MedExecWomen2026
Powering Progress: Leading with Impact & Agility in Connected Healthcare
May 12, 2026 | Westin Boston Seaport
MedExecWomen is proud to host this exclusive annual conference that brings together high-level leaders in medtech to explore industry trends, enhance executive leadership capabilities, and cultivate powerful professional relationships.
Agenda
The agenda is being continuously updated, please check back for speaker updates.
The Westin Boston Seaport District
425 Summer Street, Boston, MA 02210
7:30–8:15 Breakfast
8:15–8:30 Welcome: Introduction to MedExecWomen
8:30–9:00 The Laurie Halloran Keynote Speaker
Jessica Mega, MD, MPH
Jessica Mega, MD, MPH is a leader at the intersection of technology, life science, and health. She is a Cardiologist at Stanford and serves on the Advisory Board for Stanford's Center for Digital Health. She is a Co-Founder of Alphabet's Verily and former Chief Medical Officer of Google Life Sciences. She is on the Board of Directors at Boston Scientific and Danaher Corporation, as well as the Board of Advisors for Research!America and the Duke-Margolis Center for Health Policy.
9:00–9:45 Panel 1
Harnessing the Power of AI to Drive Innovation
This panel will examine the transformative potential of Gen AI within the MedTech sector. We will discuss how organizations are leveraging these technologies to address unmet customer needs and advance innovation.
Moderated by: Tyler Mansfield, Partner, PWC
Betsabeh Madani-Hermann, Global Head of Research, Philips
Manisha Shah-Bugaj CEO, Activ Surgical
9:45–10:15 Networking Break
10:15–11:00 Panel 2
360 Degrees on New Medtech: The Patient, Clinician, and Medtech Provider
Hear from a patient, a physician, and a medtech provider about the impact of hospital at home, a channel that every medtech executive should be monitoring for opportunity.
Moderated by: Anne Smart, Partner, Medtech, ZS Associates
Pippa Shulman, Chief Medical Officer, Dispatch Health
Constantinos (Taki) Michaelidis, MD, Medical Director, Hospital at Home, UMass Memorial Health
Kim Dumais, Patient
11:00–12:00 Breakout Session 1
Topic A: Board Readiness
Is joining boards the right step for your career? We will discuss the differences between director roles in a private company, a PE owned company and a public company.
Facilitator: Ellen Zane, CEO Emeritus, Tufts Medical Center
Topic B: Making the Leap from VP to C-Suite
Unlike earlier promotions that often rely on a deep understanding of one's specific function, the final step to the C-suite requires proving a command of the entire business landscape. Learn what key factors contribute to earning and thriving in a C-suite role.
Liz Bywater, President, Bywater Consulting Group
Nona Footz, Client Partner, Coulter Partners
12:00–1:00 Lunch
1:00–1:30 _Executive Interview (to be announced)
1:30–2:15 Panel 3
Leading with Purpose, Adapting with Speed
In today’s rapidly changing business environment, effective leadership requires more than traditional management skills—it demands agility, adaptability, and the ability to drive meaningful impact. This session explores the mindsets and behaviors that enable leaders to thrive amid ambiguity and complexity. Participants will hear insights on how to make swift, informed decisions, inspire resilient teams, and foster a culture of continuous learning and innovation. Through interactive discussions and group sharing, this session will help equip leaders to respond to change with confidence, lead with purpose, and deliver lasting results for dynamic environments.
Moderated by: Michelle Russell , Managing Director & Senior Partner (People & Organization Lead - Global Healthcare Leadership Team), BCG
Meghan Soens, VP & Global General Manager, Endoscopy, Boston Scientific
Simrit Sandhu, President, Spend Management, Vizient
Kathy Weiler, Chief Transformation Officer, Solventum
Krista Sugerman, VP & General Manager, Medtronic
2:15–3:15 Breakout Session 2
Topic A: Connected Care in Action: Inside the Digital Health Playbook
Digital health is no longer a peripheral trend; it’s central to how care is delivered, devices are used, and value is created in a connected healthcare ecosystem. For medtech leaders, understanding the core principles of digital health is critical to navigating evolving business models, regulatory landscapes, and product development strategies. This session will provide practical, executive-level overview of digital health fundamentals, including use cases, value levers, and strategic implications. Attendees will then engage in small group discussions with domain experts in software, cybersecurity, product development, and go-to-market strategy to deepen their understanding and apply insights to their own organizations.
Facilitator: Delphine Zurkiya, Senior Partner, McKinsey
Tracy Byers, CEO Enterprise Imaging, Optum
Acacia Parks, VP Regulatory Compliance and Engineering, Avania
Topic B: From Vision to Value: Scaling Robotics for Impact
Robotic and image-guided surgical interventions are transforming procedural care, enabling more precise, minimally invasive treatments and expanding access to advanced capabilities beyond traditional hospital walls. This session will combine an introduction to current robotics activity in MedTech with practical, cross-functional learning for leaders navigating robotics adoption and strategy. Expert-led discussions across different functional areas will uncover real-world challenges, compare organizational approaches, and develop actionable insights.
Facilitator: Julia Samorezov, Partner, McKinsey
Aleksandra Popovic, President, MONARCH, Johnson & Johnson
3:15–3:45 Networking Break
3:45–4:15 Afternoon Keynote (to be announced)
4:15–5:15 Pitch Showcase, Highlighting Four Local Startups
Pitches
Jean Pham, Co-Founder & CEO, Cellens
Zoe Watson, Co-Founder & CEO, Microvitality Bio
Vera Hoffman, CEO, Reveal Pharmaceuticals
TBA
Judges
Susana Amorim Lopes, Investment Director, Gilde Healthcare
Neha Begwani, Managing Director - Healthcare Investment Banking, Morgan Stanley