Philadelphia, PA (December 9, 2024) - The University City Science Center, a catalyst of entrepreneurial activity and economic growth in the Philadelphia region and beyond, announces the appointment of Wendy K. Nickel, MPH, as Chief Program Officer. Wendy has over 25 years of experience in effective health advocacy, program development, and business strategy. In this newly created role, she will oversee the implementation, operation, and evaluation of programming at the Science Center, from startup acceleration to STEM education.
“Wendy’s experience developing and scaling programs that are durable and purpose-driven for participants, will be critical to the Science Center’s mission of preparing a new generation of life sciences and healthcare technology startups for commercial success,” said Science Center President and CEO Tiffany Wilson. “Her understanding of the region’s ecosystem – working with other leading nonprofit healthcare organizations – will be invaluable as we forge new partners and deepen our relationships with the blue chip healthcare institutions that are part of Philadelphia’s DNA.”
Completed in 2021, the Science Center’s strategic plan focuses on supporting life sciences and healthcare technology startups through efficient commercialization pathways and increasing access to capital, as well as investing in the future talent pool with programs like FirstHand™. Today, the 501(c)(3) nonprofit institution provides the necessary expertise and resources to support early-stage companies through customer discovery, product-market fit, and capital financing, among other growth stage milestones.
“For decades, the Science Center has brought out the best in our life sciences and healthcare community, paving the way for a more inclusive economy and ensuring that current and future founders always have an advocate in their corner,” said Wendy. “I’m excited to contribute to this tradition of transformation, building on bedrock programs like Capital Readiness, the Founders Fellowship, and FirstHand. I want to listen and engage with our diverse communities to ensure technology creation meets the needs of those who have the most to gain from innovation.”
Wendy comes to the Science Center after holding various leadership positions at the American College of Physicians and the Colorectal Cancer Alliance. Most recently, she served as president at Health Care Improvement Foundation, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to improve health, equity, quality of care, and access to care through stakeholder collaboration and shared learning in partnership with patients, healthcare professionals, and other constituents. As chief program officer, she will leverage these past relationships and experiences to bolster programming and help to expand on the Science Center’s existing infrastructure. A strong belief of Wendy's is that programs should be designed in partnership with the communities they serve to ensure alignment with needs, values, and expected outcomes of success.
About the Science Center
The Science Center is Philadelphia’s premier catalyst of entrepreneurial activity, healthcare innovation, and economic growth. Established in 1963, the nonprofit has been recognized by The Brookings Institution as a best-in-class investor, mentor, and economic development partner for young technology companies. Working alongside industry partners and leading research and academic institutions across the globe, the Science Center has supported hundreds of early-stage companies that have a combined $7.8B annual economic impact on Greater Philadelphia. Today, the organization advances healthcare innovation from idea to the marketplace through startup support services and building inclusive STEM pathways for Philadelphia youth. For more information, visit sciencecenter.org.
