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better.” I am really driven and can be my
own worst critic, so those words reassure
me.
I think it’s important for individuals
who are early in their demanding careers
to realize they can only do their best,
and that their best will only get better
through hard work. But there are no
shortcuts, and the worst you can do
professionally is to fool yourself into
thinking that you’re doing your best
when you aren’t.
What accomplishment would you
say you are most proud of in your
career?
I don’t think I can settle on one
accomplishment. I am most proud of my
trainees. During my 15 years at the Weill
Cornell Medical Center in New York
City, I had the opportunity to work with
more than 100 fellows. It is so rewarding
to watch them navigate their own careers
and grow in their chosen fields.
I also am proud and thankful to have
had the opportunity to build the Regional
Comprehensive Hemophilia Diagnostic
and Treatment Center at the Weill Cornell
Medical Center, continuing the legacy of
its prior director and a pioneer in hemo-
philia care, Margaret Hilgartner, MD.
Finally, I am proud of the work that I
am now doing at the National Institutes
of Health to promote basic and clinical
research in hemophilia and rare blood
disorders, and – most importantly – to
help lead the Blood Division’s efforts in
workforce development.
In a typical day, what is the best
part of your day and what is the
worst?
That’s an easy question to answer:
The best part of my day is listening to
and reading about cutting-edge blood
science, brainstorming about how
to stimulate and grow the field, and
speaking with our dedicated trainees
and investigators. The worst part of
my day, undoubtedly, is the time spent
working on someone else’s administrative
priorities.
What is one thing people would
be surprised to learn about you?
People might be surprised to hear that I
am an introvert.
What do you like to do in your off
hours when you’re not working?
I love the theater; it’s a lifelong passion
that was fueled by my time in New York
City. I am fortunate to be in Washington,
DC, at a time when the theater scene
is flourishing. I also love independent
and foreign films and get to screen
new releases through a film club that I
participate in. I’m also an avid reader,
and, thanks to a book club I recently
joined, I read books that I never would
have thought about picking up.
ASHClinicalNews.org
“Individuals who
are early in their
demanding
careers [should]
realize they can
only do their
best, and that
their best will
only get better
through hard
work.”
On the more active side, I am a long-
time devotee of Pilates and yoga, and I’ve
just taken up riding horses. I have always
loved horses, but the opportunities to
ride were limited when I was growing up
in the city. I had just enough experiences
to pique an interest that laid dormant
until three years ago, when I decided
that, if I wanted to start riding again, it
was now or never!
And, just recently, I adopted a kitten
that one of my friends found in the brush
by her lake house. She’s only a few weeks
old, and she’s already taken over my
entire life! So, I don’t know how much
time I’ll have for the rest of my hobbies,
but she’s a lovely addition to my little
family.
If you could have dinner with
anyone from history, who would
it be – and what would you ask
that person?
I would love to speak with any of the
many pioneering women who stepped
outside of the box they were placed
in to buck the status quo. There are a
number of such notable women who
have blazed the trail for women (and
men): Hildegard of Bingen, Joan of Arc,
Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Sojourner Truth,
Margaret Sanger, Rosa Parks, Marie
Curie, Sally Ride, Elizabeth Blackwell,
Jane Austen, Eleanor Roosevelt … just to
name a few. But if I could wish for such
an opportunity, I might as well choose
someone who’s alive now, so I would love
to speak with Hillary Clinton, Michelle
Obama, or Malala Yousafzai.
I would ask them: When you reached
deep inside yourself, what was it that
you found that gave you the courage
and the confidence to do what you did –
despite the obstacles and resistance you
encountered? And, how can I continue
what you started? ●
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