Meet our new Executive Director: Jamie Breslin, PhD

Jamie Breslin, PhD has been appointed to our newly established position of Executive Director. I was able to sit down and have a discussion with Jamie. Please meet Jamie, including her background, many accomplishments  at Advancing Innovation in Dermatology over the past several years, and what she sees for the future of our organization.

Could you tell me a little about your background before joining AID?

My background is a combination of scientific research and business development. My training was in virology and after completing my postdoctoral fellowship I began my career at PTC Therapeutics, initially as part of the antiviral research team, and subsequently within corporate development. Within corporate development I helped build the Alliance Management function and as director of Business Development was responsible for licensing and technology partnering campaigns and supported private and public financing events. In 2016 I founded Breslin Consulting LLC which provides project management and operational support for small businesses and not-for-profit organizations.

Since joining AID, what have been your roles?

I joined AID as Director of Operations & Partnerships in 2016 and have been responsible for managing relationships with our stakeholders and executing across all our initiatives. While each of these initiatives support our mission of bringing people and organizations together to build an ecosystem where problems in skin health are solved through product innovation, they do so in different ways. From developing leaders through educational programs, to supporting entrepreneurship, to spreading inspiring ideas from thought leaders. Over the past two years I have also led the transition of several of our initiatives to a virtual format, including our two annual conferences the Dermatology Summit and Dermatology Innovation Forum, so that we could continue to bring the dermatology innovation community together remotely.

Are there any accomplishments you have been particularly pleased with?

There are a number of them but one that immediately comes to mind. Product innovation and development is a continuum of events, and I am very pleased that we have been able to establish programs that span across that continuum, from ideation to solution. For example, our Dermatology Innovation Webinars are designed for leaders to share novel ideas at the forefront of healthcare innovation. Hacking Dermatology and the AID Accelerator can provide opportunities to build and advance innovative solutions, and our annual conferences bring individuals at the interface of science and business together.

Why did you decide to accept the Executive Director position?

Since I began working with AID I have seen the positive impact that our mission-driven work has had, particularly among innovators, where we strive to be a resource and nexus for individuals interested in dermatological innovation. I was motivated to accept the Executive Director position because I see opportunity to further that impact by both scaling and adapting our initiatives to align with the scientific and technological advances and needs in the field.

What do you look forward to in your new role?

The people. Through AID I have had the opportunity to interact with amazing individuals, who are not only at the forefront of their profession but who are also generous with sharing their time and knowledge. I look forward to continuing those relationships and building new ones under our common goal of advancing innovative and impactful solutions for skin health.