Honored to be acknowledged in Your Second Act by Brian Hill.

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 gladly take the time to speak with a team member, or with me, to walk through the thinking, explain the expectations, and offer mentorship.

I continued to collaborate with Brian on other site remediation activities and projects. He was always approachable and willing to help.

Looking back, many of us learned a great deal from him about the art of investigation writing and other quality lessons that proved invaluable during the site’s remediation under FDA consent decree conditions.

Fast forward 20 years.

I recently reconnected with Brian for advice on pharmaceutical quality consulting (he has more than 30 years of consulting experience). Soon after reconnecting, he asked if I would peer review an early draft of his book. I jumped at the chance.

A few months later, I received a signed copy of the published book with a handwritten, heartfelt note inside — and my name included along with other early readers on the Acknowledgements page.

That meant a great deal. Thank you, Brian.

In Your Second Act, Brian Hill reflects on navigating defining moments in life starting from his childhood with his desire to be a scientist, and touching on all stages and transitions throughout his global career, as well as his personal life.  At its core, the book explores developing a consultant mindset: curiosity, reframing challenges as opportunities, building relationships, and adapting through change.

I loved reading his personal stories of how he transitioned from various roles including Scientific Technician, Laboratory analyst, Quality compliance manager, Quality Site lead, Quality Consultant and how he integrated his passion for, and leadership roles in theatre.

It was also a wonderful reminder of the power of staying connected. Sometimes the people we work with years ago end up shaping our careers in ways we only recognize much later.

Available on Amazon.com