WHH STRATEGIC ADVISORS

With support from top industry leaders and strategic advisors, we are dedicated to supporting innovators in investment, policy, research, FemTech entrepreneurship, as well as payers, providers, and life sciences.

Our inaugral board features over 17 accomplished women, each with more than two decades of experience in women's health. Their expertise is instrumental in shaping our mission, guiding our initiatives, and enhancing our overall impact.


  • Alyson J. McGregor, MD is known for pioneering the understanding of sex and gender differences in acute medical care. A Professor of Emergency Medicine, she co‐founded the first Division of Sex and Gender in Emergency Medicine and serves as a scientific advisor at OM Health Hub.She is Associate Dean at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville and co‐founded the Sex and Gender Women’s Health Collaborative, a national initiative transforming medical practice and education. Author of Sex Matters and co‐editor of Sex and Gender in Acute Care Medicine, Dr. McGregor has published over 100 peer‐reviewed articles. Her TEDx talk, Why Medicine Often Has Dangerous Side Effects for Women, has reached over 1.8 million viewers, sparking a global conversation on the need for sex‐ and gender‐specific medical approaches.

  • Vasanta Pundarika is the Founder and CEO of Lotuspring, a strategic advisory firm driving long‐term sustainability in women’s and behavioral health. She partners with healthcare innovators to align business strategies with the U.S. healthcare ecosystem, bridging innovation with real‐world integration.

    With nearly two decades in healthcare and finance, including 18 years as a healthcare investment banker, Vasanta has guided organizations on growth, strategy, M&A, and capital transactions.

    Known for translating complex financial concepts across investors, clinicians, and operators, she builds consensus and identifies pivotal drivers of success. A passionate advocate and thought leader, Vasanta is a frequent speaker on healthcare innovation and an active member of WBL (Women Business Leaders of the U.S. Health Care Industry Foundation).

  • Liz is Founder of G2G Consulting, which she founded in 2007 to create and implement policy, funding and advocacy government to growth (G2G) strategies for clients. She has secured $550 million in government funding for health and high-tech innovation for businesses and nonprofits. Liz founded the Women’s Health Advocates and co-founded the Breast Cancer Early Detection Coalition and Women’s Digital Health Network. Previously, she served as Legislative Director in Congress, a Policy Analyst for UK Parliament’s Health Committee, and as congressional and presidential campaign staff. She earned her MPH from Harvard, JD from George Washington, and BA from Colgate.


  • Shelley Amster has over 45 years of experience in the life sciences and health industries, beginning in clinical labs and research in andrology and IVF, where she helped develop foundational methods to diagnose and treat infertility in both men and women. She is the founder and principal of ShelleyCO, a life science business development consultancy, and co‐founder of 3Daughters Technology. Shelley also serves as an advisor and board member for several emerging life science companies and is a founding board advisor of a Massachusetts bio‐incubator. A recognized leader in conference development, she creates high‐impact programs that spark dialogue on cutting‐edge technologies, drawing on her extensive network of industry leaders, investors, and innovators. Shelley is widely regarded as a mentor and role model for the next generation of entrepreneurs and scientists.


  • Rachel Braun Scherl is a marketing strategist, business builder, author, speaker, podcast co‐host, and self‐described Vagipreneur®, dedicated to advancing women’s sexual and reproductive health.

    She brings deep expertise across menstruation, fertility, sexual wellness, contraception, pregnancy, menopause, and incontinence to help brands and businesses grow.

    As President and co‐founder of Semprae Laboratories, Rachel built a pioneering company in women’s sexual health, creating a new product category before its sale to Innovus Pharmaceuticals in 2013. She is the author of the best‐selling book Orgasmic Leadership and co‐hosts the podcast Business of the V, exploring innovation and unmet needs in women’s health.

    A sought‐after speaker at universities and conferences including Duke, Stanford, CES, SXSW, and events hosted by J&J, AbbVie, and more. Rachel has led hundreds of growth projects for companies from global leaders like J&J,


  • Sally is a 7+ year metastatic breast cancer thriver who empowers others to flourish as a speaker, wellbeing advisor and advocate. A passionate voice for health equity, she is a Breast Cancer Early Detection Coalition co-founder, Women’s Health Advocates leader, and Living Beyond Breast Cancer advocate. Sally is also a LinkedIn Top voice who has shared her story in many media outlets such as Cosmopolitan, Oprah Daily, and GMA. Prior to her diagnosis, she spent two decades as a media industry strategy executive.

