Her Story
About Preeti
Preeti Bangalore is a Senior Portfolio and Program Manager at Vertex Pharmaceuticals, where she leads cross-functional teams across research, chemistry, engineering, clinical, regulatory, and commercial disciplines to advance drug development programs. With 14 years in biotechnology drug development, she began her career as a scientist working at the bench in biology, which provides her with valuable perspective as a program manager. This experience allows her to connect individual contributor realities with broader portfolio strategy, resources, and timelines. She has supported programs that expanded the label of a commercial cystic fibrosis drug to include additional rare gene variants, making life-changing medications available to more patients. Preeti attributes her success to her dual perspective from the lab and program management roles, and she values curiosity, collaboration, and bringing positive energy to her work while remaining empathetic and decisive.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Preeti
01What do you attribute your success to?
I spent the first half of my career at the bench in the lab. It gives me perspective as a program manager because I understand what it's like to be an individual contributor, and now as a program manager I also get to see the big picture and the broad portfolio. When I put on my PM hat and think about resources and timelines and business considerations, I'm able to step into the shoes of the people that are working on those teams and how the big picture has to connect to what they do on a day-to-day basis.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Program management is a wonderful field to get into. The most important thing is to be curious, to ask questions, to find mentors in your field or even in the industry that can help nurture your ability to speak clearly and concisely and communicate across teams effectively. I have had fantastic mentors along the way that I attribute my career transitions to. If not for them seeing these skills in me and identifying areas for me to grow, I would not have the career that I have.
03What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
In biotech you can't solve every problem and that's just the nature of biology. Understanding more about the disease is a win. Asking the right question and bringing the right people together, creating transparency, and allowing experts to do their best work - those are wins to celebrate. It takes time and resilience and positivity to make a difference.
04What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Curiosity and collaboration are big values. Wanting to learn and grow and surround yourself with experts is extremely valuable, and bringing positive energy into the room. Being confident doesn't mean having all the answers. It comes from being willing to learn from the people around you and being willing to absorb and connect the dots. Especially as a woman, there are ways to be empathetic and collaborative while still being decisive and driving results.
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