Her Story
About Maria
Maria Varvaro Sause is a distinguished pharmaceutical executive with more than 25 years of experience advancing quality, compliance, patient safety, and enterprise risk management within the healthcare industry. She currently serves as Senior Director of Enterprise Risk Management at Johnson & Johnson, where she leads strategic efforts to strengthen risk governance, identify emerging risks, and develop mitigation strategies across Quality & Compliance. With a strong foundation as a pharmacist, Maria has built an impressive career spanning quality governance, Quality Management Systems, regulatory compliance, pharmacovigilance, and organizational risk strategy, consistently focusing on protecting patients and strengthening healthcare outcomes.
Maria’s journey reflects a commitment to lifelong learning, resilience, and leadership. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy from St. John's University and her Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) from Shenandoah University while balancing professional responsibilities and raising her family. Throughout her career, she has taken on influential leadership roles, including Head of Quality Governance & Strategy and Head of Quality Management Systems Oversight, while also serving as a mentor and talent developer. She is a Certified Transformational Leader, a graduate of the Executive Quality Leadership Development Program, and an active contributor to professional and employee resource organizations.
Beyond her executive responsibilities, Maria is passionate about developing people, building trust, and creating meaningful impact. She serves as Co-Chair of the Johnson & Johnson Pharmacist Network and supports initiatives that promote inclusion, professional growth, and community engagement. She is also involved with the Healthcare Businesswomen's Association and volunteers with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society through blood drive initiatives. Guided by values of integrity, trust, empathy, and service, Maria describes herself as “a mother to many,” finding purpose in mentoring others, helping colleagues succeed, and inspiring future leaders in healthcare.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Maria
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to perseverance, continuous learning, embracing opportunities, and staying true to my values. Saying “yes” to new challenges, even before feeling fully prepared, has helped me grow professionally while balancing my career, education, and family.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I’ve received is to say “yes” to opportunities first and learn what I need along the way. Growth often comes from stepping outside my comfort zone and embracing new challenges.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice to young women entering the industry is to say “yes” to opportunities that come their way. Embrace new challenges, and trust that you can learn and grow along the journey.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The pharmaceutical industry is evolving rapidly, with growing regulatory demands, increasing risk complexity, and the need for stronger quality and compliance systems. At the same time, there are significant opportunities to use strategic risk management, collaboration, and leadership to drive innovation and improve patient outcomes.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values most important to me are integrity, trust, and reliability. I strive to be someone others can count on, both professionally and personally. As a mom to many, I value supporting, guiding, and being there for the people who depend on me.
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