Defining Leadership
Steph Dreyer. Bayer HealthCare. The goal of my team is to deliver results, and I see my role as encouraging and enabling the team to do just that. So the qualities most important to me are about motivating and inspiring people, and ensuring they’re set up for success. This includes understanding what makes people tick, and giving them opportunities to stretch and learn. It means creating an environment in which people can do their best work, and listening, integrity, positivity, flexibility, authenticity, and at times a little tough love are all important. The best leaders I know have passion and courage that they use to set a vision and create alignment around it, determine clear priorities, provide resources, and remove obstacles. Of course, having fun is a good thing too.
Jill Lesiak. Ogilvy CommonHealth Worldwide. As a female leader in the healthcare industry, I believe it is critical to be a good role model, especially for today’s younger female generation. As a role model, I seek to be the epitome of what I look for in a leader. The leadership qualities I see as most important are openness, integrity, excellent listening skills, curiosity, and a collaborative spirit. In addition, the ability to mentor junior staff and bring out their greatest potential is critical. This not only them succeed but, in turn, become great leaders too.
Dr. Soomin Park. Lilly. I believe passion and commitment are key qualities that leaders should have. A passionate leader searches for new possibilities and strives for excellence. She sees the big picture and tries to make things better — for the company she works for, the people in her group, and for the bigger purpose of the life she believes in. With commitment, a leader can realize these possibilities she envisions with passion. It can be tremendously motivating for others to see a leader working with passion to deliver on her promises.
Emily Segalla. Flashpoint Medica. A leader is able to detect untapped potential within each of her employees, foster this potential by providing individualized opportunities and mentorship, and, like a flashpoint, ignite the passion and strengths within them. The result is akin to the multiplier effect, where the leader has elicited the passion and very best work of her employees and they have gone on to inspire this same vision throughout the team.
Melanie Goldey. Everyday Health. For me, there are four leadership qualities that stand out. First is a passion for people and having emotional intelligence. These qualities allow leaders to empower teams by being a coach, mentor, and a sponsor, elevate others, support colleagues, in particular, other women. The second quality is having grit — the resolve, courage, and strength of character to rise above challenges and break through walls. The third quality is confidence; being self-assured in one’s own abilities can transform difficult experiences into great opportunities. And fourth, leaders need to have integrity — the full alignment between what you believe, what you say, and what you do.
Jillian Welker. Palio, an InVentiv Health Company. Humility, confidence, commitment, and positivity are the qualities I believe make for good leaders. The best leaders are those who can manage and delegate while maintaining the respect of a team and cultivating authentic relationships that inspire others. In my opinion, these qualities and values are contagious and produce a leader who people seek to be around and learn from.
KristIn Stephens. Takeda Pharmaceuticals International. I believe leadership starts individually with integrity and authenticity — without those qualities everything you touch can appear insincere. Strong leaders are able to manifest those internal qualities externally through their communications and actions. When these are combined with a leader’s vision and shared goals, integrity and authenticity often become the backbone of the organization and the very spirit that encourages success both individually and as a company. The leaders I’ve most admired over the years have harnessed these qualities and through them have empowered each team member to be their best. They are continuously creating an environment where people are not only highly motivated to excel individually, but also are personally invested in the success of their team.
Michelle LaFond. Regeneron. The leadership qualities I believe are most important are the ability to adjust leadership style to an individual, be an advocate to my team, provide clear communication from top-down and require communication in reciprocal, and have the ability to delegate projects to the most appropriate team member or subgroup.
Valentina Roselli. EY. Being enthusiastic about your work is what makes a difference as a leader. The people I work with always react positively to my passion and dedication. I see these qualities as crucial for engaging and motivating people. A good leader should also appear confident as a person and inspire confidence in others to get the best effort from each team member.
Laura Wallace. Purdue Pharma. For me, some of the most important qualities of a leader are flexibility, communication, decisiveness, compassion, and accountability. A good sense of humor and a willingness to look for solutions from unexpected sources are also extremely helpful.
Dottie Caplan. Sanofi. Stephen Covey and his 13 Behaviors of a High Trust Leader really resonates with me. While all of them are important, there are six that I believe are critical. Talk straight and let people know where you stand. Deliver results, do what you were hired to do. Clarify expectations, reveal, discuss, and validate them. Practice accountability and communicate how you, and others, are doing. Listen first and don’t assume you know what matters most to others. Keep commitments, make them carefully and keep them at all costs. The other seven are extend trust, demonstrate concern, create transparency, right wrongs, show loyalty, get better, and confront reality.
