Name: Nancy J Kelley
College: Saybrook College, BA Economics, 1984
Hometown: Manchester, CT
Place of Residence: New York, New York. 15 years.
Job: Founder, President & CEO of Nancy J Kelley + Associates
Interests/ Activities: Travel, Arts, Books, Theatre, Film, Opera, Swimming, Biking, Sailing, Hiking
Best Advice for Recent Graduates: Follow your heart in all things and never give up in the face of setbacks or challenges.
Background:
Nancy J Kelley, MD/MPP, is a nationally recognized life science executive and serial entrepreneur who has driven key strategic initiatives in science and medicine for over 30 years. Nancy is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Nancy J Kelley + Associates.
Ms. Kelley’s work has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, TIME, nature, Science, Forbes, WIRED, STAT, MIT Technology Review, HuffPost, FAST Company and Biotechniques, amongst other publications.
What project are you working on right now?
At Nancy J Kelley + Associates, we operate at the intersection of science, medicine, innovation, and impact through four core pillars: BioVenture Studio, BioBuild, BioExplore, and BioEngage—each designed to advance transformative life sciences initiatives.
Through NJK+A BioVenture Studio, we help build game-changing institutions—from startups spinning out of academia to international companies looking to commercialize in the U.S. Right now, we’re especially focused on Kyttaro Therapeutics, a company that holds an extensive patent portfolio in mesenchymal and modified stem cells and is developing advanced cell and gene therapies for diseases with a high, unmet clinical need.
NJK+A BioBuild focuses on creating sustainable life sciences real estate. One of our most exciting projects is the New York Biogenesis Park on Long Island—a first-of-its kind, fully integrated cell and gene therapy ecosystem in the U.S. Supported by a $150 million commitment from the State of New York, key partners include Northwell Health and the Pennsylvania Biotechnology Center, which will operate a new 50,000- square-foot incubator on-site.
Through NJK+A BioExplore, we conduct cutting-edge market research to inform smart strategy. We recently completed a comprehensive Life Sciences Market Assessment for Mercy University, identifying opportunities and partnerships to shape the university’s workforce development programs. Mercy University is the region’s largest private institution serving Hispanic and underserved populations. This work is deeply aligned with our commitment to social justice—a core value that informs everything we do.
Finally, NJK+A BioEngage is about community building—connecting stakeholders across the life sciences ecosystem to solve grand challenges. Eight years ago, NJK+A co founded Builds Bio+ with four other NYC firms, which convenes leaders across regional life science innovation hubs including New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, Philadelphia, and London through events, research, and education.
What impact do you hope to have on your community? The world?
My purpose is to build things that matter for science and medicine in order to accelerate breakthroughs toward a more sustainable and equitable future.
What kind of response have you gotten to your research / findings?
The impact has been significant—and continues to grow. Across all four pillars, we’ve:
- Attracted over $230 million in financial investment for life science ventures
- Advised and executed on life science innovation projects totaling more than 20 million square feet across 500 acres
- Built a proprietary database of 65,000+ life sciences and real estate contacts, offering unparalleled access to thought leaders
- Hosted over 100 events, both online and in-person, drawing more than 15,000 attendees to date across the life sciences ecosystem
But these numbers only tell part of the story. These projects have touched hundreds of thousands of lives. Consider the groundbreaking research at the New York Genome Center, the spinouts and discoveries catalyzed by the Alexander Center for Life Science, or the advances made in cancer diagnostics by OmniSeq, a spinout from the Roswell Park Cancer Institute. These aren’t just isolated successes—they’re part of a much broader ripple effect, where ideas turn into cures, startups grow into institutions, and innovation reverberates across the entire industry.
What is your favorite aspect of your work?
That’s an easy one—creating new solutions where only problems existed before. There’s nothing more rewarding than transforming a challenge into a breakthrough, and watching something that once felt impossible start to take shape in the real world.
The road to development can be long and winding. Tell us about how a difficult project came to be?
One of the most challenging projects was the creation of the New York Genome Center. Bringing together 11 of the world’s leading academic medical institutions was an extraordinary challenge—technically, logistically, politically. There were many moments along the way when success felt uncertain. But the NJK+A team knew we had to get up every day and try. That, to me, is the essence of this work. You keep going, even when the outcome isn’t clear. You build trust, you navigate obstacles, and you persevere. Eventually, through sheer determination and collaboration with a dose of good luck, you create something that has the power to change the world.
What business pressures (whether getting funding or taking a product to market) have you felt in your career?
Many of the projects I take on challenge entrenched thinking. We often enter situations where institutions or industries are stuck—exhausted by debate or blind to the need for change. People get so used to “business as usual” they no longer recognize the threats or the opportunities in front of them.
Starting something new opens up exciting possibilities, but it also means stepping into the unknown. You don’t get clarity on day one. I always tell my teams: “Don’t expect it anytime soon.” Our job is to ask the hard questions, wrestle with complexity, and stay open to unexpected answers.
What we know is this: our work will disrupt the system. We challenge assumptions about what’s possible, and we keep pushing, even when others say, “That will never happen.”
