Valo Health Names Peggy Dalicandro VP, Head of HR
Valo Health, Inc. (“Valo”), a pioneering biotechnology company dedicated to revolutionizing the drug discovery and development process through the integration of human-centric data and artificial intelligence (AI), has announced the appointment of Peggy Dalicandro as Vice President, Head of Human Resources. This newly created role underscores Valo’s commitment to fostering a dynamic and innovative workforce as the company continues to expand its capabilities in AI-driven drug discovery.
With a mission to transform the traditional approaches to medicine development, Valo leverages advanced AI algorithms and comprehensive human data sets to accelerate the identification and development of new therapeutics. The company operates at the intersection of science, technology, and medicine, working towards a future where AI-driven insights dramatically enhance the efficiency, accuracy, and speed of drug discovery.
A Strategic Addition to the Leadership Team
Dalicandro’s appointment comes at a pivotal moment for Valo as the company continues to grow and refine its operational strategies. As Vice President, Head of Human Resources, she will be instrumental in shaping and executing Valo’s human capital strategy. Her primary responsibilities will include spearheading talent acquisition initiatives, optimizing employee engagement programs, and cultivating a strong organizational culture that aligns with Valo’s vision and values.
Valo’s Chief Executive Officer, Brian Alexander, emphasized the importance of Dalicandro’s role in ensuring the company’s success. “The success of Valo depends on collaborative, talented, and passionate people who connect the seams of science, technology, medicine, and human health. We are excited to welcome Peggy to Valo, and we look forward to benefitting from her wealth of experience building and expanding high-performing teams,” said Alexander, who also serves as CEO-Partner at Flagship Pioneering. “As part of our leadership team, Peggy will guide Valo’s continued investment in our people and culture, helping us realize the full potential of our human-centric approach to AI-enabled drug discovery and development.”
Experience and Expertise in Human Resources Leadership
Dalicandro brings over 20 years of extensive experience in human resources, specializing in talent acquisition, workforce expansion, and organizational development. Her expertise spans multiple high-growth industries, including biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and artificial intelligence, making her an ideal fit for Valo’s multidisciplinary approach to drug discovery.
In her previous role at Flagship Pioneering, Dalicandro was responsible for leading talent strategies across five venture origination business units. Her contributions were instrumental in shaping Flagship’s ability to attract and retain top-tier talent in a competitive and rapidly evolving industry. Her deep understanding of the biotech ecosystem, combined with her experience in scaling organizations, positions her well to support Valo’s ambitious growth plans.
Before her tenure at Flagship Pioneering, Dalicandro played a key leadership role at Oxford Biomedica Solutions, where she led the human resources function, ensuring that the company’s HR policies and initiatives aligned with its broader corporate objectives. Her expertise in workforce planning, leadership development, and employee engagement was crucial in driving the company’s expansion and operational efficiency.
Dalicandro also held a senior HR leadership position at Alexion Pharmaceuticals, a subsidiary of AstraZeneca specializing in rare disease treatments. At Alexion, she built and managed the People and Culture team for both the U.S. and Ireland operations. Her strategic initiatives focused on fostering an inclusive, high-performance workplace culture, which contributed significantly to Alexion’s success in the rare disease sector.
Additionally, Dalicandro played a pivotal role at Amazon, serving as the HR lead for the Alexa Artificial Intelligence team. In this capacity, she drove the talent strategy for the Science and Engineering group, working closely with AI researchers, engineers, and data scientists to attract and retain top AI talent. Her experience in managing teams at the forefront of technological innovation will be particularly valuable as Valo continues to integrate AI-driven methodologies into its drug discovery and development processes.
Driving Valo’s Growth and Workforce Expansion
As Valo scales its operations and expands its workforce, Dalicandro’s leadership will be crucial in ensuring that the company’s human resources strategies align with its scientific and technological advancements. Her expertise in talent acquisition, performance management, and leadership development will help Valo attract top professionals in AI, biotechnology, and pharmaceuticals, further strengthening its interdisciplinary team.
Dalicandro expressed her enthusiasm for joining Valo at such an exciting juncture in the company’s growth. “Valo has a tremendous opportunity to strengthen its capabilities to discover and develop better medicines at greater speed and scale,” she said. “I look forward to maximizing the organization’s potential by developing employee-centered programs across the company as it grows.”
Her focus will be on implementing innovative HR programs that enhance employee engagement, foster professional development, and create a supportive work environment where collaboration and creativity thrive. Given Valo’s commitment to harnessing AI for drug discovery, Dalicandro will also play a key role in developing strategies to attract and retain highly skilled professionals in data science, machine learning, and computational biology.
Valo’s Vision for AI-Driven Drug Discovery
Founded with the vision of revolutionizing the pharmaceutical industry, Valo Health is at the forefront of leveraging AI and big data to redefine how medicines are discovered and developed. The company’s proprietary Opal Computational Platform utilizes vast amounts of human data to model diseases, predict treatment outcomes, and accelerate the development of new therapies. By integrating machine learning and advanced analytics, Valo aims to reduce the time and cost associated with bringing life-saving treatments to market.
Valo’s AI-powered approach to drug discovery represents a paradigm shift in the industry, moving away from traditional trial-and-error methodologies toward data-driven insights that improve accuracy and efficiency. The company’s ability to analyze extensive biological datasets in real-time enables researchers to identify promising drug candidates faster and with greater precision than ever before.
By appointing a seasoned HR leader like Dalicandro, Valo is reinforcing its commitment to building a world-class team capable of driving its ambitious mission forward. As the company continues to scale its AI-driven initiatives, a strong and engaged workforce will be essential in realizing its vision of transforming the future of medicine.