Kathleen Hennigan-Shannon. McCann Torre Lazur. I believe strong leadership is multi-faceted and is made up of intellectual, physical, and emotional qualities. The most important things to me include: honesty, without it there is no leadership and no credibility; the courage to make decisions and be wrong; a commitment to the team, the business, and promises made; a willingness to learn and ability to be agile; and clear communication and purpose to ensure everyone is working toward the same goal.
Ambre Brown Morley. Novo Nordisk. When my days are bad, I always try to ground myself in my reality. My grandmother cleaned houses her entire life and never got to see the fruits of her labor pay off. I try to take my mother everywhere. She deserves it and her mother is smiling on us and saying “well done." My strategy has always been to put my head down and focus on the work. Sometimes I think it goes unnoticed, so for Novo Nordisk to recognize my efforts is truly humbling. I’m proud of my work and humbled by this honor. My biggest lesson is knowing that I don’t always have to “say" anything. Listening and results speak louder than words.
Michelle Rapp. Razorfish Health. As a leader, I aim to practice the following three qualities: intellectual curiosity, contagious passion, and intuitive decisiveness. Leaders must demonstrate an entrepreneurial spirit and tenacity to do things differently and take risks and never settle for the status quo. They need to strive for continuous learning opportunities to identify new and innovative approaches within their organization. Leaders set the tone by creating a culture of inspiration and a commitment to excellence. They challenge their teams to do something that makes them uncomfortable. Finally, leaders provide clarity amid uncertainty. Nothing ever goes as planned, so it’s important to be able to adapt to change and clearly articulate a vision and new path forward to eliminate team spin and generate productivity.
Laura Morrison. McCann Echo. To me, the most important leadership qualities are passion, conviction, and the ability to draw out the talents of those around you. When you care about and believe in what you are doing, it is both impactful and infectious. When you can identify the strengths of others and nurture them, everyone benefits.
Cynthia Accuosti Jones. Johnson & Johnson. The key to leadership is connecting with people to appreciate their individuality. A leader creates an environment where others feel compelled to learn, grow, contribute, and challenge. The compassion and concern that an effective leader exudes is genuine. Leaders stay true to their values and beliefs even in tough times, which results in respect and trust. A leader knows that at the end of the day, the success of a business is nothing without its people.
Michele Ehler. UCB. The ability to be a continuous learner, including taking time to reflect on your development, is a leadership quality that if put in place early in a career almost guarantees success. Leading by example, “do as I do," not “do as I say," can impact a team tremendously, be it positive or negative. Leaders who coach, mentor, and share feedback with their team ensure the ongoing development of each individual, which will ultimately lead to business success.
Sara Briggs. Stryker. The leaders who I enjoy working for the most exhibit integrity and humility, and they care deeply about their employees. Those leadership qualities help create trusting relationships with open communications, and make me look forward to coming to work every day.
Erin Cowhig. Vertex Pharmaceuticals. As an individual and as a human resources person, I believe the most important quality a leader can have is trust in their team. This usually results in motivation, loyalty, and innovation because people aren’t afraid to take risks and make mistakes. The ability to truly listen is also important because it enables a leader to understand and build on others’ perspectives and priorities. Lastly, the capability to lead others through ambiguity and change is a quality that I have come to value greatly.
Cindy Baksh. PSKW. Some of the qualities that I believe are most important in leadership include being a role model for others and motivating others to do their best. I believe this can be accomplished by having a good work ethic and inspiring others to work hard to accomplish their personal goals and the goals of the team. Another important quality of being a good leader is to be confident enough to make hard decisions and to take responsibility for the decisions that one makes. Throughout my career, I have strived to become a good leader and have been lucky to be surrounded by great teams and have had great mentors along the way.
