Leen Kawas is currently the first female Executive Director at Seattle BioTech business. She has been involved in food and agriculture for over 30 years. Her career spans from government research to private agribusiness, and she has been instrumental in helping shape public policy during that time. In taking on the role of Executive Director, Kawas will spearhead new investments and collaborations with global academic partners to improve Seattle’s commitment to innovation and impact on sustainable agriculture processes across the globe.
An award-winning research scientist, Kawas holds a Bachelor of Science in Food Chemistry from the University of Pennsylvania and a Master of Public Health degree from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. She is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and has served as a member of the Secretary’s Advisory Council for Biotechnology (SACOB). She also sits on the Executive Committee for Action Against Hunger USA, which works to prevent hunger through sustainable farming practices for global food security. As the former CEO of Athira Pharma, Leen Kawas has been instrumental in drawing public attention to advances in global health, especially the development of new vaccines against infectious diseases. Kawas was also the Executive Director at CropLife America, a lobbying group representing the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. She was involved in many areas of federal policy-making, including healthcare reform and international trade relations. Leen Kawas also is an active philanthropist who has contributed her time and money toward numerous charitable causes. Kawas is the Managing General Partner for Propel Bio Partners, which invests in life sciences startups. Propel Bio Partners’ assets include Seattle-based Voyager Therapeutics, Inc., a biotechnology company involved in cancer immunotherapy. Propel Bio Partners has raised over 200 million dollars for investments in the life sciences. Leen Kawas has vast experience working with private and public sector institutions, advising her as Executive Director of Seattle BioTech. She is very talented in policy-making and will be a valuable asset to Seattle’s efforts to grow innovation for sustainable agriculture.
Original source to learn more: https://www.crunchbase.com/person/leen-kawas