Life Science Cares is a nonprofit organization that leverages the power of the life science industry to solve poverty by uniting the human and financial resources of life science companies and industry leaders.
Life Science Cares works with organizations in the areas of basic human survival (hunger, homelessness, domestic abuse, crime prevention, etc.), education (STEM education, college preparation and college success, educational enrichment and inspiration) and sustainability (job creation, job training, mentoring and economic development.)
Life Science Cares operates in Boston, Philadelphia, San Diego, the San Francisco Bay area and New York—five locations that are home to mass companies working in biotech, pharmaceuticals, medical technology and research.
Beth joins other industry leaders who shape and support the work of Life Science Cares across the country, but don’t live in one of the hub cities.
“Thank you Rob Perez and Sarah MacDonald for all that you do! I am humbled and honored to join the Life Science Cares family and excited to help champion such an inspiring mission!” said Beth.
Beth is the Head of The Alexander Group’s Global Life Sciences Practice, bringing more than 35 years of both global and national business development and executive search expertise to The Alexander Group.
She has conducted searches for top C-Suite executives across research and development, commercial, finance, corporate development, tech ops, legal, information technology, compliance, human resources, and diversity and inclusion for Fortune 500 companies as well as private equity/venture capital backed emerging growth clients across multiple industries, including pharmaceutical, generics, biotech, medical device, consumer packaged goods, manufacturing, not-for-profit, retail, financial services, and professional services.
Prior to joining The Alexander Group, Beth was Head of Talent Acquisition for Europe & ROW as well as Head of Global Talent Acquisition Projects for Novartis Vaccines & Diagnostics. Beth was tapped by this newly formed division of Novartis not only for her consultative approach to executive search but also for her proven track record to achieve the “slightly impossible.”
Previously, Beth was Co-founder & Partner of a national interim staffing firm that recruited executive level human resources professionals for a Fortune 500 client base.
As graduates across the country turn their tassels and embark on life’s next chapter, The Alexander Group team is applauding their efforts with collective words of wisdom.
Our thoughts for 2024 graduates veer more toward the practical, but we also value resilience, a trait needed no matter where you are in life.
Golden glitter number 2024 with graduated cap. Class of 2024 concept
Q: What are two to three practical tips you employ that makes you successful at your job?
A: Try to exercise every day. It’s a great reliever of stress.
Communicate with clients every day. Past, present and future clients. It is what I do, and it is how I try to set an example. Jane does it, Johnny does it and Amanda does it. It’s so important for any person in business.
We all make mistakes. Admit it. Apologize for it and move on.
Q: What are two to three practical tips you employ that makes you successful at your job?
A: Maintain a sense of urgency and anticipate and exceed your client’s expectations; take leadership, ownership and responsibility in your career and work; find a career that you enjoy (I know it’s cliché, but true).
Q: What’s a practical tip you employ that makes you successful at your job?
A: Best tip I could give: utilize a second brain.
Don’t try and remember all the tasks and deadlines you have, both professionally and personally.
As soon as a thought pops into your mind, write it down in your second brain (a notebook, the notes app on your phone, your calendar) and reference it later when either finishing your day or planning the next.
De-clutter your mind so that you can be more intentional with your daily projects.
-How have you fostered resilience throughout your career? Why is resilience important?
By adapting to change and developing a growth mindset by believing in my ability to learn and grow from experiences. View change and challenges as opportunities to develop rather than obstacles.
Resilience is important because it enables one to overcome obstacles and pursue goals with confidence and determination.
Q: What are two to three practical tips you employ that makes you successful at your job?
A: Put in the time upfront to ensure success at the end: conduct thorough due diligence, know your client as well or better than they know themselves, and do your best to anticipate where problems or issues might occur
When issues or obstacles do arise, don’t simply communicate problems, communicate solutions: don’t leave it up to the client to figure out the answer, provide alternative paths, and recommendations to overcome hurdles.
There are many external factors and things we can’t control, so do your absolute best to control the things that you can.
