ASCEND
2nd Annual Career Navigation Summit
September 24–25, 2026
Virtual
ASCEND.
Your next level starts here.
Two days. Keynotes, panels, lightning talks, and an exclusive Day 2 experience — built for early-career, rising, and career-changing STEM professionals ready to lead, learn, and rise with intention.
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Day 1
September 24, 2026 · 12 PM – 6:30 PM ET
Free & Open to Everyone
12:00 PM
AdaMarie & Advanced Clinical Welcome & Kickoff
AdaMarie Team
The 2nd Annual AdaMarie Career Navigation Summit is officially underway. Hear from the AdaMarie and Advanced Clinical leadership team as they welcome the community, share the vision behind this year's theme — Ascend — and get you ready for a day of programming built to move your career forward.
12:15 – 1:00 PM
Opening Keynote
Aisha Bowe — Aerospace Engineer · Entrepreneur · Founder, STEMBoard
Former NASA rocket scientist. Citizen astronaut. Founder. Aisha Bowe opens Day 1 with a keynote on what becomes possible when you dare to ascend. Full session details coming soon.
1:10 – 2:00 PM
What HR Actually Wants: The STEM Hiring Conversation You Never Got to Have
Joane Booth · Moderated by Victoria Hill
You have the skills and the experience — but do you know what actually happens on the other side of the hiring process? HR and talent leaders pull back the curtain on what they are really looking for in STEM candidates, from the résumé review to the final decision.
2:00 – 2:15 PM
Break
Take a breath. Grab a snack. Day 1 is just getting started.
2:15 – 2:45 PM
Concurrent Workshops — Choose One
Unspoken Rules: The Hidden Curriculum of Career Advancement in STEM
Dr. Carmen Banks · Senior Scientist, Root Applied Sciences & CEO, MelanInScience
Success in biotech requires more than technical skills. This session explores workplace communication, networking, professionalism, and navigating team dynamics — and the hidden curriculum that often shapes career advancement but is rarely formally taught.
Career Building vs. Ladder Climbing: A Different Framework for Growth
Marie Libres · Owner & Product Designer, Daughters Studio
Not every career move is a promotion — and not every promotion is progress. A reframe for building a career that is sustainable, intentional, and aligned with who you are.
Your STEM Career Doesn’t Have to Fit in One Box
Camille Smith · Scientist, Founder of STEM So(ul)cial
In this interactive workshop, participants will learn how to build a career ecosystem—an intentional combination of their core career, skills, interests, relationships, and experiences that work together to create new opportunities. Attendees will map their own career ecosystem, identify where they want to grow, and leave with actionable steps for building a career that reflects the full range of who they are and where they want to go.
2:45 – 3:15 PM
Concurrent Workshops — Choose One
Steady: The Underrepresented Leadership Skill in 2026
Victoria Farris · Founder & CEO, Farris Consulting
In a season of uncertainty, the ability to stay grounded is not just a personal practice — it is a professional edge. Victoria on what steadiness looks like in practice.
Navigating Power in the Workplace
Aneesa Valentine · Founder & CEO, ImpaktBio
Power shapes every workplace. Aneesa Valentine on how to read it, navigate it, and move through it with confidence and intention.
Say Yes: Opening Yourself Up to Unexpected Opportunities in Biopharma
Robin Burges · Associate Director of Project Management, Advanced Clinical
Some of the best career moves start with a willingness to pivot and say yes before you feel fully ready. This session explores how staying open to change and opportunity can shape a meaningful, evolving career in biopharma.
3:15 – 3:45 PM
Concurrent Workshops — Choose One
Beyond the Bench: Navigating Career Opportunities in Science Nonprofits
Brooke Grindlinger · Chief Scientific Officer, New York Academy of Sciences
What does a STEM career look like outside of industry and academia? Brooke on pathways in the nonprofit and philanthropic space.
From IC to Leader: What Nobody Tells You About the Technical to Leadership Transition
Boomie Odumade · Founder & Fractional VPE/CTO, TechBees
The jump from individual contributor to leader is one of the least supported transitions in STEM. Boomie breaks down what nobody tells you before you make it.
Owning Your Professional Journey: Three Pillars for Long-Term Success
Naomi Alvarado · Consultant, Data Analyst
Learn how to get specific about what you want, find the through lines in your own experience, and make every opportunity work toward your goals. More than a roadmap, these pillars form a continuous cycle of growth that helps you adapt to change and build a career aligned with both your ambitions and your values.
3:45 – 4:00 PM
Break
Almost there. Recharge before the second half of Day 1.
4:00 – 4:30 PM
Concurrent Workshops — Choose One
The Power of the Pivot: Building a Career that Evolves
Farnaz Abdollahi, Ph.D. · Senior Data Scientist, Intel · Chair, IEEE Women in Engineering · Region 4 Vice Chair, IEEE Chicago Section
In an era where Generative AI is reshaping every industry, career growth is no longer about following a perfect plan—it's about continuously reinventing yourself. Drawing from her journey from academia to Senior Data Scientist at Intel, Dr. Farnaz Abdollahi shares practical lessons on navigating career pivots, embracing lifelong learning, and building the leadership skills that remain essential in the age of AI.
