Join moderator Neekta Hamidi, Founder of Mission to Market and Vice Chair of WIB-North Texas, for a conversation on how philanthropy is driving scientific innovation across Texas and beyond. Our speakers from Lyda Hill Philanthropies, Rainwater Charitable Foundation, and BrightEdge Texas Accelerator will share how mission-driven capital, research investment, and collaborative ecosystems are accelerating breakthroughs in oncology, neurodegeneration, and science-based innovation.

Program

5:00 p.m. – 5:15 p.m. Check-in
5:15 p.m. – 5:45 p.m. Networking
5:45 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.  Panel discussion
6:30 p.m. – 6:40 p.m.  Q&A
6:40 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.  Networking

Speaker Bios

Matthew Crommett, Managing Director at LH Capital, Inc. and Lyda Hill Philanthropies

Matt oversees a portfolio of science and nature investments and grants on behalf of entrepreneur and philanthropist Lyda Hill. Previously, he served as Deputy Director of Policy and Programs at the George W. Bush Institute and helped implement Goldman Sachs' 10,000 Women initiative. Matt holds degrees from Georgetown University and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and serves on Georgetown's School of Health Board of Strategic Advisors.

Neekta Hamidi, Founder of Mission to Market Studio, Moderator

Neekta is the founder of Mission to Market Studio, where she builds organizational systems that turn progress into credible evidence. Her work helps mission-driven organizations gain the clarity, alignment, and capacity to make better decisions, demonstrate value, and grow their impact. Her previous experience includes roles with Schmidt Futures, Ginkgo Bioworks, the Federation of American Scientist, and IBM Watson Health. She holds degrees in Bioengineering and in Science and Technology Policy from Arizona State University, and in Public Health from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. During her graduate studies, she served in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. She has served in leadership roles with the World Economic Forum Global Shapers Community and Women In Bio and currently serves on the boards of SWAN Impact Network and the SMU Impact Lab.

Amy Rommel, PhD, Scientific Program Director at the Rainwater Charitable Foundation

Dr. Rommel leads strategic investments across the Rainwater Charitable Foundation's medical research portfolio, including the Tau Consortium, biomarker discovery, clinical trials, and infrastructure supporting neurodegenerative disease research, as well as additional initiatives in mental health, glioblastoma, and tinnitus. She also champions the integration of artificial intelligence and data sharing to accelerate biomedical discovery. Before joining Rainwater in 2018, Dr. Rommel spent more than 15 years in academic research spanning DNA repair, genetic engineering, and cancer biology, with work ranging from developing genetically modified crop technologies to advancing therapies for radiation-resistant breast cancer and glioblastoma. She earned her PhD in biomedical sciences from UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas, and has served as a TEDx speaker and advisor to initiatives including the Cancer Moonshot, the World Economic Forum, AAAS, and CureMAPT FTD.

Ryan Margolis, PhD, Program Manager for the BrightEdge Texas Accelerator

Dr. Margolis is the Program Manager for the BrightEdge Texas Accelerator, investing in oncology-focused researchers and companies in Texas. He is a scientist by training, receiving his PhD from UT Dallas in biomedical engineering, where his research focused on developing a three-dimensional treatment for solid tumors using focused ultrasound. During his doctoral studies, he was heavily involved in Nucleate in both a national and regional (Texas) capacity. Nucleate is a nonprofit student organization aimed at educating new bioentrepreneurs to commercialize their technologies. This experience led him to pursue a postdoctoral fellowship at Vanderbilt University to assist with commercializing an MR-guided focused ultrasound device for chronic pain before joining BrightEdge.

Pricing Information

• Members: $10
• Non-Members*: $25
• Non-Member Students*: $10

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Note: A confirmation email will be sent after registration has been completed. 

Maximum Capacity

100

Parking Information

Free parking is available on site.