Her Story
About Sarah
Sarah DeDonder, PhD, is Manager of Global Quality Assurance at Latham BioPharm Group, part of Sia Partners, where she leads the day-to-day operations of the global quality team. With more than two decades in quality assurance and six years in consulting, she helps biopharmaceutical and biotech companies maintain regulatory compliance as they manufacture new therapeutics and advance early-phase clinical trials. Her work spans quality management systems, gap assessments, vendor audits, and IND submission support, including GxP and ISO standards and medical device requirements.
Dr. DeDonder holds a PhD in Pathobiology from Kansas State University, with an emphasis in Food Safety and Security, as well as a Master of Science in Pathobiology from the same institution and a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Emporia State University. She spent much of her career with the Kansas Department of Agriculture, advancing from microbiologist and feed safety grant coordinator to project manager and laboratory director. She then moved into consulting to take on greater daily challenges and make full use of her skills. Although she entered quality assurance without a direct background, she became a subject matter expert through hard work and a deliberate search for roles that stretched her abilities.
Beyond her professional achievements, Dr. DeDonder is the founder of Coats for Kids, a charity she started 11 years ago with a group of women to give new coats, hats, and gloves to children in need. What began with 76 coats now exceeds 450 annually, supported by roughly $20,000 in yearly fundraising. Guided by integrity, trust, compassion, and service, she encourages young women entering STEM to pursue work they love, trust their abilities, and learn from experienced colleagues.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Sarah
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to pushing myself beyond my comfort zone. I entered this field without a direct background and worked diligently to become a subject matter expert. I set a goal of finding a role that would challenge me, and I found it in my current position. Along the way, I have adapted and built the confidence to present myself as an expert.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The most important lesson I carry with me is to believe in yourself. I have entered rooms and fields where I lacked the traditional background others had, but I trusted my ability to learn and adapt and ultimately became a subject matter expert. I also believe in learning from more experienced people. Even without formal mentorship, you can observe exceptional professionals, ask questions, and listen closely, and some of my most valuable lessons have come from these organic relationships. Above all, I encourage people to find work they genuinely love, because when a career reflects your interests and values, challenges become opportunities to grow.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Find work you love, because you will be doing it day in and day out. Believe in yourself, because you are more knowledgeable than you think. Learn from experienced professionals, even when formal mentorship is not available.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
I see enormous opportunity in the continued growth of pharmaceutical and biotechnology innovation, especially as new therapeutics move through clinical development and toward patients. At the same time, quality professionals must navigate increasingly complex regulatory requirements while helping organizations uphold rigorous standards of safety, quality, and compliance. I am encouraged by the growing presence of women in leadership, though STEM and the life sciences still have work to do to achieve broader representation and inclusion.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
My life is anchored by integrity, trust, compassion, empathy, family, and service. Professionally, integrity means doing what is right even when the answer is difficult. Trust means building relationships in which clients and colleagues can rely on my expertise and honesty. My compassion extends into the community through Coats for Kids, and watching it grow from 76 coats to more than 450 annually has shown me the power of collective action and generosity.
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