Oregon Bio Women CONNECT | Portland
When the Playbook Runs Out: Innovation and You 2.0
When the Playbook Runs Out: Innovation and You 2.0
Innovation that changes the playing field, splinters the glass ceiling and grows talent requires hard work. And evolution, flexibility and scalability.
On June 11, Oregon Bio Women will be in force to connect with each other and four of the brilliant minds of 6453 Forward, the Nike alumni-founded think tank and talent powerhouse.
Whether the sports or the life sciences industry, emerging leaders and established pros must both navigate and make change, pivot with purpose in uncertainty, and create internal influence with vision and resilience. It’s time to test assumptions and hone our ever-changing, go-forward strategies.
Oregon Life Sciences Interim President & CEO Dr. Ndeye Makalou will participate in the program.
At CONNECT 2026, we’ll spend focused time with leader legends. Our presenters/panelists/pod leaders serve as the core team of 6453 Forward - a Portland-based consulting firm and talent marketplace founded by Nike alums, specializing in brand strategy, marketing, and operational optimization. Operating in the "space between traditional consultancies and creative brand studios," each brings the expertise and connections of former Nike leaders to deliver innovative, fast-paced business and coaching solutions born from pivot-quick experience.
The topline of CONNECT 2026 discussion topics:
- The Squeeze: Leading up and down through change – how to build influence upward and trust downward when everything around is shifting.
- Changemaking and evolving immediately – creating the roadmap when strategy is unclear/still unfolding.
- Driving momentum through the art and science of innovation.
- Leaders and their impact in times of change and uncertainty – practical, actionable strategies/tactics to implement in times of change.
- Teaming up and down – adjusting course in real time, and keeping momentum when the playbook runs out.
Let’s be clear; there’s a lot of juice to squeeze. This landmark - and fun - Oregon Bio Women (OBW) gathering offers a workshop-style format with targeted networking time, industry leader presentations and panel discussions, followed by facilitated small-group interactions with topical pods. This annual event is one of several OBW pro dev sessions providing professional and personal development opportunities for emerging-leader women in the life science and STEM careers stratum, as well as key linkages to mentoring opportunities and industry-specific support.
Oregon Bio Women is a network of emerging and established leaders in the sciences and biotech communities. OBW’s support structure catalyzes and empowers women to be leaders today via professional development, education, support, outreach, networking and mentorship.
Thank you, Event & Platinum Level Sponsors
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5:00 - 5:45 p.m. |
Doors open, Nibbles and Networking, Getting to Know You – West Lobby/Courtyard
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5:45 - 6:45 p.m. |
Welcome (Auditorium)
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7 - 7:50 p.m. |
Round-The-Room Power Pods; Micro-group discussions
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7:45 - 8:00 p.m. |
Share outs, group photo, evaluations, etc. |
Presenters/Panelists/Pod leaders: The Cool Factor
Our presenters/panelists/pod leaders serve as the core team of 6453 Forward, the core team Nike alumni. 6453 Forward is a Portland-based consulting firm and talent marketplace founded by Nike alumni, specializing in brand strategy, marketing, and operational optimization. Operating in the "space between traditional consultancies and creative brand studios," it brings expertise and connection with former Nike experts to deliver innovative, fast-paced business and coaching solutions.
Jana Panfilio
Co-Founder, President, Executive Director 6453 ALUMNI, Founding Member 6453 Forward
Jana spent nearly 30 years at Nike in roles spanning travel, events, communications, brand marketing, and consumer insights, culminating as Senior Creative Producer for global sustainability, where she led consumer research and creative storytelling around the athlete’s role in sustainability. After leaving Nike in 2019, she co-founded 6453 ALUMNI, the global Nike alumni network, to reconnect former employees and athletes and channel their shared experience for good. In 2024, Jana and fellow alumni launched 6453 Forward, a for profit consulting collective of Nike alumni that helps brands and communities unlock their potential while reinvesting a portion of revenue back into the alumni community.
Rachel Ingel-Champion
VP, Organization and People Strategy, 6453 Forward and Principal, Lūmago Human Strategies
Dr. Rachel Ingel-Champion is a seasoned leader, coach, and consultant with over 15 years of experience in organizational effectiveness, talent strategy, and transformation, including senior global roles at Nike. She delivers human-centered, focused solutions that accelerate both business and human performance. Rachel partners with leaders to drive inclusive, future-forward change rooted in the science of behavior—helping organizations thrive in an ever-changing world.
Gene Lee
Board Member, VP, Strategy, 6453 ALUMNI and Principal, No Really LLC consultancy
Gene Lee is a brand strategist and leadership coach with 12 years at Nike, where he helped drive global digital growth across Nike.com, Nike App, Nike Run Club, and Nike Training Club. He now leads No, Really, supporting leaders and organizations with clarity, alignment, and purpose-driven execution. A connector at heart, Gene is also dedicated to building 6453 into a thriving global alumni community and marketplace for ideas and opportunity.
Ortal Shimon, Ph.D, Biochemistry
Baylor College of Medicine and Coregen Inc.
Dr. Shimon serves as a Senior Scientist at Baylor as well as the Director of Process and Bioinformatics at biotech company CoRegen Inc., a Houston, Texas-based biopharmaceutical company developing groundbreaking adoptive cell therapies (ACT) to treat solid tumors. By using gene-editing technology, the company disables the steroid receptor coactivator 3 (SRC-3) gene in regulatory T (Treg) cells, enabling the immune system to recognize and eradicate aggressive cancers. As a biotechnology executive, translational scientist, and product development leader, Dr. Shimon has more than 20 years of experience spanning cell and gene therapy, cancer immunotherapy, genome editing, neurodegenerative diseases, bioinformatics, manufacturing sciences, and regulatory strategy. Throughout her career, she has successfully translated innovative scientific discoveries into practical development programs, combining scientific excellence with operational execution, regulatory planning, and business strategy.
Registration
Oregon Life Sciences Members
All employees of Oregon Life Sciences members are eligible for member pricing.
Regular Admission: $40
Group Discounts: must be purchased by May 30, 2026, on the same order for the same organization.
- 3 - 4 Tickets: $35 each
- 5 or more tickets: $30 each
Non Members: Industry and Academic
Regular Admission: $80
Non Members: Service Partners
Regular Admission: $120
Please contact us if you require assistance with your ticket order.
Oregon Life Sciences does not offer refunds for events, however we can transfer tickets upon request.
Oregon Life Sciences takes photos and videos at our events which are used for marketing purposes. By attending this event, you agree and consent to our use of your image and voice as recorded during the event.