RISE 2025
Agenda
Leadership on the Global Stage
The RISE agenda has been thoughtfully designed to provide a global perspective on leadership for women in cardiology. While gender parity is increasing among trainees entering cardiovascular medicine, the number of women in leadership positions remains critically low. RISE aims to equip women in cardiology with the non-clinical skills essential to career advancement.
RISE @ ESC Congress 2025 brings together an exceptional faculty of global leaders, including Program Directors Dr. Roxana Mehran, Dr. María Rubini, and Dr. Liesl Zühlke. Participants will gain invaluable insights, strategic perspectives, and the inspiration needed to chart their own course toward leadership. View the full agenda below.
RISE @ ESC Congress 2025 will:
- Provide opportunities for mentorship from top leaders in cardiovascular medicine and research
- Grow each participant’s network of support and open doors to future opportunities
- Showcase what Women As One, ESC, WHF, and other organizations are doing around the world to support women in medicine and improve cardiovascular care
- Identify areas of need and prioritize initiatives that address specific regional challenges
Leadership on the Global Stage in 2025
8:00am – 8:30am
Registration and Breakfast
8:30am – 8:35am
Welcome Remarks
MC Dr. Sarah Birkhoelzer and RISE Program Directors Dr. Roxana Mehran, Dr. María Rubini and Dr. Liesl Zühlke.
8:35am – 8:45am
Opening Remarks and RISE Partnership
Jean-François Riffaud, European Society of Cardiology and Borjana Pervan, World Heart Federation.
8:45am – 9:35am
House of Cardiology Roundtable – Working Together to Put Gender Equity Front and Center
This session will explore how leading societies in cardiovascular medicine can support and elevate the work of women physicians.
Moderators: Dr. Roxana Mehran and María Rubini
Participants: Dr. Chris Kramer (American College of Cardiology); Dr. Thomas Lüscher (European Society of Cardiology); Dr. Athena Poppas (World Heart Federation); Dr. Stacey Rosen (American Heart Association).
9:35am – 10:30am
Heart Talk with the Global Community – Solutions in Practice
In this session, we’ll hear from working physicians about the unique challenges facing women in cardiology in their region of the globe, and discuss targeted solutions and opportunities for growth.
Moderator: Dr. Barbara Casadei
Participants: Dr. Carla Agatiello (South America); Dr. Nouf Alanazi (Middle East); Dr. Sonya Burgess (Australia/New Zealand); Dr. Dipti Itchhaporia (North America); Dr. Vijay Kunadian (Europe); Dr. Sarita Rao (Asia); Dr. Liesl Zühlke (Africa).
10:30am – 10:45am
Morning Coffee Break
10:45am – 12:15pm
Situational Strategies for Success: Live Coaching Session with Actors
An interactive session addressing three unique kinds of leadership: managing up, managing down, and managing across. Attendees will use live polling functions to report specific professional challenges they are facing, and an executive coach will do a live role-play session addressing some of the most commonly reported concerns.
Facilitator: Milly Sinclair, Executive Coach
12:15pm – 1:30pm
Lunch Symposia
Attendees will be able to choose to attend one of two available symposia.
- Championing Women’s Heart Health: A Call to Action, sponsored by Medtronic
Hear from a panel of experts as they explore inclusive clinical trial designs and the unmet needs in women’s heart health and discuss a community-wide call to action on how we can each play a role in transforming care for women around the world.
Panelists: Dr. Mirvat Alasnag, Dr. Kendra Grubb, Dr. Pam Rajendran Taub, and Dr. Joanna Wykrzykowska. - Advancing Gender Equity In Cardiology for Medical Professionals and Patients, sponsored by Daiichi Sankyo.
The session will explore how industry can actively support women in academia and clinical practice; building visibility and leadership through peer collaboration and personal branding and the importance of gender-specific approaches in CVD prevention and treatment.
Speakers: Professor Lina Badimon, Dr. Leticia Fernandez Friera, Professor Vijay Kunadian, and Neil Johnson. Moderated by Dr. Julia Brandts.
