Her Story
About Cheryl
Cheryl Bean serves as Associate Director of Regulatory Affairs at Biolagelytics, where she has worked for a little over two years. In this role, she is building a regulated area from the ground up for a smaller company with multiple global sites, establishing frameworks for document editing, workflows, reportable items to the FDA, and alignment with standards and regulations. With more than 20 years in the field, Bean began her career at Pfizer after the company she worked for was acquired, transitioning from laboratory work to regulatory affairs by helping teams align with the FDA's shift to the eCTD digital space. She holds a bachelor's degree in science and is currently pursuing a master's degree in business, expected February 2028, as well as regulatory affairs certifications. Bean is an active member of the Regulatory Affairs Professional Society (RAPS). She attributes her career success to her genuine interest in the work, her enjoyment of teaching others to be creative within the regulatory space, and the field's dynamic nature influenced by politics, global affairs, and economic factors. Throughout her career, she has deliberately moved into different areas to expand her knowledge and value to subsequent projects and organizations.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Cheryl
01What do you attribute your success to?
I really like what I do, and I love to work with people. I love to teach them how to be creative in the space of regulatory affairs. It's a niche that keeps me interested because the regulations are changing every day, affected by politics, global affairs, and money. Every step of my career I went into different spaces to learn more and build knowledge to be useful for the next company or project.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
A leader at Pfizer told me the number one reason women don't get paid as much as men is because we don't ask for it. Women ask for smaller raises and lack confidence if they can't check every box, while men ask for more and go in confidently. I learned to ask for what I deserve, like $15k-$25k raises, and got exactly what I asked for when jumping companies.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
You've got to be able to take criticism and honest feedback without batting an eye. Trust in yourself and your talents. If you don't know something, don't pretend to know - say 'let me confirm that' instead, as that's better received than lying.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Change is always a huge challenge. It's important to listen to people, understand why they're against change, work together to get them involved so they earn credibility and see it as their work.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Honesty and being grounded through journaling - writing honestly about my day to analyze if I put my best foot forward and forgive myself. Family is number one - my husband and son, nothing matters without them. We only have each other.
Join Influential Women and start making an impact. Register now.