Q: What’s a practical tip you employ that makes you successful at your job?
A: Don’t forget to find inspiration and fulfillment outside of your job.
It can be from family, a rich social life, making art, a physical practice (yoga, running, team sports, weightlifting, whatever), adventure travel, and so on. Finding a sense of self-value outside of your job will help you weather the inevitable ups and downs in your career. And beyond that, it will lead you being a more authentic, inspired, and interesting person–that’s the kind of person others want to work with.
Q: What’s a practical tip you employ that makes you successful at your job?
A: Find the right balance between pushing boundaries and drawing from life’s lessons. You must do both.
The only way to create life lessons is by pushing the boundaries. It will always be a consistent pendulum swing. Life lessons learned can shape how you should push the boundaries. Pushing those boundaries will shape new life lessons.
You will never know if you don’t try. Always be willing to set your pride aside, make necessary adjustments, then push the boundaries again.
Jonathan Daniels, Associate
Q: What are two to three practical tips you employ that makes you successful at your job?
A: Use a calendar for everything in your life, and proactively plan your days. I have missed lots of events and deadlines because I was not organized. Today, my calendar helps keep me on track for everything I need to accomplish, a good record for follow-up with clients, and plan trips with friends.
Proactively Communicate. Despite Elon Musk’s best efforts, we cannot read minds yet. Always share updates with your supervisor, clients, and other stakeholders so they are aware of your work and can better partner with you.
Assume Positive Intent. Life is too short to worry about other people. Be kind, do your best, and always assume others are doing the same.
Document everything. You will forget your notes and you will need to show proof to others. Clients and Courts alike need paper trails.
Sacks Tierney appoints Heather Duncan to lead firmwide operations and strategic growth.
Sacks Tierney, a full-service law firm with a 60-year track record serving clients across Arizona, partners with The Alexander Group, a global executive search firm, to recruit a Chief Operating Officer. As the firm continues to grow its presence in the region, it seeks an operational leader to modernize internal systems, enhance firm performance, and support long-term strategic planning.
Key Leadership Need
Sacks Tierney seeks a Chief Operating Officer to oversee the firm’s business and administrative operations while aligning daily processes with long-term growth goals. The ideal candidate is a seasoned law firm executive with strong experience in finance, HR, business strategy, and firm culture.
The Alexander Group’s Approach
Director Sarah Mitchell leads a national search focused on law firm operations executives with deep experience in strategic planning, operational efficiency, and organizational leadership.
Search priorities include:
Proven success leading legal operations across multiple office environments
Strength in financial management, process improvement, and people leadership
Experience partnering with firm leadership on long-term strategic planning
Heather Duncan is the ideal candidate, with prior COO roles at McGinnis Lochridge, Vogel Law Firm, and Garfield & Hecht. She brings a legacy of optimizing law firm operations, building collaborative team cultures, and aligning back-office functions with business goals.
Successful Placement and Impact
Heather Duncan joins Sacks Tierney as Chief Operating Officer, where she leads firmwide operations, strategic initiatives, and cross-functional collaboration to support the firm’s continued growth and client service excellence.
Immediate Impact:
Aligns internal operations with firmwide growth priorities
Modernizes infrastructure across finance, HR, and administration
Strengthens leadership team collaboration and resource planning
Enhances organizational culture through transparency and team development
Insights from the Recruiter
“Heather’s business acumen, operational experience, emotional intelligence, and growth mindset will be the perfect complement to Sacks Tierney’s leadership team as they continue to build the firm.”
– Sarah Mitchell, Director, The Alexander Group
About Sacks Tierney
Founded in 1960, Sacks Tierney is a Scottsdale-based law firm serving businesses, governments, individuals, and tribal nations throughout Arizona. Known for legal excellence and long-term client relationships, the firm is committed to delivering high-quality counsel in litigation, real estate, Indian law, business law, and more.
About The Alexander Group
The Alexander Group is a global executive search firm based in Houston. The firm partners with law firms and professional services organizations to recruit operational and strategic leaders who elevate performance, culture, and growth.
