In this inspiring episode of Return on Empathy, host Rebecca Dhrimaj sits down with three trailblazing biotech leaders—Paula Soteropoulos (Biotech Executive and Board Chair), Dr. Shelley Force Aldred (Co-Founder and CEO of Rondo Therapeutics), and Dr. Magdalene Moran (CEO of Topo Therapeutics)—to explore what happens when organizations put human-centered leadership at the heart of cutting-edge scientific innovation.

The conversation dives deep into findings from a recent ResilientIQ diagnostic study conducted across 20 organizations in the Biotech CEO Sisterhood. Benchmarking collective empathy against organizational resilience, the study revealed an outstanding average resilience score of 33.7 out of 40—disproving the persistent myth that empathy is merely a "soft skill" that slows decision-making down. Instead, Paula, Shelley, and Magdalene demonstrate how empathy serves as an essential operational driver, providing the psychological safety and alignment required to pivot swiftly during clinical hurdles, funding freezes, and scientific uncertainty.