Philanthropy and Community Impact
At HAVEN, we believe leadership is a force for good—and we’re committed to investing in the leaders and communities shaping a more inclusive future. One of the ways we live that commitment is through We Rise Together, a pro-bono leadership development initiative designed to expand access, build networks, and accelerate growth for leaders from underrepresented populations.
We Rise Together: Leadership Development with Lasting Impact
At HAVEN, we believe leadership development should do more than advance individual careers—it should expand opportunity, strengthen communities, and create lasting impact. We Rise Together is one way we live that belief.
Launched in 2020, We Rise Together is a pro-bono, cohort-based leadership development program designed for Director-to-VP-level leaders from underrepresented populations. The program focuses on building leadership capability while intentionally expanding access to networks, mentorship, and real-world learning opportunities that accelerate growth. To date, HAVEN has supported more than 100 leaders through this experience, fostering meaningful peer connections and powerful mentor relationships across organizations.
A defining element of We Rise Together is its “pay-it-forward” model. While HAVEN donates its time and expertise to deliver the program, participating organizations contribute a modest fee to ensure commitment and shared investment. After covering basic coordination costs, remaining funds are donated to nonprofit organizations advancing equity, access, and leadership development—extending the program’s impact well beyond each cohort.
We Rise Together reflects HAVEN’s belief that when leaders grow, communities benefit—and when opportunity expands, we all move forward.
Philanthropic Giving
To date, We Rise Together has raised more than $100,000, supporting organizations such as Black Women in Science and Engineering, Women in the Enterprise of Science and Technology, OutBio, and the Boston Women’s Fund—extending the program’s impact well beyond each cohort.
The result is a virtuous cycle: leaders gain the skills, confidence, and networks to rise within their organizations, while the program itself fuels philanthropic giving that supports broader community-based efforts to close representation gaps in leadership.
How It Works: We Rise Together
We Rise Together is a cohort-based leadership development and mentoring program designed to support underrepresented leaders at the Director–VP level within the biotech and life sciences community. The program runs over approximately nine months and is intentionally structured to combine skill-building, peer learning, and cross-company executive mentorship.
Program Structure
The program is delivered in two integrated phases:
Phase 1: Leadership Development (3 months)
Participants begin with a three-month development experience focused on accelerating career growth and leadership effectiveness. This phase includes:
- Expert-facilitated interactive learning sessions
- Workshops centered on career ownership, leadership presence, and peer coaching
- Small peer breakout groups that meet outside of formal sessions to apply learning to real work
- Collaborative, peer-to-peer learning designed to build confidence, skills, and networks
This phase creates a shared foundation and strong cohort connection before mentoring begins.
Phase 2: Executive Mentoring (6 months)
Following the development phase, participants are paired with a senior executive or board-level mentor from a different participating organization. This six-month mentoring relationship includes:
- Structured onboarding and mentor/mentee pairing
- Regular one-to-one mentoring conversations (minimum two per month)
- Ongoing support from the program coordinator
- Opportunities to deepen leadership insight, sponsorship, and cross-company perspective
- Mentors also participate in select workshops to ensure shared language and alignment throughout the experience.
Peer Coaching & Community Learning
In addition to individual mentoring, participants engage in guided peer coaching sessions during the program. These sessions help strengthen coaching skills, reinforce learning, and build trusted relationships within the cohort that often extend beyond the program itself.
Participation Model
The program operates on a “pay-it-forward” model. Organizations sponsoring participants also commit senior leaders to serve as mentors for participants from other companies, strengthening the broader biotech leadership ecosystem.
Interested in Getting Involved?
If your company is interested in participating in We Rise Together—whether as a participant or through mentorship, sponsorship, or partnership—we’d love to connect.
To learn more, please contact Ben Olds, Managing Partner at HAVEN, at BOlds@HAVENHumanAssets.com
