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Member Spotlight: Georgia Bio
November 5 at 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm CST
Join NIAMRRE and Georgia Bio, Tuesday, November 5 from noon-1pm CT as we shine a light on NIAMRRE Member Georgia Bio.
Georgia Bio (GaBio) is Georgia’s most impactful life sciences membership organization, advocating for the sector and its diverse innovation pipeline. For over 35 years, GaBio has served its members by supporting companies of all sizes, from early-stage innovators and startups to established industry leaders in biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and medical technology. GaBio also works closely with universities, academic and research institutions, the investment community, and other critical partners that promote this vibrant sector. GaBio works to shape public policy, improve access to breakthrough technologies, educate lawmakers, provide member programs, strengthens the workforce pipeline, and advance equity within our ecosystem by championing innovative solutions for some of the most pressing challenges of our times. This presentation will focus on Georgia Bio’s workforce development programming which strives to strengthen the life sciences workforce pipeline through classroom-to-career initiatives that align with industry/sector needs. GaBio is building the capacity of Georgia classrooms to support the future life science workforce with teacher professional development in biotechnology, an equipment depot, a visiting scientist program, and more.
Presenters
MariaThacker Goeth, MPH | President & CEO, Georgia Bio
With over 18 years of experience Maria has helped build the organization into one of the top state bioscience and medtech associations in the country. Her a strong reputation for her industry knowledge and expertise with Georgia businesses, leaders and legislators, Maria has invigorated the life sciences sector statewide as the industry has seen dramatic growth in the last 4 years.
Before her time at Georgia Bio, Maria participated in an ORISE fellowship at the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention/Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry in environmental investigations, working closely with the National Center of Environmental Health in Chemical Demilitarization. Maria holds a master’s in public health from Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, and a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies from Sweet Briar College.
Maria serves on the boards of the CJD Foundation, Southeast Life Sciences Association, KSU Research Foundation, Greater Atlanta Red Cross, FutureVerse, MyHealthID Global, as immediate past chair for the Council of State Bioscience Associations, and is a founding board member of the Coalition of State Bioscience Institutes. Most recently, she was named to Georgia Trend magazine’s 2023 and 2022 Georgia 500 List, 2023, 2022 and 2021 “100 Most Influential Georgians” list, 2022 Power 100 and a top visionary by Atlanta Business Chronicle and is a 2022 graduate of the Leadership Atlanta program. Additionally, Maria has volunteered for 11 years with the Junior League of Atlanta and serves on the Piedmont Atlanta Patient & Family Advisory Council.
Megan Heaphy | Director Workforce and Talent
Megan serves as the Director of the Biotech Teacher Training Initiative (formerly Rural Teacher Training Initiative) and the Manager of the Office of Workforce and Talent for Georgia Bio. She has been with Georgia Bio for over 6 years and oversees workforce development efforts spanning the entire workforce pipeline- from K-12 to the current workforce.
Megan has over a decade of experience in science education, having taught Chemistry, Biology and AP Biology in metro Atlanta high schools, as well as life sciences courses at Gwinnett Technical College and Georgia State University. Megan has a passion for helping educators and students gain awareness of pathways to employment within life sciences and ensuring that schools have the materials to do hands-on science labs. Additionally, Megan has a dedication for sustainability which shows in her work with the Equipment Depot, a program of Georgia Bio that creates a pipeline for materials from life science industry and academia to be used or repurposed in Georgia schools.
Megan serves in various leadership roles including the Atlanta Technical College, Central Georgia Technical College, Athens Technical College bioscience program advisory boards and the Athens Community Career Academy Biomanufacturing Catalyst Committee. Megan holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Georgia Tech and a Master of Science in Biology with a concentration in Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry from Georgia State University.