UCB congratulates Kerry Black, Head of Early Solutions U.S. Operations, and Brooke Fleming, Head of Omnichannel Marketing and Digital Enablement, for their recognition by the Healthcare Businesswomen's Association (HBA) as 2022 Luminary and Rising Star, respectively.

As a Corporate Partner of HBA, UCB nominates two individuals annually who are Rising Stars or Luminaries (20+ years in the industry) and contribute significantly to our organization. These nominees exemplify what it means to be a leader, a team player, and a role model for others, as well as dedication to the healthcare industry.

People continue to face huge stressors both personally and professionally in the workforce as we come out of the global pandemic. Brooke’s advice to others is to continue to show up unapologetically as your whole self, act and speak courageously in the spaces and places where your voice is needed, and don’t be afraid to fail fast, get up, and try again. As Kerry shared, her reward comes from the successful and long-standing relationships she has developed. 

There is no better time to celebrate our women leaders and we applaud Kerry, Brooke, and the other awardees for their well-deserved recognition!

About Kerry

Kerry joined UCB two years ago as part of the Ra Pharmaceuticals acquisition. She began her career as a bench-level research scientist before moving to the operations side of the business. She has spent the last 20 years specializing in early-stage companies building business and operational infrastructure. Her science background, combined with an MBA, has provided a foundation enabling her to effectively cover all aspects of an early-stage company from initial financing through facility buildout and operation. As head of Early Solutions U.S. Operations, she utilizes her industry expertise and leadership ability to empower people to create value. She has an agile leadership approach, going into depth when needed and fixing problems hands-on while working on the big picture. Her goal is to provide an environment that allows the creative scientists at UCB to achieve success and feel appreciated.  

Outside of UCB, she enjoys reading, puzzles, exercising and spending as much time as possible with her college-age children.   

“It is a wonderful experience to work with people whose passion for drug development matches my own,” said Kerry, “as there is nothing more rewarding than doing something intended to help other people live better lives.”

About Brooke

Brooke joined UCB in December 2019 after moving from New York City back to her hometown, Atlanta, GA. As a true believer in behavioral science, Brooke spends her time at UCB helping the business create ideal customer experiences through Omnichannel marketing, rooted in truly understanding our customer needs and preferences. Having honed her advertising and marketing chops in the Atlanta, NYC, and Chicago markets, she has a special passion for elevating the voice of the patient and caregiver and maximizing the experiences of healthcare providers (HCPs). With 15 years of marketing and advertising experience – 11 in the pharma space, Brooke has helped launch nine pharmaceutical brands in the U.S. and four globally. Her 360-degree approach to customer engagement covers a wide spectrum of audiences including HCPs, patients, consumers, payers, caregivers, and advocacy groups. Her therapeutic experience spans oncology (solid tumors, hematologic malignancies & immuno-oncology), immunology (neurology, dermatology), virology, and cardiovascular and rare diseases (orphan status drugs), to name a few. In her free time, Brooke is a human and civil rights advocate, an avid re-run watcher of “The Office”, and a dedicated shoe shopper!

“As a black woman, winning HBA rising star for UCB demonstrates the truly expansive possibilities for women of color in this industry,” stated Brooke. “It is motivating and encouraging and for this, I am extremely thankful.”

HBA will host the Woman of the Year Event in New York City on Tuesday, May 10, where Rising Stars and Luminaries will be recognized and the achievements of remarkable leaders in the healthcare industry will be celebrated.

Congratulations again to Kerry and Brooke – we’re proud to honor you and are grateful for the important roles you both play in the lives of those at UCB and in creating value for people living with severe diseases.