Hello
Meet Dr. Sophia
Among her many accomplishments, Dr. Sophia Ononye-Onyia recently participated in a Nasdaq Closing Bell Ceremony as one of the first 1,000 NACD Certified Directors. Notably, Dr. Ononye-Onyia serves on the Board of Directors of a leading women's health company, Daré Bioscience (NASDAQ: DARE).
About Founder & CEO, Dr. Sophia Nnenna Ononye-Onyia, PhD
Multidisciplinary Background
BS Honors, Biochemistry, BGSU
MPH, Public Health Administration, UTOLEDO
MBA, Healthcare Management, UCONN
PhD, Medicinal Chemistry, UCONN
Advanced Business Certificate, Healthcare Finance, UCONN
Predoctoral Fellow, Pharmaceutical Science, AFPE
Postdoctoral Fellow, Medical Oncology, YALE
9 Peer-reviewed Scientific Publications PUBMED
20+ Publications in Influential Media Outlets
67 Curated Video Podcast Interviews
Co-Inventor for Patent on Epigenetic Agents (WO2013192554A1)
USPTO Trademark for Amplifying Scientific Innovation (Reg. No.6,377,047)
NACD Directorship Certified®
Honors and Affiliations
Creator, Host and Producer, Amplifying Scientific Innovation
Board of Directors, Daré Bioscience (NASDAQ: DARE)
Nominating & Corporate Governance (N&CG) Committee, Daré Bioscience
Advisory Council, Dell Women's Entrepreneur Network (DWEN)
Entrepreneur-in-Residence, YALE
Member of the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD)
Inaugural Member, EY Entrepreneurs Access Network (EAN)
President, Healthcare Businesswomen Association (HBA), New York Chapter Board of Directors
Member, Yale Alumni Association (YAA)
Mentor, Cartier Women's Initiative (CWI)
Women in Business Advisor, UCONN
Invited Guest Speaker, UCONN
Scientific Advisory Board Member, BioSortia Pharmaceuticals
Contributor, Entrepreneur Leadership Network
Member, Female Founders Collective
Woman of the Week, Dell Women's Entrepreneur Network (DWEN)
Member, Massachusetts Biotechnology Council (MASSBIO)
Contributing Writer, Inc. Magazine
Woman of The Week (WoW) Podcast Guest, PharmaVoice
Guest Contributor & Host, Pharmacy Podcast Network
Venture Partner, FundRx
Advisor, Harvard Biomedical Careers Science Program
Editorial Advisory Board Member, Cell & Gene
Panelist, MIT Technology Review
Contributor, Life Science Leader
Contributor, PharmaBoardRoom
Member, HLTH Expert Network (HXN)
HBA Mentor Recognition
Spark Awardee, HBA (2 awards)
Certificate of Congressional Recognition, 30 Black Stars Award
Tradition of Excellence Award, UConn School of Pharmacy
Top Digital Health Influencer, Women's Health (FemTech), Commetric
Professional Summary
Dr. Sophia Nnenna Ononye-Onyia is a Nigerian American Scientist, Entrepreneur, Board Director and Strategic Communications Leader. She has over 15 years of cross-functional experience in the biopharmaceutical industry across public health, drug discovery, medical affairs, commercial development and corporate communications.
Dr. Ononye-Onyia is the owner and principal of a certified diversity-owned (NMSDC, WBENC, WOSB) scientific marketing and communications consultancy, The Sophia Consulting Firm (SCF). She is also the Creator, Host and Producer of SCF’s flagship video podcast series, Amplifying Scientific Innovation®, which she launched at the height of COVID-19 in June 2020 to serve as a credible source of information on science advocacy, health equity and influential leadership. The series has amassed almost 2M views on SCF’s YouTube channel and featured world class C-level executives such as WebMD’s CMO and the American Cancer Society’s CEO. Link: https://www.youtube.com/c/thesophiaconsultingfirm
Dr. Ononye-Onyia is an Independent Public Board Director at Daré Bioscience (NASDAQ: DARE), a leader in women’s health innovation where she currently serves on the biotech’s Nominating & Corporate Governance committee. She is a Yale Entrepreneur in Residence, Cell & Gene Editorial Advisory Board Member and Dell Women's Entrepreneur Network (DWEN) Advisory Council Member. Dr. Ononye-Onyia is an inventor and author of over 30 publications inclusive of her dissertation on novel epigenetic agents (HDAC inhibitors), peer-reviewed research articles and opinion editorials in leading media outlets such as WebMD, Medscape, Philadelphia Inquirer, MIT Technology Review, Life Science Leader, Entrepreneur and Inc.