Maggie Pax. Thermo Fisher Scientific. For me, leadership means modeling curiosity and commitment. Why curiosity? Curiosity is the natural enemy of complacency. When people — or organizations — become complacent and stop learning, that’s when we see giants stumble. When people stop asking how they can improve themselves, their businesses, their neighborhood, or the world, that’s when we fail to learn and accept mediocrity. A good leader demonstrates the value of energetic curiosity and the desire to improve on the status quo. And commitment goes hand in hand with curiosity. It may be easy to ask why, but pairing curiosity with commitment means we take on an ownership attitude — ownership for engaging in the hard analytical work to understand the issues, ownership for brainstorming solutions with a team, and ultimately the full commitment to being responsible for results. Good leaders model these vital behaviors of curiosity and commitment with their teams, their colleagues, and their friends.
Karen Peterson. Abbott. The three words I work with my team to create as part of our culture are: anticipate, collaborate, and transparency. Together they form the acronym ACT, which reminds us that good leadership is not just about what you say, but the actions you take each day. Additionally, I believe there are several other critical characteristics for success, including excellent listening skills; being approachable by one’s team members, co-workers and others to discuss new ideas; and having an inquisitive mind.
Audris Francis. PDI. Key qualities that every leader should possess, and continue to develop, are effective communications, self-awareness, and maintaining a sense of humor and positive attitude. Effective communication, listening with an open mind, and keeping sight of the big picture allow for a leader to better articulate a clear vision and directive. A leader should be self-aware and keep an open mind, which allows for better collaboration and successful results. Maintaining a sense of humor and positive attitude, especially during challenging times, helps to inspire confidence and boost morale.
Julie Russell Dilts. Roche Diagnostics. The leadership qualities that are most important to me are inspiration and integrity. Do the right thing, focus on strengths, take a genuine interest in people, empower and trust people to make decisions, and let people know when they have done a good job.
Ashley Gaines. AstraZeneca. A great leader is authentic, passionate about making a difference, and is an inspiration to others. She is both strategic and pragmatic, and she brings a clear vision and focus to her organization. She is supportive of her teams and creates a culture of empowerment, ownership, and innovation. A great leader always adheres to the highest ethical standards.
Arleen Paulino. Amgen. The ability to develop and translate strategy into action and to build the best team are critical leadership attributes. Great leaders help their teams see where they need to go and instill the motivation to get there. They understand their capabilities and the capabilities of their team to leverage strengths and bolster development areas. They show compassion and care for their staff. I strive to be a leader people follow because they want to not because they have to.
Sarah Grimwood. Pfizer. As a research project leader, the ability to build effective teams is very important to me; this involves increasing trust and morale, holding open dialogue, and developing a shared vision. Other leadership qualities that I believe to be the most important are to act decisively, which includes providing a clear vision and setting expectations; seizing accountability, meaning taking personal responsibility for one’s own work, pushing oneself and others to exceed goals and deliver results; and growing others, by providing new opportunities and timely feedback.
Kiley Smith. EY. I’m a strong proponent of leadership based on the values you live by every day. Over the years I have focused my leadership development overall outlook on the following four guiding values. The first is compassion and respect for others; being respectful to your team members is paramount to gaining their trust and being able to connect with your team through humble acts demonstrates that you are a true team player as well as a leader they can connect with and respect.
Second is motivating team members; I’ve found that the key tenants to motivating teams are to encourage open dialogue, recognize both small and large achievements every day, and provide constant feedback to help each team member reach his or her potential. Third is having the bravery to break down barriers, whether it is creating opportunities for your team to achieve their goals or taking on challenging projects for yourself. Bravery and integrity are key components to any great leader. Finally, seeing the bigger picture and never taking yourself too seriously is important. But most importantly, a leader’s ability to see the larger picture on a project — and in life — and guide the team to the desire outcome, all while making it fun and personal are key components that shouldn’t be forgotten.
Linda Drumright. IMS Health. I believe that integrity is the most important quality in a leader; leading by example with one’s thoughts, words, and actions in complete alignment is critical. With every interaction, a leader’s beliefs and values are consistently reinforced with her team, her customers, her partners, and her colleagues. People know where she stands and what she stands for and can align with her when they believe that she will always act in accordance. Defining it this way has helped me navigate all types of situations while staying true to myself.
Sandy Rodriguez. Takeda Pharmaceuticals USA. Above all, I value open-mindedness, humor, dependability, teamwork, and trust. I believe each individual on my team has unique abilities that when nurtured and developed properly will make our team excel. As a leader, it is my responsibility to create an environment where each person can recognize and use his or her best abilities and grow as both individuals and as a team.
