CAR T Vision Steering Committee

Dr. Miguel-Angel Perales is an internationally recognized leader in stem cell transplantation and cellular therapy. He is Past-President of ASTCT, Chief of the Adult Bone Marrow Transplantation Service at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), and Professor of Medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College. Dr. Perales has over 450 publications, has held leadership roles in multiple hematological organizations, and trained at the Free University of Brussels, Tufts Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, and MSKCC.

Dr. Anna Sureda leads a team of medical oncologists, cancer researchers and other medical staff, with a focus on making real progress for patients living with cancer, including with CAR T-cell therapy. She is a clinical oncology investigator specializing in lymphomas and hematological malignancies as well as stem cell transplantation and cellular therapy strategies. Dr. Sureda is a regular reviewer of several peer reviewed journals and has co-authored more than 400 manuscripts.

Jacqueline Barry is Chief Clinical Officer at CGT Catapult, an organization focused on translational strategies for advanced therapy products. With more than 20 years of experience in biologics and advanced therapies, she specializes in regulation, quality, good manufacturing practice, and strategic commercial development. Jacqueline also leads the coordination of a network of advanced therapy treatment centers (ATTC network) in the United Kingdom that aim to accelerate patient access to these transformative therapies. 

Yelak Biru is a 30-year multiple myeloma survivor turned research advocate, focused on patient education, clinical trial design, quality of life improvements, drug accessibility, minority engagement, access disparities, and global capacity building of patient organizations. Yelak is a member of the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group patient advocate and myeloma committees, Cancer Grand Challenge patient advocate, previous member of NCI Myeloma Steering Committee and the NCI Council of Research Advocates, and various pharma patient leadership councils.

Dr. John Gribben is The Professor of Medical Oncology at Barts Cancer Institute and Queen Mary, University of London. An internationally recognized cancer researcher, he focuses on the impact of B-cell malignancies. Dr. Gribben served on the Executive Board of EHA and was President of EHA from 2019-2021. In 2024, Dr. Gribben was awarded the EHA José Carreras Award in recognition of his exceptional achievements and pivotal role in shaping the landscape of hematological research.  

Meghan Gutierrez is the Chief Executive Officer of LRF, the nation’s largest nonprofit organization devoted exclusively to funding lymphoma research and education, advancing both the study of new cancer therapies and improved patient care. A government relations and health care policy expert, Meghan represents LRF and the lymphoma community before numerous audiences, including U.S. Congress, the US Food and Drug Administration, National Institutes of Health, pharmaceutical industry, and health insurance payors.

Dr. Michael Hudecek is a researcher and academic coordinator of the T2Evolve project, working to accelerate CAR T-cell therapy development in the European Union. He leads a multidisciplinary team at Universitätsklinikum Würzburg, performing cutting-edge research with focus on first-in-man clinical application of novel CAR T-Cell products. Dr. Hudecek is a member of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and recipient of the 2017 Artur Pappenheim Award of the German Society for Hematology and Medical Oncology.

Tim Hunt has more than 20 years of experience in the biotechnology industry, specifically in tumor-selective immuno-oncology therapies for patients with cancer. He is the Chief Executive Office of ARM where he divides his time between managing ARM and its global staff and serving as an external advocate on behalf of ARM’s membership and the broader cell and gene therapy sector.

Meagan O’Neill is the Executive Director of ACCC and the first woman to serve in this position. With over 15 years as an oncology-focused business consultant and strategic adviser to U.S. hospitals and health systems, she brings a combination of analytical expertise and personal insight to her role. Meagan’s experience as a caregiver during her mother’s cancer journey deeply shaped her perspective, fueling her passion for identifying opportunities to advance oncology care and improve patient experiences.

Brian O’Rourke was the President and CEO of CADTH from 2009-2020. He joined CADTH following a distinguished career as a Pharmacist and Healthcare Executive with the Canadian military. He plays an active role in the global health technology assessment (HTA) community and as an independent healthcare advisor. He is Chair of the HTA Steering Committee at the Centre for Innovation in Regulatory Science and served as the 2023-2024 President of ISPOR.

David Schmahl is the Chief Executive Officer of FACT, an internationally recognized non-profit that advances quality and safety in cellular therapies through peer-based standards and voluntary accreditation. His commitment to quality and patient safety in cellular therapies is matched by his enthusiasm for innovative advancements, including the curative potential of CAR-T therapy. He brings 20 years of executive leadership across healthcare and scientific organizations with prior experience at Procter & Gamble and a high-tech start-up.

Lorna Warwick is the Chief Executive Officer of the Lymphoma Coalition, a global network supporting lymphoma patients, where she specialized in patient advocacy, mission development, communications, and strategic planning. Since 2003, Lorna has focused her efforts on hematological cancers and frequently presents on patient experience, emerging trends, and important issues in the lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia landscape.

Dr. Jason Westin leads a large team of medical oncologists, cancer researchers, pathologists, mid-level providers, research nurses, research data coordinators, financial professionals, and support staff with a focus on making real progress for patients with cancer, including with CAR T-cell therapy. He specializes in designing and conducting innovative clinical trials, new drug development, and translational research. He has published research in the NEJM, JCO, Lancet Oncology, Nature Medicine, Cell, and Blood.