Celebrating Women in Leadership at SBC

In honor of International Women’s Day, we interviewed just a few of the incredible women in leadership who make our work possible here at SBC. See what they had to say about their experience as women in their field below.

Who has empowered/inspired you to be the leader you are today?

“My mom is my biggest inspiration. She was a single mom to my twin sister and me. When we were seven or eight, she earned her PhD in nutrition and dietetics at UC Berkeley. We spent a lot of our time leading up to that going with her to her lab at SF General or playing video games and bowling in the basement of the UC Berkeley student union. She always found ways to keep us entertained despite her heavy workload. She ended up with a career at UCSF as the Director of Nutrition and Dietetics for 20+ years. She’s now retired but docents for the Fine Arts Museums in San Francisco. She’s amazing and still busier than I’ll ever be!”
— Alison Hopkins, Volunteer Services Supervisor

 

“Harpreet Sandhu, SBC’s executive director. She took the time to see what I did as a leader and gave me all the tools I needed to advance in my growth here at SBC. She leads by example and makes me want to do the very best I am capable of.”
— Brenda Glover, Donor Services Data Management Manager

 

“I have been fortunate to have powerful and strong women around me during my career whom I have drawn inspiration from to be a leader. First, of course, is my mom, who taught me the importance of a strong work ethic and compassion towards others. During my first transfusion medicine job at a blood center in San Francisco, I was mentored by medical director Kim-Anh Nguyen, one of the brightest physicians I have worked with. She showed me the importance of having a strong voice and being brave to stand up for what you think is right. Also, Dr. Nora Hirschler, CEO of the same blood center at that time, was an inspiration as one of the few female (and also immigrant) blood center leaders then. From her, I learned about the importance of demonstrating empathy and kindness as a leader.”
— Dr. Suchi Pandey, Chief Medical Officer

What drew you to the field of transfusion medicine/transplantation?

“I was really sick when I was a teenager, and I got to finish growing up in part because a small, independent blood center found 12 rare-type red blood cell units that could be emergency released for me. My oldest child was a preemie and he is also a blood recipient. What we do at SBC sometimes means that patients get to go home, and their friends and family get to bring them home, when that wouldn’t have happened without us. That means everything to those patients and their people. What we (and our donors) offer to our community is literally priceless.”
— Jessi Sauter, Operations Support Supervisor

 

“I was inspired to enter the field of medicine from my mom. She was a registered nurse and, when I was growing up, she would tell us stories  about caring for patients in the ICU. From her, I learned how rewarding patient care can be and it made the hard work and long hours worth it. Additionally, I was inspired to pursue transfusion medicine during residency under the mentorship of Dr. Tom Lane, the Transfusion Service Director at UC San Diego. He opened my eyes to all the opportunities within this field of medicine that is not too well known. It combined patient care and lab medicine and was within the field of transfusion medicine: Being a blood center physician is a perfect fit for me. I believe in the mission of SBC and partnering with donors in the community and hospitals to ensure we have a safe and sustainable blood supply.”
— Suchi Pandey, Chief Medical Officer

 

“I wanted the chance to use my skills and experience to directly help patients. When I was looking for work, my mom was undergoing transfusions following chemo for ovarian cancer, and I saw firsthand what blood could do.”
— Vanessa Merina, Marketing & Communications Director

What barriers have you faced as a woman in your field and how have you overcome them?

“Being taken seriously and being heard. Because I’ve been in nonprofits my entire career, I was lucky to have a lot of female mentors and supervisors. However, when speaking directly with the public or to an entity like a board of directors, I’ve had some men assume my position is either a volunteer/unpaid position, or that it isn’t as hard as it actually is. I’ve worked to speak directly, clearly and with authority to show that I know what I’m talking about and my work is valued.”
— Alison Hopkins, Volunteer Services Supervisor

 

“I have always worked in male-dominated fields. Almost always, the assumption is that because I am female, I don’t have the knowledge or strength to accomplish what needs to be done. I have always taken it as a challenge to work hard, be smart and engage those who work for me to do the same. Lead by example. I find that my team has more respect for me if they know I can and will work side by side with them to get the job done. No job is too large or too small; we do what is needed, and I always move forward with the thought that I can accomplish anything I set my mind to.”
— Brenda Glover, Donor Services Data Management Manager

