Author: Brielan

Resources for Elite Athletes Transitioning Careers

A year ago, I asked my network for recommendations on coaches specializing in elite athletes and transitions.

I had a few responses but nothing really hit what I was looking for and ended up going on an exploration to find the practices, tools and guidance I was seeking. Here’s what I’ve discovered so far (will update overtime):

Athlete Soul – an independent support solution for retiring athletes.
Their mission is to support athletes as they transition away from sports, raise awareness about the challenges of athletic retirement, and empower athletes to develop beyond sports.
They support athletes before, during and after their transition with educational resources, transition and career coaching, and networking opportunities.

Work & Volunteer Experience

Work Experience

FOUNDER & CONSULTANT – BS Strategy, Los Angeles CA (2021-present)
Consulting firm supporting initiatives and organizations that improve the health of individuals and communities.

  • Partners with entrepreneurs, community leaders and investors to support the creation, funding, and growth of equitable health and wellness organizations.
  • Systems thinker providing strategic business recommendations based on in-depth qualitative and quantitative research.
  • Knowledge translator with expertise in relationship building, strategic planning, creating playbooks, due diligence, brainstorming, and study design.
  • Speaker, executive wellness coach and educator facilitating conversations around health, access, social justice, advocacy, and innovation.

Investment Fellowships (2022)

DIRECTOR, CROSSIX ANALYTICS SERVICES – Veeva Systems, New York NY (1/2020-11/2021)
Health-focused technology group within Veeva dedicated to advancing healthcare marketing with analytics and innovative planning, targeting, measurement, and optimization solutions.

  • Leveraged advanced analytics to help life science brands maximize the impact of their $100M+ marketing budgets.
  • Drove market effectiveness with access to the health, health-adjacent (SDOH), and marketing data of 300M+ patients.
  • Mentored, grew, and managed a delivery team that achieved a 100% client renewal rate and significant deal growth.
  • Veeva Pride Community Talent Acquisition and Recruitment Committee Chair   

PRINCIPAL, LIFE SCIENCES – HealthVerity, Philadelphia PA (2018-2019) 
Healthtech startup focused on the discovery, licensing and linkage of data.       

  • Managed partnerships that developed innovative data exchanges and streamlined patient management systems.
  • Curated novel data sets, including enterprise-generated and industry-leading health and SDOH patient-level data sources.
  • Led business development, sales, and execution on a multi-million dollar client portfolio, driving all stages of opportunity development.

DIRECTOR, ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT – GNS Healthcare, Cambridge MA (2016-2018)
Big data analytics startup focused on applications of artificial intelligence and machine learning (ML) in healthcare.

  • Developed partnerships that applied AI and machine learning to accelerate therapeutic development and commercialization for life science companies and optimize patient care for healthcare providers and payers.
  • Identified opportunities, created proposals, and led the deployment of advanced analytics solutions in a multi-million dollar portfolio.
  • Member of the extended executive team; supported Series C fundraising, investor, and board meetings.
  • Devised successful implementation and management plans, prepared forecast reports and managed key sales performance metrics. 

MANAGER, BD STRATEGY & RESEARCH SCIENTIST – Precision Health Economics [now PrecisionHEOR], Los Angeles CA (2015-2016)
Research consulting group focused on the economic and social value of treatments and care delivery.

  • Quantified the economic and social value of interventions, value-based care, policy initiatives, and patient advocacy.
  • Generated evidence to support the use and reimbursement of therapeutics, services and devices.
  • Created and implemented BD and go-to-market strategies for sales, marketing and operations teams.

SENIOR RESEARCH ASSOCIATE – Mapi Group [now ICON plc], Boston MA (2012-2015)
Consulting group focused on patient-centred health outcomes research and commercialization.

  • Generated evidence to support the approval and reimbursement of therapeutics and devices.
  • Led HEOR and SMA research projects conducted for pharmaceutical and biotech clients, proposed and negotiated project contracts, budgets and timelines.
  • Managed multidisciplinary, multinational project teams from study inception through completion, including proposal development and the dissemination of study results.  
  • Developed and advanced methods for demonstrating drug value, safety and effectiveness, HEOR studies, and economic evaluations.  
  • Developed and disseminated scientifically sound value stories to a variety of healthcare stakeholders.  

RESEARCH ASSISTANT – McGill University, Department of Epidemiology and Sociology, Montreal QC (2010-2012) 
Research funded by the Canadian Institute of Health Research & Canada Foundation for Innovation.

  • Conducted extensive reviews of government healthcare legislation and reports.
  • Develop a standardized international research database capturing the healthcare policies of Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries.
  • Quantified the health policies and insurance schemes of OECD countries over 20 years, focusing on social inequalities and barriers to healthcare access.
  • Analyzed the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of private and publicly funded healthcare services.

