Key Points
- Dr. Lewis-Hall has spent more than 40 years on the frontlines of healthcare as a clinician, researcher, and leader in the biopharmaceutical and life sciences industries.
- She has been involved with the Foundation since 2021 as a member of the Council.
The Foundation is pleased to welcome Freda Lewis-Hall, MD, DFAPA, MFPM, to its Board of Directors.
Dr. Lewis-Hall is a pioneer in medicine, having spent more than 40 years on the frontlines of healthcare as a clinician, researcher, and leader in the biopharmaceutical and life sciences industries.
She served more than ten years on the executive leadership team as Executive Vice President, Chief Medical Officer, and later Chief Patient Officer at Pfizer, Inc. Her tenure there was devoted to ensuring the safe, effective, and appropriate use of medicines and vaccines produced by the pharmaceutical giant, from the first clinical trial to its last use.
Prior to joining Pfizer, Dr. Lewis-Hall held senior leadership roles at Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Pharmacia Corporation, and Eli Lilly and Company.
Before entering the biopharmaceutical industry, Dr. Lewis-Hall served as the Vice Chair of the Department of Psychiatry at Howard University Hospital and on the faculty of Howard University College of Medicine, where she earned her medical degree. She also practiced in a healthcare manpower shortage area in the US Virgin Islands.
Dr. Lewis-Hall recently completed a decade of service on the inaugural Board of Governors for the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI). She currently serves on the Boards of the Foundation of the National Institutes of Health, The Milken Institute, the Prostate Cancer Foundation, and the Davos Alzheimer’s Collaborative. She also serves on the corporate boards of Milliken and Company, a global diversified industrial manufacturer; 1Life Healthcare, Inc., a health services company; Exact Sciences, Inc., a molecular diagnostics company; SpringWorks Therapeutics, a biopharmaceutical company; and Pyxis Oncology, a biopharmaceutical company.
In 2021, Dr. Lewis-Hall joined the Foundation’s Council, a dedicated group of goodwill ambassadors who work closely with the Board of Directors and staff to provide advice and assist with raising funds and building awareness. She also presented a special lecture at the 8th International Symposium on Focused Ultrasound that addressed the importance of reducing disparities in clinical trials, particularly the need to increase racial diversity among those enrolled.
“Freda has been a valued member of the Foundation community for the past couple of years, and we are honored that she has agreed to join the Board,” said Foundation Chairman Neal F. Kassell, MD. “Her experience in the biopharmaceutical industry and passion for patient advocacy are unparalleled and strongly align with the Foundation’s initiatives in advancing focused ultrasound therapy.”
“I am passionate about advancing the development, delivery, and deployment of transformational technology with the potential to save lives,” said Dr. Lewis-Hall. “I believe focused ultrasound to be such a technology, and I am proud to have been involved with the Foundation for the past few years. Now, as a member of the Board, I look forward to continuing our work toward the common goal of improving the lives of patients around the world.”