Alumni Spotlight - July 2020

How long were you a member of miLEAD? What positions did you hold?

I was with miLEAD for about a year and a half. I was a project manager on one project and an advisor on several others. I was also on the Board of Directors where I served as Co-Director of Human Resources and Director of Web Services.

What was the most interesting project you were involved with while part of miLEAD?

I worked on a project with a startup that had developed technology to analyze data more efficiently using the Genome Analysis Toolkit (GATK). Their closest competitor had just been bought out by a big-name company. We delivered a ton of market research to them along with an analysis of key factors which had made their competitor an attractive acquisition. Our client was awarded an SBIR grant shortly after the project, and late last year they were bought out by a big-name company. It felt good to know that our work contributed to the client’s success.

How did miLEAD help you obtain your current position?

Having miLEAD on my resume helped me stand out against other applicants who had good scientific backgrounds but little business experience. I was invited to interview and delivered a presentation which was somewhat technical but also contained market research and competitive landscape analysis. I built my slides using the same basic format we did at miLEAD, including leaders and takeaway boxes on every slide. When I was done with my presentation, I knew I had nailed it. Being part of miLEAD helped get my foot in the door, but the knowledge and skills I learned helped seal the deal.

What is your day-to-day life like in your current position?

My days consist of internal meetings for planning and knowledge sharing, client-facing meetings with business owners and technical staff, and pitch meetings with potential clients. This involves lots of emails, lots of spreadsheets, and lots of PowerPoints, but I also have time to read and understand relevant science and continue developing business skills.

What did you learn through miLEAD that you apply to your current position?

miLEAD helped me better understand how to work on small teams with really smart, high-achieving people. This included not being afraid to speak up, learning when to lead, and learning when to trust and defer to other people. miLEAD also helped me deliver better presentations and put together slide decks which convey ideas efficiently. In addition, this experience was my first real exposure to the inner workings of biotech and pharmaceutical companies, and this has helped me with much of the planning and communication I do every day.

What advice would you give to current or prospective miLEAD consultants?

Try to be flexible and work on as many projects as you can, take advantage of all the professional development opportunities, and don’t be afraid to reach out to your network when job hunting. The people who are part of miLEAD are the type of people who will go out of their way to help you succeed.

Is there anything else that you would like to add?

My time with miLEAD was more enjoyable and probably had more practical value than anything else I did in graduate school. You may not recognize what a great opportunity it is until it’s over. I’m very proud of my contributions to the organization, and it pleases me to see its reputation continue to grow. I hope all of its members can gain as much as I did from the experience, and I hope that once they move out into the real world, they maintain ties by mentoring current members, sending out job opportunities, and convincing their bosses to engage miLEAD on a project.