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Science-backed career and leadership growth for Women in Pharma and Biotech
From career clarity and direction to a new role, promotion, and leadership growth. Support at every stage of your career.
The Right Move Protocol® is a 6-month career and leadership program for women in pharma and biotech who are ready close the gap between their capability and what their career reflects.
I work with 4 types of Women in Pharma and Biotech
let's see if this is you.
this is what I help you with inside the right move protocol®. You get cear. Become the exception. Find your hidden door to your worthy career.
The strategy that got you here isn't the strategy that gets you there.
Pharma and biotech do not run like other industries. The advancement decisions, the informal networks, the way visibility works. At your level, it is not the best expert who gets recognized. It is the woman with a strategy that fits how this industry actually works.
There are 2 career paths in pharma. You've only been taught one.
The Visible Path
(the Generic way):
- Submit applications to posted roles
- Wait for the market to change
- Hope leadership eventually notices your contributions
- Watch peers with less experience advance faster
- Overwork and always deliver without recognition
The Hidden Path
(the industry specific way):
- Design roles around your expertise—before they're posted
- Build strategic visibility so decision-makers know your value
- Create opportunities through relationships, not applications
- Understand how career decisions actually get made
The technical expertise got you in the door. But no one taught you the strategic positioning to stand out.
That's not your fault. It's an industry gap.
Your education and training taught you how to be good at what you do. It didn't teach you how promotion decisions get made in talent review meetings. How to translate technical expertise into business impact. How to build the kind of visibility that creates opportunities. How to advance in a competitive environment filled with "experts."
This is the 10% they never taught you—but it's the 10% edge that determines the next ten years.
This is what you get working with someone who's been in the rooms where those decisions get made.
We do things differently here.
Your mentors and leadership may agree you're great, but they are limited by their own challenges and experiences.
Leadership and career development programs at work and conferences are motivated by leadership priorities not your capabilities.
And there is often feedback that you're not told because it doesn't impact your current job or performance.
It is preventing you from being the leader you want to be and growing your career.
This is normal but it is a solvable problem.
You need a strategy that works and the neuroscience to see it through. You can only get this through personalized development from an expert in organizational psychology and Pharma and Biotech career development.
This is where you become the exception and have the career you desire, no matter the circumstance.
Hidden Door™
The women in pharma and biotech who get the offer before the role is posted, who get promoted while their peers wait for the conversation, who get recognized and trusted with real influence, are not the most qualified people in the room. They became the Exception by finding their Hidden Door to career recognition and opportunities.
Why would you want something off the shelf if you can get something custom and exclusive to you? The Hidden Door opens to recognition, leadership growth, an offer, or a promotion, in your company or a new one.
Your career is meant to be of you. let's create it together.
Your career is meant to be of you.
Hi, I’m
The difference between career coaching and insider knowledge.
Former BioPharma Talent Leader. Organizational Psychology expert. Career Coach for women in industry. Best-Selling Author of Your Worthy Career: A Science-Backed Method to Build a Meaningful Career in Pharma and Biotech.
Six years ago I left a 12-year career in Pharma and Biotech to build something that didn't exist: a coaching practice designed specifically for the women I used to work alongside.
I spent over a decade in Talent and Organizational Development inside global companies — AstraZeneca, Human Genome Sciences, and Emergent BioSolutions — watching how decisions about people were actually made inside real organizations, across real teams, inside real Pharma and Biotech culture.
I heard the war stories nobody puts on paper. The patterns nobody names out loud. The reasons promotions happen, and the reasons they don't.
And I was also one of the women being talked about. I exceeded expectations and watched the path stall anyway. I did everything I was supposed to do — the degrees, the programs, the work — and still sat with the question of whether it was ever going to add up to what I actually wanted.
I know what is said when the room closes. Because I was in the room. And I know what it feels like to be the woman they are talking about. Because I was her.
