On Monday, January 13, 2025, we hosted our annual reception during JP Morgan Healthcare Week at Skylight at The Cube in San Francisco. The evening brought together a vibrant community of executives, investors, scientists, and advocates to spotlight the importance of equity, representation, and innovation in the life sciences industry.

The program featured a powerful fireside chat with Deborah Telman, General Counsel at Gilead, moderated by our executive director, Stephen Abreu, Partner at Sidley Austin LLP. The conversation touched on the responsibility of leadership in advancing diversity, the evolving role of general counsel in corporate strategy, and how industry leaders can drive meaningful change from the top.

BLOC also presented its Diversity Champion Award, honoring a leader who has demonstrated a deep commitment to creating inclusive opportunities across the biopharma ecosystem.

The evening concluded with a networking reception and poster session showcasing organizations and initiatives at the intersection of scientific innovation and inclusivity.

We’re grateful to our event sponsors—Sidley Austin LLP, Annexon Biosciences, Pliant Therapeutics, Ultragenyx, PwC, and Bespoke Concierge MD—for their partnership in bringing this event to life and helping us continue to amplify underrepresented voices in biopharma.