Women in the Enterprise of Science & Technology

Please register through the WEST website so we can ensure you receive all pertinent event information.

Communication Styles: Building Stronger Relationships and Navigating Conflict
(Workshop led by Rebecca Gay)

• Date: Sep 2, 2026 (Wednesday)
• Time: 6-7:30 PM ET
• Location: USQ (10 Prospect, Somerville, MA 02143)
• Cost: Members: $15; Non-Members: $30

Given our mission is to promote women's development in STEM we would like to offer a free spot in our workshops to those in transition between jobs or who cannot afford the ticket price. Please contact info@westorg.org if you qualify.

Overview:
Effective communication is essential for building trust, strengthening relationships, and working effectively with others. By understanding your own communication style and learning to adapt to different personalities, backgrounds, and perspectives, you can improve collaboration, reduce misunderstandings, and navigate challenges with confidence.

SWE and WEST are partnering to offer an interactive program on building stronger communication skills. The event begins with a workshop led by Rebecca Gay, where participants will explore different communication styles, gain insight into their own communication preferences, and better understand the motivations behind the styles of others. The workshop will be followed by a panel discussion featuring real workplace experiences and practical takeaways. You'll hear strategies for communicating more effectively, building stronger relationships, and navigating workplace interactions. Topics will include communicating across different styles, proactive communication, conflict and difficult conversations, and how communication evolves with leadership and influence.

Please register through the WEST website so we can ensure you receive all pertinent event information.

2026 WEST Mentoring Program

• Date: Sep 10, Sep 17, Oct 8, Oct 29, Nov 19, Dec 10
• Time: 6-8PM ET
• Location: Zoom
• Cost: $100 (currently open to WEST member only)
• Application dateline: Aug 10

If you need a scholarship to cover the majority of the cost of a spot in this mentoring program and/or a membership, please email info@westorg.org to apply.

Kick start your development with a 1:1 goal setting session, training, and mentor stories. Then, each of the following two-hour virtual sessions features core pods, small group topic based discussion, and networking.

• Each core pod has a general topic for the whole program that is set from the beginning based on preferences ranked in the interest survey. The same group with around 2 mentors and 5 mentees will meet for 30 minutes each session building towards your goal and driving accountability.
• Small group topic based discussions allow you to work with a broader range of mentors on the most popular discussion topics. Mentors will address a topic with 1-3 mentees. The mentor and fellow mentees will change each session.
• Short structured networking activities are designed to help you connect to your peers.
• Mentor stories allow you to hear the career journeys and hard won wisdom from each of the mentors.

WEST Mentors are from all areas of the biopharma and tech industry, with a wealth of experience and expertise across academia, start-ups, biotech, and multi-national pharmaceutical companies including CEOs, heads of functions, leaders, and coaches. They have the lived experience and diverse perspectives to help you with your goals.

Who should apply:

• Mentors: If you have a passion to share your experiences and develop others and have applicable experience across several development areas, then learn more about becoming a mentor.
• Mentees: If you have a development goal to tackle and appreciate the value of multi-dimensional feedback, then learn more about becoming a mentee.

To learn more about this program, register to join us for an informational session all about the WEST Mentoring Program on July 23rd, 6-7pm.

The dates of the program are 9/10, 9/17, 10/8, 10/29, 11/19, 12/10. All session will be via Zoom 6-8pm ET. The cost of participation for mentees for the program is $100, currently open to WEST members only. If you need a scholarship to cover the majority of the cost of a spot in this mentoring program and/or a membership, please email info@westorg.org to apply.

Please register through the WEST website so we can ensure you receive all pertinent event information.

Building High Performing Teams with the Social Style Model
(Workshop led by Victoria Rayel)

• Date: Sep 15, 2026 (Tuesday)
• Time: 6-7 PM ET
• Location: Zoom
• Cost: Members: $5; Non-Members: $15
  Given our mission is to promote women's development in STEM we would like to offer a free spot in our workshops to those in transition between jobs or who cannot afford the ticket price. Please contact info@westorg.org if you qualify.

Overview:
This interactive workshop introduces participants to the Social Styles framework to foster self-reflection and more effective workplace communication. Through a blend of personal style identification and engaging reflective exercises, attendees will gain actionable insights into their interpersonal dynamics, ultimately strengthening professional relationships and team collaboration.

Speaker Bio:
Victoria Rayel is a Certified Social Styles® Facilitator, Certified Career Counselor (CCC), Certified Life Coach, and Certified Career Transition Coach (CCTC) with deep expertise in leadership development and communication training. Her facilitation style is engaging, insightful, and practical—grounded in helping leaders build self-awareness and apply new strategies immediately to strengthen team connection and performance.

Please register through the WEST website so we can ensure you receive all pertinent event information.

Leadership (and Life) Lessons from the Pacific Crest Trail

• Date: Sep 24, 2026 (Thursday)
• Time: 5:30-7:45 PM ET
  5:30-6:00 PM: Registration, networking, light refreshments
  6:00-7:00 PM: Keynote presentation
  7:00-7:15 PM: Q&A
  7:15-7:45 PM: Networking reception, light refreshments
• Location: Seismic Therapeutic (250 Arsenal St, Watertown, MA 02472)
• Cost: Members: $15; Non-Members: $30
  Given our mission is to promote women's development in STEM we would like to offer a free spot in our workshops to those in transition between jobs or who cannot afford the ticket price. Please contact info@westorg.org if you qualify.

Overview:
Kristen Hege retired from her biopharma executive role at Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS) and her academic hematology practice at UC San Francisco in 2023 to pursue her lifelong dream of thru hiking the 2,650-mile Pacific Crest Trail from Mexico to Canada with her husband.
In this unique presentation, she reflects on her pioneering 30-year history with research and development of CAR-T cell immunotherapy for cancer, from the dawn of this breakthrough field at Cell Genesys, a startup Bay Area biotech company in the 1990s, to Celgene, and ultimately BMS. A career highlight was overseeing the development of Abecma, the first BCMA targeted CAR-T cell treatment for multiple myeloma, a program that she led from target identification to FDA approval.
She will also share her Pacific Crest Trail story and reflections on leadership lessons learned from this grand adventure that should resonate with all who pursue high-risk endeavors in science and medicine. Finally, she will reflect on her efforts to turn her PCT hike into a philanthropic effort to support and advance the next generation of women physicians and scientists working on cancer immunotherapy. This fundraising initiative is named in honor of her mother, a pioneering physician who was the only woman to graduate from her medical school class at Univ. Pennsylvania in 1953.

Speaker Bio:
Kristen Hege is an accomplished biotechnology executive and independent board director. She currently serves as an Independent Board Member for Mersana Therapeutics, Adaptimmune, Kelonia Therapeutics, KSQ Therapeutics, and EvolveImmune Therapeutics. She served as a Clinical Professor of Medicine in Hematology at the University of California, San Francisco. Previously, Kristen was Senior Vice President of Early Clinical Development for Hematology, Oncology, and Cell Therapy at Bristol Myers Squibb.