Role Models and Leadership Development
Dr. Janet piscitelli. Quest Diagnostics. I am fortunate to have had many mentors throughout my life, including my parents, teachers, other professionals as well as the leaders and staff within Quest Diagnostics. Every day is a learning opportunity, to emulate best practices and identify those traits to avoid. My husband and daughters have also been an inspiration and a support system, encouraging me to continually pursue new challenges.
V.A. Lopes. Giant Creative Strategy. I have had some really great mentors in my career and I have learned something valuable from just about every person I have ever worked with. Eric Steckelman and Rebecca Greenberg are managing directors at Giant, who have been major influences in teaching me how to be a strong leader. They have taught me how to leverage my skills and helped me grow in areas that may be more challenging for me. Alex Safransky, an account supervisor at Giant, has taught me so much about being a good mentor. They have really elevated me and taught me so much. I’m truly grateful.
Teri Ann Bajek. Health and Wellness Partners. Each of my managers throughout my career has played an instrumental role in how I view myself and lead others. While not every experience has been positive, it’s probably the most difficult situations that have highlighted the crucial aspects of what it takes to be an effective leader.
Teresa Graham. Genentech. It is difficult to choose just one person. I have had the privilege of working for some extraordinary leaders in my career, each of whom has had a significant impact on shaping me as a leader. While each individual taught me something different, the common thread was how generously they gave of their time and perspective. They have inspired me to want to give back whenever I can.
Cintia Piccina. Novartis Pharmaceuticals. There are many people who have had a role in my leadership development. All the teams I worked with teach me every day how to become a better person and leader. My father, from a very young age, taught me the value of work, ownership, and responsibility. Dr. Branderley Claudio who hired me to Novartis 18 years ago, believed, trusted, and supported me, and has been a mentor and friend ever since. And Andreas Strakos, Quinton Oswald, and Ludwig Hantson who took chances when most people wouldn’t and gave me stretch opportunities that defined my career.
Michelle Cuccia. Teva Pharmaceuticals. Every single one of my previous managers has played an important role in helping shape the leader I am today. All of them had many positive traits worth emulating and also had many faults that helped put into context what not to do. Also, I am a firm believer in education and I have to recognize the incredible role that my high school, college, and master’s degree professors and guest lecturers played in shaping my leadership thought process and actions.
Liz Frank. Biosector 2, an InVentiv Health Company. Numerous people have influenced my leadership style throughout my career. I’ve had terrific managers and mentors who taught me how to think critically, stay calm in a storm, mentor others, and fight for ideas I believe in. I am indebted to them for their compassion and patience and for holding me to the highest standards so that I could realize my potential. I’ve also learned a lot from those who did not match my leadership style. It has given me invaluable perspective so that I could learn what kind of leader I do and don’t want to be.
Kristen Pilkiewicz. H4B Catapult. It’s difficult to pinpoint a lone individual who has had the most impact on my professional development. I’ve been extremely fortunate to have had some of the best managers in the business — Christian Bauman, Peter Villucci, Nancy Cavallo, Tracy Zuto, and Gerry McLaughlin. I’ve adopted and applied lessons and characteristics from each to define who I want to be as a leader while still remaining true to myself. On a more personal note, I’m adding my parents to this list — their endless lessons have stuck with me, both professionally and personally.
Katie Isaacs. The CementBloc. I always observe the way people lead and the way people react to their leaders. When I see something effective or inspiring, I find ways to incorporate it into my management or style. I’m especially grateful for what I’ve learned over the past four and half years from the incredible women who lead The CementBloc. Working alongside Jennifer Matthews and Susan Miller has been some of the most inspiring times in my career. I learn new things and have opportunities to grow every day. And I wouldn’t want it any other way.
Wendy Short-Bartie. Novartis. My family has played the greatest role in my leadership development. My father taught me that I am better than and less than no one. My mother taught me to work hard, be kind, and always seek to do what is right. My sister and brother encourage me to stand up for what I believe in. My husband and daughter inspire me to listen, seek to understand, and work to be my best every day.
Courtney Hartstein. GSK. I have been so fortunate to have excellent mentors and work for bosses and teams that encourage my leadership development. Specifically, and certainly not an exhaustive list, Erika Jurrens, Sonal Bauer, Jason Shoup, Craig Williams, Ahsiya Mencin, and of course, my mom, dad, and husband are among the people who have been my biggest leadership champions. What they all have in common is that they believe in me and challenge me to be my very best. (PV)
For bonus content go to bit.ly/PV0515-RisingStars
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2015 HBA Rising Stars
Rekha Abichandani, M.D.