Now I use my 8 years in government, combined 18 years working with Pharma and Biotech and the neuroscience behind organizational psychology to help you become the exception.
featured by:
Welcome to
The Right Move Protocol®
A 6-month career and leadership program for women in pharma and biotech.
The space for high-achieving professionals who are already doing the work and are done being overlooked.
Some come in for a promotion.
Some come in for a role that finally fits.
Some come in because they want to be a recognized and confident leader.
It is the same work either way.
We get clear on what you want, use neuroscience and industry-specific strategies, and change how you are seen by yourself and decision makers.
A Proven Process
The Your Worthy Career® Method
A structured method built specifically for women in pharma and biotech.
The WORTHY method is grounded in organizational psychology and years of coaching results inside this industry.
It is a six-component framework that develops the external strategy (direction, positioning, visibility, and relationships) and the internal leadership (how you communicate, how you lead, how you own your value) at the same time.
Most career development addresses one side. This builds both. That is what changes your trajectory. It's a framework you learn once and use it for the rest of your career.
My Method is personalized to you with measured results inside The Right Move Protocol®.
offerings
what we work on together
Let's Look at the Details.
Step 01
GET CLEAR — So Every Career Decision Becomes Obvious
We start with your Career Success Audit and Protocol. Most women in this industry navigate reactively. They take what seems reasonable, say yes to what's available, and hope the next move turns out to be right. When you have precisely defined direction, you stop operating that way. You stop agonizing over whether something is right for you. You already know. The second-guessing disappears because you know the path. You stop chasing roles that are not yours.
Step 02
your industry-disrupt strategy to open Your Hidden door™
Whether your goal is a new role, promotion or leadership growth, you'll have a personalized strategy to achieve it.
You will become an opportunity magnet with 6 simple steps.
You stop waiting for opportunity and start having the right people create it for you.
No more wasting time on ineffective or generic strategies.
Step 03
Visibility That Makes You the Obvious Choice
You can do exceptional work and still be invisible to the people deciding who advances.
We apply the Visibility Framework and Life Sciences specific positioning from Resumes and LinkedIn to relationships and presenting your ideas so you become known inside your organization and beyond it. Your ideas travel. Your name comes up in rooms you are not in. You are recognized for your thinking and your impact, not just what you deliver. This is thought leadership.
Step 04
confident in yourself, in your career, to solve any problem
You'll know what you bring to the role that no one else does. Feel confident to tackle any difficult colleague or demanding boss.
No more imposter syndrome. Doubting your skills. Wondering if you are "really that good". You'll know. This confidence will translate into everything you do and transform you inside out.
Step 05
Communication and Influence so You Are Heard, Understood, and Hired
In pharma and biotech, influence does not follow org chart lines. You need the cross-functional team to move, the senior stakeholder to champion your work, the hiring manager to see your potential before the talent or re-org conversation.
You'll use proven communication skill assessments and tools to influence and communicate well at every level.
Whether it's with your team, in an interview, in a 1-1, or with your project teams - you'll have the messaging to be heard and advance.
what's included in your 6 month enrollment
Luxurious Support. Personalized. On Your Schedule.
Weekly Group Coaching
Real-time strategic guidance on the specific decisions and conversations you're navigating—interview preparation, positioning conversations, negotiation strategy, difficult conversations with stakeholders.
You have the opportunity to get coached by Melissa weekly, which means you're never stuck.
The group format means you learn from others' challenges while getting expert input on yours. a cohort of pharma and biotech women at your level. The peer dynamic is part of the methodology.
Coaching Concierge
Between sessions, submit any strategic question and receive expert guidance within 48 hours.
Most clients use this a minimum of 6-10 times over the program—for resume positioning reviews, LinkedIn optimization, pre-interview strategy, or navigating unexpected situations.
You get your questions answered on your schedule. You can choose your submissions to be private to you or shared with the group to learn from.
Private and Personalized Career Strategy
You'll be empowered to make meaningful change with group coaching, private written coaching, and a 1-1 strategy session once you identify your direction with the Right Move Protocol.