Build Proof Before You Need It: How to Land Internships and Opportunities in STEM
Priya Abiram · AdaMarie Fellow, Aerospace Engineer & Astronaut-in-Training
Most internship advice tells you to apply early and follow up. But the professionals who stand out show up with something already built. Priya Abiram shares the practical strategies she used to build proof, pick a niche, and create opportunities in one of the most competitive fields in STEM.
Building the Confidence, Character & Transferable Skills to Advance Your STEM Career
Shy Brown, Ph.D. · Founder & Executive Director, Building Bridges, Inc.
Technical skills matter, but so does how you show up. This interactive workshop helps early-career professionals name their transferable skills and build the confidence, presence, and habits to advance in STEM.
4:00 – 4:45 PM
Virtual Speed Networking
Your next mentor or collaborator might be in this room. Fast, focused, and genuinely fun conversations with fellow STEM professionals — no elevator pitch required.
4:45 – 5:45 PM
Working With AI: What It Means for Your STEM Career
Njairé · Archana Vaidheeswaran · Andrea Uribe · Scyatta Wallace · Moderated by Avni Mohan
AI is reshaping every field in STEM. This panel gets into what that actually means for the professionals navigating it in real time — practically, honestly, and without the hype.
5:45 – 6:15 PM
Closing Keynote
Kristina Gatto — Astrophysicist · Founder & CEO, NOVA
Kristina Gatto is proof that you do not have to wait for permission to build something meaningful. The astrophysicist, founder, and science communicator closes Day 1 with a keynote on creating your own path in STEM.
6:15 – 6:30 PM
Final Close & Setup for Day 2
AdaMarie Team
Day 1 is a wrap. The AdaMarie team closes out the day and sets the stage for what is waiting tomorrow in Day 2.
Stay tuned
More sessions and speakers are being added.
Follow AdaMarie on LinkedIn for announcements as they drop.
Follow us on LinkedIn →
Day 2
September 25, 2026 · 11:45 AM – 3 PM ET
Free & Open to Everyone
11:45 – 12:00 PM
AdaMarie & Advanced Clinical Welcome
AdaMarie Team
Welcome back. The AdaMarie team opens Day 2 — a smaller room, a day built for going deeper.
12:00 – 1:00 PM
The Hot Seat: Real Advice for Real STEM Career Challenges
Susan Childs · Victoria Farris · Denise Bronner · Kristy McCann · Moderated by Camille Smith
Bring your real career challenge. Our experts respond live, unscripted, and directly. No polish. No scripts. Just honest, actionable feedback from people who have been where you are.
1:00 – 1:30 PM
Concurrent Workshops — Choose One
Your Legacy Starts Now: Building Wealth, Influence, and Impact as a Woman in STEM
Renesha L. Davis, CPA · Managing Partner, The Money Council
Legacy is not a retirement conversation. Renesha Davis on building wealth, influence, and lasting impact as a woman in STEM — starting right now.
Making Your Case: Positioning Your Research for Philanthropic Support
Alessandra Garber · Founder & Principal, Garber Philanthropic Strategy Partners
As individual donors and private foundations play an increasingly vital role in funding research, STEM professionals need to communicate the value of their work clearly and compellingly. A practical guide for articulating your research to philanthropists and positioning yourself for support when opportunity strikes.
1:30 – 2:00 PM
Breaking Into AI Safety and Policy: Fellowships, Entry Points, and First Steps
Archana Vaidheeswaran
The field of AI safety and research is expanding rapidly. Archana on how women can find, build, and own their place at the frontier of AI.
2:00 – 2:30 PM
Concurrent Workshops — Choose One
The Nonlinear Advantage: Building, Pivoting, and Funding Your Future in STEM
Denise Bronner, Ph.D. · Founder, Empactful Ventures
From PhD microbiologist to pharma director to VC ecosystem builder to founder — Denise Bronner on turning a nonlinear career path into your greatest competitive advantage.
The Generalist’s Edge: Building Your Own Council of Experts with AI
Ryan Guzman · Senior Clinical Research Associate, Advanced Clinical
Explore how the curiosity of generalists and the power of AI can help you learn faster, think sharper, and build expertise early.
2:30 – 3:00 PM
Final Keynote & AdaMarie Closing
Catharine Montgomery · Founder and CEO, Better Together Agency
The summit closes the way it began — with intention. Catharine Montgomery will discuss the critical role of artificial intelligence in closing economic and career gaps for women and people of color. The session will highlight the systemic biases within generative AI tools alongside the distinct professional opportunities available when diverse communities actively master these workflows. Attendees will learn how women can successfully leverage human-centric AI strategies to accelerate their career trajectories and maximize their earning potential. This keynote will be followed with a brief community send-off.