Her Story
About Diane
Diane Evans serves as an Executive Assistant in the nonprofit biotech space at the Gates Foundation, where she supports work related to the AIDS Foundation. Her career began after high school when she learned to type to help her single mother raise five daughters, leading to roles in financial institutions such as Wellington Management Company and various law firms. She later transitioned into biotech, where the meaningful mission resonated with her, including early involvement at a successful startup as employee number 64 that developed a system to pinpoint cancer mutations for targeted treatment, culminating in FDA approval for their test while she worked in corporate communications. Evans attributes her professional success to her startup-honed willingness to handle any task, find creative solutions, and contribute wherever needed. She emphasizes values of honesty and being impeccable with one's word, while advising others to remain open-minded, pivot when necessary, and recognize that everyone has a seat at the table. In her current role, she navigates challenges such as reduced government funding for research and strategic shifts at the foundation that shortened long-term planning horizons.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Diane
01What do you attribute your success to?
I think seriously the success that I have is that I have a willingness to do whatever needs to be done to get the job done. So that's my startup background and that's the way I work. If you need something you got it. If I can help in any way I'll do it. Let's find a creative solution and try that. I'm not afraid to put stuff out there.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best advice that I received was don't be afraid. Everybody has a seat at the table. We don't all have an equal vote obviously but everybody gets a seat at the table and I think different voices and different opinions is so important in making any major decision.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I can't support women enough. Young women coming up and coming through the ranks. I think I would say in business in particular we reinvent ourselves all the time. And so don't be afraid to try something different and to become something different. My favorite thing it's a really silly carpenter song but there's a line that says we'll find a place where there's room to grow and I think that's what any woman wants in their career. They want to land in some place where there's room to grow.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Biotech is running up against a lot of different things we have to pivot we have to change what we're doing. Government funding for scientific research is gone probably forever. So we have to think about new ways to be able to raise money to connect to continue our research. It's a constant challenge and currently at the Gates Foundation we're really up against it because Bill Gates has done a complete change in his strategy. We originally had like a 40 year runway and he's cut that down to 20 years.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Honesty my absolute favorite word is impeccable. I'm not sure if you're familiar with the four agreements but the first one is be impeccable with your word. And not only does that mean like everything that comes out of your mouth is obviously the truth but it does something to bring something to a better place. Like don't try not to put any words out there that are negative or deceiving or cut off any kind of further learning. So I think that is very important. Really be open-minded be willing to pivot be willing to jump in roll up your sleeves jump in and know that you have a place at the table.
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