Deeply grateful to the instructors who taught this program over the last four days, and to the incredible group who joined me from all over the world, whom I now call friends. I learned so much, and I'm looking forward to applying the principles in my work. Harvard Yard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, May 11-14, 2026

It meant even more because of the history behind it. Brian and I first met while working at GlaxoSmithKline when I was on secondment at the GMS Cidra site in Puerto Rico. At the time, I was leading the site laboratory investigation team and Brian was one of the QA reviewers, meaning many of the sites investigations ultimately passed through his review. Our goal was always Right First Time investigations. Whenever Brian had comments, he didn’t just send them back. He would g

My career has spanned several phases, countries, and roles of increasing responsibility within scientific research and quality assurance. Every phase holds fond memories and also reminds me of the extreme challenges along the way. Navigating these phases — or as I like to refer to it, “Life’s Rich Tapestry” — has included getting married, raising two children, and caring for elderly parents internationally. It is not an easy road, but it is a very rewarding one. For any woma

Sometimes the best way to reset is to step into a completely different environment. Curiosity led me to visit my friend Jean at the barn to understand why time with her horse, Jet, is her therapy. With 11 horses on the property, the scene was peaceful—green pastures, fall leaves, and a quiet rhythm of routines. What I didn’t expect was how much this visit would teach me about quality. Before I noticed anything technical, I noticed the relationship. The calm, palpable connec

Purna’s career spans Pfizer, Novartis, and UPenn— and who now leads his own software company. Purna speaks about quality with a mix of logic, humility, and heart. His journey — from a curious child in India to senior roles across quality, auditing, and compliance — reflects upon a career built on curiosity, connection, and integrity. As a boy, Purna admits he “wasn’t a great student,” more interested in cricket and exploration than memorization. That changed when a college p

What I’ve learned so far is that you absolutely need to be a self-starter when you venture out on your own. Having a clear purpose to get up in the morning — and the discipline to stick to a to-do list — makes all the difference in staying motivated and grounded. I’ve also been reflecting on how to stand out as a quality consultant. I’m realizing, it's about clarity, simply knowing what I stand for and what I want to contribute. At the core of that is curiosity — in my work,

Thank you, Barbra, since reading about this in your book My name is Barbra, I was curious to see what would happen if I truly committed...