The Next Chapter in Precision Health Innovation
Since its founding in 2020, WHAM has transformed the conversation around women’s health, establishing it as one of the most compelling economic opportunities and most underinvested sectors in healthcare. Through groundbreaking research, influential reports, and cross-sector collaborations, WHAM has built the data-driven business case for investment while mobilizing leaders across science, finance, industry, and policy.
Having established the economic case, WHAM is taking the next step: creating pathways that convert insight into action and innovation into measurable impact.
Introducing WHAM Ventures
WHAM announces its intention to create WHAM Ventures, a transformative platform to catalyze innovation, research, and commercialization across women’s health. Building on the foundation of WHAM’s Research, Investment, and Life Science Collaboratives, WHAM Ventures will explore promising ideas and solutions from discovery to impact—bridging critical gaps that continue to slow progress in one of healthcare’s largest and most underserved markets.
WHAM Ventures plans to activate the researchers, philanthropists, investors, operators, clinicians, and industry leaders WHAM has convened over the past six years, converting those relationships into coordinated action across the field. By identifying and supporting breakthrough opportunities that need additional resources, expertise, and strategic partnership, WHAM Ventures intends to accelerate solutions with the potential to improve lives globally. The initiative is being developed in collaboration with several of WHAM’s most significant partners.
Designed to complement and amplify WHAM’s nonprofit mission, WHAM Ventures seeks to support translational research, sex-aware innovation, and other high-potential opportunities that may be overlooked by traditional funding models despite their capacity for transformative impact.
Meet the Team
The new initiative is backed by an early leadership team with great expertise, rooted in science, investment and a global view:
- Carolee Lee, CEO & Founder, WHAM: Innovative trailblazer and entrepreneurial thinker; founded WHAM to transform the health of women.
- Andrea Pfeifer, PhD, Strategic Global Partner & CSO: Co-founder and former CEO, AC Immune (Nasdaq IPO); pioneering scientist and proven biotech leader.
- Janet Foutty, Senior Advisor: Former Deloitte US Chair & Consulting CEO; leader across AI, workforce transformation, and women’s health.
- Jill Kalman, MD, Strategic Partner: Renowned cardiologist and one of the nation’s most respected health-system leaders; Chief Medical Officer, Executive Vice President and Deputy Physician-in-Chief at Northwell Health.
- Jackie VanderBrug, Strategic Partner: Gender-lens investing pioneer; built Bank of America’s $45B sustainable investing platform.
- Marianne Foss-Skiftesvik, Chief of Staff & Strategic Partnerships, WHAM: Strategic operator and ecosystem builder; leads WHAM’s strategy, partnerships, and organizational growth.
Why Now
Since its founding, WHAM has been building the data-driven business case for women’s health. And now, WHAM Ventures focuses on turning that evidence into actionable support for early-stage ventures, translational research, and sex-aware innovations that traditional funding models often overlook.
WHAM Ventures aims to create the conditions where women’s health innovations can reach the global market with the speed, scale, rigor, and funding to achieve success.
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Women are 51% of the population but receive only a fraction of biomedical research funding. Sex differences are still often ignored, even in diseases that hit women hardest. Advancing sex-based research closes that gap, sparks innovation, and delivers more precise care for everyone. Support the future of health—for women, and for all.
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Donate to Autoimmune Disease Research
Four out of five Americans with autoimmune disease are women—40 million lives impacted—yet the science hasn’t kept up. In 2019, only 7 % of the NIH’s rheumatoid arthritis budget focused on women. Dedicated funding can pinpoint why women are so vulnerable and drive better diagnostics, therapies, and quality of life. Fuel research that will change lives.
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Women make up two-thirds of Alzheimer’s cases and are twice as likely to suffer depression—yet we still don’t know why. Targeted, sex-specific studies can reveal the biological and clinical differences that unlock earlier diagnosis, smarter treatments, and healthier minds. Your gift drives that discovery.
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Donate to Cancer Research
Most cancer studies still default to male models, overlooking critical sex differences in how cancers start, spread, and respond to therapy. Lung cancer now kills more women than breast, ovarian, and cervical cancers combined, and rates are soaring among young, non-smoking women. Boosting sex-based cancer research will reveal why—and lead to breakthroughs in screening, care, and survival. Help us accelerate that work.
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Donate to Heart Health Research
Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women, but it remains underfunded, under-researched, and underdiagnosed. Nearly half of women over 20 have cardiovascular disease, pregnancy heart risks are widespread, and women are 50% more likely to die after a heart attack. Focused research can rewrite those odds—changing how heart disease is detected, treated, and prevented in women. Invest in saving women’s hearts.
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