2026
Main Stage Speakers
Every conference has talks.
Too many are overlong, underprepared, thinly vetted, and poorly lit. The Gathering will feature a small number of tightly crafted talks, from different perspectives and disciplines – bridging cultures from the clinical to the software worlds.
Here is our confirmed speaker lineup for the 2026 Gathering:
(select any image to see their full bio)
Alicia Staley | Medidata
Ben Landsverk | Low Bar Chorale
Irfan Khan | Circuit Clinical
Jeff Coller | Johns Hopkins
Morgan Hanger | Clinical Trials Transformation Initiative (CTTI)
Peter Schaeffer | GSK
Regina Holliday | The Walking Gallery
Rohit Nambisan | AI Platforms for Life Sciences & Healthcare
Sylvia Baedorf Kassis | Harvard
Wouter Daniels | Boehringer Ingelheim
At each Gathering we’re looking for honest dialogue about major issues the industry is facing — we’re not shying away from difficult discussions.
The best way to do this? Going “off the record”.
No cameras. No recordings. Just important, real conversations.
“Off the Record” Panel
2026 Panel Topic
Navigating the Rapidly Evolving Regulatory Landscape
Even as they race to innovate across every aspect of the clinical research enterprise, stakeholders confront a rapidly evolving regulatory landscape. This is perhaps especially true in the United States.
This expert panel will discuss current FDA and Congressional initiatives that would not only upend previous regulatory oversight and direction but could produce genuine paradigm shifts in the development of new biomedical products.
Panelists
Janet Woodcock
Former Acting Commissioner
FDA
Nikita Varman
Health Policy Advisory
U.S. House of Representatives
TBA
FDA INVITED
Moderator
Doug Peddicord
President
Washington Health Strategies Group