5 Questions with Grace Mark, Education Chair, ISPE Chesapeake Bay Area
Driven by a childhood fascination with medicine, Grace Mark transitioned from aspiring doctor to validation contractor and now leads teams as the Area Manager for Maryland at CAI, bringing life-saving therapies to patients while passionately building a more connected community through her role as ISPE Chesapeake Bay Area Chapter’s Education Chair.
August 15, 2024
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1. What did you want to be when you grow up? How’d you get from there to here?
When I was very young, I wanted to be a Doctor because blood was my favorite color. Perhaps my parents should have been concerned? I originally went to college for Forensic Science after falling in love with biology and chemistry in high school. I realized early on that I wanted to help the living more than those who were deceased. I did research with a professor starting the second semester of my freshman year on bacteriophage and how they could be used to treat bacteria specifically in burn victims. This lab experience helped me get a position in a QC department, where I tested cell lines and cell therapy products. I then transitioned from QC to manufacturing to lead a team, and during this time, I collaborated with validation contractors on cleaning and mixing validation. I discovered the financial potential and job satisfaction of being a validation contractor, enjoying the consistency and the opportunity to work in cross-functional teams. In my current role, I lead large teams in bringing life-saving or life-improving drugs and therapies to patients. Not so far from being a doctor after all…
2. How are you helping to build a more connected community?
I am the Education Chair for ISPE’s Chesapeake Bay Area Chapter and a member of the Women in Pharma/ Emerging Leaders for ISPE. ISPE is a Media Partner with BioBuzz and they involve overlapping communities. As a committee member, I have grown my community in the Maryland area farther than I ever imagined! As my community has grown, I realized how much overlap and teamwork are required from the ground up. As Education Committee chair it puts me in a position to speak with a great deal of people about many topics. I am always looking to host a webinar or event on an interesting topic to help get the community involved.
3. What are currently buzzing about? Anything and everything…
I’m currently buzzing the most about my 1 year old daughter. She is learning so much every day and it is a great reminder that I can also learn new things!
This mindset is especially true as I step into my new role as Education Committee chair. Though I had a bit of a rough start earlier this year between juggling projects and being a new mom, I have put together a great team and have countless great ideas for programming next year. I believe we have some really engaging topics coming up.
4. If you could travel back in time – what early career advice would you give yourself?
My biggest advice to my younger self and current self is to focus on one thing at a time. Humans are not made to multi-task and no one does it successfully. For me, that means being present in each task and not worrying about the future.
5. What’s the most adventurous thing you’ve ever done?
My husband and I love to travel together and I love trying new things!
While hiking with a guided group along Portugal’s southern coast, we stopped at a beach. The guide mentioned his favorite way to get into the water was by cliff jumping, and I thought it sounded like a great idea, assuming everyone would join in. To my surprise, I was the only one interested in this experience. I asked my husband if he wanted to jump with me; he said, “He** no!” As I reached the jumping-off point, I realized it was very high and started to regret my decision. However, the easiest way down was to jump, so I took the leap. I’m so glad I did! Sometimes in life, you need to face your fears to come out stronger on the other side—or just to have a cool story to tell your grandkids.
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