Reflecting on my first 2 years at Johnson & Johnson

September is always a hectic month and one of new beginnings. It feels like the start of something new with summer vacation ending and the return to school. Like every parent, I am in the usual scramble to get everything done for the first day of school. The hustle of this time of year also reminds me of my personal new beginning two years ago, when I joined Johnson & Johnson. At the time, I was preparing my daughter to enter middle school, sharing her excitement, while also preparing myself to start in this role. It was a new beginning for the both of us. As we embarked on our first days, we could have never predicted how the next two years would unfold. The world we knew would be disrupted in so many ways.

While I could predict many things, I never imagined having to lead a team during a global pandemic. I had been in the role for five months when we started to work from home, having to adapt to new ways of working while also balancing personal lives on top of everything else. Like many on my team, I was juggling helping my daughter adjust to online learning, trying to inspire a team during an unprecedented time and continuing to serve the consumers who relied on us.?

This experience has allowed me to grow personally and professionally on so many levels. When I think about this journey, the most important lesson I learned is that together we can accomplish anything. I am often asked how I was able to lead an organization during a time like this and how I stayed motivated. The answer is simple-- the team I am surrounded by inspired me every day. Because of this team’s resilience, we were able to tackle anything that came our way. I continue to be inspired by the team’s curiosity to seek creative solutions to challenges we never thought possible and their passion to make a difference in the lives of people around the world.?

While it wasn’t always easy, reflecting on the last two years brings a big smile to my face. I think about the many times this team came together, despite professional and personal adversity. I also think about how incredibly blessed I am to call so many new people my friends. So, when I think back to that moment in 2019 as I was getting my daughter and myself ready for our new beginnings, there were many thoughts going through my head. Had I made the right decision to leave a world I knew to join a new organization? Looking back, I can honestly say that I have no regrets and am incredibly proud to be part of this organization. Working with the most talented team and having an opportunity to make an impact on people’s personal health every day is truly an experience that I’ll never take for granted.

Together, imagine what we can do next!