 

“I’m a woman in marketing-communications in health care, so:

• The assumption that I’ll lead with emotion and not data or logic. The solution? Lead with data, logic and emotion.
• The assumption that I bring soft skills of minimal value. Demonstrate value.
• The overemphasis placed on appearance. Acknowledge it and move on.
• The assumption, in a room full of men, that I’ll do the admin work (note-taking, etc.). Don’t offer, and don’t do it unless asked.
• The assumption that women will cut each other down rather than help. Help and empower always.
• The assumption that women aren’t competitive. Demonstrate and encourage healthy competition and its value.”

— Vanessa Merina, Marketing & Communications Director

What is one trait you think is essential to be a good leader?

“When I think about all the leaders I’ve had in my 41 years of working for other people, the one thing that sticks out to me is the ability to know when it’s time to ‘push’ your individual team members and when it’s time to ‘pull’ them. A team member doesn’t always know they are ready to be challenged. Watch what sparks their energy, what things they are curious about and what things might push them out of their comfort zone with the potential to create more confidence. You might just be building up the next leader. On the flip side, you also need to look for where their energy is lacking, where they might sound burned out or struggling. At that point, you need to be able to pull them into a conversation to see what’s going on for them. If it’s something you can help with by removing roadblocks, or by helping them view the situation from a different perspective, then you could be laying a foundation for trust and engagement. Each person is different, has different needs and desires, and a good leader has the ability to recognize those things and adjust accordingly.”
— Deborah Tucker, HR Director

 

“One essential trait of a good leader is being able to provide support and encouragement for career growth, whether that growth is within the department or organization or beyond.”
— Lorna Tolentino, Flow Cytometry Lab Manager

 

“It’s hard to use a single trait to characterize a good leader, so I will list a few traits that I believe to be essential: visionary, accountability, as well as ability to trust, delegate and motivate team members.”
— Melody Zhang, Assistant Medical Director, HLA Lab

What were your career aspirations when you were younger and how have they changed over time?

“I love animals so, when I was very young, I wanted to be a veterinarian; but my severe allergies to cats, rabbits and a few other animals prevented that! Today I still try to be involved with caring for animals by supporting local animal shelters and volunteering at the Marine Mammal Center.”
— Dr. Suchi Pandey, Chief Medical Officer

 

“Specialist vs. generalist: When I was younger, I wanted to be an archaeologist, actor or writer, but I learned that each of these requires specializing: practicing one thing over time and getting really good at it. My appetite for new things is too huge and I’m too easily distracted to get really good at a single thing. So, I’ve become more of a generalist, which allows me to try new things, meet new people and always be challenged. Another important shift for me is that, over time, I’ve come to realize that perfection is the enemy of good — the older I get, the more I believe this. Just start, stumble and learn. It’s so much better than sitting there dreaming but not doing.”
— Vanessa Merina, Marketing & Communications Director

What advice would you give to the next generation of female leaders?

“Take your time. Don’t expect a VP position right out of the gate. Be willing to work hard and take feedback in order to get to where you want to be, in time. Also, get a mentor. The career path isn’t linear and having someone to look up to will help you understand why the journey is not going exactly as planned.”
— Alison Hopkins, Volunteer Services Supervisor

 

“Be kind above all else. The strongest leaders are inclusive, collaborative, kind and thoughtful. Communicate with mindfulness. Give credit to others. Be fair. Have integrity. Listen with intent to understand. Be honest. And remember, being a leader isn’t easy. Otherwise, everyone would do it!”
— Larissa Bullard, Collections Supervisor

 

“A few come to mind:

• Minimize regret: that’s the mantra I’ve lived by since high school.
• Know yourself: analyze your bright and dark sides and know your values so they ground you.
• Be your own advocate: no one’s going to fight for you like you.
• Nurture community: We’re all connected; don’t go it alone out of fear or ego, and always lift others up.
• Don’t waste time on people or things that don’t move you forward. The world is too vast and amazing.
• Don’t overthink; act.”
  — Vanessa Merina, Marketing & Communications Director