Her Story
About Colleen
Colleen Stugard serves as VP of Industry Relations for a smaller specialty pharmacy focused on rare diseases, based in Brookhaven, Georgia. She entered the field after beginning her career as a drug representative following school, advancing through pharmaceutical and biotech roles before transitioning into specialty pharmacy around 2011. After a period in finance during personal life changes, she returned to the medical industry as a sales leader and later moved into market access and trade, where she now builds alliances with manufacturers, handles pricing and prior authorizations, and creates support programs to improve patient access while ensuring financial viability for her organization. Stugard values focus, empowerment, and connection in both her professional and personal life, drawing inspiration from her parents' strong work ethic. She advises others to suit up and show up while being the best servant of their time and talent.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Colleen
01What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Suit up and show up. Always be the best servant of your time and talent. My parents in their 70s both work with an incredible work ethic that defines them and keeps them young, and they taught that to me and my siblings.
02What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Getting the name out there for a smaller specialty pharmacy so biotech companies engage with us despite preferring larger firms with PBMs. Working with fewer resources than large companies but finding it an advantage for being nimble.
03What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Being a wife and mother first. Focus by working like you don't have a family and parenting like you don't have a job. Empowerment by making people feel good about themselves and helping them become the best version of themselves. Connection by naturally bringing people together and building relationships.
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