Global Development
Team Leader
Shire Pharmaceuticals
Rekha has demonstrated a dedication to patients and healthcare through her leadership and mentoring.
Cynthia Accousti Jones
Field Director,
Managed Markets
Janssen Pharmaceuticals
Cynthia’s strategic thinking, big-picture orientation and attention to detail are hallmarks of her leadership.
Elaine Andrecovich
VP
Makovsky
At the core is Elaine’s ability to lead by example and passion for mentoring.
Ana Ayres
General Manager, Orthopaedics
& Global Surgery Portugal
J&J Medical Iberia
Ana has a strong track record of delivering business and people commitments in complex environments.
Teri Ann Bajek
VP, Digital Services
Health & Wellness Partners
Teri Ann is a true visionary who has grown the digital capability of HWP through the creation of relationships, connections, and interactions.
Cindy Baksh
VP, Client Services
PSKW
Since arriving at PSKW, Cindy has used her strategic insights to develop and execute loyalty
programs.
Courtney Breece
Director,
Product Support
Inovalon
Courtney exemplifies leadership by driving
strategic and innovative ideas throughout the company and continuously serving as a
role model.
Sara Briggs
Director, Human Resources
Stryker Corp.
Sara embodies Stryker’s core values of integrity, accountability, people, and performance.
Ambre Brown Morley
Director, Product
Communications,
Diabetes, Novo Nordisk
Ambre exemplifies our organization’s triple bottom line by serving as a mentor to students and as a member of the Public Relations Society and HBA.
Dottie Caplan
Associate VP, Launch Readiness and Life Cycle Management, Corporate Affairs, Sanofi US
Dottie is an inclusive leader who consistently demonstrates a passion for developing others.
Erin Cowhig
Senior Director,
Human Resources
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Erin has worked with urgency to grow, develop, and promote top talent in the organization.
Terri Crudup
VP, Custom Research
AlphaImpactRx Inc.
Terri is a natural leader and has earned the respect of management, peers, staff and clients.
Michelle Cuccia
VP, Global Generics Growth
Markets, Specialty and BGx
Marketing and Branding
Teva Pharmaceuticals
Michelle is a champion for inclusion, serving as executive sponsor of Latino Heritage Employee Network.
Danielle DeForge
Director, Corporate Communications
inVentiv Health
Danielle’s talent for communications and handling crises or maximizing opportunities makes her an accomplished and steadfast Rising Star.
Kara Dennis
Managing Director, mHealth
Medidata Solutions
A true Rising Star, Kara leads Medidata’s pioneering efforts to enable mHealth-powered clinical trials and patient-centric research.
Donna Deverick
VP, Account Director
Discovery USA
Donna is respected as a leader by both clients and employees.
Stephanie Dreyer
Senior Brand Manager, Marketing, Bayer Consumer Care
Bayer HealthCare LLC
Steph’s natural and authentic leadership approach comes through in the way she trains and mentors people on her team.
Linda Drumright
General Manager, Clinical Trial and Optimization Services
IMS Health
Linda is a true asset to IMS Health and a role model for all its leaders.
Michele EHLer
Head of Talent Development North America
UCB Inc.
Michele is focused, proactive, and passionate — qualities that make her an effective leader on UCB’s talent development team.
Linda Enns, Ph.D.
Copy Supervisor
McCann Regan Campbell Ward
Linda’s ability to glean insight from esoteric scientific points has earned her the respect of clients and colleagues.
Lynn Forrest
VP
Campbell Alliance, an inVentiv Health Company
Lynn is a wonderful coach and mentor for
her team.
Audris Francis
Director, Talent Acquisition
PDI Inc.
Audris’ dedication, responsiveness, and personal accountability genuinely set her apart.
Liz Frank
Team lead
Biosector 2, an InVentiv Health Company
Liz has distinguished herself as a Rising Star at Biosector 2 because of her commitment to innovation.
Ashley Gaines
Head of Sales and Marketing, Infectious Disease
AstraZeneca
Ashley is a passionate, dedicated, and an innovative problem-solver who works seamlessly with her peers across the business.