Dr. Ononye-Onyia is a scientific storyteller with four years of Adjunct Professor of Chemistry experience. Her multicultural and multidisciplinary background positions her as a frequent speaker on timely topics such as the significance of scientific innovation, health equity, STEM diversity and women’s health. On August 25, 2022, Dr. Ononye-Onyia was selected to participate in the acclaimed Nasdaq Closing Bell ringing ceremony participation as one of the first 1,000 NACD Certified Directors.
Dr. Ononye-Onyia is a lifelong leader and served as the President of the Board of Directors of the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association (HBA) New York Chapter from 2020-2022 among other notable leadership roles. Following a rigorous Board certification process, she is now credentialed as National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) Directorship Certified®. Dr. Ononye-Onyia’s prestigious list of honors and awards include a Congressional Letter of Recognition for the Face2Face Africa 30 Black Stars award; acceptance into the 2020 inaugural class of the EY Entrepreneurs Access Network (EAN) for select Black and Latin entrepreneurs; a UConn Tradition of Excellence Award for Distinguished Achievement by a Young Alumna; and recognition as Commetric’s Top Digital Health Influencer in the FemTech/Women’s Health space on Twitter.
Dr. Ononye-Onyia holds a PhD in Pharmaceutical Science with a concentration in Medicinal and Natural Product Chemistry, an MBA in Healthcare Management and an Advanced Business Certificate in Health Care Finance & Insurance all from UConn. She obtained her MPH in Public Health Administration from the University of Toledo and an Honors Bachelor of Science in Chemistry with a specialization in Biochemistry from Bowling Green State University. She completed her postdoctoral training in medical oncology research with a focus on triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) therapy at the Yale School of Medicine.
Advisors
Carmen Guerra, MD MSCE FACSP
Carmen Guerra, MD MSCE FACSP
Carmen Guerra, MD MSCE FACSP
CLINICAL TRIAL DIVERSITY
Dr. Carmen E. Guerra, MD, MSCE, FACP, vice chair of diversity and inclusion for the department of medicine and associate director of diversity and outreach at the Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania, specializes in eliminating the barriers to cancer screening tests in underserved populations. C
CLINICAL TRIAL DIVERSITY
Dr. Carmen E. Guerra, MD, MSCE, FACP, vice chair of diversity and inclusion for the department of medicine and associate director of diversity and outreach at the Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania, specializes in eliminating the barriers to cancer screening tests in underserved populations. Carmen is also an attending physician at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and the Presbyterian Medical Center. As an American Cancer Society volunteer, Carmen has held leadership positions at every level of the organization, including president of the former East Central Division Board and has served on the American Cancer Society Board of Directors since 2016. Carmen received the St. George National Award for her dedication to our mission in 2017. Carmen has served on the Mission Outcomes Committee, ACS Clinical Guidelines Development Group, and the National Advisory Council on Health Equity.
James Boyle, PhD
Carmen Guerra, MD MSCE FACSP
Carmen Guerra, MD MSCE FACSP
EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT STRATEGY
Dr. James (Jim) Boyle is a co-founder and the Managing Director of the Yale Entrepreneurial Institute (YEI), a business/educational unit within Yale University that was formed with the mission of mentoring students with new venture ideas and that has expanded to include the development of faculty ventures. Pri
EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT STRATEGY
Dr. James (Jim) Boyle is a co-founder and the Managing Director of the Yale Entrepreneurial Institute (YEI), a business/educational unit within Yale University that was formed with the mission of mentoring students with new venture ideas and that has expanded to include the development of faculty ventures. Prior to forming YEI, Jim was responsible within the Office of Cooperative Research (OCR) for the licensing and venture startup of a number of engineering-based technologies. Before joining OCR, he developed and actively managed the University’s largest corporate research alliance, managing a large array of both Yale and external scientists in bioimaging-based collaborations. Earlier, Jim co-founded and grew a predictive analytics consulting practice, providing both technical and pricing guidance on new product development to a wide array of Fortune 1000 companies in the scientific equipment industry. Jim began his entrepreneurial career while still a Yale graduate student, developing novel instruments for characterizing trace biomolecules with the support of the National Institutes of Health, and later commercializing these devices through a wide array of OEM partnerships as part of a Yale startup.
