DA4S's fifth annual networking conference and EXPO to take place from May 21-23

On May 21-23, 2012, Diversity Alliance for Science, Inc., a non-profit organization created to support, mentor, and develop minority-, woman-, veteran/service-disabled-, HUBZone-, and LGBT-owned, life sciences businesses, will host its fifth annual networking conference and EXPO event.  The two-day event will be held at the Renaissance Newark Liberty Airport Hotel in Newark, N.J. and will feature senior government officials, top-level pharmaceutical executives, and CEOs of diverse scientific and clinical enterprises.  In order to facilitate personal networking, relationship building, and to enable smaller diverse companies to have a higher profile, the conference limits participation to 350 attendees.   

Speakers will include Mike Jones, renowned motivational speaker and co-founder of Discover Leadership Training, Inc.  Formerly a helicopter pilot for the Houston Police Department, Mr. Jones created the nationally recognized not-for-profit organization called Soul Patrol, earning him many awards and accolades for the organization's positive impact on the community, including honors from President George Bush (41st), President Bill Clinton and the Sylvan Rodriquez Role Model of the Year Award.  Dr. Marie Savard is the Physician Advisor to the health care practice at Diversified Search, the largest women owned executive search firm in the country.  A respected expert on women's health, wellness and patient empowerment, Dr. Savard was formerly the director of the Center for Women's Health at the Medical College of Pennsylvania, technical advisor to the United Nations' Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, and ABC News Medical Contributor.  She is the author of four books and has appeared on Good Morning America, ABC News, The Today Show, Oprah Show and The View.  Nell Merlino is a leading advocate and expert on women's business leadership and empowerment and the creative force behind Take Our Daughters to Work Day.  Ms. Merlino is the Founder and President of Count Me In for Women's Economic Independence, the leading national not-for-profit provider of resources for women to grow their micro businesses into million dollar enterprises.  She is also the Founder and President of Strategy Communication Action, Ltd. (SCA) in New York City, a firm specializing in the creation of public education campaigns that motivate people to act. Ms. Merlino appears regularly on national TV, in leading print outlets and social media.

Diversity Alliance for Science works to forge mutually beneficial relationships between diverse businesses, government agencies, pharmaceutical firms, biotech companies and academic medical centers in the life sciences.  Diversity has been shown to be a key factor in leading to health care innovation, thereby driving leading-edge competitiveness, economic development and growth in communities. 

Diversity Alliance for Science's Fifth Annual Networking Conference and EXPO will provide an important opportunity for participants to collaborate on best practices in fostering the inclusion of diverse businesses in clinical trials and scientific research.  One-on-one matchmaking sessions will foster mutually beneficial partnerships between participating diverse suppliers and attending corporations, academic institutions, and government agencies.  Additionally, the EXPO will include an interactive trade show where attending corporations can meet leading diverse suppliers.

There will be a special networking and cocktail event on Tuesday, May 22 for participants that will include a silent auction.  As in past years, proceeds from the silent auction will provide access and education in the life sciences area to deserving high-school students.  Scholarships will be presented to local students by the Office of the Mayor of Newark.