Securing a seat on the Board for a Life Sciences, Pharma, or Biotech company is a logical next-step for many executives, but what does it take to be “Boardroom Ready?”

The Boardroom Ready Program through Women in Bio was created in 2016 to assist executive women in the life sciences secure their first director role. The program is designed to enhance a woman’s opportunities of finding a board appointment through classroom education and applied learning sessions as well as networking, ongoing programming, and development opportunities to give participants every advantage in achieving their goal of board service. Our Host, Dr. Lesley Northrop, was a participant in the WIB 2025 Boardroom Ready cohort.

Being around such accomplished women over the course of the Program was equally inspiring and intimidating. Implementing the DG mindset, Lesley saw an opportunity to share the stories of these women and their career journeys - the good, the bad, and the ugly - and to highlight the superpowers that got them here. In Episodes 22 and 23 of Diagnostic Guru, we hear from an array of members of the 2025 WIB Boardroom ready cohort, women who are ready to lead because of what they’ve learned along the way.

Securing a seat on the Board for a Life Sciences, Pharma, or Biotech company is a logical next-step for many executives, but what does it take to be “Boardroom Ready?”

The Boardroom Ready Program through Women in Bio was created in 2016 to assist executive women in the life sciences secure their first director role. The program is designed to enhance a woman’s opportunities of finding a board appointment through classroom education and applied learning sessions as well as networking, ongoing programming, and development opportunities to give participants every advantage in achieving their goal of board service. Our Host, Dr. Lesley Northrop, was a participant in the WIB 2025 Boardroom Ready cohort.

Being around such accomplished women over the course of the Program was equally inspiring and intimidating. Implementing the DG mindset, Lesley saw an opportunity to share the stories of these women and their career journeys - the good, the bad, and the ugly - and to highlight the superpowers that got them here. In Episodes 22 and 23 of Diagnostic Guru, we hear from an array of members of the 2025 WIB Boardroom ready cohort, women who are ready to lead because of what they’ve learned along the way.

Guest Title: Moran Snir, Founder and CEO, Nest Genomics

When you reflect on your work over decades, do you ask “Am I doing the same thing?” or do you look for where the problem has evolved, and where you, and the work, has evolved to meet that new challenge?

That mentality, and faith in the freedom of thought that drives imagination and innovation have shaped the success of our guest today. Moran Snir is the Founder and CEO of Nest Genomics, an AI-native platform designed to implement genomics at scale, but she is also a serial entrepreneur, the daughter of a medical geneticist, and the mom of three boys for whom she is modeling the normalcy of women in the C-seat. Her humility and thoughtful nature bely her mammoth success, and she is the first to tout her team and her community as the real rockstars.

Moran has devoted her career to one mission— using technology to make genomic health and precision medicine accessible to all. Prior to Nest, she founded Clear Genetics, including the GIA™ chatbot platform, which was acquired by Invitae (NVTA) in 2019. At Invitae, she led the Software and Data organization. Her first company was MorNetware, which developed Genometer—a platform that supported ethnicity-based carrier screening for more than 90% of pregnancies in Israel for over two decades. Moran served as an officer in the Israel Defense Forces’ elite software unit and holds a B.S. and M.S. in Biomedical Engineering from Tel Aviv University, as well as an MBA from the Wharton School. She is a two-time Y Combinator alum.

Guest Title: Christine Knapp, Founder, MindWire: Coaching with Christine

What if leaving that bad job or escaping the money pit or breaking into that new role was really just one decision away?

As a NeuroCoach, Christine Knapp believes that it can be, with a little bit of positivity and some practical brain rewiring. A recovering perfectionist and people-pleaser herself, Christine gets what it means to live on autopilot—and how powerful it is to finally break free. In July 2023, Christine made a bold leap—leaving her role as Performance Coach Manager of a national franchise to launch MindWire: Coaching with Christine, her own coaching practice rooted in brain-based transformation and personal alignment.

