Bari Kowal, Senior Vice President and Head of Development Operations & Portfolio Management at Regeneron, joins Patty to trace her career - beginning in early gene therapy in the 1990s, moving through CRO leadership at ICON and big pharma at Pfizer, and ultimately to a decade of building at Regeneron. She shares how “hands-on” biotech roots shaped her leadership style, why culture and founder-led focus still matter at scale, and how to turn Sponsor–CRO relationships into real partnerships. Bari also digs into data/AI’s impact on trial execution and the mindset shift from “wait and see” to “try, learn, and iterate”, all while keeping quality and patient safety non-negotiable. We wrap with a personal look at balance, family, and what keeps her energized outside of work.