ASAP Announces Reconstituted Advisory Council

New charter establishes 33-member council to guide strategic recommendations across four priority areas

Needham, MA, July 14, 2026—The Association of Strategic Alliance Professionals (ASAP) today announced its reconstituted 2026–2027 Advisory Council under a new charter. The council will help identify and prioritize the programs, education, content, and member opportunities of greatest value to alliance professionals across industries. The new structure marks a significant governance change for ASAP by strengthening the link between member insight, strategic recommendations, board oversight, and execution.

"This is an important governance milestone for ASAP," said Nicole Boston, CAE, CA-AM, president and CEO of ASAP. "The new charter creates a more strategic, responsive, and member-driven leadership body focused on where ASAP can deliver the greatest value and impact for alliance professionals worldwide."

Aida Bendt, head of alliance management, Oncology R&D, at AstraZeneca and newly appointed vice chair of the ASAP Board of Directors, will chair the Advisory Council and serve ex officio on all working groups.

"The 2026–2027 Advisory Council brings together an exceptional group of leaders whose experience, insight, and global perspectives will help guide ASAP’s next chapter of growth,” said Bendt. “Together, we’re committed to elevating the programs, resources, and opportunities that matter most to our members and to supporting the continued advancement of the profession.”

The council is organized into four strategic working groups: Biopharma, Cross-Industry & Technology, Career Development, and Academic Alliances. Each group will develop strategy recommendations for the ASAP Board of Directors. With board approval, ASAP staff and member volunteers will resource and operationalize the recommendations.

2026–2027 ASAP Advisory Council Members

Chair

• Aida Bendt, AstraZeneca, ASAP Board vice chair; Advisory Council chair and ex officio member of all working groups.

Academic Alliances Working Group

• Michelle Gardner, Northeastern University, co-chair
• Stefanie Schubert, Heidelberg University, co-chair
• Annlouise Goodermuth, Moderna
• Adam Kornetsky, Vantage Partners
• Kevin Little, Novo Nordisk
• Knut Sturmhoefel, Viopas Consulting

Biopharma Working Group

• Chris Black, Merck, co-chair
• Jan Twombly, The Rhythm of Business, co-chair
• Christine Goldschneider, Sanofi
• Tomoko Hanadate, Astellas
• Chi Sullivan, GSK
• Stefan Walke, Boehringer Ingelheim
• Nisha Zaidi, BMS

Career Development Working Group

• Katherine Ellison, Illumina, chair
• Annick De Swaef, Yocoto
• Markus Kropf, Merck KGaA
• Romuald Laine, Servier
• Brian Stewart, Daiichi Sankyo
• Sally Wang, International SOS
• Arne Wörn, Novartis

Cross-Industry & Technology Working Group

• Nancy Ridge, Lumin, co-chair
• Bill Thomas, PTC, co-chair
• Chris Chadwick, Canva
• Jim Chow, NVIDIA
• Christina Neary, Avanade
• Lynn Richard, GE Healthcare
• Louis Rinfret, allianceboard
• Phil Sack, Collaborare
• Yolanda Stead, Procore Technologies
• Laurent Valroff, Dassault Systèmes
• Penelope Wood, Roche

A full list of Advisory Council members is available at https://www.strategic-alliances.org/advisory-council  

About ASAP

The Association of Strategic Alliance Professionals (ASAP) is the premier global community for professionals who drive success through strategic alliances and partnerships. As a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, ASAP advances the alliance management profession through education, certification, and a global community of members across all industries, serving those at every stage of their careers. Learn more at www.strategic-alliances.org.