Her Story
About Emily
Emily Sands-Valadez is a Senior Account Executive at Acera Surgical, where she partners with surgeons across multiple specialties to introduce innovative soft-tissue regenerative technologies that support wound healing and soft tissue reinforcement. With a career rooted in both clinical practice and medical device sales, she combines hands-on healthcare experience with a consultative approach to help physicians improve patient outcomes. Her outstanding performance has earned multiple industry honors, including Teleflex Region of the Year (2025), the Abiomed Unsung Hero Award (2023), Abiomed Region of the Year (2022–2023), and ACIST Clinical Specialist and Region of the Year awards in 2019. Emily began her career in interventional cardiology after completing her education in invasive cardiovascular technology and becoming a Registered Cardiovascular Invasive Specialist (RCIS). She gained valuable experience working in cardiac catheterization laboratories before transitioning into the medical device industry, where she advanced through clinical specialist, field trainer, clinical consultant, and senior sales roles with ACIST Medical Systems, Abiomed, Teleflex, and Acera Surgical. Throughout her career, she has built expertise in clinical education, physician support, territory development, healthcare technology, and strategic relationship management. She further strengthened her leadership capabilities by earning a Bachelor of Applied Arts and Science in Organizational Leadership from East Texas A&M University while working full time. Driven by perseverance and a passion for improving patient care, Emily has built a reputation for adaptability, integrity, and continuous learning. Having balanced work, higher education, and family responsibilities throughout her career, she understands the value of resilience and determination. She encourages aspiring professionals—especially women entering the medical device industry—to embrace adversity as an opportunity for growth, seek out strong mentors, remain adaptable, and pursue their goals with confidence, grit, and a commitment to lifelong learning.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Emily
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to perseverance, hard work, and a commitment to lifelong learning. As a single mother, I worked while paying for my community college education and cardiovascular technologist training, earning two associate degrees and becoming a Registered Invasive Cardiovascular Technologist. During the COVID-19 pandemic, I completed my bachelor's degree in Organizational Leadership through my employer's tuition reimbursement program. My journey has not only shaped my career but has also inspired my children to never give up, work hard, follow your dreams, stay ambitious, and never settle while helping as many people as you can along the way.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Choose your mentors wisely and surround yourself with people who challenge you, support you, and genuinely want to see you succeed. Build strong relationships, be confident in yourself, and don’t be afraid to take initiative or put yourself outside of your comfort zone.
Most importantly, develop resilience and grit. This is still a male-dominated industry, and there will be challenges, setbacks, and moments when you may question yourself. Learn from every experience, keep moving forward, believe in your value, and never let a “no” define your potential. Success comes from staying persistent, learning along the way, and having the confidence to keep showing up.
03What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values that matter most to me are integrity, perseverance, and ambition. Achieving my first official sales role after pursuing that goal since 2012 reinforced the importance of staying committed to my vision, working hard through challenges, and believing that persistence ultimately leads to meaningful opportunities.
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