Chris Van Beneden ’84, MD, MPH

Epidemiologist, Consultant

Chris Van Beneden, MD, MPH, is a medical epidemiologist who spent more than 20 years at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases. She led CDC’s epidemiological research, policy development, and public health response related to group A streptococcal infections, both domestically and internationally. An expert in public health surveillance, she has focused on bacterial infections, respiratory disease outbreak management, and vaccine research for preventing bacterial respiratory diseases in resource-limited countries. She also held key leadership roles in CDC’s response to global health threats, including Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS-CoV), severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), and Ebola.

Michelle Chen ’91, Ph.D.

Biotech Executive

Michelle Chen, Ph.D., is the chief business officer at Insilico Medicine, a leader in AI-driven drug discovery and development. She has 25 years of experience in the biopharmaceutical and technology industries, having worked at multinational companies such as Roche, Merck, BioMarin, and Agilent, as well as at small biotech firms. As a public health manager at Applied Biosystems, she led the implementation of real-time PCR testing for the H1N1 virus in U.S. public health labs and collaborated with the CDC and World Health Organization to expand the program globally. In 2024, she was named one of the Top 25 Biotech Executives.

She earned a Bachelor of Science in chemistry and biochemistry from Bethany College, a doctorate in biochemistry from the University of Washington, completed postdoctoral research at the University of California, San Francisco, and received bioinformatics training at Stanford University.

Donna Grande, MGA

Executive Manager, Transformational Leader

Donna Grande is an executive leader with a passion for applying evidence-based principles and innovative strategies to enhance people, processes, and organizations. She has led high-performing teams at the American Medical Association, the American Nurses Association, and the American College of Preventive Medicine. She has also spearheaded high-impact campaigns for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health. Throughout her career, she has managed and directed national health initiatives for organizations such as the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the National Cancer Institute, the American Cancer Society, and the Visiting Nurse Associations of America.

Kelly Healy ’04, MPH

Project Director, Advocacy and Public Policy, PATH

Kelly Healy is a project director at PATH, a global organization dedicated to improving health worldwide. She co-leads a Gates Foundation-funded project advocating for increased funding and supportive policies for women’s and children’s health, including research and development for new health innovations. She has more than 20 years of experience in communications and advocacy. Before joining PATH, she led vaccine introduction advocacy efforts at Johns Hopkins University. She holds a Master of Public Health from George Washington University.

The Bethany Connect Speaker Series provides a space for the Bethany community to come together and explore the important questions of our time. Featuring distinguished alumni from a wide range of fields, this series goes beyond sharing expertise—it fosters meaningful conversations that encourage deeper understanding and engagement.

Bethany is committed to connecting Bethanians of all ages through this series. We invite you to listen, learn, and ask questions as we bring together current students, faculty, staff, and alumni in thought-provoking discussions. Join us and be part of the conversation.