S4 E14 - Samantha (Mandy) Pulliam, CEO & Chief Medical Officer at Axena Health Inc

Leading Women’s Health Innovation: From Clinical Practice to CEO with Mandy PulliamIn this episode of She Leads Biotech, I’m joined by Samantha (Mandy) Pulliam, CEO and Chief Medical Officer at Axena Health, for a conversation that highlights what it really takes to lead in women’s health.Mandy’s journey is a unique one. She started her career as a practicing physician before stepping into the biotech and medtech space, bringing with her a deep understanding of patient care that continues to shape how she leads today.What stood out to me in this conversation is how intentional she has been about bridging clinical insight with innovation. At Axena Health, she’s focused on addressing conditions that have historically been under-discussed and underserved, particularly in pelvic health.We talk about the realities of building and leading in women’s health, where the need is significant, but awareness, funding, and attention have often lagged behind.Mandy shares how she approaches leadership as both a clinician and a CEO, how she thinks about patient impact alongside commercial success, and why creating solutions in this space requires both persistence and a willingness to challenge long-standing assumptions.This is a conversation about leadership, purpose, and the responsibility that comes with developing products that directly impact patients’ quality of life.And a reminder that innovation in healthcare isn’t just about new technology, it’s about truly understanding the people you’re trying to help.📌 Chapters00:00 Introduction01:48 Mandy’s journey from physician to CEO03:52 Moving from clinical practice into industry05:41 Why women’s health remains underserved07:32 The mission behind Axena Health09:18 Addressing pelvic health challenges11:05 Bridging patient care and innovation13:12 Leadership as both a clinician and executive15:20 Navigating funding and awareness gaps17:08 Building solutions that truly serve patients19:06 Commercial strategy in women’s health21:14 Lessons learned stepping into the CEO role23:02 Advice for women entering biotech leadership24:40 Balancing purpose with business outcomes26:18 The future of women’s health innovation🎙️ She Leads Biotech celebrates the journeys of women shaping the future of life sciences.Subscribe for more conversations with biotech leaders, founders, and innovators.#SheLeadsBiotech #WomensHealth #BiotechLeadership #LifeSciences #MedTech #WomenInBiotech #HealthcareInnovation #CNAUSAExecutiveSearch