RESEARCH ASSISTANT • Centre for Clinical Epidemiology, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal QC (2010-2012) 
Research funded by the Canadian Institute of Health Research.

  • Wrote grants, protocols and publications for epidemiological studies focused on infectious diseases in immigrant and high-risk populations 
  • Managed and led collaborative projects between physicians, statisticians, and other researchers.
  • Developed standardized manuals and protocol guides for the Canadian Network for Observational Drug Effect Studies (CNODES) research group.
  • Conducted advanced statistical analyses such as multivariate analyses, survival analyses, and conditional logistic regressions.
  • Organized, cleaned, and analyzed data from large databases such as the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) database.

LAB MANAGER & RESEARCH ANALYST • Arkansas Bioscience Institute, Jonesboro AR (2009- 2010)
Research funded by the U.S. Department of Defense & National Institute of Health.

  • Coordinated projects involving military contractors, academic researchers, clinicians and policymakers.
  • Mentored and supervised undergraduate and high school students.
  • Managed budgets, contracts, grants and other research-related documents for laboratory and animal projects funded by the US Military and Defense budget and the NIH.
  • Led research projects in the fields of neuroscience, nanotechnology, analytical chemistry, and toxicology

Volunteer Experience

  • Social Justice Partners Los Angeles (SJPLA) – Partner, Accelerator Coach, Bylaw Committee (2021-present)
  • Eat Move Meditate – Board member (2022-present)     
  • Greater Memphis Planned Parenthood – Volunteer (Summer 2009)
  • Student Government Association – International Student Senator and Multicultural Committee Member (2008-2009)
  • Women in Science – President, Group Leader, and Organizer (2005-2009)
  • Girls of Promise North East Arkansas Conference – Women’s Foundation of Arkansas, Group leader (2009)
  • Colleges Against Cancer – Fundraiser and event organizer (2005-2009)
  • Craighead County & Golden Ears Soccer Associations – Coach, mentor, referee, player (2000-2009)
  • Jonesboro CityYouth – Volunteer (2008)
  • KEEPS (Kanaka Education and Environmental Partnership Society) – Volunteer (2002-2003)

Academic, Athletic & Other Accomplishments

Academic

M.Sc. Epidemiology – McGill University, Montreal QC, Canada (2012)
McGill University Principal Graduate Fellow
Canadian Institute of Health Research Trainee in Bridging Scientific Domains in Drug Safety and Effectiveness
Thesis: Metformin and the incidence of colorectal and lung cancer in patients with type 2 diabetes

B.S. Biological Sciences (minor chemistry) – Arkansas State University, Jonesboro AR, USA (2009)
“Who’s Who of Arkansas State University” award recipient
Sunbelt Conference All-academic Team

Athletics

Semi-Professional Soccer Goalkeeper (1999-2008)
Identified as a member of the Canadian Women’s National Team player pool at age 13 and played at the highest club and university level available at that time for women in North America until retirement.

Career Highlights: 
NCAA Division 1 full scholarship athlete – Arkansas State University
British Columbia Girls Provincial Tournament – Top Goaltender & 1st Team Allstar
Pacific Coast Soccer League – Women’s Challenge Cup Champion & Defender of the Game.
Canadian National Championships – Bronze medal
BC Sports Hall of Fame – Jack Farley Youth Sports Achievement Award
McDonald’s Most Valuable Player Scholarship Recipient

Long Distance Races
2019 Bare Burro 5k
2021 Los Angeles Marathon
2021 Zion National Park 1/2 Marathon
2022 Vancouver Marathon

Certifications & Training

  • Durga’s Tiger School of Tantra, Yoga and Shamanism – RYS 200hr Yoga Alliance Teacher Certification
  • Social Justice Partners Los Angeles – Anti-racism for White People Course
  • American Sailing Association – ASA 101, ASA 103, ASA 104, ASA 106
  • PADI Scuba Diving – Open Water, Advanced Open Water, Wreck Diving
  • The Royal Conservatory for Music – Grade 8 Examination in Piano
  • The Royal Conservatory for Music – Grade 2 Examination in Rudiments, First Class Honors with Distinction
  • California Class M1 License – Motorcycle License
  • Canadian Lifesaving Society – National Lifeguard – Pool Certification
  • Upright Citizens Brigade Improvisational and Sketch Comedy Training Center – Improv 101
  • British Columbia Serving it Right – Responsible Beverage Service Program

 

Peer-Reviewed Publications & Conference Proceedings

Peer-Reviewed Publications

Brassard P, et al. The effect of statins on influenza-like illness morbidity and mortality. Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety, 2017;26(1):63–70.