    A former camp counselor, Sally still infuses childlike wonder, creativity, and community into everything she does, especially her adventures with her nephew and nieces.


  • Amy Millman is a passionate advocate for women entrepreneurs and today is a Managing Partner of the StageNext angel fund. In 2000, she founded Springboard Enterprises to accelerate the growth of companies led by women through access to essential resources and a global community of experts. She served as President for 21 years, creating and leading the organization and its global programs. She achieved her vision of building a collaborative, global network of investors, industry experts, influencers and innovators all dedicated to scaling high-growth companies led by women transforming industries in the fields of enterprise technology and life science. During her tenure, the portfolio topped 800 companies creating over $35 Billion in value for investors, clients and customers through equity raised, IPOs and sales to strategic acquirers. Prior, she served as a lobbyist for corporate and industry groups and served as Executive Director of the National Women’s Business Council, a US federal commission. She is a graduate of Carnegie Mellon University and holds a Master’s in Public Administration from The George Washington University.

  • Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum is a leader in preventive cardiology, now in private practice in New York City. She is the CEO and Founder of Adesso, a technology - based prevention model. She launched heart disease prevention programs at Mt. Sinai Heart, Northwell Lenox Hill, and Beth Israel. She published Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum’s Heart Book: Every Woman’s Guide to a Heart Healthy Life, and has been a national spokesperson for the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women program for over 20 years.

  • Dr. Lara Zibners is a leading voice in women’s health, medical education, and trauma training, dedicated to transforming drug delivery for women. After enduring seven rounds of IVF and experiencing the physical and emotional toll of standard fertility treatments, she co-founded Calla Lily Clinical Care to develop innovative, leak-free, dosage-confident drug delivery solutions for vaginally administered medications.

    As Chief Medical Officer of Calla Lily Clinical Care, Dr. Zibners leads efforts to improve patient comfort and outcomes in fertility, miscarriage prevention, and other gynecological treatments. The company has been recognized as a top startup at the Inaugural MedFemTech Congress in Paris and evolved from Callaly, a period-care innovation named one of TIME’s Inventions of the Year in 2020, where she was an active investor and clinical advisor.


  • Jenny Carrillo, PhD, is inspired by innovative technologies that improve global health and works in healthcare technology to achieve health equity by removing barriers that contribute to health disparities. She brings 20+ years of leadership driving innovation in women’s health, with executive roles at Ovia Health (President), Labcorp, and Amwell, where she helped lead the company through a successful IPO. Her influence spans clinical, corporate, and digital health sectors.

  • Millicent Gorham was named the inaugural CEO of the Alliance for Women’s Health and Prevention in March 2023.  The AWHP mission is to advance policy relating to women’s and girls’ preventive health care.  She is the former executive director of 27 years for the National Black Nurses Association.  She is a former lobbyist for the American Optometric Association and the National Rural Health Association.  She serves on the Board of Trustees at Simmons University in Boston.  

  • VALERIE B. PALMIERI, CEO of MOMENTUM Consulting, is an experienced executive leader of high growth disruptive Public and Private Biotech companies serving as Chairwoman, Board Member, CEO/ President, Senior Executive and Consulting Principal with oversight for multiple locations, 1,000 + employees, including sales, marketing, customer retention, operations, research, compliance, quality assurance and finance.

    She has a specific focus in women’s health and FemTech serving as an advisor and board member to various women’s health and novel disruptive technology organizations.

    Prior positions include Executive Chair of Aspira Women’s Health, CEO President of Aspira Women’s Health, COO of Aspira Women’s Health, CEO/President of Diagnocure, Senior Vice President of Operations at Laboratory Corporation of America and DIANON Systems, Inc. Ms. Palmieri possesses expertise in both large scale and start-up executive and operational management. Her skills include strategic business planning, commercialization of products, mergers and acquisitions, productivity, developing and maintaining client-focused partnerships, customer retention, supply chain management/ logistics, operations, research, compliance, quality assurance and finance. Ms. Palmieri received her BS degree in Medical Technology with honors from Western Connecticut State University, Mini MBA from Elon University, Certificate in Digital Health and Strategy from Columbia Business School Executive Education, Certificate in Corporate Governance from StanfordDirectors College, Certificate in Corporate Governance from The Wharton School – University of Pennsylvania. She currently resides in Monroe, Connecticut with her family.


