Jessica Halem is Co-Founder and Head of Business Development at Aviva Bio, a biotech start-up developing a safer, smarter testosterone specifically for women. As a seasoned strategist and advocate, Jessica has devoted her career to helping people and organizations navigate change and build solutions with clarity and purpose.

Jessica’s career began in the world of public policy, working alongside iconic feminist leader and former Congresswoman Bella Abzug at the Women’s Environment & Development Organization. In this role, Jessica traveled to Beijing for the historic United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women, an experience that cemented her commitment to advancing progress on a large scale.

For the next several years, Jessica followed an unlikely path to enhance her communication skills: pursuing a career in public relations and marketing while also training at the famed Second City in Chicago. At Second City, she honed the art of improv and storytelling, launching a successful comedy career. Her skillful use of improv in the corporate workplace was then featured in Fast Company and The Wall Street Journal.

Jessica was lured back to the non-profit sector by the opportunity to become Executive Director of the Lesbian Community Cancer Project. Partnering with the CDC and national leaders, she implemented the first cultural competency trainings for clinicians, a groundbreaking shift in cancer prevention and patient care for lesbian and bisexual women.

In 2014, Jessica joined Harvard Medical School as the inaugural LGBTQ Outreach and Engagement Director, transforming curricula, training faculty, and mentoring medical students to improve medicine. A long-time fundraiser, she secured a historic $1.5 million dollar grant to integrate sexual and gender minority health equity into the Harvard curriculum. She later served as Senior Director at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, where she launched a consulting service for healthcare companies.

A sought-after speaker and inspiring educator, Jessica has delivered grand rounds at over 100 medical schools, associations, and hospitals worldwide as well as keynote addresses to Fortune 500 companies and nonprofits alike. Her scholarship appears in The New England Journal of Medicine, JAMA Network Open, AMA Journal of Ethics, and American Journal of Health Promotion.

Jessica has been recognized by Women’s eNews, The Advocate, GLMA, and the Health Enhancement Research Organization (HERO). She serves on the Board of the Tegan and Sara Foundation, overseeing the award-winning LGBTQ Healthcare Directory.

Halem holds a BA from Sarah Lawrence College and an MBA from Simmons University.

Awards

  • American Journal of Health Promotion, Best of the Year List, 2023

  • Health Enhancement Research Organization, President’s Award, 2022

  • Pride Life Global, Pride Inclusion Advocate, 2022

  • The Advocate, Champions of Pride, 2021

  • GLMA, Achievement Award, 2019

  • Harvard Medical School, Student Life Award, 2018

  • Chicago Comedy Award, 2008

  • Howard Brown, Community Leader Award, 2006

  • Cook County Commission on Women’s Issues, Unsung Heroine Award, 2002

  • Women eNews, 21 Leaders for the 21st Century, 2001

Press