Phyllis Barkman Ferrell rose to the highest ranks of leadership as an experienced life sciences executive at Eli Lilly & Company and now she has turned that passion and expertise into solving one of the world’s most wicked problems – Alzheimer’s disease Dr. Ferrell is an innovator, investor, and incubator for brain health and longevity. After three decades as a life sciences executive at Eli Lilly & Company, Phyllis retired from the pharmaceutical business and is now working as an independent advisor for non-profit and private sector clients. Phyllis helped lead the creation of the newest global health initiative commissioned by the World Economic Forum. While on secondment from Lilly, she served as the leader of the Healthcare Preparedness Systems program of the Davos Alzheimer’s Collaborative (DAC). DAC, launched in 2021, is a global multi-stakeholder partnership of organizations aimed at mobilizing the world against Alzheimer’s disease, with the specific focus of ensuring that health systems are prepared to embrace innovation and better care for our global aging population. In this role, Phyllis oversaw the implementation of global commitments to provide access to future innovations in treatment, diagnosis, and care for the world’s aging population. In just 3 years, DAC has initiated 49 programs in 18 countries targeting early-detection and accurate diagnosis of cognitive impairment projects around the world. Phyllis remains a Strategic Advisor to the initiative. Additionally, Phyllis has been named a Non-Resident Scholar the USC Leaonard D. Schaeffer Institute on Public Policy and is the Managing Director of the Clinical Trial Recruitment Laboratory (CTRL). She is on the Board of Overseers for the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF), is published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia and the Journal for the Prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease, is a contributor on brain health for Forbes, and is the Chief Impact Officer for the StartUp Health Alzheimer’s Moonshot, a global initiative that aims to break down silos and foster meaningful collaboration and entrepreneurial support between mission-aligned founders and champions. At Lilly, Ferrell led the Alzheimer’s disease drug and diagnostic development teams for almost a decade, where she shepherded clinical trials and global go-to-market preparation for semagacestat, solanezumab, lanabacestat, florbetapir (Amyvid), flortaucipir (Tauvid), and donamemab (Kisunla), and retired as the Global Head of External Engagement for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegeneration at Eli Lilly and Company. Ferrell’s most recent prior position at Lilly was Chief Commercial Services Officer for Lilly USA. Previously, Phyllis led efforts in medical affairs, medical development, commercial capabilities, sales, marketing, recruiting, business development, strategy, transformation, Six Sigma, and corporate financial planning. Phyllis loves tackling tough problems with great people and leads cross-functional teams with care and candor. Ferrell received a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and management with minors in computational mathematics and Asian studies from DePauw University. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa and with Magna Cum Laude honors in 1994. She received an MBA in general management and a certificate in public management from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business in 2001 and graduated with both Arjay Miller Scholar honors and as the Arbuckle Award recipient. As a passionate lifelong learner, Phyllis completed her doctorate in Global Public Health Leadership, bestowed with honors from Indiana University in 2023. Phyllis was recognized with the Rising Star Award from the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association and the Indianapolis Star Top 40 Under 40. Phyllis is a current member of the World Dementia Council, a steering committee member of the Milken Institute Center for Aging Alliance for Dementia Care, National Minority Quality Forum Alzheimer’s Disease Index working group, and a reviewer for the NIH National Institute in Aging. She is on multiple boards including, the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF), the Gates Ventures Alzheimer’s Disease Data Initiative (ADDI), the European Platform for Neurodegeneration (EPND), the Indiana Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, The Initiative to Change the D-Word, and the Stanford Associate Board of Governors Business School Fund. Phyllis is a founding member of Women Against Alzheimer’s and Women of Impact Boone County; co-chair emeritus of the Women’s Leadership Council at Us Against Alzheimer’s; the alumna sponsor of the Women in Economics and Business Program at DePauw University; a member of the Washington C. DePauw Society; a Tocqueville donor to United Way; an active supporter of Boone County Special Olympics and the Boone County Community Foundation; and a coach’s wife and proud mother of two very active boys who have grown to be fine young men (ages 23 and 18).