Jami M DeBrango-Palumbo

I attribute my success to the two women who shaped my life from the very beginning: my mother and my grandmother. They were extraordinary examples of resilience, determination, and unwavering work ethic. Growing up, I watched them work two and sometimes three jobs while raising families, building businesses, and creating meaningful lives through perseverance and grit. They never viewed obstacles as limitations, only as challenges to overcome.

My grandmother, after her divorce, built her own catering business, and my mother founded and operated her own preschool. They taught me that success isn't defined by where you start or the titles you earn, but by your character, your willingness to work hard, and your courage to create opportunities where none exist. They instilled in me the confidence to believe that women can lead, build, innovate, and make a lasting impact.

Those lessons have guided every stage of my career. They taught me to lead with integrity, remain resilient through adversity, never stop learning, and invest in others along the way. More than any professional achievement, their example inspired my belief that true success is measured by the lives you positively influence, the people you help develop, and the legacy you leave behind.

The best career advice I have ever received came from a SVP in my early days at IDEC Pharma, during one of the most defining moments of my life. I was pregnant, questioning whether I should return to work, and struggling to balance my career with motherhood. She simply said, "If you're happy, the people around you will be happy."

Those words changed my perspective. I realized that pursuing a career I loved wasn't selfish. It allowed me to show up as the best version of myself for my family, my colleagues, and the people I had the privilege to lead. When you lead with purpose, passion, and authenticity, your energy becomes contagious.

That advice has stayed with me throughout my career. I've learned that success isn't about choosing between your personal life and your professional ambitions. It's about creating a life that aligns with your values, inspires those around you, and gives you the courage to lead authentically. When you are fulfilled, you have the capacity to lift others, create opportunity, and make a meaningful impact far beyond yourself.

My advice to young women entering this industry is simple: be courageous enough to say "yes" before you feel completely ready. Growth rarely happens inside your comfort zone. Some of the greatest opportunities in my career came from taking on challenges I had never faced before and trusting that I could learn along the way.

Don't let imposter syndrome convince you that you don't belong. Every accomplished leader has faced moments of uncertainty. The difference is that they chose to move forward anyway. Believe in your ability to learn, adapt, and solve problems. Your perspective, your voice, and your contributions matter.

Be curious. Be resilient. Never stop learning. Find mentors who challenge you, invest in relationships, and remember to lift others as you climb. Success isn't about having all the answers. It's about having the courage to ask questions, embrace change, work hard, and continue growing.

Most importantly, never allow someone else to define your potential. The only limits that truly matter are the ones you place on yourself.

I always say, "just wear the heels."

One of the greatest challenges facing the radiopharmaceutical industry today is building the infrastructure required to translate scientific breakthroughs into routine patient care. Innovation is accelerating rapidly, but success depends on much more than developing a promising therapy. It requires a reliable isotope supply chain, standardized GMP manufacturing, robust quality systems, specialized engineering, efficient logistics, and a highly skilled workforce capable of delivering patient-specific therapies safely and consistently.

Because many radiopharmaceuticals have exceptionally short half-lives, every step, from isotope production and manufacturing to quality release, transportation, and patient administration, must operate with precision and speed. Expanding regional manufacturing capabilities and strengthening the domestic supply chain are essential to increasing patient access and ensuring these innovative therapies reach the people who need them.

At the same time, this rapidly growing field presents an extraordinary opportunity for the next generation of leaders. As the industry continues to evolve, there is tremendous demand for talented professionals in manufacturing, quality, engineering, technical operations, and supply chain who are passionate about building the future of precision medicine. The work is challenging, meaningful, and has the potential to directly improve, and even save patients' lives.

The values that define my leadership are integrity, courage, loyalty, curiosity, and stewardship.

Integrity means having the courage to make the right decision, even when it is the hardest one. In highly regulated industries where every decision can ultimately impact a patient, there is no substitute for doing what's right.

I believe loyalty is often misunderstood. To me, loyalty isn't about avoiding difficult conversations or protecting the status quo. It's about being deeply committed to the mission, standing behind your people, challenging one another to be better, and leaving every organization stronger than you found it.

Curiosity has been one of the greatest drivers of my career. I didn't follow a traditional path into technical operations. I built my career by asking questions, stepping into unfamiliar roles, embracing change, and never believing that learning had an endpoint. That mindset continues to fuel both innovation and personal growth.

Finally, I believe leadership is stewardship. My responsibility is not simply to deliver results today, but to build sustainable organizations, develop future leaders, and create systems that continue to serve patients long after I'm gone. If the people I've mentored become better leaders, if the organizations I've helped build continue to thrive, and if more patients gain access to life-changing therapies because of the work we've done, then I've been successful.

For me, leadership isn't measured by the title you hold. It's measured by what you build, who you develop, and the legacy you leave behind.