  • Danika Kelly is a health and wellness professional and trained socio-cultural scholar in issues around female health and representation. For the past 14 years she’s worked globally focusing on health advancement and knowledge translation in developing economies.

    Danika has a strong history of leadership excellence in the social innovation space - winning awards and recognition from Telus and The Future of Good, DMZ Woman of the Year, FemTech Analytics, Femtech Focus, Alberta Women Entrepreneurs, and more. Danika acts as an advisor on sex and gender equity to the Commonwealth Businesswomen Network, Vice-Chair of the Women’s Health Coalition and the United Nations Office of Outer Space Affairs.

  • Cheryl Kerr is a highly accomplished leader in Women’s Health with more than 30 years of experience in Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices, she is driven by a passion for advancing innovation, accelerating access to effective solutions, and shaping strategies that improve health outcomes for women while strengthening families, communities, and economies.

    Throughout her career, she has held senior leadership roles spanning Sales, Marketing, and Market Access across multiple therapeutic areas, with a primary focus on Women’s Healthcare. At Bayer, she played a key role in enhancing the U.S. Women’s Health Pipeline, evaluating assets from early development through commercialization in contraception, gynecologic therapies (fibroids, endometriosis, PCOS, pelvic pain, heavy periods), and menopause. This experience provided her with a comprehensive understanding of the clinical landscape and the critical unmet needs across every stage of a woman’s life.

    Today, her work centers on partnering with start-ups and emerging companies that are pioneering transformative innovations in women’s health. She is deeply committed to addressing gaps in research, investment, and awareness - especially in areas too often overlooked or stigmatized, such as heavy periods, infertility, and mental health. She believes awareness and education are catalysts for lasting change, and that investing in women’s health is one of the most powerful and far-reaching ways to drive progress globally.


  • Mitzi Krockover, MD is a nationally recognized leader in women’s health with decades of experience in clinical practice, healthcare administration, and innovation. She was the founding Medical Director of the Iris Cantor–UCLA Women’s Health Center, designated a National Center of Excellence by the U.S.Department of Health and Human Services, and later served as Vice President of Women’s Health at Humana, leading programs that improved outcomes for thousands of members. Dr. Krockover currently hosts the Beyond the Paper Gown podcast, featuring 100+ episodes with leading voices in women’s health, and is Managing Director at Golden Seeds, which has invested over $100 million in women‐led companies. She co‐leads its Health Sector Committee and serves on boards including the Institute for Mental Health Research and the Black Women’s Health Imperative.

  • Lauren Ruotolo is an award-winning content and communications executive, disability and women’s health advocate, and author who has spent over two decades driving innovation and inclusion across the healthcare, media, and lifestyle industries. With a career spanning Fortune 500 companies, start-ups, and cultural institutions, Ruotolo has built her reputation on shaping narratives that inspire, influence, and create a measurable impact.

    As a senior leader, Ruotolo has directed global campaigns, scaled social media strategies, and launched original content that has reached millions worldwide. She blends creativity with data-driven insights and AI-powered tools to deliver communications that move both brands and audiences forward. Her professional expertise is matched by her personal advocacy, rooted in her lived experience with the rare disease McCune-Albright Syndrome, which has uniquely shaped her voice and mission as a change-maker.


  • Anna Valcheva is the Founder and CEO of Astra Ventures, a strategic advisory and investment consultancy. She is also a Venture Partner and Advisor at Alumni Ventures Group, working with entrepreneurs, VCs, and private equity on growth, commercial strategy, and exits from seed stage through IPO.

    A former JPMorgan and Goldman Sachs investment banker, Anna built two award‐winning capital markets businesses generating over $200M in revenue and later held senior roles at FNEX Ventures, a leader in late‐stage venture and secondary markets. She has advised the United Nations, MedImmune/AstraZeneca’s 100 Startups Against Cancer, and multiple impact‐focused funds and accelerators. She holds degrees from Brown University (Magna Cum Laude), Oxford University, and a Global MBA from Columbia and London Business School.

  • Jodi Neuhauser is a three‐time venture‐backed founder and CEO dedicated to rebuilding the business and policy infrastructure of women’s health. She has led high‐ growth B2B and B2C brands, raised over $100M, scaled teams from 2 to 200+, and launched products generating more than $1B in new revenue. She founded In Women’s Health and co‐founded the Women’s Health PAC, and is now building a membership‐driven movement to fund the future of women’s health, advancing research, policy, innovation, and bipartisan change.