Barbara Arispe

I really attribute a lot of my success to my grandparents. I was raised by my grandparents, and they never put fear in me or my sisters' hearts. We were never told we can't do something. On the contrary, we were told that obviously we can do it, we just have to put our minds to it, and it takes hard work and discipline, and we need to keep showing up. My grandparents were instrumental in my professional career and personal life. They always asked us to strive for better and to do better, and to continue to do the right thing when no one was looking. That foundation of encouragement, hard work, and integrity has been the driving force behind everything I've accomplished.

The best career advice I received came from the nurses I worked with early in my career. They would tell me that I needed to continue my education and consider climbing the corporate ladder, not just stay in the position I was in. It wasn't one particular person, but historically, the nurses who worked around me and worked directly with me were the ones who encouraged me to keep growing. They saw potential in me and pushed me to pursue my career further. Their insight and belief in what they saw in me really propelled me to make the decision to advance my education and career.

I would say that if you are passionate about it, pursue it. If you hear no, continue to pursue it. I think there are times when you have to take a lesser position in the industry to kind of get your foot in the door, and even though it's not your ideal role or where you see yourself, give yourself grace. Get in on the ground level if you will, and do your best work. Make an impact. Always do your best work, and everything will work itself out. Don't let initial setbacks or starting at a lower level discourage you. Keep showing up, work hard, and stay committed to your goals.

I think some of the biggest challenges right now are related to the current administration and their outlook on drug development and the regulatory aspect of it. It's kind of a catch-22. COVID helped us get recognition and gave the community a better understanding of the importance of developing new drugs and finding solutions to problems. As researchers, that's really what we're pursuing - we see a need and we're working diligently to solve that problem. I think we got some momentum during COVID and afterwards, but the current administration has made a lot of cuts, not just in research but across the board, and that's really the biggest hindrance for us right now. Even pharmaceutical companies and research organizations are being mindful of their expenditures, so they're not kicking off any new initiatives or trials because they're trying to keep an eye on the horizon to determine what's what in the next year or two.

The values most important to me come from how I was raised by my grandparents. They taught me to continue to do the right thing when no one was looking, and that has stayed with me throughout my life. I've always had this innate desire to help people and fix things. Even as a young person, I was the mom of the group - friends and neighbors would come to me when something was wrong, and I always wanted to help. I recognize now that I had that innate nursing quality in me that just wanted to fix people. I'm always looking to leave the world just a little bit better than I find it. Whether it's through my work in clinical research, feeding people in my community, or supporting kids from difficult backgrounds, I want to make a positive impact and help solve problems.