Dr. Anita Gandhi
Senior Principal Scientist, Translational Medicine
Celgene Corp.
Anita is known and respected as one of the most valuable scientific leaders in the organization.
Alexa Garrett
Associate Director, Sandoz US Distribution and Logistics
Sandoz
Alexa is a champion for change and motivates her team with incredible enthusiasm.
Melanie Goldey
Senior VP, Strategic Planning and Investor Relations
Everyday Health
Melanie is a Rising Star because of her leadership, mentoring, and passion for helping others achieve their goals.
Teresa Graham
Lifecycle Leader, Global Product Strategy
Genentech
Teresa demonstrates dedication to women in healthcare through mentorship to colleagues across the industry.
Sarah Grimwood
Research Fellow
Pfizer
Sarah is a passionate and effective leader of multi-disciplinary teams.
Courtney Hartstein
U.S. Flu Brand Manager
GlaxoSmithKline
Courtney is a leader and strong contributor to GSK’s bottom line and to our society.
Kathleen Hennigan-Shannon
VP, Account Group Supervisor
McCann Torre Lazur
Kathleen’s boundless commitment and infectious laughter inspire the agency to reach new heights while having fun along the way.
Alissa Hicks
Director, Field Medical Affairs
Shionogi Inc.
Alissa’s noteworthy passion, performance, and commitment resulted in her being promoted to the team leader role.
Erin Hilvia
VP/Client Operations
Calcium
Erin embodies what Calcium is all about; she is talented, smart, and driven — packaged in style and grace.
Susan Hynes
Head of Global Quality Pharmaceutical Manufacturing
Bristol-Myers Squibb
Susan continues to shift culture and cooperation with her honest and transparent dialogue and active mentoring.
Katie Isaacs
Senior VP, Group Account Director
The CementBloc
Purpose, inspiration, and collaboration best describe Katie as a key leader at The CementBloc.
Michelle LaFond
Director, Bioreactor Scale-up and Development
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals
Michelle’s patient-driven focus and unparalleled work ethic make her an asset to Regeneron.
Jill Lesiak
VP, Creative Director
Ogilvy CommonHealth Worldwide
Jill’s colleagues and clients have come to appreciate her keenly strategic mind that never relinquishes a deep appreciation for the human condition.
V.A. Lopes
Management Supervisor
Giant Creative Strategy
V.A. is a respected leader with the right mix of scientific, strategic, and marketing prowess and her passion and spirit for the work she touches is palpable.
Lori Mercurio
Director, Strategic Projects
Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals
Lori’s professionalism, commitment to tackling new challenges, and ability to push through with perseverance and grace make her a true Rising Star.
Melissa Mims
Director, Medical Affairs
Merck
Melissa has provided counsel, insights, and energized passion for the advancement of women within Merck.
Kyoko Miyahara
Senior Director
Pfizer
Kyoko has enhanced marketing effectiveness, while also improving health.
Laura Morrison
Senior Strategic Planner
McCann Echo
Laura embodies our culture and is a true role model to all.
Lisa Nibauer
Senior Director
Becton Dickinson & Co
Lisa has pioneered a customer-centric approach to position her products worldwide to better meet customer needs.
Jen O’Dwyer
Senior VP, Client
Service Director
CDM New York
Jen is an extraordinary talent magnet who inspires people to achieve more than they thought
possible.
Jennifer Ogden
Director, Global Accounts
West Pharmaceutical Services
Jennifer is a role model within the West sales organization and embodies the spirit of the HBA Rising Star.
Nawal Ouzren
VP Hemophilia
Franchise
Baxter Healthcare
Nawal is an inspirational leader who actively coaches and mentors other women, and was the BioScience senior sponsor for inclusion and diversity
initiatives.
Kaya Pai-Panandiker
Senior Director, Marketing
Lundbeck
Kaya’s outstanding commitment to getting
needed medicines to patients living with devastating brain diseases makes her a
true Rising Star.
Soomin Park
Senior Director,
Global Statistical Sciences
Eli Lilly and Company
Actively sought out as a mentor, Soomin was named the Lilly Research Laboratories Asian Diversity Champion and Advisor.
Anu Patel
VP, Group Account Supervisor
LLNS
Anu inspires all at LLNS with her ease, grace, and dedication to excellence in everything that she does.
