Meet the Speakers

Global Sector President, Life Sciences and Healthcare - DHL Customer Solutions and Innovation

As President of Life Sciences and Healthcare at DHL, Claudia Roa drives growth and develops global sector strategies, overseeing innovative end-to-end solutions. She is a member of the Customer Solutions and Innovation Global Senior Management Team and leads the DHL Life Sciences and Healthcare Global Senior Management team. With over 33 years of experience, Claudia began her career at AEI/Florcarga in Colombia and relocated to the USA in 2003 after DHL’s acquisition. She has held various leadership roles, leading the Americas sector since 2017 and transitioning to her current global role in July 2021. Claudia holds a degree in Industrial Engineering from Universidad Javeriana in Bogotá and resides in Miami, FL with her family.

Vice President, Life Sciences and Healthcare Americas - DHL Customer Solutions and Innovation (CSI)

In 2008 Raphael joined DHL in the EMEA region at DHL Global Forwarding and DHL CSI, based in Amsterdam, where he held several management roles including Head of Key Account Management Netherlands, Regional Customer Director EMEA and Head of Marketing & Sales Netherlands. In August 2017 Raphael relocated from Europe to the US to join the DHL Americas organization in the Engineering and Manufacturing sector for DHL Customer Solutions and Innovation, based in Boston, MA. In October 2021 Raphael has been appointed as VP, Life Sciences & Healthcare Americas for DHL Customer Solutions and Innovation and relocated with his family to South Florida in July 2022.

Managing partner – McKinsey

Laurie is the Office Managing Partner for Montreal, and her client work focuses on supporting leading North American and European companies in designing and implementing major transformation programs, mainly in operations. She works across sectors to help clients implement organization-wide operational excellence programs, develop operations and network strategies, and transform procurement functions. She has also leads the Geopolitics research taskforce for the Lifesciences sector. 

President and Co-founder, Emily Whitehead Foundation 

Tom Whitehead is a keynote speaker, author, and journeyman lineman for an energy company. He is also the proud father of Emily and the co-founder of the Emily Whitehead Foundation , which is dedicated to raising awareness and funds for pediatric cancer immunotherapy research. Tom, his wife Kari, and their daughter Emily founded the Emily Whitehead Foundation to share their story and support families facing pediatric cancer. At age five, Emily was diagnosed with an aggressive form of leukemia that did not respond to standard treatments. As a last resort, she was enrolled in a groundbreaking clinical trial and became the first pediatric patient in the world to receive CAR T-cell therapy. The treatment was a success, Emily has been cancer-free for over 13 years and is now considered cured.

Founder and Director MIT Computational Analytics, Visualization, and Education

Dr. Winkenbach is the Director of Research at the MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics, where he leads a global, industry-funded research program focused on intelligent logistics systems, network optimization, and supply chain decarbonization. He partners with leading logistics, retail, and manufacturing companies to translate AI, machine learning, and optimization research into real-world operational impact — bridging the gap between what's emerging in the lab and what's actionable in the field. A recognized thought leader on the future of supply chain decision-making, he advises both Fortune 500 companies and startups on logistics innovation, digital transformation, and AI-enabled supply chain strategy.

Vice President of Global Logistics Solutions BMS

Manel Luis is an experienced Supply Chain professional with a solid background in the pharmaceuticals industry. He has developed expertise in Manufacturing Leadership, Business Development, Supply Chain Management, Logistics, and Strategy Development and Implementation. Manel is a trained Industrial Engineer with an MBA from ESADE Barcelona and has completed a Supply Chain Management Program at INSEAD. Throughout his career, Manel has led complex global supply chain networks, optimized logistics operations, and supported strategic business development initiatives with a strong focus on operational excellence and innovation. He has played a key role in advancing logistics capabilities in highly specialized areas, including cell therapy and clinical logistics, where precision, compliance, and agility are critical. In his most recent role as Vice President of Global Logistics Solutions, Manel is accountable for overseeing and streamlining global logistics solutions to meet the evolving demands of the life sciences industry. His leadership spans across traditional and advanced therapy logistics, from clinical studies to commercial products and intermediates, ensuring seamless coordination and delivery of critical materials worldwide. Manel is widely recognized as a thoughtful leader and dedicated professional, passionate about developing future leaders and driving impactful transformations.

Sr. Director Digital Transformation Office and Global Customer Account Management - DHL Supply Chain

Thijs Hulstman is the Sr. Director Digital Transformation Office and Global Customer Account Management at DHL Supply Chain and a sought‑after keynote speaker on the future of logistics. He leads global digitalization programs that apply AI, data analytics, and automation to optimize complex supply chain operations. Known for redefining ROI as the Risk of Inaction, Thijs inspires customers and teams to innovate boldly and proactively. His practical, solution‑driven approach has shaped DHL’s digital strategy and influenced industry standards. Approachable and collaborative, Thijs is passionate about simplifying complexity, mentoring emerging leaders, and championing technology that creates real operational impact.

Head of Foundry - Ginkgo Bioworks, Inc

Dr. Nate Tedford is Senior Vice President of Foundry and Operations at Ginkgo Bioworks, headquartered in Boston, MA. He has over twenty five years of experience in R&D and building technology platforms in the fields of synthetic biology, systems biology, gene therapy, protein engineering, and medical diagnostics in both academia and industry. Over the last fourteen years at Ginkgo, he’s grown a variety of teams and capabilities in the Foundry, the company’s highly automated factory for cell programming and high throughput Design-Build-Test-Learn paradigms to successfully apply biologically engineered solutions to a number of industries and applications. Most recently, he's been leading efforts to translate Ginkgo's Foundry technologies to fully autonomous laboratories. Nate received his BS in Biomedical Engineering with a focus in Chemical Engineering from The Johns Hopkins University and his PhD in Biological Engineering from MIT.