1.

What brought you to Mayo Clinic, and how long have you worked here?

Upon completing my bachelor's degree and being new to the Rochester community, I was drawn to pursue a career with Mayo Clinic. The organization's profound impact on countless lives, both locally and globally, filled me with humility and gratitude. I joined Mayo in 2014, initially working evening shifts in the Mayo Laboratory Inquiry (MLI) Call Center. Over the years, I transitioned to the day shift, assumed roles as a team lead and assistant supervisor, and eventually moved on to BioPharma Diagnostics in 2020. I started as an associate project manager and then moved up to my current role as a project manager. I am proud to work alongside such an incredible group of people. It’s great knowing what we do really matters.

2.

What’s your current role and what does a typical workday look like for you?

As a project manager in Biopharma Diagnostics, I wear several hats. One of my responsibilities is to oversee several large, complex projects that require a high level of oversight with daily client interaction through meetings and emails. I manage the shipment of samples received for those projects to ensure they reach the appropriate labs, undergo testing promptly, and provide results to clients as quickly as possible. 

Additionally, I offer support to the sample testing team within Biopharma Diagnostics, acting as the initial point of escalation for potential projects and ongoing projects and addressing questions or concerns. This ensures positive project outcomes for both external customers and internal stakeholders. I also support our Mayo Clinic Laboratories (MCL) and the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology (DLMP) colleagues in building solid ongoing working relationships with BioPharma through communication and collaboration.

3.

How do you think your work benefits providers and patients?

While patient samples are de-identified for research integrity, we are compassionate and understand that behind every sample is a patient in need of care. Breakthrough treatments and technologies, often the last hope for research patients, can offer solutions and hope when conventional treatments falter. In some cases, there may simply not be adequate treatment options available for specific conditions. By supporting successful trials, we can extend these solutions on a broader scale within clinical settings, impacting patient care positively.

4.

Is there anything about you or your job that others may find surprising?  

We're actively transitioning larger clients to electronic solutions, aiming to eliminate manual workflows. The sample testing team, with backgrounds in MCL or internal research at Mayo, collectively understands clinical practice and MCL operations. Our shared goal is to represent Mayo effectively, providing the best patient care. We're working to bridge gaps between Biopharma Diagnostics and the existing MCL framework, aiming for streamlined processes through collaboration, client education, and reducing inefficiencies for internal colleagues.

5.

Which part(s) of your job is the most challenging, and why?  

Because many of the biopharma projects are novel in nature, we are working hard every day to find ways to overcome gaps between Biopharma Diagnostics and the existing MCL framework. While our projects may not neatly fit into current MCL processes, we strive for creative collaboration to streamline processes internally and externally. Ensuring consistency in sample collection, ordering, shipping, and result reporting is crucial. This is truly a team effort, and we learn a little more through each customer interaction and apply our learnings to our processes.

6.

What gives you meaning and purpose in your work?  

I enjoy knowing that every day will bring new successes and new challenges. By collaborating with our Mayo and MCL colleagues, we have the power to change the future of healthcare and impact the lives of patients everywhere. I work with a great group of people who are dedicated to our purpose and always willing to jump in and help one another. We enjoy getting together outside of work when possible and we have cooked together at the Dorothy Day House on several occasions. I'm grateful for the meaningful work, and I look forward to the future of Biopharma Diagnostics, MCL, and Mayo Clinic, knowing there's no place I'd rather be.