Ellen Wingard
Carmen Guerra, MD MSCE FACSP
Ellen Wingard
LEADERSHIP CONSULTANT
Ms. Ellen Wingard is an early innovator in the field of leadership development and has for 30 years coached and advised CEOs and emerging leaders in health care, financial services, consumer goods, pharmaceuticals, technology and higher education. She is co-author of Enlightened Leadership: How Women are Transformin
LEADERSHIP CONSULTANT
Ms. Ellen Wingard is an early innovator in the field of leadership development and has for 30 years coached and advised CEOs and emerging leaders in health care, financial services, consumer goods, pharmaceuticals, technology and higher education. She is co-author of Enlightened Leadership: How Women are Transforming the Practice of Leadership. She is past Board Chair of World Pulse Media, an media channel linking 50,000 grassroots leaders across 190 countries, and a member of the Women’s Leadership Board at Harvard Kennedy School, where she engages with 150 top global corporate leaders on the latest practices in global talent development, gender inclusion and socially responsible business. She is part of the Executive Coaching pool of the Harvard Business School Executive Education Program and has been a commentator on career navigation and intergenerational mentoring to the Committee of 200, the Fletcher School International Business Program, Harvard Kennedy School, and NPR Marketplace. She has also served as a Mentor for the Impact Center a program affiliated with the Federal Leadership Program for distinguished public sector women leaders.
Learn + Elevate
NACD Directorship Certified®
In May 2022, the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) recognized Sophia Ononye-Onyia, PhD MPH MBA as NACD Directorship Certified®. In August 2022, Dr. Ononye-Onyia was joined the Nasdaq Closing Bell Ringing Ceremony in NYC for her notable achievement as one of the first 1,000 NACD Certified Directors.
Engage + Inspire
Inspiring New Talent
In August 2020, SCF launched the 'Amplifying Scientific Innovation®: Virtual College Seminars' to expand its impact and reach. Through targeted speaking engagements at leading academic institutions, Dr. Ononye-Onyia aims to inspire the next wave of talent in the life science and healthcare space.
Inspire + Innovate
Public Board Appointment
In April 2021, Dr. Sophia Ononye-Onyia was appointed to the Board of Directors of Daré Bioscience (NASDAQ: DARE), a leader in women’s health innovation.
Lead + Influence
Engaging and Empowering
Dr. Sophia Ononye-Onyia was recently honored with a Tradition of Excellence Award by the UConn School of Pharmacy. She also served as a Guest Speaker on "Healthcare Innovations" for the UConn Executive MBA program and was featured as the Alumna of the Month by the UConn School of Business Alumni.
Lead + Influence
Top Digital Health Influencer
In January 2021, Dr. Sophia Ononye-Onyia was featured as the Most Influential Digital Health Influencer in FemTech on Twitter by Commetric, a media analytics solution company.
Lead + Influence
Leading with Purpose
Dr. Sophia Ononye-Onyia joined the the Advisory Council of the Dell Women's Entrepreneur Network (DWEN) and is the current President of the Healthcare Businesswomen's Association (HBA), New York Chapter Board of Directors.
Transcend + Grow
Transcending and Scaling
Dr. Sophia Ononye-Onyia was recently selected to join the inaugural class of EY Entrepreneurs Access Network (EAN). The EAN is part of an elite community of Black and Latinx business leaders with tailored programs designed to transcend barriers and scale businesses.
Learn + Amplify
In the News: Inc.
Dr. Sophia Ononye-Onyia's story as a Nigerian-American Millennial Female STEM Entrepreneur was featured on Inc.