Vanessa Pott Semêdo is the Head of Global Patient Engagement at Boehringer Ingelheim. Her team aims to strengthen collaboration and partnerships with the patient community, systematically integrate patient and caregiver insights into the development of new drugs and foster a patient-centric culture within the company. Until recently, she was also the global patient engagement lead for Mental Health, Retinal Health & Emerging Areas. Before moving to Boehringer 2021, Vanessa specialized in patient insights and advocacy at Merck. Prior to working in pharma, she helped to build out Edelman’s global specialty practice for Health Systems, Health Policy and Patient Engagement. As the caregiver to a brother with a rare chromosomal condition and multiple complex medical needs, Vanessa is truly passionate about creating tangible impact for patients and their families, reducing health inequalities and advancing science.