Karen Cavanaugh
About Karen Cavanaugh
Karen Cavanaugh serves as the Vice President of Marketing at Nektar Therapeutics, where she has worked since 2017. She holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of California, Berkeley, and an MBA from Saint Mary's College of California, bringing extensive experience in commercial leadership across various therapeutic areas.
Current Role at Nektar Therapeutics
Karen Cavanaugh serves as the Vice President of Marketing at Nektar Therapeutics, a position she has held since 2017. In this role, she oversees all commercial prelaunch and launch activities, which include forecasting, pricing, market research, competitive intelligence, and digital marketing. Cavanaugh reports directly to the Chief Operating Officer (COO) and is responsible for global commercial leadership across multiple franchises, including oncology, analgesia, anti-infectives, autoimmune, and rare diseases.
Previous Experience at Stiefel, a GSK Company
Before joining Nektar Therapeutics, Karen Cavanaugh worked at Stiefel, a GSK Company, where she held two significant positions. From 2003 to 2007, she served as Senior Director of Commercial Development, followed by her role as Vice President of Global New Product Planning from 2007 to 2009. Both positions were based in North Carolina, where she contributed to various aspects of product development and commercialization.
Experience at Genomic Health
Karen Cavanaugh also worked at Genomic Health from 2010 to 2013 as part of the marketing team for the Breast Franchise. This role was based in Redwood City, California, and involved strategic marketing initiatives aimed at enhancing the company's presence in the breast cancer market.
Educational Background
Karen Cavanaugh holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California, Berkeley. She furthered her education by obtaining a Master of Business Administration from Saint Mary's College of California. This educational background has equipped her with the skills necessary for her roles in marketing and commercial leadership within the pharmaceutical industry.
Diverse Therapeutic Experience
Throughout her career, Karen Cavanaugh has gained diverse experience across various therapeutic areas. Her expertise includes autoimmune diseases, central nervous system (CNS) disorders, cardiovascular conditions, dermatology, oncology, ophthalmology, and anti-infectives. She has been involved in product branding and the development of key opinion leaders (KOL) and advocacy groups, contributing to the strategic positioning of products in the market.