I received a PhD in Biomedical Sciences and completed my Postdoctoral training in Biomedical Engineering. I always knew however that as a scientist, I wanted to use my scientific skills and work outside the confines of a lab wall. My career journey to some may seem convoluted, but science has always been the thread to link the different stepping stones together.

Following my postdoctorate training I entered into the field of science policy, first working at the Department of Defense in the Division of Chemical, Biological and Nuclear Warfare, in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense. Here I not only got to experience the intersection of science and policy first hand, but I got to experience it in action with the outbreak of Ebola in Western Africa. I witnessed how science was at the forefront of the policy decision-making process.

Next, I served as the Senior Science and Innovation Policy Advisor for the Foreign Commonwealth Office at the British Embassy where I learned here - the value of building strong partnerships which led to strong international collaborations between the US and the UK to advance scientific knowledge.

And following that I became the Senior Director of Science Policy at the Biden Cancer Initiative. Continuing the mission of the cancer moonshot led by Vice President Biden - following the transition of the administration - we focused on removing large systemic barriers to accelerate the development of treatments and on creating a healthcare system that prioritized placing the patient above all else.

It was following this experience that I took on the role as Executive Director of the SHEPHERD Foundation, an organization looking to build a momentum to revolutionize the rare cancer system. It is in this position that all my skills as a scientists and varying roles within science policy - have prepared me for.