President and CEO of Biomedical Growth Strategies, LLC

Policy Fellow Alum, Centre for Science and Policy

Dr. Susan Windham-Bannister is a nationally and internationally recognized expert in innovation, market access and market optimization strategies. She has been recognized by Biosphere as one of the “10 Most Prominent African American Science Leaders,” the Boston Globe as one of the “10 Most Influential Women in Biotech,” by Boston Magazine as one of the “50 Most Powerful Women in Boston” and is the President of the National Board of Directors of the Association for Women in Science (AWIS). Dr. Windham-Bannister currently serves as Managing Partner of Biomedical Innovation Advisors LLC, which she founded with Dr. Harvey Lodish, co-founder of Genzyme, and member of the Whitehead Institute, MIT. She also serves as the President and CEO of Biomedical Growth Strategies, LLC. These advisory firms leverage Dr. Windham-Bannister’s experience as a business strategist and the immediate past President and CEO of the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center (MLSC).

Dr Windham-Bannister was the first President and CEO of the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center (MLSC), a quasi-public agency of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts tasked with implementing the Massachusetts Life Sciences Act, a ten-year, US$1 billion initiative signed into law in June 2008. On assuming this position in July 2008, she was responsible for the overall implementation of the initiative, including staffing, developing policies and procedures, creating a brand, and formulating the investment strategy. The Center's portfolio of investments is promoting economic development, catalysing innovation, strengthening Massachusetts' global leadership position in the life sciences, and accelerating the commercialisation of promising treatments, therapies and cures. Under her leadership the Center has invested US$218 million, leveraged another US$700 million in matching investment capital, and created over 7000 new life sciences jobs in the Commonwealth.

Before assuming her role at MLSC, Dr Windham-Bannister was a founding partner of Abt Bio-Pharma Solutions, a boutique consulting firm serving life sciences companies. In her 35-year consulting career, she and has been instrumental in the successful launch of a number of well-known therapeutics, medical devices and novel biomarkers. She has co-authored two books: Competitive Strategy for Health Care Organizations, and Medicaid and Other Experiments in State Health Policy. She also has written numerous articles on competition in today's healthcare marketplace.

Dr Windham-Bannister holds a BA from Wellesley College and a PhD in health policy and management from the Florence Heller School at Brandeis University, and was a post-doctoral fellow at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School. She completed her doctoral work under a fellowship from the Ford Foundation.