Tech x Biopharma Caviar and Wine Mixer - The CommonWealth Club SF

Date: Feb 25, 2026, 5:30 - 8PM

The CommonWealth Club
110 Embarcadero Street, San Francisco

Waymo has partnered with us on this event to provide 50% off discount to event attendees. Use code "MELANIN26" and tag #waymo with a video post of your ride to encourage Waymo to continue to support our organizations.

Dress Code (Required): Cocktail attire in shades of nudes, browns, tans, and warm neutrals to celebrate the beauty and diversity of all complexions.

The Commonwealth Club, WeAre and MelanInScience are bring together leading voices to explore the powerful intersection of Tech and BioPharma.

Leaders, inventors and investors in tech and biopharma will enjoy a thought-provoking look at the opportunities, challenges, and future at the intersection of these industries.

What you will gain from attending:

• Breakthrough innovations shaping healthcare, drug discovery, and biotech
• Strategies for positioning yourself at the forefront of this evolving space
• Expanded network of investors, founders, and professionals across science and tech

This conversation will not only spotlight the intersection of technology and biopharma, but also serve as a space to empower and connect BIPOC professionals in tech and science while closing the racial wealth gap.

Complimentary wine and caviar tastings will be available for attendees courtesy of our sponsors Black Vines, Chef Joseph Paire III and 2F Drink.

Event Schedule:

5:30 - 6pm: Cocktail arrivals

6–7pm: Fireside chat

7 - 8pm: Cocktail and open networking

Panelists:

• Gerren Wilson, Pharm.D, Lifecycle Leader, Global Product Strategy, Roche
• Tashica Williams Amirgholizadeh, J.D., Ph.D., Senior Associate General Counsel, IP, Gilead Sciences
• Sanna Gaspard, PhD, CEO & Founder, Rubitection Inc.
• Farron Rucker, CTO & Co-Founder, Syntex [data]

Moderators:

• Michelle Meow, The Commonwealth Club and Host of the Michelle Meow Show

Event Hosts

MelaninScience

MelanInScience is reimagining the future of biotech and life sciences by building pathways for underrepresented talent. We connect academic training to industry opportunity through industry-backed programming, internships, and partnerships with leading biotech and biopharma companies.

Since our founding in 2024, we’ve impacted hundreds of students across 15 states and 20 countries. We’re building a future where Black and Brown scientists are not just represented in STEM — they are at the forefront of innovation, leadership, and discovery.

WeAre

WeAre is the only free members-only professional network alliance connecting and empowering people with African, African diaspora, Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander (API), Indigenous, Middle Eastern, and South Asian identities to build wealth in the industries of Technology and Sustainability. Join free.

The Commonwealth Club

With the sound of a gavel striking three times, another Commonwealth Club program begins, bringing together audiences with fascinating, intriguing and entertaining individuals.

Commonwealth Club World Affairs of California is the nation's oldest and largest public affairs forum. Every year, we present hundreds of forums on topics ranging across politics, culture, society, artificial intelligence and the economy.

Since its founding in 1903, Commonwealth Club World Affairs has played host to a diverse and distinctive array of speakers, from Teddy Roosevelt to George W. Bush, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, California Governor Jerry Brown, political activist Alicia Garza, political commentator George Will and environmental advocate Jane Goodall. Martin Luther King Jr., Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton and Bill Gates have all given landmark speeches at the Club.

Michelle Meow, Radio & TV talk show host

I've always dreamed big. As a little peculiar kid who grew up in Stockton, CA, I had an imagination that was too big for my little brain. I fantasized about a lot of things but as young as I can remember, I fantasized about being loved and accepted. The first time I tried to make friends with kids around my neighborhood, I was told to go "back to my country." Born here in California, I didn't know what they meant until the fights in the neighborhood became violent. The hatred you face from childhood to adulthood is dangerous and damaging. I hope one day we can change this for all of us. Why can't we learn to love and accept one another for our differences and our similarities? That is the journey or quest I am on and the reason behind the "Michelle Meow Show."

Sponsors & Supporters
Black Vines

The Commonwealth Club
AMP Public Relations
Chef Joseph Paire III
2F Drink
Waymo
Indigené Cellars
Violets Paradise