Quita's career has often placed her in the role of "fixer," whether it was as a sales leader innovating to drastically improve team performance (a feat she has achieved more than once), or in her current position as Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer at a major biotech company, advocating for more diverse representation in leadership, clinical research, and more. While she advocates for balance, often saying  "your job won't hug you at night," Quita is passionate about making change through her career and says if she could give her younger self a piece of advice it would be to take more risks.

Here she shares what three decades in the pharma and biotech industry have taught her about making your voice heard, the importance of self awareness, the value of marketing, how to approach diversity and inclusion in your organization, and where we go from here:

01 You can raise your hand from any seat

02 What you tolerate is what you stand for

03 Marketing allows you to make your audience feel valuable

04 How to approach diversity and inclusion in your organization

05 Diversity and inclusion is everyone’s job. The future depends on it

https://www.av.co/quita-highsmith-spotlight

​Every month we’ll share Pioneer Spotlights where we sit down with our network of accomplished industry veterans on what they’ve learned and advice for startup founders. We look forward to showcasing more of our ecosystem with you.