Member Spotlight: Janette Buechler
What brought you to ISPE, and what are the various volunteer roles you have held since you started your journey with ISPE?
I learned of ISPE in 2006 in my role at Pharmatech Associates and got involved in both ISPE and Women in Pharma when I became responsible for our tradeshow presence some years later. In 2017 I attended my first Women in Pharma breakfast at the ISPE Quality Manufacturing Conference in Bethesda Maryland. The small group discussions were insightful, and I was impressed by the diverse group in attendance and encouraged to find there was something for everyone at every level. I immediately saw the value of expanding the program to the West Coast and across the country.
We know you are very active in ISPE’s Women in Pharma®. Can you please tell us a little about your involvement with the Committee and some of the interesting things about WIP?
As a volunteer on the steering committee it is exciting to see the program expand. Reaching out to people has helped us grow the program to three chapters in California and one in Singapore. While organizing the WIP breakfast for the ISPE Biopharmaceutical Conference in Huntington Beach, California last year, I worked closely with co-workers to research topics that appeal to a wide audience and enlisted wonderful leaders who agreed to be panelists. Hearing them share their stories and recommendations changed my perspective on career success. ISPE’s Women in Pharma program brings together many impressive people who inspire us every day. It’s helped me move forward and set new goals in my own career.
Involvement in Women in Pharma can have an impact on every employee and every company. We discuss topics such as diversity, the attributes of effective leadership, and how to communicate in a multi-generational, multi-cultural workforce to foster learning, and understanding. Women in Pharma provides a safe space for that discussion and brings a positive impact on our industry.
What would you say to encourage ISPE members (women and men) to participate in the WIP Community?
The discussions are relevant and fascinating -- it’s the most fun I’ve had in this business in a dozen years! It’s so valuable to listen and learn from others who have successfully navigated their work lives through challenges we have in common and be inspired by their accomplishments and points of view.
And anything else you would like to say about ISPE and WIP.
The development of Women in Pharma has helped modernize our industry in a time when diversity, parity, and inclusion are essential in our workplace. I’m proud to associate with ISPE as an organization that embraces these values.