Behind every high-performing firm is a strong operational foundation. The Alexander Group helps legal teams find the leaders who make that possible.
The 27th annual Milken Institute Global Conferenceis underway in Los Angeles, drawing the some of the world’s most ardent thought leaders, visionaries and problem solvers. It’s no surprise then, that forever student and The Alexander Group’s Managing Director Jane Howze, is in the mix observing and absorbing the information gleaned from the three-day event.
“This is my eighth year attending and I am honored to have them as a client,” Jane said.
The 2024 theme is “Shaping a Shared Future,” and Milken organizers have gathered more than 4,000 attendees, including 1,000 speakers made up of C-suite executives from Fortune 500 companies, global leaders, experts, and innovators who are rethinking health, finance, technology, philanthropy, sports and media to discuss and explore the topic.
Day one of the annual Milken Institute Global Conference focused on the critical issues of geopolitical hotspots and the ongoing climate crisis to the complexities of artificial intelligence, examining both its potential and impact on global workers, firms, and markets.
With so many sessions and not enough time, Jane focused her energies on specific speakers and topics. Below are their thoughts, her thoughts and up-close pictures only Jane could provide from prime seating at the panel discussions.
Degree or Not Degree: The Higher Education Dilemma
Experts in a vast field of opinions explored the complex interplay between higher education, skills-based hiring, and the sometimes-elusive value of a college degree in today’s workforce. The discussion touched on the relevance of traditional degrees in a job market that increasingly emphasizes practical skills and competencies, the emerging trend toward alternative skill-building pathways and how individuals can navigate the range of choices to align their educational experiences with their career goals, plus the all-encompassing How are US college students and alumni tackling student debt?
Session Highlights:
-The average tenure in a job 25 years ago was 27 years. Today it is four years.
-54% of college students take at least one online course.
– University of Florida President and former Nebraska senator Ben Sasse on college’s biggest cost.
“The biggest cost of college is the opportunity cost.”
Jane’s Takeaways:
“I was particularly impressed with Ben Sasse. He was asked if tenure was important for faculty. He said yes, but being a faculty member today is more than teaching. It is coaching, grading, writing, presenting, etc. and we should specify what we are giving tenure to. All the panelists agreed that for a college education to be worth the cost— both time and money —it must offer skills that would help the graduate be a viable member of the working (profit or nonprofit) community.”
From Pitch to Profit: How Authentic Harnesses the Power of David Beckham’s Global Brand
A decade after retiring from professional football, David Beckham has remained a household name through a variety of high-profile endorsement deals and transformative partnership with Authentic Brands Group. He discussed his brand through strategic endorsements, innovative business models, compelling digital and media partnerships and more.
Session Highlights:
-Beckham talked about starting his business career 10 years before he retired. He will be introducing a clothing line next year. It was a fascinating discussion on branding and his recent documentary on Netflix is part of that branding since his production company made it.
Jane’s Takeaways:
David Beckham was charming and interesting. Goes back to why my business is so important. It is all about the people you choose to work with, and he felt comfortable with and trusting of the CEO of Authentic Brands
Leadership and the State of American Politics
Disagreement and conflict resolution are foundational elements of the United States’ system of governance; divergent views on federalism, checks and balances, the separation of powers, and other such norms have been present since the founding of the country. While there is partisan division on many critical issues facing the US, broad consensus in some areas continues to lead to the enactment of bipartisan policies.
Bill Cassidy, US Senator, Louisiana, James Lankford, US Senator, Oklahoma, Joe Manchin, US Senator, West Virginia and Krysten Sinema, US Senator, Arizona examined how political leadership plays a role in breaking through the divisive noise and what can be accomplished as we lead up to 2025 and beyond.
Session Highlights:
-Two Democrats and two Republicans
-The group discussed how they have worked together to create bipartisan legislation. They agreed their biggest failure was not pushing immigration through earlier, where it would have had a better chance. There has not been immigration legislation since President Ronald Reagan.
