When I look back on my career, a lot of what shaped me wasn’t part of a master plan. It came from saying yes to opportunities, putting myself in uncomfortable situations, and staying curious, often without fully realizing where it would lead.
I started my career as a co-op through Michigan State University at Cordis (then part of Johnson & Johnson), working as a packaging engineer for what was then one of the first drug-eluting stents on the market. What was supposed to be a four-month internship turned into a year-long experience, followed by another eight months abroad in Europe.
That early experience—and the ones that followed at Edwards Lifesciences and eventually Oliver—shaped a few core beliefs I wish I had fully understood when I was just starting out.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions.
One of the most important habits I built early is simple: don’t be afraid to ask questions and ask them early. The more curious you are, the faster you’ll learn. And you’ll quickly find that people are generally happy to share information. Your team—quality, manufacturing, regulatory, suppliers—are your greatest assets when beginning your career.
Early in my career, especially in my first role, I remember feeling intimidated. I was surrounded by incredibly qualified people and felt a bit of imposter syndrome. I wanted to fit in. So, I worked hard, asked questions, and tried to be a sponge: learning as much as I could from everyone around me.
Volunteer for things that aren’t related to your job.
Some of the most valuable experiences in my career came from raising my hand for activities not directly related to my job. At Edwards, I volunteered for the Green Team, an internal sustainability initiative focused on reducing waste. While this was unrelated to my role at the company, sustainability was near and dear to my heart, and I wanted to help make an impact. I remember one project in particular in which we worked closely with HR to encourage employees to switch from paper pay stubs to digital ones. Through that effort, I built relationships with teams I never would have interacted with otherwise. Those relationships later helped me when I was exploring internal opportunities for career growth.
Another example was volunteering for Patient Day at Edwards, an annual event where patients who received Edwards implants were invited to tour the facility. By volunteering to host a patient who had received a heart valve implant, I got to know him personally and was granted the honor of showing him the manufacturing line that produced the valve in his heart and introducing him to the team who built it. Experiences like that reconnect you directly to the purpose of the work and often give you exposure and perspective you simply can’t get at your desk.
Try to seek out the bigger picture.
Early in your career, it’s easy to focus narrowly on your specific task or project. But I always encourage engineers to zoom out and ask “why.” “Why are we doing this as a business?” And in healthcare, more importantly, “how does this help a patient or a clinician?” Understanding that bigger picture can be a powerful motivator and often helps you identify better solutions.
For me, this was deeply personal. I lost my father to cardiovascular disease, which is why I was drawn to cardiovascular early on. That perspective helped me recalibrate during challenging moments and reminded me that even small decisions in packaging can have a real impact on someone’s life. Knowing what your “true north” is and keeping it top of mind helps to ground your work in purpose, not just process.
As a packaging engineer for medical devices, you are the frontline to protect patient lives. Coming to this realization early on, I was taken aback by level of impact an employee can have on someone’s wellbeing. Every little piece matters for patient safety.
Never limit your dreams.
If there’s one thing I truly wish I understood sooner, it’s this: don’t create limiting beliefs. It sounds cliché, but anything is possible and the sky really is the limit. Early in my career, I never could have imagined where I’d end up—from engineering, to manufacturing, to procurement, to sales at Oliver. I’ve now held roles that I once looked up to and aspired to reach.
I like to remind myself that confidence isn’t given: it’s earned. You earn it by doing things you don’t think you can do, like saying yes to a new challenge or stepping into unfamiliar territory.
Watch your limiting beliefs. If you have them, recognize them—and get rid of them. Everybody starts somewhere. With hard work, curiosity, and the willingness to stretch yourself, there are far fewer limits than you think.
