No. 7: Debbie Hart

Hart worked with the state’s biotechnology industry leaders to establish BioNJ in 1994 and has been dedicated to building the state’s life sciences ecosystem ever since. Those efforts have been even more critical during the COVID-19 pandemic, with New Jersey situated squarely in the middle of both the outbreak and the fight to end it.

Hart was named by Gov. Phil Murphy to the New Jersey Commission on Science, Innovation and Technology and as co-chair of the Higher Education Strategic Plan Research, Innovation and Talent Working Group. She also served as chair of the bipartisan, bicameral Biotechnology Task Force which was charged with making recommendations to the Legislature for fostering the growth of the industry in New Jersey.

BioNJ is one of the organizations at the forefront of the debate over prescription drug pricing. In September, the organization released a white paper on the issue titled Prescription Drug Affordability Boards: Myths vs. Facts on Drug Supply Chain. “Prescription Drug Affordability Boards threaten Patient access to existing treatments and dampen future medical innovations for hard-to-treat conditions,” Hart said at the time. “BioNJ is committed to working with New Jersey policymakers to implement solutions that ensure patients have meaningful access to their medicines, reduce health care costs, and support innovation necessary for future cures and treatments.”

Hart is a founding board member and officer of Opportunity NJ, a nonprofit working toward a strong and sustainable state economy and serves on the boards of the state Chamber of Commerce and Choose New Jersey.

She was named one of the world’s 100 Most Influential People in Biotechnology by Scientific American Worldview and to PharmaVOICE’s 2019 100 Most Inspiring People list and as one of New Jersey’s top CEOs by COMMERCE Magazine.