50TWENTYFOURSEVENBIOPHARMA Issue 1 / March 2026 WOMEN IN SCIENCE For International Women’s Day, we asked three leaders from across the sciences to share the moments, challenges and supports that shaped their careers. From Amy Westfall’s path from management consulting into biotech program leadership, to Marjolein Biezen’s evolution from chemical analyst to quality manager, and Lucia Kovac’s steady commitment to chemistry and mentorship, their stories show different routes to impact, and a shared belief in persistence, curiosity and sponsorship. They reflect on practical steps that helped them advance: mentors who took risks on nontraditional profiles, deliberate skill-building, and workplace flexibility that makes long careers possible. Read on for candid advice and tangible ideas for boosting female participation and leadership across the scientific pipeline. What career path led you to your current role, and were there any pivotal moments along the way? I began my career in management consulting, which is a great training ground. It taught me how to break down messy problems, design practical processes, and work quickly with teams across different AMY WESTFALL Senior Vice President, Strategy & Program Management Codexis industries and organizational styles. From there, I gravitated toward operational roles - first in biotech, then in high tech - always in positions that were centered on connecting cross-functional teams and driving complex programs towards resolution. A pivotal moment for me was making the decision to leave a large, established tech company to join a biotech start-up. It was a risk I wouldn’t have taken earlier in my career, but it turned out to be transformative. It broadened my thinking about career opportunities, and I learned that I really thrive in that kind of environment - the fast pace, the ambiguity, the opportunity to wear many hats and see the direct impact of your work. It redefined my understanding of what I want from my career.
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