Fall 2025 HRA Members Meeting

The Fall 2025 Health Research Alliance Members Meeting was held on Wednesday, November 19 – Thursday, November 20 in Alexandria, VA, hosted at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) offices and sponsored by Conquer Cancer, the ASCO Foundation, the Alzheimer’s Association, BrightFocus Foundation, Burroughs Wellcome Fund, and the Donaghue Foundation. The meeting will also be streamed online.

HRA will not be reserving a hotel room block for the Fall 2025 Members Meeting. There are several hotels near the ASCO offices:

• Residence Inn by Marriott Alexandria Old Town South at Carlyle (~2 min walk to ASCO; less than 0.1 mile)
• The Westin Alexandria Old Town (~5 min walk to ASCO; 0.2 miles)
• Embassy Suites by Hilton Alexandria Old Town (~10 min walk to ASCO; 0.5 miles)
• Residence Inn by Marriott Alexandria Old Town/Duke Street (~15 min walk to ASCO; 0.6 miles)
• Hilton Garden Inn Alexandria Old Town National Harbor (~15 min walk to ASCO; 0.7 miles)

Session details and materials will be linked below when available.

Meeting Agenda – Wednesday, November 19

Lunch and Registration
November 19, 11AM – 12PM ET

Welcome and Meet the Members Meeting Sponsors
November 19, 12 – 12:45PM ET

Navigating Shifts: Impact of Federal Policy Changes on the Biomedical Workforce
November 19, 1 – 2PM ET

Lessons in Rare Disease: Funding, Review, and Sustaining Efforts
November 19, 2:30 – 3:30PM ET

Therapeutic Development Community Session – Not Just Funders: Nonprofits as Ecosystem Builders
November 19, 4 – 5PM ET

Networking Reception at the ASCO Offices, sponsored by Altum
November 19, 5 – 7PM ET

Meeting Agenda – Thursday, November 20

Breakfast and Registration
November 20, 8 – 9AM ET

Why are we here and what impact can we have? A reflection of and vision for biomedical research funding and philanthropic and non-profit involvement
November 20, 9 – 10AM ET

What’s the Story? Making Science Funding Meaningful to the Public
November 20, 10:30 – 11:30AM ET

Lunch
November 20, 11:30AM – 12:30PM ET

Professional Development Workshop: Storytelling for Impact
November 20, 12:30 – 2PM ET

Research Workforce & Early Career Development Learning Community Open Mic Discussion
November 20, 2:30 – 3:30PM ET

Thank you to the Program Committee for organizing the Members Meeting program:

Mandy Westland, HRA Members Meeting Intern
Lindsay Redman Rivera, Health Resources in Action (co-chair)
Michelle McLeod, Arthritis Foundation (co-chair)
David Leyden, Simons Foundation (co-chair)
Stephanie Albin, The Kavli Foundation
Kavita Bhalla, Conquer Cancer, the ASCO Foundation
Jen Chang, American Brain Tumor Association
Jacquelyn Crutchley, American Association for Cancer Research
Carolyn Giannopoulos, American Brain Tumor Association
Cathy Higgins, Stand Up To Cancer
Elise Hoover, Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research
Michelle Johnston-Fleece, Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute
Tom Jurkiw, Science Philanthropy Accelerator for Research and Collaboration, Milken Institute
Wenchi Liang, Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute
Nicole Litwin, Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation (former)
Emily Meyers, Alzheimer’s Association 
Julia Miglets-Nelson, American Brain Foundation
Payal Ray, Fibrolamellar Cancer Foundation
Kevin Sia, Doris Duke Foundation