1:30pm – 3:30pm
Speed Mentoring sessions
Featuring a diverse panel of accomplished senior leaders in cardiovascular medicine, this dynamic session connects participants one-on-one with experienced mentors for focused, high-impact conversations designed to provide personalized guidance on career advancement and navigating challenges. Participants will rotate through multiple brief mentoring conversations, gaining diverse perspectives and actionable insights from leaders who understand the unique journey of women cardiologists. Mentors will share contact information for ongoing support beyond the conference.
Faculty: Dr. Carla Agatiello; Dr. Barbara Casadei; Dr. Irene Fernandez-Ruiz; Dr. Alessia Gimelli; Dr. Roxana Mehran; Dr. Jennifer Mieres; Dr. Athena Poppas; Dr. Clara Saldarriaga; Dr. Antonia Sambola; Dr. Liesl Zühlke.
3:30pm – 3:45pm
Coffee Break
3:45pm – 4:30pm
Industry Panel
A discussion on how industry can support gender equity on a regional and global scale.
Moderator: Dr. Dipti Itchhaporia
Participants: Dr. Jeanine Cordova, Global Medical Director, Obesity Team, Amgen; Dr. Kendra Grubb, VP and CMO of Structural Heart, Medtronic; Dr. Carol Pitcher Towner, SVP, Head of Development Programs, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals; Doris Pommi, SVP, Cardiovascular Care, Siemens Healthineers.
4:30pm – 5:15pm
The Anatomy of a Great Manuscript
Journal editors from the Lancet, NEJM, EHJ, and more will answer questions on how to maximize the impact of published scientific research.
Moderator: Dr. Faiez Zannad
Participants: Dr. Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo (JAMA); Flavia Geraldes (The Lancet); Dr. Alessia Gimelli (European Heart Journal); Dr. Joseph Hill (Circulation); Dr. Jane Leopold (New England Journal of Medicine); Dr. Gregory Lim (Nature Reviews Cardiology); Dr. Sonia Muliyil (The Lancet).
5:15pm – 5:30pm
Closing Remarks and Future Steps Forward
RISE Program Directors Dr. Roxana Mehran, Dr. María Rubini and Dr. Liesl Zühlke.
Don’t Miss Out – Register Now!
Registration is open for those working in cardiology and cardiovascular subspecialties. Please note that RISE registration is separate from ESC Congress registration and operates on a first-come, first-served basis.
Related FAQs
A few words from our community
The RISE meeting at ESC Congress was amazing. It focused on professional development for women in cardiology in a seminar-type format with hands-on role-playing sessions. Such an inspiring and practical experience – thank you very much to the organisers!
Professor Martine Gilard, MD, PhD, FESC
Emeritus Professor of Cardiology, Brest University, France
The second edition of the RISE Conference was phenomenal! I left the conference with a full heart, confidence and many tools to navigate the cardio world as a woman!
Alexandra Bastiany, MD FRCPC DRCPSC
Interventional Cardiologist, Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, Canada
I could not imagine a better start to this year’s ESC Congress in London than with RISE @ ESC Congress 2024. Thank you Women As One and the European Society of Cardiology for this absolutely amazing day. This kind of perfectly framed and sincere female empowerment makes me see a bright future a lot clearer. I can’t wait for the next RISE event to come.
Dr. Julia Lueg
Cardiology resident, Deutsches Herzzentrum der Charité, Berlin, Germany
Incredible day talking mentorship, negotiation & conflict resolution, & changing institutional culture so that women in cardiology can rise! Met some truly inspiring women from across the globe.
Elizabeth Epstein, MD
Chief Cardiology Fellow, Scripps Integrative Cardiology, USA
Why sign up to our Community
The Talent Directory is a global professional community explicitly tailored for women cardiologists across diverse medical specialties.
Join us to embark on a journey of professional growth, collaboration, and empowerment. Together, let’s redefine the future of medicine.
Benefits and Opportunities
- Access tailored professional programs
- Unlock professional opportunities for thought leadership
- Lead in clinical trials and committees
- Gain access to a global network of women cardiologists
- Work with industry to develop your career and create better patient outcomes
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