New Directors Bring Experience From NIH, Biden Cancer Initiative, and University of Washington
Sage Bionetworks announces the appointments of three new directors to our board: Kathy L. Hudson, PhD, a strategic advisor and former deputy director for science, outreach, and policy at the NIH; Patricia Areán, PhD, of the University of Washington Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences; and Cecilia Arradaza, senior director of communications at the Biden Cancer Initiative.
“Cecilia, Pat, and Kathy represent a set of energetic, forward-thinking individuals who have a long-standing interest in open science and expertise in several areas of direct importance to our organization,” said Lara Mangravite, president of Sage Bionetworks. “Sage has grown in size and in the breadth of work we do. We wanted our board to reflect that growth.”
New board members:
Kathy L. Hudson, PhD, is a strategic advisor to nonprofits, biotech, and technology companies. She was founding CEO of the People-Centered Research Foundation, a nonprofit that leads PCORnet, a large national clinical research network. She stepped down in February 2019 after leading the transition into a new and sustainable phase. Dr. Hudson is the former Deputy Director for Science, Outreach, and Policy at the NIH. She led policy, legislation, communications, and outreach efforts, and served as senior advisor to the NIH director. She created major new strategic and scientific initiatives, including the BRAIN Initiative and the All of Us research program. She was a key force in modernizing the regulations governing human subjects research. Hudson holds a PhD in molecular biology from the University of California at Berkeley, an MS in microbiology from the University of Chicago, and a BA in biology from Carleton College.
Patricia Areán, PhD is a professor in the UW Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and a licensed clinical psychologist. Her research focuses on the recognition and treatment of mental disorders in older adults and minority populations, particularly in recognition and treatment of depression that is identified in non-mental health settings. She is currently director of the CREATIV Lab at the University of Washington. Dr. Areán has published several articles on the recognition and treatment of late life depression and anxiety, as well as methods for recruiting and retaining older, minority elderly into longitudinal research. She was a psychotherapy expert for the IMPACT study, a multi-site trial of stepped care for depression in older primary care patients. She is also the director of an NIMH ALACRITY Research Center.
Cecilia Arradaza is a communications strategist and is the founder of C.A. Collaborative. For more than 20 years, Arradaza has worked to develop, design and deliver communications strategies that provoke discourse, engage broad audiences, and inspire action. She works on a portfolio of thought leadership and public engagement projects. She currently serves as the senior director of communications at the Biden Cancer Initiative, and as an advisor to a number of other organizations. Previously, Arradaza held leadership roles at global advisory firm Brunswick Group; the Milken Institute and its centers, FasterCures and the Center for Financial Markets; and public affairs firms Chandler Chicco Agency, Hyde Park Communications, and Powell Tate. She is on the board of Bright Focus Foundation, Sage Bionetworks, and WomenAgainstAlzheimer’s. She graduated from George Washington University’s Mount Vernon Women’s College.
