Joe Franchetti, President of the Society of Quality Assurance (SQA), shares his vision for the SQA and the wider quality assurance industry, emphasizing the importance of collaboration and expanding relationships with international quality colleagues and regulators. Joe highlights the need to attract and educate younger professionals about the field of quality assurance. He discusses the role of technology, including AI and blockchain, the challenges and opportunities they present, as well as offering advice for future quality assurance professionals.

• 01:25 - Election as President of SQA
• 05:09 - Vision for SQA and the Quality Assurance Industry
• 07:27 - Promoting Quality Assurance as a Career
• 10:09 - Challenges in Attracting Young Professionals to Quality Assurance
• 13:39 - The Role of Technology in Quality Assurance
• 27:26 - Advice for Future Quality Assurance Professionals
• 29:04 - Joe's Inspiration and Motivation
• 31:02 - Information about SQA and its Benefits

It was a privilege to be joined by Joe and hear him discuss his vision for the SQA, the wider industry, the role that technology will play, and what benefits the SQA can offer to future and existing members.

Thanks for listening, I hope you enjoy the show!

This is very special episode. I was joined by Laurie Adami, a financial services exec who was forced to give up her career after a cancer diagnosis in 2006.

After a 12 year battle fighting follicular non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and six lines of therapy, Laurie received a call from her oncologist, informing her about a new therapy called CAR-T, that was being developed by Kite Pharma.

They were opening a clinical trial at UCLA with five patients. Laurie was to be patient number one. One month after her CAR-T treatment, Laurie was in complete remission.

Laurie is now focused on patient advocacy, volunteering and fundraising for cancer research, especially CAR-T immunotherapy. 

I wanted to speak with Laurie, to talk about her fight against follicular non-Hodgkin lymphoma, how she learnt about a new game-changing therapy called CAR-T, and some key issues around access to patients, safety concerns raised by the FDA, bridging the gap between industry and patients, and what she is doing now to raise awareness of the benefits and potential of CAR-T. We discuss the following:

• [2:40] Laurie's Diagnosis, Initial Treatment and Challenges
• [5:00] 12 Year Cycle of Six Lines of Therapy and Relapse
• [10:55] Hearing the Story of Emily Whitehead and CAR-T in 2012
• [14:22] Starting Sixth Line of Therapy in 2016
• [14:57] Receiving a call about a CAR-T Trial in Spring, 2018
• [18:55] Going Through CAR-T Cell Therapy
• [21:32] Complete Remission
• [24:18] Becoming a Patient Advocate Volunteer
• [26:41] Patient Access and Challenges
• [35:41] Laurie's Response to the FDA Safety Advisory on CAR-T
• [41:30] Bridging the Gap Between Industry and Patients
• [46:16] The Potential and Future of CAR-T Therapy
• [51:34] Living Life to the Full
• [58:41] Meeting the People that Saved Her Life

I really hope people enjoy listening to Laurie's story and that it gives hope to anyone affected by Cancer, and raises awareness of the potential for CAR-T Cell Therapy to save more lives.

There are a number of challenges that Laurie is on a mission to tackle, and I would urge people to listen to this episode to learn more about how we can bridge the gap between the industry and patients, and get safter, faster and more affordable access of these therapies to more patients like Laurie.

Thank you Laurie for sharing your story with us!

In this conversation, Kimberly Wallbank, a quality systems consultant in the pharma & biotech industry, shares her insights and experiences in the world of contracting. She discusses the changes in the contracting market, the types of projects she takes on, and the shift towards remote and on-site work. Kimberly also provides advice on building a network and finding contracts, including the importance of volunteering and referrals. She emphasizes the need for flexibility, problem-solving skills, and a strong support system when starting out in contracting.

• Kimberly's Background and Consulting Work
• Reasons for Getting into Contracting
• Changes in the Contracting World
• Types of Projects and Team Sizes
• Shifts in Remote and On-Site Work
• Building a Network and Finding Contracts
• Volunteering and Referrals
• Dealing with Slowdowns in the Market
• Skills Needed for Consulting
• Motivation and Enjoyment as a Consultant
• Advice for Starting Out in Contracting

This is a conversation which is worth listening for anyone considering become a contractor. The contracting market has seen changes, with more consultants entering the market and building a network and proactively finding contracts can be a challenge without the right support systems. Kimberly shares how flexibility, problem-solving skills, and the ability to adapt to different business models are important for success as a consultant.

Hope you enjoy the show!