Winding Up For a New Pitch

Using Your Collective Experience to Achieve Career Fulfillment

Some of us, if we’re fortunate, arrive at a point in life and career in which we find ourselves with the flexibility and the desire to engage from a place that touches our hearts, a place where we can make a difference. I am honored to have found that place in Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE), the nation’s leading nonprofit working on behalf of 15 million Americans with food allergies. The path to this place, however, was neither direct nor predictable.

In her book “Lean In,” Sheryl Sandberg describes life as a jungle gym: it is never a straight path but rather instances of climbing up and down and even crawling through a few tunnels in search of the next adventure. My journey began on Election Night 2016. Within 24 hours, my name had been put forward for a significant presidential appointment, one that I had worked toward, knowing that it would be the natural extension of my work to improve health and wellness in the United States. I had worked with industry organizations and NGOs, and my friends and colleagues rallied around my potential nomination. The race was on and I was determined to run the full course. I prepared, I engaged, and I stood ready to serve – only to discover that the current administration would not be filling many senior roles.

After six months of conversations and anticipation, a staffer at the White House called to say that the process was on hold. Luckily, the next morning, I had breakfast with a close friend who asked for my help in starting a new national political organization to support women running for Congress. Over six months of non-stop travel, fundraising, and pitching, we raised $6 million dollars and launched a new digital engagement operation with a top-notch, committed, smart female staff. And with that, my entrepreneurial instincts were back in play.

As I began conversations with headhunters, my vision of what I wanted was clear and unwavering: I wanted to find a place where I could commit and build with passion. Through the journey, I recognized that I thrive when I can bring together political parties, corporate competitors, and disparate constituents to foster quality leadership and produce outcomes that benefit society, and create sustainable partnerships and profitable business models. I am happiest representing public-private partnerships and non-profits with the goal of moving organizations to higher levels of performance. I truly love to make a difference.

As I walked into the FARE interview, I realized that all the pieces of my eclectic career could come together to do good one more time. I was touched by the personal stories of those who struggle with food allergies. I instantly liked the members of the board: committed parents, donors, and leaders. I found where I was meant to be.

As the largest private funder of food allergy research in the world, FARE works aggressively to elevate the public profile of food allergy as a life-threatening disease. Through investments in product innovation that produce therapies, such as those being pursued by Aimmune Therapeutics and DBV Technologies, or consumer goods, such as OWYN (Only What You Need), an allergy-friendly product from  Halen Brands, entrepreneurs in this critical field recognize that food allergies are a growing epidemic – one that increased by 50 percent from 1997 to 2011.

I look forward to working every day to create more awareness about the dangers food allergies pose, and drive a sense of collective responsibility and understanding that every American has the ability to prevent a tragic incident. Through education and advocacy, we can guard against inadvertent exposures to allergens and help keep children and adults with food allergies safe.

As I begin my journey, my team and I will focus on:

• Investing in momentum by prioritizing the growth of the FARE Clinical Network and Patient Registry as a means of catalyzing progress in research
• Amplifying the messaging through multiple channels with other non-profit partners, schools, and colleges to protect the well-being of students as they matriculate into college and the workplace
• Addressing pressing needs, such as the current epinephrine auto-injector shortages (with the exception of the AUVI-Q), to ensure the issue is front and center with all Americans – particularly policymakers

The risk of inaction or slow action is too great. By working together, we will make a difference. If you’re considering a new chapter, I invite you to ponder how you can apply your combined experience to effect helpful change and hit it out of the park.