Jennie Starr, JD, MA
Alliances
Marketing & Brand Planning
Clinical Studies

Experience

I began my career practicing law, and was later drawn to sales and then marketing in tech companies where I discovered my passion for improving products and developing go‑to‑market strategies. After working for several startups and founding a nonprofit, I returned to industry choosing pharma which offered the opportunity to make a difference for patients and be part of innovating for human health.

My re‑entry into industry began with a small CRO, where I led marketing of microbial assay testing for functional food, nutraceutical, and agrobiotech products. That experience deepened my interest in microbiome science and opened the path to therapeutics and diagnostics. Since then, I’ve led sales, marketing, and clinical teams, and today at Nestlé Health Science I lead Market Insights and Brand Planning for the Pharma portfolio while supporting our clinical team with marketing and recruitment plans for nutrition and gut health studies. Previously, at Seres Therapeutics, I led marketing and donor recruitment for the GoodNature program, helping identify and retain the donors whose gut bacteria fueled the first FDA‑approved oral microbiome therapeutic for patients with an antibiotic resistant infection called C. difficile.

I have worked in highly structured settings (legal) rapid pace (high tech) and bring legal skills (SOWs, NDAs, negotiation) into the creative (product management) to improve communication (sales tools, training) and strengthen process (project management, functional specification, enhancement pipelines) to make teams more efficient and meet product deadlines.  I am very good at putting just enough process in place to increase productivity without impeding innovation.

Education
JD, Law, Washington University School of Law
MS, Information Science, University of Illinois
BA, Political Science, Northwestern University

Boards

Microbiome Center Consortium (MCC) Industry Bridge 2025-present
The Foundation for Peripheral Neuropathy 2025-present
Women in Bio Advisory Board (San Diego)  2022-present

Awards

• Time 100 Most Influential Company 2023, Seres Therapeutics
• Fierce Pharma Marketing Awards, Finalist, Seres Therapeutics
• Sales Excellence Awards  Lexis-Nexis President’s Club(2x), Circle of Excellence (2x), Midwest Region(1x)
• Client Counseling Competition Finalist and Regional Competitor & Order of Barristers Excellence in interview, counsel, rapport, investigation and service of client goals and art of courtroom advocacy.

NonProfit – Founder/Executive Director

Tarbuton & Startup18: I founded this nonprofit serving as the Executive Director and managing programs, employment, legal, financial and board/corporate governance.  Tarbuton was recognized in the Slingshot Guide Tarbuton & Startup18 (3x), an annual compilation of the most inspiring and innovative American Jewish nonprofits and trusted foundation resource to guide grant decisions.

Women in Bio Leadership: I joined this life science focused national organization serving in a variety of Chair roles including EWIB Vice-Chair 2020-present, Chapter Chair, 2020-2021, Chair and Founder, MAPS, Mentors, Advisors and Peers group (2017-2020).

Leadership Style

I encourage collaboration, empower leadership and ownership from idea to execution, expect mistakes will happen but we’ll leverage lessons learned for future success. I encourage professional development while meeting and exceeding goals.