When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
When I was young, I thought I wanted to be an international attorney for a large global pharmaceutical company. I was fortunate to get some internships with leading law firms early in my college career. Through those internships, I realized that, while law is an amazing profession, it wasn’t a fit for me. It was a great lesson to try before you buy!
What would you do if you didn’t work in healthcare?
I can’t imagine not working in healthcare. During my first two years after college, I worked for Xerox and was fortunate to be accepted into its management training program. Although that was a great experience, I knew that I wanted to work for the company that made the products that changed my sister’s life. While it took me some time and effort, I was eventually hired by Schering-Plough. Healthcare is a wonderful industry that allows you to build your domain expertise and solve tough problems but also be part of a higher purpose and value. Every day I am excited to be a part of an industry that is driven by getting the right medication to the right patient at the right time and solving unmet needs with innovative solutions.
What do you like most about working in healthcare marketing?
In healthcare marketing you have the opportunity to hone your craft while also making a larger societal impact. The reality that healthcare touches every one of us motivates my work, and I think that most of the people I’ve had the good fortune to work with share my conviction.
What frustrates you most about working in healthcare marketing?
I get frustrated when someone takes the “easy” answer and says, “we can’t….” To move the industry forward, it is so important that people work to find creative solutions to the problems we face. In my experience, building internal and external collaborations are key for creating solutions when facing a challenge.
I also think that we have not been particularly effective in telling our story to the broader public. We recently had a special moment with the COVID-19 pandemic and our industry’s vaccine and treatment response. I truly hope that our industry begins to attract the best and brightest from the next generation. We need great minds to join our industry and keep it vibrant and innovating; not just in the lab, but especially in how we solve the big challenges we are facing now including successful commercialization, patient access and affordability, GTN and new go-to-market (GTM) models to name a few.
Who was your mentor? What made her or him an effective mentor?
I’ve been really blessed with many mentors in my life and career. Mentors are amazing people who can coach you and give you a fresh way of looking at life and the challenges you face, while also being a safe place to have a hard conversation. One of my earliest mentors was the great Kurt Mietzner from Schering-Plough who just passed away. He was such a champion and dared me to try new things. But he was also supportive and helped me learn, so that when I was given a new opportunity, I was able to effectively lead. He was very kind to me.
A particularly fond memory is when I was early days in leading global market research, and he told me directly that I needed to boost my stats savviness or I would not be able to effectively lead. I’ll never forget what he did. He went home, found his favorite stats book, and then set up private tutoring with me at 5 p.m. every Wednesday. Pretty soon I was well-prepared. Kurt inspired me to do the same thing. Great mentoring isn’t just having a conversation with someone from time to time. It also requires action and investment on the part of the mentor and mentee.
What are you doing to mentor others — to send the career ladder back down, so to speak?
I like to think I do what I can by offering a candid conversation, feedback in the moment, or finding time to share a word of encouragement to a new mom back in the workplace trying to juggle new demands. I am passionate about helping people network and grow, and I try to repeat my best experiences as a mentee including providing encouragement, setting big goals, helping people achieve their ambitions, and also coaching and helping to upskill when needed as well.
What’s something your colleagues don’t know about you?
I’m a titled landowner in Scotland and technically a “Lady.”
What are the three things in your daily workspace that you can’t live without?
Peppermint tea, my ReMarkable2 and sunlight. Lots of sunlight.
What is your favorite book (or TV show, movie, band, or song)? What about it resonates strongly with you?
I am an avid reader, and I haven’t found a biography or a non-fiction book I don’t enjoy. Real life is full of lessons, inspirations and is, in my opinion, far more interesting (and out there) than any fiction.
What’s on your to-do list for when you retire?
I don’t think I’ll ever really retire. I’ll just find new pursuits to chase down and hopefully spend more time with family and friends.
