Pharma Manufacturing World Summit

Melissa Seymour is executive vice president, Global Quality for Eli Lilly and Company.

Melissa previously served as the chief quality officer for Bristol Myers Squibb. In this role, she led the GPS Quality organization in setting the quality compliance strategy, implementation of quality processes and systems, and development of talent to ensure the highest level of quality and compliance. Before joining Bristol Myers Squibb, Melissa was also the chief quality officer at Biogen. She has had prior roles providing oversight for QC laboratories and spent several years as the vice president of Corporate Quality, with responsibility for global compliance and quality systems as well as in-market Quality.

Melissa earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Biological Sciences and Biochemistry from North Carolina State University and an Executive Master of Business Administration degree from Duke University. She has over 25 years of experience in the quality arena, including quality positions at Novo Nordisk and Glaxo Smith Kline.

Melissa has been involved in influencing regulatory guidance through her participation on non-profit Boards of the Parenteral Drug Association since 2016, currently serving as chair-elect; as well as Rx-360 consortium focused on supply chain security vis-à-vis public health concerns and patient safety. She has been an advocate for simplification of post approval change processes, participating in industry forums, writing articles and interacting with regulators. She holds certifications from ASQ as a Certified Quality Auditor, Quality Engineer and Quality Manager.

Arleen Paulino, senior vice president, Manufacturing, leads Amgen’s commercial manufacturing organization. Prior to this role, Paulino served as vice president, Site Operations at Amgen Singapore Manufacturing from 2016 to 2018, where she led the team to the successful licensure of Amgen’s first Next-Generation Biomanufacturing plant.

Paulino joined Amgen in 2002 and over the years has held various positions with increasing responsibility in Process Engineering and Process Development. She was also the head of Clinical Operations and Development Supply Chain, where she was responsible for the end-to-end supply chain for the manufacture and delivery of clinical product to support Amgen’s global clinical trials.

She began her career in Operations at Genentech and later joined Immunex, where she held a variety of roles overseeing development and scale-up operations, contract manufacturing and technology transfer, as well as plant manager for the cell culture facility.

Paulino holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry from Marquette University.

As Chief Technical Operations and Quality Officer, Dr. Collins is responsible for the technical development, quality, and supply of preclinical, clinical and commercial programs within Moderna’s portfolio.

Dr. Collins joined Moderna from Novartis, where he held roles of increasing responsibility over the last nearly 30 years, focused on pharmaceutical production and manufacturing, including roles serving as Head of Global Chemical Operations and Anti-Infectives and as Head of Global Chemical Operations.

Dr. Collins received his Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and his Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from University College Cork, Ireland. He also conducted post-doctoral cancer research at Arizona State University.

Kathleen is a Biopharmaceutical leader with experience in small biotech and global Fortune 500 companies including bluebird bio, Intercept, BMS, Catalent, and now Biogen. She has developed and led site and HQ-based teams spanning Quality, IT, Product Development, and Supply Chain functions. She has deep expertise in managing Health Authority inspections and has tackled strategic and operational challenges, from global business process implementation to managing day-to-day operations. Kathleen enjoys solving complex problems, managing large organizations, and aligning teams on the most effective path forward that ensures compliance and enables the business.

Tim Maines joined Alnylam in August 2017 as the Global Head of Quality Assurance and Quality Control and was promoted to Chief Technical Operations and Quality Officer in April of 2023, holding over 35 years of experience. Prior to joining Alnylam, Tim was a member of the senior leadership teams at Ariad Pharmaceuticals, Omthera Pharmaceuticals, Astra Zeneca/MedImmune, GTC Biotherapeutics (formerly Genzyme Transgenics) and Stryker Biotech where he provided strategic input and independent quality and technical oversight of each company’s global GxP operations. In total, these experiences resulted with the commercialization and market expansion of thirteen novel medicines, including four FDA-approved therapies at Alnylam.

Tim holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology/Microbiology from Gannon University.

Sheena Behn is an established global leader in the Pharmaceutical Industry with significant supply chain, manufacturing and development experience and expertise. She has worked at AstraZeneca for 25 years.

Sheena is currently VP Vaccine and Immune Therapies Supply Chain and VP for Oncology Supply, based in Cambridge, UK.

She was previously based in Gothenburg as VP R&D Supply Chain (2012-2014) running the global group for Clinical Supply at AZ; and before that VP for Wuxi Manufacturing site for 3 years, based in China (2010-2012).

Sheena is a Pharmacist who started her career working in London hospitals, before working in pharmaceutical development with GSK and then AZ before joining Operations in 2007.

Dr. Joanne Beck is currently Chief Technology Officer at Abata Therapeutics. Prior to this, she served as Chief Technology Officer at Aerium Therapeutics and COO at Boston Pharmaceuticals, a private company developing candidates across multiple indications in cardiometabolic, oncology, and immune/inflammatory diseases. Prior to joining Boston Pharmaceuticals, she was Executive Vice President of Global Pharmaceutical Development and Operations at Celgene where she oversaw the company’s Product Development, Global Manufacturing Operations, Supply Chain, Engineering and Quality. Prior to Celgene, she was SVP of Pharmaceutical Development at Shire. Prior to Shire she held roles of increasing responsibility in Process Development at Genentech and Amgen and in Operations at Abbott’s Pharmaceutical and Vascular Divisions. Beck holds a BA in Chemistry from Lewis and Clark College, a Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from University of Oregon Medical School and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in the department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry at the University of California, San Francisco. Dr. Beck serves on the board of directors for Orchard Therapeutics and Astria Therapeutics.

Judy joined Gilead Sciences as Vice President, Global Supply Chain in January 2024.  She leads supply chain professionals responsible for end-to-end global supply chain strategy and execution to ensure uninterrupted supply of Gilead’s clinical product portfolio from trials through to launch. Close partnership with CMC functions including Product & Portfolio Strategy, CMC Regulatory Affairs, Technical Development, Manufacturing Operations and Quality Assurance will be critical part of her accountabilities. Judy is an accomplished healthcare supply chain professional with blended experiences in both big pharma and smaller, clinical-stage biotech companies. She is a visionary, solution-focused leader with a strong track record delivering best-in-class improvement strategies and strengthening portfolios. She has a passion for developing people to help them realize their potential and maximize their contributions.

Catalina Vargas is Senior Vice President and Global Supply Chain (GSC) Lead at Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS). A global pharmaceutical executive with more than 20 years of experience, Catalina currently leads a team of more than 800 employees working to seamlessly plan and deliver medicines to patients in more than 50 countries around the world, from clinical through commercial for all modalities.

Prior to her current role, Catalina was Chief of Staff to the CEO of BMS where she led important strategic enterprise-wide initiatives. Catalina has an exceptional record of building high performing and agile global teams, and she is a passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion. In her Chief of Staff role, she led BMS’ diversity and inclusion commitments, which included areas such as clinical trial diversity, health equity, workforce representation, employee giving and supplier diversity.

Catalina joined BMS in 2018 as Vice President, Strategic Sourcing and Procurement, Global Product Development and Supply, where she managed a complex supply chain of external suppliers to bring critical medicines to patients. During her time in this role, she successfully integrated the Celgene and BMS sourcing and procurement groups.

Prior to joining BMS, Catalina was with Pfizer for 18 years, where she was tapped for progressive leadership positions across strategic sourcing, global procurement and external manufacturing.

Born and educated in Colombia, Catalina has a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering and a graduate degree in finance and capital markets. She currently serves as an associate board member for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI).