Leadership

Our Mission: Early detection of malignant cells hidden by fibroids is critical to prevent the devastation our family endured. The DFF mission is to advance education, research and early detection to help other women and their families avoid the same struggle as our Diana. With your investment, we will:

Blake Tomkinson, MBA, PhD

President

Blake Tomkinson, PhD, MBA, is a biomedical scientist and clinical-development leader with more than 25 years of experience advancing translational research and novel therapeutics across immunology and oncology. He is currently a clinical development strategist and consultant through Kather Pharma Solutions, where he advises biotechnology and pharmaceutical organizations on early-stage clinical development, pediatric strategy, and portfolio evaluation.

Blake has held senior leadership roles across industry, including Vice President–level positions in clinical development, and has led the development of multiple small-molecule, monoclonal antibody, and peptide programs at OSI/Gilead, Sanofi, EMD Serono/Merck KGaA, and Kura Oncology. His expertise spans first-in-human and Phase 1 oncology trials, biomarker-driven development, pediatric regulatory planning, and global regulatory engagement. He has also supported oncology business-development search and evaluation efforts for Sanofi and Takeda Pharmaceuticals.

At Diana’s Fibroid Foundation (DFF), Blake applies his scientific and clinical-development experience to advance the Foundation’s mission to improve understanding, early detection, and treatment of uterine fibroids and related women’s health conditions. He is committed to fostering academic–industry collaboration, supporting innovative research programs, and accelerating progress in an area of significant unmet medical need for women.

Blake earned his PhD in Immunology from the University of Massachusetts Medical School, completed postdoctoral training in molecular biology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, and holds an MBA from the University of Colorado Denver.

Heather Vital, SM, MBA

Secretary

Heather Vital brings almost 20 years of experience across strategic and operational functions, including clinical development, program leadership, alliance management, R&D portfolio strategy and commercialization. Currently serving as SVP of Development and Portfolio Strategy at Seismic Therapeutics.

Prior to Seismic, she was Senior Director, Portfolio Strategy and Operations for Relay Therapeutics, where she contributed to portfolio strategies for pipeline programs and was responsible for alliance management with a large biopharma partnership and a research collaboration. She served as Senior Director of Program Leadership at Deciphera Pharmaceuticals, where she was the program lead for two oncology drug programs including one through product approval and launch. Previously, Heather had a tenure at Biogen, culminating in the role of Director, R&D Strategy and Portfolio Leadership for several disease areas. Her earlier roles at Biogen included portfolio strategy for spinal muscular atrophy, launching SPINRAZA as part of the global brand team and new product commercialization for the immunology therapeutic area.

Heather has a BS from Babson College, MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management, and a Master of Science (SM) from the Harvard-MIT Health Sciences and Technology Program.

Donald Tomkinson, MBA

Treasurer

Donald Tomkinson is a senior level executive with 40 years proven experience in General Management, Finance, Sales, Customer Service, and Engineering at leading reseller, manufacturing and software organizations. Donald has an established track record assessing capabilities, developing solutions and executing plans to improve company performance in virtually every functional area. For the past 15 years, Donald has been the owner/GM of company that provides custom labeling, software and financial accounting services including performing CFO tasks at a large customer since 2010. Previously, Donald was also treasurer of Casco Village Church and Non-Profit Reusable Resources of Attleboro, as well as board member of Framework Technologies, Inc.

Kaleigh Hall, MS, DO

Vice-President

Kaleigh Tomkinson, is a graduate of University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine with a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) degree. She has medical knowledge in general pediatric medicine, as well as hematology and oncology. Before pursing medical school, Kaleigh completed her undergraduate studies from Worcester Polytechnic Institute and then Masters of Biomedical Sciences at Tufts University School of Medicine. While finishing her Masters degree, Kaleigh worked at Microbiotix Inc, a biotech focused on finding therapies for infectious diseases. Kaleigh also worked at CRISPR Therapeutics as a critical team member in the development of their first gene therapy in patients with Beta-Thalassemia, which initiated the first in human clinical trial in March 2018. She completed her pediatric residency at Tufts Children’s Hospital and Boston Children’s Hospital and now completing her pediatric hematology oncology fellowship at Monroe Carroll Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt in Nashville Tennessee graduating June 2026.