Chad and Mary dig in to what it takes to lead with Melissa Landis, exploring her journey from academia to industry leadership. They discuss the importance of servant leadership, building trust, and the impact of mentorship. Melissa shares her insights on adapting leadership styles, the significance of cross-functional collaboration, and the value of authenticity and saying true to your own principles in leadership. The conversation emphasizes the need for curiosity and the role of personal values in shaping effective leadership.

Chad welcomes back Tanisha Hill to discuss the very critical topic of Digital Health/Health Equity. As the founder of the Digital Health for Equitable Health Alliance, Tanisha is in a great position to discuss the importance of health equity in clinical trials, patient access, and so much more. They explore the challenges faced by underserved communities, the role of organizations in promoting health equity, and practical steps that medical affairs leaders can take to incorporate health equity into their work.
I bet you will learn a lot more from Tanisha than you ever realized you didn't know to begin with. I know I did!

Chad and Mary are joined by Nicole Yonkers, PhD, National MSL Director for Immunology, currently with Galderma. They explore the importance of professional development, building trust within teams, and the concept of collective intelligence. Nicole shares her insights on empowering team members, fostering collaboration, and the role of super facilitators in enhancing team performance. The conversation emphasizes the need for intentional communication, celebrating successes, and investing in opportunities for growth to create a thriving work environment.

2025 has been anything but boring. With exciting new drug/therapy approvals, big time merger & acquisition activity, and advances in rare and genetic diseases, Chad and Mary reflect on the past year and how it may impact the evolving role of medical affairs. You can't talk about 2026 without hitting on the gigantic pachyderm in the room that is AI. How will it enhance medical affairs and can it satisfy the need for a more personalized approach to patient care?

We hit the lottery with this guest! Elizabeth Kupferer, PhD, WHNP-BC, is the National Director of US Field Medical with Nestle Health Science, and she is hanging out with us to discuss her experiences in leadership, focusing on the coaching and mentoring aspects of fostering professional development and supporting the career growth for her MSLs. We talk about self assessments to figure out where to start, the roles of coaching and mentoring (because they are not necessarily interchangeable), and Elizabeth rounds things out by emphasizing the significance of networking-both internally and externally. This episode will encourage MSLs to actively engage in their own development and define their career goals, but will also provide their leadership with great ideas and tools to get things and keep things on their desired path.

Linsay joins the pod to discuss the critical role of delivering feedback in leadership. Linsay shares her leadership story, emphasizing the importance of creating a culture of psychological safety and the need for specificity in feedback. The conversation explores how to handle difficult feedback conversations, the significance of assuming positive intent, and the value of PRAISE in team dynamics. Linsay offers practical advice for new leaders on how to approach feedback effectively, ensuring it is a constructive and growth-oriented experience for their teams.

What mindshifts will you undergo when moving from field medical to leading medical affairs strategy? And is it FOR YOU? Steve joins us to talk about his experiences leading the launch of one of the most exciting and innovative therapies of this decade. As usual it's a casual, yet extremely informative discussion that pulls back the curtain in ways to let others in to learn from other leaders.

Chad and Mary are joined by Sagar Shah, Vice President of Medical Affairs with Pharmacosmos. Their conversation covers various themes including career growth, the importance of communication in leadership, and the challenges of imposter syndrome. Sagar shares insights from his 20-year journey in the pharmaceutical industry, emphasizing the significance of hiring based on mindset rather than just experience. The episode also explores the dynamics of team building, the value of curiosity, and the necessity of embracing change in leadership roles.