Arleen Paulino
Executive Director Clinical Operations
Amgen Inc.
Arleen is an inspiring leader and role model of continuous improvement and safety.
Maggie Pax
Director, Integration Planning
Thermo Fisher Scientific
Maggie has been an ardent supporter of diversity and inclusion for Thermo Fisher’s women’s employee resource group.
Karen Peterson
Abbott Divisional VP and Controller, Abbott Diagnostics
Abbott
Karen exemplifies what is best in a leader; she is strategic, innovative, builds, and develops talent and delivers results.
Cintia Piccina
VP, Head of Immunology/Dermatology BU
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp.
Cintia is a unique leader with a truly extraordinary passion for patients, customers, and
associates.
Kristen Pilkiewicz
VP, Associate Creative Director, Copy
H4B Catapult
Kristen participated in the inaugural Catapult College Graduate Program and is a charter member of the Catapult Culture Committee; she is the quintessential Rising Star.
Janet Piscitelli, M.D.
Medical Director, East Region
Quest Diagnostics
Janet is a physician leader who integrates knowledge and compassion into the daily laboratory operations of Quest Diagnostics’ largest region.
Michelle Rapp
Associate Partner, Account Management
Razorfish Health
Michelle is a mixture of energy and experience focused on providing the best solutions to meet her clients’ needs.
Pritam Raut
Director
Cognizant
Pritam embodies qualities of a true leader — strong leadership skills, collaboration, teamwork, problem solving, and analytical skills.
Dalia Rayes
Senior Director, ASPIRE Business Unit
Actelion Pharmaceuticals
Dalia is an enthusiastic and passionate leader who ensures Actelion is serving patients, while also delivering on strategic objectives.
Anne Marie Robertson
Executive Director, Marketing
Helsinn Therapeutics (US) Inc.
With her keen business acumen, innovative approach, and collaborative communication abilities, Anne Marie contributes to Helsinn’s success.
Megan Robinson
Senior VP, Creative Director Brand Development
Sudler & Hennessey
Megan takes her own exceptional abilities and translates them into inspiration, training, and encouragement for the entire Sudler team.
Sandy Rodriguez
Senior Director, Corporate
Communications
Takeda Pharmaceuticals USA
Sandy is a creative problem solver with a keen ability to formulate high-level strategies while leading her team.
Valentina Roselli
Senior Manager, Advisory
Services
EY
Valentina’s leadership and commitment demonstrate her passion for building a better working world.
Julie Russell Dilts
Senior Counsel
Roche Diagnostics
As a passionate advocate for career development and advancement of women, Julie has demonstrated strong leadership and delivered impressive numbers.
Emily Segalla
VP, Group Copy Supervisor
Flashpoint Medica
Emily is recognized for being the staffer who everyone turns to for great strategic thinking and creative ideas.
Wendy Short-Bartie
Product Director, Zykadia
Novartis Pharmaceuticals
Passionate, innovative, and results-driven, Wendy has been a successful, committed, and recognized leader at Novartis for 10 years.
Kiley Smith
Senior Manager, Fraud
Investigative and Dispute
Advisory Services
EY
Kiley has distinguished herself over her career for the commitment, passion, and excellence she brings to clients, teams, and our global community.
Amy Stafford
Zone VP
Boehringer Ingelheim
Pharmaceuticals
Amy is a mentor to several female leaders within the company and exemplifies leadership excellence.
Kristin Stephens
VP, Clinical Operations
Takeda Pharmaceuticals
International
Kristin is well-respected by her team and her peers, and maintains a positive, can-do attitude about everything she does.
Patricia Vera
Director, Financial Operations
Daiichi-Sankyo
Tricia plays an integral role on the finance team and is viewed as a leader and role model by her colleagues.
Laura Wallace
Director, Risk Management and Epidemiology
Purdue Pharma
Laura is an excellent mentor of women at formative stages of their careers.
Julie Weber
Consultant
Insigniam
Julie leverages her adventurous nature and wit when working with clients to open up the world of possibility and achieve unprecedented results.
Jillian Welker
Director of Agency Operations
Palio, an inVentiv Health Company
Jillian is vital to our ongoing success and has great potential for being a significant force in healthcare marketing.
Pamela Yanakopulos
Partner
PwC
Pamela is a trusted advisor and energetic thought leader in the industry.