Dear WIB Community,
Happy New Year, Women In Bio members, supporters, and allies!
It is my great honor to begin a term as your 2025 WIB President and Board Chair. As a scientist, executive, and mom of two college-age daughters, this community has provided me with an invaluable community, a source of business opportunities, and a chance to learn and share knowledge, and my hope is that it provides the same for all of you.
I have been part of WIB since 2010, first in Southern California and, more recently, in San Francisco, where I served as chair of Sponsorship and EWIB. I took on the role of National President and Board Chair because I feel incredibly passionate about everything our organization achieves and, most importantly, the work that still needs to happen in 2025!
Did you know that women earn over 60% of bachelor’s and master’s degrees and >50% of doctoral degrees in the life sciences?1 Despite this majority position, women comprise only about 30% of the executive ranks, 20% of CEOs, and 15% of Board Directors in life sciences companies.2, 3 Similarly, women make up the majority of contingent college and university faculty but only about 40% of tenure-line professors, 35% of full professors, and 30% of college presidents.4 Since leadership roles provide money, decision-making, and the power to shape the future, it is critical that we elevate the next generation of female leaders to make the workplace better for us all: for my daughters, your daughters, for me, and for all of you, too!
I’ve had the luxury of being on a one-year listening and observation assessment tour and was able to see all the fantastic work, accomplishments, influence, activities, and initiatives of WIB. Based on the insights gained through my observations and years of involvement with WIB, I’ve developed two main foci for the next year: 1) Strengthen WIB’s impact, and 2) Communicate our value. We are smartly and strategically putting our resources, efforts, and impetus behind our most successful marquis initiatives to elevate them to the next level to provide the most value to and for our members, participants, and volunteers, to grow WIB to the next level. Next, we’re going to broadcast our accomplishments and the essence of WIB’s greatness so that we’re no longer the best-kept secret in town!
As members and supporters of WIB, we’re not just members of an organization. We are a powerful community of women who are shaping the future of life sciences. Whether you’re looking to expand your network, find a mentor, or give back to the next generation of women in bio, WIB provides the platform and resources to help you achieve your goals.
In closing, here is my call to action for all of our existing and future members, funders, and partners: As WIB President, I am asking you to be WIB Ambassadors. We will make it as easy as possible to do this by giving you all the tools, messages, and elevator pitches to highlight the great work that we do collectively as professional women. So please spread the word about our incredible WIB!
In your service –
Dianne Keen-Kim, PhD
2025 WIB National President & Board Chair
1National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics. Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering 2021; Available from: https://ncses.nsf.gov/wmpd
2Measuring Diversity in the Biotech Industry. 2022; Available from: https://www.bio.org/diversity-equity-inclusion
3Davies, E. Women in Leadership in Life Sciences. 2023; Available from: https://www.meetlifesciences.com/media-hub/download/women-in-leadership-in-life-sciences/
4Loyola Marymount University. 2023; Available from: https://newsroom.lmu.edu/administrative/spotlight-on-issues-facing-women-in-academia-the-service-inequity/
