Archives: Speakers

Ken Sickles is responsible for developing, delivering, and supporting Digimarc’s world-class global technology platform that advances the reach and effectiveness of automatic identification of media across multiple industries. Ken has expertise in products, technology and marketing over 25 years building software-as-a-service (SaaS) products in both the B2B and B2C space. He has helped define, build, and bring multi-sided platforms to market from the ground up, as well as extend platforms currently in the market. He has a passion for using his experience to enable technology to make our world a better place.

Nuno Godinho is the Group CEO of Industrial Thought Ltd., a group of companies shaping the future of financial technology and data products. Originally from Portugal, Nuno is an accomplished international Board Member, CEO, entrepreneur, and customer-centric visionary with more than 25 years in business and digital transformation. In addition to founding the strategic business and technology consultancy Diisruptance, his previous roles have included CTO, Chief Product Officer, and Chief Digital Officer with world-leading organisations, such as Microsoft, GE, SAGE. He has longstanding expertise in managing the complexities of growing global companies spanning finance, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, and sports.

Nuno acted as a thought leader for one of the leading Cloud Platforms in the world, from inception to its launch and subsequent growth into a multi-billion-dollar business. As GM & VP of GE Healthcare, he led the creation and global market launch of the GE Health Cloud – the first industry cloud solution for healthcare. He was the Group CTO & Chief Product Officer at EMIS Group Plc., where he worked directly with the NHS to create innovative solutions and supported the overall governance in UK’s response to COVID-19. During this time, he also collaborated with some of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies providing AI and data science platforms which allowed the acceleration of COVID-19 vaccine developments. In another of his startups, Empericus, Nuno created a new health intelligence platform, which achieved multiple awards as Startup of the Year for Healthcare and Sports Sciences.

Nuno joined Industrial Thought in November 2022. He leads the group in driving the wealth management industry’s transition to a socially responsible, sustainable circular economy by managing and investing in innovative businesses.

There are currently four companies within the Industrial Thought group: FSL, the market-leader in specialist investment tax solutions, Thought Train, a rapid proof of concept company focused on financial product development, Raw Knowledge a data provider for the wealth management industry, and Thought Ventures, a venture builder and incubator aimed at innovative startups in the circular economy space.

Courtney is a member of the industry solutions team with a focus on the accounting vertical. She has years of experience identifying inefficiencies and improving processes in the accounting field and has worked with industries ranging from SaaS to midstream oil and gas, real estate, and consumer products.

Courtney holds a CPA license and a master’s degree in Accountancy.

Shari has over 25 years experience of operational experience mostly in the CNS space.  She has been with midsized companies such as Eisia, where she headed up the Global CNS Operations team, as well as small biotech, such as Axovant where she built a team from scratch.  She is currently at Rhythm Pharmaceuticals, where she heads up Clinical and Laboratory Operations, Medical Writing, and Procurement and Outsourcing.

Chris Cain serves as Vice President, Clinical and Regulatory Affairs at Hyalex Orthopaedics, Inc., a start-up in Lexington, MA.  In this role, he has global responsibility for all aspects of clinical research and regulatory affairs for Hyalex’s cartilage technology.  Chris is currently working on a FIH in Europe, a FIH in Australia and an Early Feasibility Study here in the US. Prior to joining Hyalex, Chris was VP, Clinical and Regulatory Affairs at De Voro Medical, Inc., Conformal Medical, Inc., and Corindus Vascular Robotics. Chris is a member of the Regulatory Affairs Professionals Society (RAPS) and Association of Clinical Research Professional (ACRP); he holds ACRP’s Certification for Clinical Research Associates (CCRA).

Blake Wilson is a Partner in Hogan Lovells’ FDA Regulatory group.  He holds a juris doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania and a master’s degree in biostatistics from Columbia University.  Prior to becoming an attorney he managed Phase I and II pharmaceutical trials at Brown University.  His legal practice focuses on FDA’s premarket approval process for drugs/biologics/devices, oversight of clinical trials including BIMO audits, as well as navigating changes in laws or regulations that govern the life sciences industry.  He also guides sponsors through the special designation programs available at the premarket stage, like RMAT, accelerated approval, and breakthrough.  In this capacity, Blake advises extensively on novel products, study design considerations, and the use of clinical data in FDA-related matters.  By stress testing clinical materials through the lens of an FDA reviewer, Blake helps sponsors avoid pitfalls that can delay or derail a project.

Stacey Limauro, Executive Director of Clinical Operations at Deciphera Pharmaceuticals has over 25 years of industry experience across all Phases of clinical development in both small and large Pharma organizations.  In her current role, she provides leadership and oversight for the entire clinical development operations team and portfolio at Deciphera, including contributing to the operational strategy and implementation of process development and improvement within the department.  One of Stacey’s most influential accomplishments was leading the successful approval of Deciphera’s first drug, QUINLOCK in 2020 for the treatment of GIST.  She enjoys working with high performing cross-functional teams to bring therapeutic treatments to patients in need. She received her BS in Chemistry from Trinity College in CT, and an MS in Biochemistry from Boston College in MA.

Former Associate Vice President, Global Clinical Trial Management at Allergan Former Executive Director, Global Clinical Trial Management at Actavis plc Former Executive Director, Clinical Operations at Warner Chilcott Former Senior Director, Technical Services at Consumer Product Testing Company Former Section Head, Toxicology at Leberco Testing A., Biology, Rutgers University

Shelby L. Abel is the Director of Clinical Data Management – Strategic Outsourcing and Vendor Management at Alexion Pharmaceuticals, where she drives the overall strategy, processes, and governance to effectively oversee CROs and vendors performing data management (DM) activities She provides operational and strategic DM outsourcing leadership and acts as the primary focal point across Global Clinical Data Management (GCDM),  ensuring vendors perform according to agreed requirements to deliver on time, within budget, and with the highest quality.

She has 20 + years experience in the Biotechnology/Pharmaceutical industry, at various levels and positions within Clinical Data Management. She has over 13 years of Rare Disease experience and is considered an eCOA SME, possessing a vast knowledge of dosing eDiary data collection.