2024 US Election Insights
The 2024 US elections are shaping up to be a rematch between President Biden and President Trump; however, the front-and-center issues today are distinct from the pandemic-dominated 2020 elections. From border security and immigration to the defense of democracy and US policy choices for navigating geo-political turbulence, the issues driving the 2024 elections are causing significant shifts in partisan allegiances and driving political fragmentation in new ways.
Kellyanne Conway, #1 NYT Best Selling Author; President of KAConsulting LLC; Former Senior Counselor to the President, Van Jones, Social Entrepreneur; Bestselling Author; CNN Host; and Founder, Dream Machine Innovation Lab, Chris Liddell, Author, “Year Zero: The Five-Year Presidency”; Former White House Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff, Jim Messina, CEO, The Messina Group; former Obama 2012 Campaign Manager, White House Deputy Chief of Staff and Paul Ryan, 54th Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives; Vice Chairman, Teneo; Partner, Solamere Capital discussed the critical issues that will reverberate across the partisan divide, impacting voters in battleground states crucial to determining the Senate and House majorities—and delivering the electoral votes for the presidency.
Session Highlights:
-Kellyanne Conway said the election is about people’s relation with their government and border security is much more important now. It’s the number one or two issue in all six swing states that will determine the election.
According to her polling, Republicans are more focused on crime, securing borders and making a better living, where Democrats are focused on abortion.
Conway also said the Democrats made a big mistake by not letting Robert F. Kennedy stay in the race as a Democrat and if she were running the Democrats, she would have removed Joe Biden and Kamala Harris off the ticket 18 months ago.
-Jones likened the election to 1968.
Jane’s Takeaways:
Paul Ryan commented he didn’t like Joe Biden’s policies, but he didn’t like Trump’s ethics —-quite a big change from his appearance at the Milken conference years ago when he was running for president and was much more positive about President Trump.
A Conversation with Elon Musk
It was what the title described. Read on for Musk’s thoughts and Jane’s musings.
Session Highlights:
-You want to believe the future will be better than the past.
-First Amendment Discussion:
“You can’t have democratic elections without people being informed.”
-Socialism Discussion
“The government is the DMV at scale. Would you want that?”
(Jane reports this take received a lot of laughter)
-Regulation Discussion
“If there are more regulations passed, eventually everything will be illegal. Tell kids why it is important. Engage kids.”
-Immigration Discussion “Immigrants are talented, hard working and honest. Legal immigration is a bizarre process. It’s insane. You can pop across the border easily. What’s going on? Need to expedite legal immigration. Need to tighten who gets in.”
-AI Discussion
“How will AI affect our daily lives? Eventually all intelligence will be digital. We need to develop AI that will be beneficial to humanity. Ms. Truth Seeking AI. Truth telling AI. We need to maximize curious AI. AI has not been helpful in space exploration.”
Jane’s Takeaways:
I know a lot of people don’t like Elon Musk for political reasons, but I found him to be incredibly smart, funny, charming and a basic libertarian. The session consisted of Mike Milken, reading back quotes he had made in the past. With every quote, even those 10 years old, he would say “yeah I agree with that” and everyone would laugh, and Mike Milken would laughingly say “Well, it’s good that you agree with yourself. “
He spoke about how important the First Amendment is, and says you can’t have democratic elections without being informed.
Musk shared historically, prosperity and lack of war reduces the birth rate. The richer a civilization, the lower the birth rate. At that point in his talk a woman posed a question (we are all given QR codes to post questions during talks) that said, “Come pick me up on the way to Mars and I’ll give you a baby”.
What keeps him up at night? Musk worries about the fall of civilizations and listens to podcasts mostly at night about this subject. He ended his session by saying “Maybe I need to stop listening to podcasts on dying civilizations at night.”
HOUSTON—The Alexander Group proudly announces the addition of seasoned international executive Sally King to the firm’s advisory and consulting team. King brings extensive experience in global operations, strategic planning, merger planning and integration, finance, and all aspects of operational management to the consulting role.
