Consultant Spotlight - May 2025

How long have you been with miLEAD? 

1 year.

What is the focus of your research?

My research focuses on the gram-negative bacterium Klebsiella pneumoniae, a major cause of antimicrobial-resistant infections in hospitalized settings. My work aims to understand the bacterial factors that drive the transition from asymptomatic Klebsiella gut colonization to Klebsiella infection. The goal is to apply the knowledge from this work to inform patient decolonization and treatment strategies.

What are your current career goals?

I am interested in combining my scientific background and communication expertise with my business experience to tackle complex problems in a life sciences consulting or biomedical setting. During my time at miLEAD, I have thoroughly enjoyed applying skills from my PhD to projects in various scientific fields and being challenged to think critically about multi-faceted problems and potential solutions. In the future, I am looking for a position that leverages my scientific and business experience to tackle diverse and challenging problems in the biomedical and life science industries.

What roles have you played on projects? 

I have served as a project manager and consultant on various primary and secondary research projects for clients in the biotechnology and information technology industries.

What led you to seek out miLEAD?

Early on in my PhD journey, I knew that I was interested in pursuing a non-academic career after graduation. miLEAD presented a unique opportunity to develop business skills and combine this with my research and science communication experience in a professional setting. I was particularly interested in gaining experience working with clients in the biotechnology and healthcare spaces, which is something miLEAD has definitely helped me to achieve!

Since joining miLEAD, what skills have you been able to develop?

As a consultant and project manager, miLEAD has helped me to build on skills ranging from project management to communication. During my time as a consultant, I gained experience in business-based skills such as market analysis, value propositions, primary research, and professional slide design. Additionally, I have expanded on my science communication skills and applied these when communicating with team members and clients. As a project manager, I have really enjoyed growing as a leader and learning how to effectively manage and support a team of consultants. It has been really rewarding to see teams come together over 8 weeks to produce high-quality deliverables to meet the unique needs of each client.

What has been one of your most rewarding experiences thus far working with miLEAD? 

One of the most memorable experiences during my time with miLEAD was during a primary research project where our team contacted over 500 medical professionals for a survey about a medical treatment under development. We conducted numerous virtual interviews with professionals from all over the globe, including in the United States and Europe. One of these interviews even led to an offer to collaborate on a future project and clinical trial with our client. Our interviews created global connections between our client and other medical professionals, which was not only rewarding for us as a team but also was invaluable for our client. Additionally, throughout my time on different projects, it has been amazing to see not only how much our teams learn during the projects but also how well our teams collaborate to produce great deliverables to our clients. The amazing teams I have worked with during my time with miLEAD have not only been a great way to connect with other graduate students and clients but have also helped me grow into a better scientist, communicator, team member, and leader.