Laura Everette

I honestly attribute my success to having a mindset of saying yes to all types of professional opportunities that have been presented to me since I've been working in the pharmaceutical industry. When asked if I can help support a colleague or take something on, my response has always been yes, sure, I will help you out. I've had times where people ask if I want to be part of a group or team at work and I won't have any idea what the group is or what they're doing, but my response is always, sure, why not? Having that mentality has allowed me to network really well and make connections with people that I probably would have never had the opportunity to connect with had I questioned myself or doubted whether or not I could take on the additional responsibilities. I feel like that has really opened up a lot of opportunities that have gotten me to where I am with my career. It's also established this view that people have of me as being a super supportive colleague for them to reach out to for help when needed. Where I am today has been based off of not overthinking too much and just saying yes to opportunities and letting the cards kind of unfold as they have. The position I'm in now, I recently walked away from a really great team and a really great company that I had been with long enough to where I was very comfortable in my career. But, I got this new opportunity presented to me and there was that moment where I started to overthink and question whether or not I was capable of stepping outside of my comfort zone and being successful. I just had to stop, take a minute, pray, and allow God to lead me instead of getting in the way of my own growth. It ended up being an amazing opportunity. I think the biggest amount of individual growth comes when you're uncomfortable. You sometimes have to allow yourself to be put in these temporary uncomfortable periods of time to really see what you're capable of.

The best career advice I ever received came from one of my managers early on when I was trying to figure out, in such a male-dominated industry with a lot of male leaders, whether I should alter my personality to try to conform to those around me in order to fit this "mold" of a leader. His feedback to me was: absolutely not. He told me that the pathway, the roles, and the opportunities that open up for us as individuals are based off of our qualities that we have as individuals. That was the one thing that I really appreciated - just being encouraged to own my individuality and not trying to change the way I was designed. I also had a co-worker say to me once "the best leaders always eat last," and that resonated with me so deeply on a personal level, not just in being a leader in the workforce, but also as a soccer coach and as a mom. I'm always the last one to sit at the table, always making sure my girls on my soccer team are well equipped, making sure they have all of their gear before games. The best leaders prioritize the individuals on their team because the success of the team is a showcase of the capabilities of a strong leader.

My advice to young women entering the pharmaceutical industry, especially in male-dominated fields, is to stay true to yourself and not try to change your personality to fit some undefined mold of what you "think" a leader should be. The opportunities that open up for us are based on our individual qualities, so own your personality and don't try to be someone you're not. Go into situations with grace and understanding. I think as female leaders, we tend to be very selfless at times, maybe due to our natural maternal instinct, so own that! Instead of trying to be somebody else, understand that the way you're designed is meant to be a small piece of a giant puzzle. We all bring different skill sets to the table, and that's what makes a team so successful - being robust and understanding that we're all a piece of this giant puzzle. Being different creates balance - there has to be a balance of energy across your team, across leadership teams, across the entire organization...and always eat last.

One of the ongoing challenges in my field is that it can still be male-dominated, which sometimes creates pressure to conform to traditional leadership styles. However, I see this as an opportunity to lead authentically and demonstrate that effective leadership can take many forms. From a professional standpoint, one of the most exciting opportunities for me right now is helping to build and a strong team of validation subject matter experts within the quality organization at the startup facility where I work. By developing talented professionals and advocating risk-based validation strategies, I believe we can strengthen both compliance and efficiency while setting a high standard for how we perform at our site.

The values that guide me most strongly in both my professional and personal life stem from my foundational values and beliefs as a Christian. Having grace towards others, treating others as we would like to be treated, and being sacrificial in our time and energy to those within our teams allow others to feel supported and successful. I believe it is important to remain true to who you are and to lead with empathy and respect for others. Supporting the people around me and helping them succeed is something I take great pride in, whether that means mentoring colleagues or simply being someone others feel comfortable reaching out to for help. I try to approach every situation with humility and collaboration, because strong teams are built when people feel valued, supported, and empowered to contribute.