March is Women’s History Month, a time to recognize and celebrate their achievements. Women have long had an influence in science, technology, medicine, and the fight for equal rights of all people. From the battle for voting rights to seats in board rooms and war rooms, and equal pay, the road has been challenging. Each day, we see more women ascending to positions that once were only reserved for men. This creates pathways for more women and other minorities. MJH Life Sciences held Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Training on February 21. One of the training sessions was “Women In Leadership,” which emphasized the importance of representation and inclusion in the workplace in general and in leadership. MJH is proud to have so many inspirational women in leadership roles. To honor this history month, we asked a few of them to share their thoughts on women in leadership and how they hope to influence their colleagues and future MJH associates.
“I have been fortunate to have many women as role models in my personal and professional life. I wrote a “Philosophy of Practice” while I was in pharmacy school, and it continues to include several guiding principles that directly apply to women and leadership. I will try my hardest to: take the role of myself, as a woman, and promote the equality and importance of women and their health; keep myself challenged; be in touch with the world and community by volunteering my time, energy, heart, ears, and hands; and uphold my beliefs that patience and honesty with all people with whom I have contact is of utmost importance. Particularly for women leaders, I find it essential to be encouraging to other women and share opportunities for others’ growth. Finally, as a mother of two girls and a mentor to other women pharmacists, I find it essential to foster their growth and be a role model by sharing challenges and successes they can learn from as they will be future leaders.
“Whether you realize it or not, being a female leader means being a role model for other women. Successfully demonstrating the ability to manage the responsibilities of my career and family puts me in a unique position to help others who are trying to figure out how to balance it all and navigate their own path to success. Female leaders need to be supported because it takes talented people with diverse backgrounds to build great companies.
— Shari Lundenberg, Vice President, Human Resources and Administration
“To me, women in leadership means giving women an equal opportunity to take on new challenges or roles and not wavering in confidence for their process, ideas, and contributions. Having women leaders breaks down the barrier and outdated notion that women must prove they are better than their counterparts, but further reinforces the fact that women have an equally important set of skills and traits that make them just as, or maybe even more so, capable. I hope to continue learning from women leaders who are not only influential in the workplace but amazing mothers and wives, too. Women supporting one another and raising each other up is so important and I hope to do that for others.”
“To me, women in leadership means being an advocate for both myself and others. I understand the importance of empowering myself, speaking up when I feel I should be heard, and having a seat at the table. I’m grateful to have managers, mentors, family and friends who have welcomed my opinions and given me the confidence to voice them.
These impactful figures, along with my personal experiences, have also taught me about the person I want to be for others. Success is meant to be shared, and my goal is to be someone who encourages others to be confident in their abilities and pushes them to be the best versions of themselves.
I couldn’t be more excited to see the female talent (that) MJHLS has attracted over the past few years. We have so much to learn from one another and I believe growing together and sharing our successes can help us reach our ultimate potential.
— Morgan Michon, Associate Director of Sales, OncLive®
“Women, by nature, tend to be collaborative and so as leaders this natural trait and instinctive care for others makes them inherently good at coaching and mentoring their team. A good leader should inspire their team to work well together to accomplish great things, all the while balancing the strengths and weaknesses of the various team members. For me personally, I enjoy watching the members of my team (almost all of whom are women) develop and grow both technically in live event program management and execution as well as in their confidence in themselves to do more than they may think themselves capable of doing.”
“Having strong female leadership within a business is essential for success. Women bring fresh and different perspectives, encourage teamwork, advocate for more inclusive workplaces, and provide a strong sense of collaboration. To me, seeing women excel in leadership positions helps build my own confidence. Women, especially, must wear many hats when it comes to balancing home and work lives. Effectively juggling these roles is a challenge many women face, and it makes female leaders all the more impressive. I hope to lead by example for women at MJH and demonstrate that strong leadership is about speaking up, making bold decisions, and overcoming biases. I strive to have an impact by mentoring up-and-coming leaders and helping women work smarter, not harder.
— Alexandra Ward, Vice President, Content
“Women in leadership means, to me, the ability to shape our future by confidently shifting boundaries to pursue things we want from our job and career. We identify actionable roadmaps to be in control of advancements and movements for personal development and growth. We are fearless in breaking glass ceilings, and we pride ourselves on working as a team to collaborate and mentor those around us. We strengthen group identities, adapt to change, and embrace transformation to achieve success. As younger generations rise it’s imperative to teach them how to network, create a brand for themselves, and define their goals for their professional foundation. I am devoted to contributing to the expansion of our next generation of female role models here at MJH.”
— Christina Urie, Senior National Accounts Manager
Christina Urie
Elize Fritz
“From a young age I was taught who you are intrinsically and how you impact others is one of the principal factors defining your success. Being a part of a community that provides the chance to learn from other women who are strong, independent thinkers and empowers those in it to succeed, is a driving force for my membership as a woman in a leadership role. I look forward to being a mentor and watch others grow in their ability to be bold, brave, overcome hurdles and have the confidence to believe their potential is unlimited and they can do anything!
— Elise Fritz, Associate Director, Human Resources
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