Christine works with high-achieving women who are ready to break free from overthinking, burnout, and impostor syndrome. In this episode, we talk about her own experience with imposter syndrome, and the silver linings she’s so famous for finding. Christine brings a science-backed, deeply human approach to helping her clients rewire limiting beliefs, lead with clarity, and reignite their energy around a life and purpose that truly fuels them—mentally, emotionally, and professionally.

Guest Title: Julia Duran, Founder and CEO, South Geeks

What happens when you’re outvoted on naming your own company?

When you’re Julia Duran, you roll with it, because you trust that your team delivers such high quality work that it doesn’t matter what your name is. On today’s episode, we talk with Julia about what it’s like to work in an international space, how she became a solo CEO, and why she believes things are shifting, for the good, in the AI and technology spaces. We also hear about the routines, practices, and habits that have helped her build a company where she is not the only one working hard for its future.

Julia Duran is the CEO and founder of South Geeks, a technology company focused on building high-performance teams and long-term partnerships. With a background that includes roles at IBM, Verizon and Hewlett Packard, Julia combines enterprise-level rigor with a people-first, pragmatic approach to leadership. Originally from Argentina and shaped by years working in the United States, she is now based in The Netherlands, bringing a global perspective to her work connecting top tech talent with forward-thinking companies worldwide.

Guest Title - Michele Colucci, Founder & Managing Partner, DigitalDx Ventures

“It’s the inspiration to move mountains that moves mountains.”

Michele Colucci has always been a woman moving mountains, from being a single parent raising four children to building a venture capital firm with a focus on the intersection of AI and healthcare, she believes that inspired work is work that pays off. In this episode, we talk with Michele about how the current financial environment is impacting her business, the mentality needed for sound investing, and how we can pull more women into investing.

Michele is a venture capital thought leader, lawyer, investor, serial entrepreneur, and philanthropist. She has authored five patents in the technology space and founded companies in the legal, technology, retail, and entertainment spaces. Her extensive experience operating in highly regulated verticals has focused on issues from management to legal. As a venture capitalist focused on med tech, Colucci is committed to impacting the health field by investing in companies that enable doctors to make better diagnostic decisions through the application of AI and big data.

Guest Title - Helen McKeon, Founder, I’m All Out

Burnout. According to a McKinsey report, 43% of women leaders experience burnout compared to just 31% of men. Now, the fact that at least ⅓ of the population is experiencing burnout is a serious issue. But, for women, it’s becoming an epidemic.

Our guest today has experienced the fallout from burnout. From her time at lululemon in multiple markets across the globe to her experience in several start ups, she’s seen the impact of no boundaries, no compassion, no mercy. And she thinks there’s a better way.

Helen McKeon spent over 15 years leading culture, people, and community strategy at companies like lululemon, Rivian, and Rally Pickleball before founding I’m All Out—a consulting practice and evolving movement reimagining how we work, lead, and sustain ourselves. She’s passionate about helping women navigate high-performance environments without losing themselves, and about rebuilding how we work and live—through breathwork, connection, and creativity.

Guest Title - Dr. Lesley Northrop, Founder, LDGI and Host, Diagnostic Guru Podcast

Wait! I recognize her. Isn’t she the host, not the guest? Normally, yes, but not today. On an all new episode (and Season!) of Diagnostic Guru, we take a step back to fully introduce you to our host, Dr. Lesley Northrop.

In the current economic environment, it’s tough being an entrepreneur in biotech and no one knows that better than Lesley. She is the Founder and Managing Partner of Laboratory Diagnostics & Genomics Innovation, LLC and the Founder and Host of the podcast, Diagnostic Guru. Voted as a Top 100 Innovator in 2025 by Redwood Media Group, Dr. Northrop is an expert at helping companies take their diagnostic products from ideation to implementation, leveraging her clinical and scientific expertise as well as her business acumen to drive commercial success.

On the show today, Lesley gives her perspective on how the biotech industry has changed over the last 10 years, what scares her most about the current state of affairs, and what advice she would give anyone looking to invest. Oh, and she shares her own good, bad, and ugly. You won’t want to miss that!