Kirsten York

Bio:

A Patient Voice Champion, Human Experience Strategist, author, and industry award winner with nearly two decades in life sciences, I partner with pharmaceutical and biotech leaders to translate authentic patient insight into strategies that elevate both brand performance and patient impact. Currently serving as EVP of Human Experience Strategy at ENTRADA, I bring a rare combination of empathy and rigor — helping organizations move from talking about patient centricity to truly living it.

My career began in pharmaceutical advertising before evolving into strategy — driven by a desire to understand why patients and providers make the decisions they do, and how brands can show up more meaningfully in those moments. For nearly a decade, I have been part of a patient experience organization, growing into senior executive leadership where I partner with commercial, medical, and advocacy teams across the full spectrum of patient strategy — from engagement frameworks and immersive workshops to brand positioning and organizational alignment. Having worked across virtually every therapeutic category, I bring both the breadth to understand the full landscape of patient experience and the depth to meet each disease area — and the people living within it — on its own terms.

My passion for patient experience is deeply personal. After caring for my mom through the end stages of ovarian cancer, I saw firsthand how profoundly the healthcare journey shapes a person — not just physically, but emotionally and psychologically. That experience never left me.

Outside of work, I recharge with the people and things that ground me — my family, my four dogs, worship-fueled workouts, and time in the kitchen. Balance, for me, is not a luxury. It is what keeps the work meaningful.