Vieira MC, et al. Tofacitinib versus biologic treatments in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis who have had an inadequate response to tumor necrosis factor inhibitors: results from a network meta-analysis. Clinical Therapeutics. 2016;38(12):2628-41.

Cope S, et al. A process for assessing the feasibility of a network meta-analysis: a case study of everolimus in combination with hormonal therapy versus chemotherapy for advanced breast cancer. BMC Medicine 2014;12:93.

Smiechowski, B, et al. The use of metformin and colorectal cancer incidence in patients with type II diabetes mellitus. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention. 2013;22(10):1877-83.

Smiechowski, B, et al. The use of metformin and the incidence of lung cancer in patients with type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care. 2013;36(1):124-9.

Suissa D, et al. Number needed to treat is incorrect without proper time-related considerations. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology. 2012;65(1):42-6.

Conference Proceedings

Latourelle J, et al. Accurate prediction of clinical disease progression in patients with advanced fibrosis due to NASH using a Bayesian machine learning approach. EASL The Liver Congress (2018).

Shrestha, A, et al. Comparative efficacy and safety of nivolumab vs relevant treatments in pretreated non-squamous advanced non-small cell lung cancer: Results from a systematic literature review and indirect treatment comparisons of randomized controlled trials. European Journal of Cancer. 2017;72(S136).

Eberhardt, WE, et al. Comparative efficacy and safety of nivolumab vs relevant treatments in pretreated squamous advanced non-small cell lung cancer: Results from a systematic literature review and indirect treatment comparisons of randomized controlled trials. European Journal of Cancer. 2017;72(S136).

Smiechowski B, Cope S. Assessing the relationship between treatment effect and baseline risk in network meta-analysis of moderate to severe chronic plaque psoriasis trials. International Society For Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR) 17th Annual European Congress (2014).

Smiechowski B, et al. Comparability of trial populations in network meta-analyses assessing biologic treatments in moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. ISPOR 19th Annual International Meeting (2014).

Cope S, et al. Comparative efficacy of everolimus in combination with exemestane and chemotherapy for advanced breast cancer in terms of progression-free survival. San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (2013).

Brassard P, et al. The Effect of Statins on Influenza Morbidity and Mortality. International Conference on Pharmacoepidemiology & Therapeutic Risk Management (2013).

Buchanan R, et al. Effects of Maternal Cigarette Smoke Exposure and Methamphetamine Challenge on Brain Monoamine Concentrations in Rat Pups. Southeast IDeA Regional Meeting (2009).

Buchanan R, et al. Effects of Maternal Smoke Exposure on nAChR Subunit mRNA Expression in Brains of Peripubertal Mice. Southeast IDeA Regional Meeting (2009)

Undergraduate Research Projects

Collaborations with Arkansas State University, Arkansas Bioscience Institute, Arkansas Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Rhodes College, Radiance Technologies, and the US Space Missile Defense Command.

  • Maternal Smoking and Neuroimmune Modulation Involving Altered Expression of Nicotine Sensitive Acetylcholine Receptors in the Developing Brain and Immune System
  • Carbon Nanotube Exposure by Inhalation and the Absorption, Accumulation and Excretion of Nanoparticles by Living Animals
  • Novel Treatment for Smoking Dependence and Relapse
  • SHADES (Standoff Hazardous Agent Detection Equipment System)

My takeaways from HLTH 2022

I had the pleasure of attending this year’s HLTH event in Las Vegas on Nov. 13-16, 2022.

#hlth2022 was the first time I had experienced an event at this scale with attendees that included more than just traditional healthcare/biotech players and investors. Attendance also included tech, consumer-focused wellness, and at a smaller capacity – patients and non-profits.

I congratulate the HLTH team for creating an event that acknowledges how we approach health is changing and that the tools and systems necessary to allow everyone the opportunity to be healthy goes beyond what health insurance traditionally covers. I hope the conversations at HLTH lead to more common language and openness for alignment on the scientific rigour necessary for a consumer product to be taken seriously by traditional health players.

Connecting key health stakeholders from diverse backgrounds is a significant step in the right direction, redefining what is considered “healthcare” and who pays for what is needed. Although consumer and retail products have value, affordability is still an issue, especially if payers are not considering these offerings for reimbursement. Many valuable solutions may never reach those who need them most due to the inability to pay out of pocket.

Further, more efforts are required to help improve benefits communication, patient and caregiver education, benefits communication, and guidance around coordinating whole health care. As discussed during the Sexual Healing panel – language matters – we need to meet individuals where they are. Creating complicated reimbursement schemes or unclear patient pathways further deters the engagement of high-need but historically marginalized individuals.

