Boston Business Journal’s Advancing Women breakfast event is off to a strong start with a keynote speech by Susan Windham-Bannister, president and CEO of the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center, who highlighted the role of women in the life sciences sector.
Not surprisingly, Windham-Bannister noted that women are “dramatically underrepresented” in life sciences. Fewer women are in post-doctoral tenured tracks, she said.
In 2006, more women than men had fundable National Institutes of Health grant applications, but fewer dollars per grant were awarded to women.
And the number of women who can attain “important roles” in life sciences companies “is lower than we’d like,” she said.
“We recognize for our innovation economy to thrive..an economy driven by good ideas…we need the contributions and brain power of all our people,” she said.
To that end, among the efforts the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center has made to help advance women, it has awarded to female scientists a quarter of its $25 million in research grants. And the Life Sciences Center has included Science Clubs for Girls among the grants it has made to STEM projects.
During the event, held at the Westin waterfront hotel, three women are being honored for their leadership. June Rokoff, of the Commonwealth Institute; Ruth Bramson, of Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts; and Linda Whitlock, head of The Whitlock Group and former president and CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston.
A panel discussion among local women leaders focused, in part, on how they have lead during a tough economy.
Joanne Chang, owner and chef of Flour Bakery, said customers and revenues declined. As a result, she said, she has tried to be more creative. Running “fun promotions”such as “cheap date night” to draw in more customers. The economy “could be an opportunity” if presented that way, Chang said.
Chang said you have to realize that “this too will” pass.
Alexandra Glucksmann, senior vice president of Cerulean, said, “You just become sharper at every round and you can’t get demoralized if you believe in what you’re doing.”
A priority in financial services is providing peace of mind to customers and being honest about what is really happening and that there are things beyond control, said Marcel Quiroga, vice president of Capital Formation Group. And in wealth management and financial planning, she said, a priority is helping people do the things they want to do.
Quiroga has a personal connection to the struggles created by the recession – she was laid off from Merrill lynch in 2008. When we go through times of adversity, opportunities are created.
Julie Kahn, vice president and general manager of Entercom, said she learned through the recession that “something will trip up your path” and the best way to deal with it is to be prepared.
To see what some women leaders said about advancing professionally, click stories.
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.