Honoring our 2026 HBA Luminary

We’re proud to recognize Janine Shea, Vice President of Market Access Strategy and Marketing, as Alkermes’ 2026 Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association (HBA) Luminary. Read on to learn more about Janine’s career journey, leadership philosophy and advice for women building careers in the life sciences industry.

Q: Tell us about your career journey.

I was born and raised in South Africa where I studied business with an emphasis in marketing. My career began working for a leading logistics company, after which time I transitioned to working in the life sciences industry, managing the global marketing efforts of a vaccine product for a global biopharmaceutical company. That position took me to Europe, where I lived and worked until moving to Boston in 2010. I have always been passionate about ensuring that patients can access the medications they need, so transitioning into the market access function was a natural fit for me. I joined Alkermes in 2013 as a Director of Market Access, where I supported the launch of two of our approved products. Since then, I have risen to lead our Market Access Strategy and Marketing efforts, which supports our proprietary products and contributes market access expertise to our late-stage pipeline assets.

Q: What is Market Access?

Securing regulatory approval of a product is only one part of the life sciences ecosystem. Once a product is approved for use by regulators, it’s vitally important that patients have access to the medication in an affordable and predictable manner. My team and I are responsible for strategies to support patient access to our proprietary products, including Alkermes’ co-pay and patient assistance programs across our commercial portfolio. Another important aspect of our role is to closely monitor the broader policy landscape and to create strategies to help address concerns which may arise from commercial payers, government agencies and other important stakeholders.

Q: As a senior leader at Alkermes, what key skills and traits have enabled you to grow your career?

I’ve always started with the premise that no one, regardless of experience or background, can accomplish anything by themselves. My team and I cannot do our jobs without excellent cross-functional relationships across our business, which I’ve built by ensuring that I am viewed as a reliable, knowledgeable and authentic partner. Beyond those relationships, I’ve found that staying curious has enabled me to rapidly respond to unforeseen and changing circumstances. Across functions, I can’t emphasize enough the importance of being a subject matter expert in your field. We live in a rapidly changing world and work in an industry rife with unpredictability. It’s okay to not know the answer to every question, but it’s vitally important for future leaders to develop the skills needed to react to the unknown in an efficient and intelligent manner.

Q: What is your leadership philosophy?

I am a strong advocate of “leading from behind,” which was a skill I’ve had to hone. When I made the transition from being an individual contributor to managing people, I had the feeling that I needed to “do it all.” As I’ve learned through time and effort, providing opportunities for your team to take the lead on projects, asking them to stretch to accomplish goals and being proactive about providing and accepting feedback make for a more productive and fulfilling work environment.

Q: As a 2026 HBA Luminary, what advice do you have for women earlier in their careers interested in advancing in the life sciences industry?

A few years ago I participated in the HBA’s Executive Exchange program, which I found to be an immensely rewarding and enriching experience. During one session, a speaker shared an anecdote from former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, who expressed feeling, in some circumstances, that she held back her thoughts during important meetings for fear of judgment. Her advice, which I’ve worked hard to follow, is that your voice matters. I believe that’s an especially important piece of advice for young female professionals to hear. Trust that you have done the work, have the knowledge and that your opinion is valuable and will make a difference. It can be hard at first, but, like any other skill, it gets easier with time. Also, surround yourself with people who lift you up. As my colleague and Alkermes’ Senior Vice President, Medical Affairs, Kanchan Relwani says, “be the shoulders that another woman can stand on.”

To that end, my final advice is to be grateful. Recognize that everyone who has supported you along your journey has actively invested their time and energy into making you more successful and helping you achieve your goals – see that investment as a gift and when you find yourself in a position to repay it, pass that wisdom along.