Reimaging healthcare requires greater awareness and more conversations around the inequities and barriers to access that exist to being healthy. I was happy to hear many talks at HTLH discuss inclusion, health equity and social determinants of health (SDOH). However, I found that much of the heavy lifting and progress around these initiatives still comes from female and minority-led start-ups, non-profits and government. Big healthcare, life sciences and tech need to step up and better support efforts through partnerships, acquisitions, and funding versus building lacklustre duplicates or “check the box on DEI” solutions.

For start-ups and capital providers, HTLH also confirmed that a course correction in funding is occurring. Although many blame COVID for creating a funding ecosystem that led to waste and significantly overvalued start-ups, this trend was already apparent in mid-2019. COVID only added fuel to this unfortunate trend.

I stepped away from consulting with digital health start-ups at the end of 2019 due to my frustration of encountering many organizations that had raised significant funds but were not incentivized or interested in genuinely moving the needle in healthcare. Instead, many start-ups chose to take the consumer route to hit early funding milestones. At this time, I opted to join Veeva for 2 years, a rare example of a Healthtech start-up that raised minimal cash ($7M total) and reached $1 billion in yearly revenue within thirteen years of its inception.

Moving forward, I hope fundraising becomes more intentional and investors take the time to build relationships with entrepreneurs and organizations closely tied to the communities they claim to serve. Further, due diligence needs to focus on more than just financial returns. Considering clinical outcomes, societal impact and addressing unmet needs are also important.

I commend HLTH for providing a platform for many aspects of health, including nutrition, sleep, sexual, mental and dental health. I also appreciate the diverse representation of individuals involved and impacted by the health industry, including rural communities, providers, caregivers, incarcerated individuals and athletes.

Thank you, CoverMyMeds, for the fantastic beauty station, Carrot Fertility for their free headshots, and for Brightside Health (I believe) for providing a hammock for an epic mid-event nap.

Where I struggled at HTLH was how much of the focus of networking and connection was around the consumption of alcohol and unhealthy food. I appreciate that there was a group exercise option offered early on Monday and Tuesday morning and some “wellness” features throughout the event. I would love to see more activities, happy hours and networking opportunities beyond drinks and mingling. I am happy to connect with any organizations interested in exploring this (check out Eat Move Meditate for inspiration).

Thank you, Jerrica Kirkley from Plume, ScaleHealth, Redesign Health, Samsung Next, Komodo Health, and Paytient, for your hospitality and for creating space for intentional connection. Thank you to Matthew Holt, Melissa Faukner and the UCSF Health Hub Digital Health Awards team for helping me with my ticket.

I am grateful for the many insightful conversations with incredibly thoughtful and inspiring individuals throughout my time at HLTH.

Here’s to creating an abundance of intentional partnerships and collaborations in 2023 that allow for improved quality of life for all individuals and decrease the burden and cost of illness on society.

Speaking Engagements & Media Contributions

Teaching

University of Southern California, School of Pharmacy (2016- Present)
Guest Lecturer: MS in Healthcare Decision Analysis Program
HCDA 525: Healthcare Literature Analysis and Applications (2016, 18, 19, 21)
HCDA 502: Comparative International Healthcare System (2018)
Guest Lecturer: BS in Biopharmaceutical Sciences Program
BPSI 411: Biopharmaceutical Marketing Analysis and Strategy (2022)

Core Topics: clinical trial, epidemiology and health economic study design, drug development, commercialization and marketing. How to navigate peer-reviewed research. How to identify and assess scientific studies and literature, research synthesis and dissemination.

Panels & Talks

New Technology Venture Accelerator (NETVA), Consulate General of France & UCLA Anderson Venture Accelerator (2022)
Speaker: Healthcare Fundraising in the United States

BioscienceLA & Netherlands Business Delegation Life Sciences & Health (2022)
Roundtable Leader: Healthcare Investors & Accelerators in the United States

Microsoft Canada (2022)
Speaker: Data-Driven Decision-Making for Health Equity & Impact

Canadian Institute of Health Research (2021)
Panelist: DSECT Symposium Alumni Panel

AnitaB.org LA Women in Tech (2019)
Panelist: Career Management Panel Discussion. The Importance of Sponsorship & Mentoring with Tech Leaders

University of Southern California (2017)
Panelist: Future of Healthcare – How Machine Learning is Shaping the Future of Healthcare

Published Articles (non-peer reviewed)

GNS Healthcare Blog (2018)
Author: Real World Evidence: How It’s Changing the Way Drugs are Developed and Valued

Thrillist Health (2016)
Contributor: Secrets that get you the cheapest prescription drugs every time