Kathleen Gallagher joined Avidity Biosciences in April 2021 and serves as Chief Program Officer. She previously held the roles of Senior Vice President and Global Program Head, Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1 (DM1) and Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications and Investor Relations. Ms. Gallagher brings more than 20 years of experience in the biopharmaceutical industry leading communications and investor relations in preclinical to commercial stage companies. Prior to joining Avidity, she was Vice President, Investor Relations and Corporate Communications at Akcea Therapeutics (acquired by Ionis Pharmaceuticals), where her communications strategy and relationship building expertise were essential through the development and commercial launches of rare disease therapies Tegsedi® and Waylivra®. Previously, she held roles of increasing responsibility during her 13-year tenure at Merrimack Pharmaceuticals, where she provided leadership and direction through multiple financing rounds including an IPO and through the launch of the pancreatic cancer therapy ONIVYDE®. Ms. Gallagher earned her B.S. degree in English from Boston University.