What would you do if you didn’t work in healthcare?
I would likely stay the course in healthcare and leverage my experience from Twitter to build consumer connected solutions. If I had all the money in the world, I’d be solving world hunger.
Can you give a shout-out to someone who helped you at a pivotal time in your career?
Katie Stanton from Moxie Ventures helped me navigate the arena of women in tech and has been a role model, a sponsor and champion who has supported my rise to leadership in the technology and healthcare sectors.
Work to live, or live to work?
100% live to work.
Share a moment when you left your comfort zone; what did you learn?
When I went from Oracle to Twitter and Twitter to Outcome Health; each time I’ve switched positions I leapt to sectors that were completely new to me. I love stepping outside my comfort zone in everything I do and bringing to bear my cumulative experience to succeed in each leadership advancement.
The same is true when I learned to race motorbikes. That period demonstrated how I did something daring and ambitious, while bringing confidence and strength to the task.
I pivoted from working in hardware building to software development. It was a bold step, where I had to take a lateral move to advance my career[I1] .
What do you find frustrating about working in healthcare marketing?
I see the value in Point of Care, which is why I doubled down to tackle the company and industry’s challenges. POC is the intersection where patients and physicians meet. People are so used to TV and DTC and it is an uphill climb to get the marketing community on board to understand how central and vital POC is to the healthcare journey. I don’t think it should be.
To ensure pay parity and career advancement for women, I will …
I have mentored many women throughout my career. That has involved advising women in tech and healthcare about how to negotiate their compensation. Since I’ve been in the C-suite, I’ve been sure that payment policies are equal and fair.
Where would you like to see more progress in the #MeToo movement?
The #MeToo movement has made the voice of women advocating for equality louder. However, we still have a long way to go to impose penalties for committing crimes against women and establishing real culture change in many organizations.
What is one thing you would tell young women starting their careers in healthcare marketing?
Learn, learn, learn. Young women need to constantly be asking questions, attending educational programs and reading. They need to ask to be on more strategic business assignments. It’s so important to learn about technology and data analytics early in one’s career — whether your assignment involves it or not.
Favorite song?
“I Will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor
What three people, alive or dead, would you like to host at a dinner party and why?
- Gandhi, for his leadership, persistence and inspiration to rally a nation
- Michelle Obama, who is multi talented and has so much still to contribute to society
- Grace Hopper, one of the earliest female computer programmers who broke the glass ceiling paving the way for women like me.
From the September 01, 2020 Issue of MM+M - Medical Marketing and Media