That’s where our commitment matters most: doing whatever it takes to move through the ambiguity and find a path forward.
Share a turning point or defining moment in your work
One of the most defining moments of my career happened while walking across the Brooklyn Bridge. At the time, I had spent years working on major projects—always for other people, for other institutions. I found myself at a crossroads, unsure of what would come next, but knowing I needed to make a change.
I had walked to the middle of the bridge and was praying for direction, looking up at the East River. Then, suddenly, I looked down and saw a message carved into the banister of the bridge. It said: “Build something that matters.” That stopped me in my tracks. The simple phrase captured everything I was feeling and it became the guiding principle for what came next. That was the moment I decided to start working on the things that mattered most to me. It’s also the motto that now defines our company and everything we choose to take on.
Public health is a huge topic no matter what one’s specialty. What do you view as the #1 health challenge today?
I believe the biggest challenge we face is chronic illness and, more specifically, our system’s failure to prioritize wellness and prevention over treatment of disease as the first intervention. Our healthcare infrastructure is fundamentally reactive. It’s designed to treat disease once it manifests, rather than to invest in keeping people healthy in the first place. This issue is compounded by the institutional shortcomings of the insurance industry, which routinely fails to reimburse for preventive care even when such interventions could significantly reduce long-term costs and improve quality of life. Prevention remains an afterthought, when it should be at the center of our public health strategy. Until we shift our mindset and our systems toward proactive, preventative care, we’ll continue to see unsustainable spending and avoidable suffering.
A few years ago, NJK+A examined a major paradigm shift occurring in science and medicine from a deterministic, disease focused approach in Western medicine to a more holistic and proactive approach to healthcare that focused on understanding the causes of complex disease, predicting susceptibility to disease, preserving wellness and protecting health in spite of susceptibility. Once disease occurred, the focus shifted to restoring function with targeted individualized therapies. We worked with a national foundation to create a strategic plan for a Personalized Wellness Institute that could lead the way to a different future.
How did the idea for your business come about?
The idea took root when I was practicing as a corporate securities partner at Hale and Dorr (now Wilmer Hale). I was advising a range of life science/ healthcare companies and learning a tremendous amount about how businesses are built and financed. But over time, I realized that what I really wanted was to be on the other side of the table; not just advising founders, but rolling up my sleeves and working alongside startup teams to help create value from the ground up.
That shift—from counselor to builder—ultimately led to the creation of my own firm, where I could focus on what I’m most passionate about: helping visionary teams turn big ideas into transformative realities.
How do you find people to bring into your organization?
I look for people who are deeply committed and creatively engaged with their work. Experience is great, but it’s not everything. If someone comes in without a traditional background but brings curiosity, drive, and a willingness to roll up their sleeves, I’ll take that over a “perfect” or even “relevant” resume any day.
It’s about potential and passion—not just credentials. I stay open to people from all walks of life, because that’s often where the most original thinking and meaningful contributions come from. My team used to joke that every time I went out to dinner, we gained a new employee!
How do you define success?
I’ve never had a job; I’ve only ever had a mission. I’ve never had a boss; I’ve only ever had a purpose. Success, to me, is waking up every day and taking meaningful steps toward fulfilling that mission and realizing that purpose.
What role has NYC or Yale played in your success?
Both Yale and NYC gave me access to stages I never could have imagined.
Yale changed the trajectory of my life. As a mother of three young children, transferring to Yale from a community college and commuting to campus, Yale chose to see my potential, and gave me a platform that propelled me forward to Harvard Law, Harvard Kennedy School and the White House. That transition wasn’t easy because I was majoring in Economics without having had the requisite preparation in calculus. I was fortunate to have had the help of my economics advisor, Richard Murnane, who challenged me, then supported and tutored me when I passed his entry level examination. I eventually graduated from Yale magna cum laude and led Saybrook College as its Banner Bearer that year.
New York City has given me the biggest stage in the world. A place to dream big, build boldly, and collaborate with some of the most ambitious, innovative minds anywhere.
I’m deeply, eternally grateful to both.
How did you obtain investors/funding for your venture?
You start by doing your homework, building the strongest possible story and financial case for why your venture matters and how it will deliver a return. Then, you communicate that story in ways that help people not just understand the opportunity, but see the potential and dream alongside you. It takes time and effort and doesn’t always proceed in a linear fashion.
It’s also critical to diversify your funding sources. We’ve drawn on a broad range of support: institutional and academic investors, venture capital, philanthropic funders, private industry, sponsorships, public funding, and strategic partnerships. Each brings something different to the table.
But just as important as building a strong coalition is avoiding over-reliance on any one funding stream. That kind of imbalance can put a project at risk. The most resilient ventures are those backed by a well-rounded ecosystem of supporters, all aligned around a shared vision.
How have your entrepreneurial motivations changed since you first started?
When I first began, my focus was on helping one company at a time, advising them on how to bring their products to market and position them for success. Over time, that motivation has expanded. Now, I’m working across the entire ecosystem, leading projects that have the potential to shift the trajectory of the industry itself. It’s gone from supporting individual players to shaping the environment in which innovation happens.