King will play a pivotal part in furthering The Alexander Group’s mission to provide unparalleled strategic guidance to its diverse clientele. With more than 30 years of experience working with global, national, and regional law firms, King’s knowledge expands The Alexander Group’s ability to serve clients through team and executive assessment, advisory, and consulting strategies.
“We have followed Sally’s career and her impact on the firms for whom she has worked for decades,” said John Lamar, Managing Director at The Alexander Group. “She is an outstanding thought leader in this rapidly evolving industry.”
Prior to joining The Alexander Group, King served as Regional Chief Operating Officer for Clifford Chance, Chief Operating Officer for Dentons and Akin Gump, completing her career at Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler.
“I am excited to embark on this new journey with The Alexander Group,” said Sally King. “I have long admired the firm’s dedication to excellence and its unwavering commitment to client success.”
King holds an MBA from Columbia University Graduate School of Business and is a fellow of the College of Law Practice Management and has served on the Boards of British American Business, Infinite Global Consulting, and the Board of Advisors for Catalyst. She is a certified Executive Coach and a member of the International Coaching Council. King was also a Special Advisor to the New York State Bar Association Committee on Law Practice Management.
Prothena appoints David A. Ford to lead talent strategy and organizational development.
Client: Prothena | Role: Chief People Officer | Candidate: David A. Ford
Prothena, a late-stage clinical biopharmaceutical company advancing therapies for rare peripheral amyloid and neurodegenerative diseases, partnered with The Alexander Group, a global executive search firm, to recruit a Chief People Officer. As the company is scaling its commercial and research operations globally, it needed a people-first executive to build a world-class HR function to support innovation, rapid growth, and cultural alignment.
Key Leadership Need
Prothena wanted a Chief People Officer, a leader with experience scaling HR in complex science-driven environments who can align people and systems to support culture, speed, and cross-border growth.
The Alexander Group’s Approach
Managing Director Beth Ehrgott conducted a focused search targeting senior HR leaders in the biopharmaceutical and life sciences sectors with a track record of delivering scalable people strategies across multiple geographies.
Search priorities included:
Global HR leadership experience across the U.S., Europe, and LATAM markets.
Proven success building HR infrastructure for commercial-stage biotechs.
A strong background in talent management, culture-building, and executive coaching.
David A. Ford emerged as the clear fit. With over two decades of experience at Intercept, Sanofi, and the New Zealand Dairy Board, he will bring a rare combination of operational depth and strategic agility in global human capital leadership.
Successful Placement and Impact
David A. Ford will join Prothena to lead the company’s global people strategy, overseeing HR operations, talent development, and leadership alignment to support rapid organizational growth.
Immediate Impact:
Lead the development of a scalable, globally aligned HR infrastructure.
Build executive and cross-functional talent frameworks for future expansion.
Strengthen culture through leadership development and employee engagement.
Partner with the CEO and leadership team to align people strategy with the company’s mission and values.
Insights from the Recruiter
“David is passionately interested in the business, cares about the science and patients, and is a contagious champion of culture, people, and the value human resources can bring to achieve a company’s mission and goals. He is a wonderful fit for Prothena, and especially at this pivotal time as the company moves closer to becoming a fully integrated commercial-stage biopharma organization.”
– Beth Ehrgott, Managing Director, The Alexander Group.
About Prothena
Prothena is a global, late-stage clinical company focused on discovering and developing novel therapies for rare and complex diseases involving protein dysregulation, including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and AL amyloidosis. The company’s mission is to change the course of disease and improve lives through breakthrough science.
About The Alexander Group
The Alexander Group is a global executive search firm headquartered in Houston. With deep expertise across biotech, life sciences, and corporate leadership, the firm partners with organizations that are scaling innovation and transforming healthcare.
When science moves fast, people’s strategy needs to move faster. The Alexander Group helps growing companies hire leaders who make that possible.
