Building the Future of Health Innovation: 2025 GWA Fellowship Program Review
From November 5th to 9th, GWA hosted the 2025 Women in Health Innovation Fellowship in Boston—an immersive, multi-day experience for trailblazing women in health, tech, and leadership. This year’s program is set to inspire and catalyze the next generation of change-makers, bringing together an international cohort to connect, collaborate, and spark new ideas across six core pillars:
Leadership and Management
Personal Growth
Health, Tech, Ethics, and AI
Women and Girls
Career Advice
Campus and Company Visits
Fellows visited Massachusetts General Hospital and heard from Dr. Mai Uchida, Professor of Harvard Medical School, and her science-based advocacy work. They visited the leadership of Takeda to learn about the company’s global expansion and commitment to healthcare delivery to local communities. The fellows also visited MIT’s Whitehead Institute and experienced labs covering research ranging from chromosome science to the genetics of addiction and regeneration. The following leadership and entrepreneurship sessions on people management, entrepreneurship, marketing, and communications were designed to grow personal and professional skillsets within a vibrant ecosystem of health innovation. Thank you to speakers and moderators: Joy Yu, Lynzi Wang, Eric Wong, Diana Hwang, Sam Sun, Kelly Bottenfield, Eyee Hsu, Jonathan Friedland, Karen Raghavan, June Shih, Wenchi Yu, Renu Bhatia, and Marine Mallinson.
Conversations at Massachusetts General Hospital with Dr. Mai Uchida of Harvard Medical School
MIT Whitehead Institute visit and leadership sessions held afterwards, thanks to GWA and MIT Board Member Elaine Wong and MIT PhD Student Anais Tsai
Exchanges with Takeda’s leadership on its mission and commitment to healthcare worldwide
Fellows also visited the leadership of the City of Boston to learn about locally-led health governance and equitable access. In collaboration with the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health’s Takemi Fellowship program, fellows exchanged insights on global health with academic researchers and government officials. They also dove into fundraising, climate, and public health strategy.
GWA visited Boston City Hall to learn about the city’s initiatives in health equity, hosted by Tiffany Chu, Chief of Staff.
GWA and Harvard’s Takemi Fellows at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, thanks to Dr. Aya Goto and Nyssa Singhal.
Mentoring and personal storytelling are woven throughout, from bestselling author Tamara Myles’s finding meaningful work session to collaborative mentoring with Tomorrow’s Women TODAY, exploring Boston’s rich history and vibrant culture through museum tours and local dining.
One of the fellowship’s highlights was the Women in Health Innovation Groundbreakers Award dinner at the Harvard Club of Boston—celebrating visionary leaders at the intersection of health and impact.
Mentoring session in partnership with Tomorrow’s Women TODAY
Women in Health Innovation Groundbreakers Award dinner at the Harvard Club of Boston
The tradition of GWA Fellowship continues—propelling women leaders to create impact-driven, cross-border opportunities that build and uplift the GWA community across Asia and beyond.
As the 2025 fellowship concludes, the connections, skills, and ambitions forged became the foundation for lasting community and future achievement. The 2025 GWA Women in Health Innovation Fellowship isn’t just an event—it’s the launchpad for women leaders with the vision and courage to shape tomorrow’s health systems, technologies, and global communities.
Our special thanks to GWA Board Members, Advisors, mentors, and so many who support our mission and vision—building bridges to foster understanding—a need more urgent in today’s world than ever before.
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