Whether it's on a call, in the community, or through a private portal, you have personalized support when you need it most.
Proprietary Frameworks and Organizational Psychology Backed Tools
You create your Protocol using my proprietary framework. This becomes your decision-making tool for every career crossroads: promotions, company moves, role pivots, negotiations. Yours will be complete in as fast as 30 days.
Get tools, frameworks, and exercises developed from 12+ years inside this industry. Applied to your situation and this industry, not a general audience. Learn one. Use for the rest of your career.
Nervous System Regulation with Somatic Practices
Career change and growth takes more than strategy. It requires an identity shift. You become a better version of who you are today and with that change, comes uncertainty and sometimes even, fear.
This is why you have access to the stress relief lounge and I bring in a certified breathwork facilitator to provide custom sessions exclusively for my clients. These are bonus sessions that integrate your body and mind for faster results and many health benefits.
What clients say after working together
What's Possible With This Type of Support
Promotions secured | New roles in 3-6 months | Salary increases up to 40% | Leadership recognition | Roles created that didn't previously exist | Transitions made without direct experience | Internal advancement without leaving
Sr. Director, Manufacturing
Angie cut her career growth timeline in half and went from Manager to Senior Director in 3.5 years.
"I cannot overstate the impact that career coaching has had on my growth. After working with Melissa as a career coach, I have been able to navigate the complexities of the BioPharma industry with confidence and clarity. Her guidance has not only helped me secure multiple promotions since coaching but has also equipped me with the skills and personal mindset required to excel in each new role I have obtained. I am truly grateful for Melissa, her support, and her insights; I highly recommend her services to anyone ready to take accountability and advance their own career."
-Angie
Principal Scientist, Process Dev.
Brena got a new role and became a recognized leader within her organization.
"By week two or three of the program, I was already getting an offer. Melissa is amazing. I love the fact that the program really creates a structured environment with very unique input. It's a mind blowing revelation of self-improvement. I'm confident in my decision making. I'm carrying myself differently as I talk to my own core leadership in the company. Both my CEO and my direct manager have seen the idea of leadership potential in me."
-Brena
Director, BioSample Operations
Stacy uncovered her dream job and had her director level promotion created for her.
"Melissa's coaching has been a game changer for my career. In just 8 weeks, I identified the role that aligns perfectly with my values and gained the actionable strategies to move forward with confidence. Her structured support and personalized advice provided the clarity I needed to take decisive steps. Melissa was by my side every step of the way, cheering me on. I’m incredibly grateful for her expertise and excited for the growth and opportunities ahead!"
-Stacy
Sr. Manager, Alliance Management
Swathi upgraded her communication skills and moved out of the lab and into Alliance Management.
"After coaching with Melissa, my heart is filled with gratitude and deep gratification that I took the leap of faith with the career coaching process. Working with Melissa, I now understand my work style, and equipped with the tools to be effective with other work styles; know my anchor points for success in the chosen career path; successfully transitioned into business and management space with great excitement for what is to come. Best ROI for investment on self!"
-Swathi
Supervisor, Quality Assurance
Tugba Got Promoted into People Management—After Years of Being Told She 'Wasn't Ready'".
"Working with Melissa changed my life! Her authentic coaching style impressed me at first sight. When I met her, I was feeling ready for my next leadeship role in Industry. However did not exactly know where to start. As soon as she assisted me to alígn my goals with my values and passion, all the synchronicities worked together and that dream job found me like a magic. Through her empowering sessions, I was able to onboard in my new role succesfully, lead my team with confidence and start delivering results in record time. "
-Tugba
This for you if:
is
It's probably for you if...
not
You want to be seen the way you actually perform. And you want to know exactly how to make that happen. You want to grow personally and professionally.
You are technically strong, consistently recognized by the people who work with you — and still hitting a ceiling you cannot seem to break through.
You have gotten the feedback to "keep doing what you are doing" and you know that is not a career plan.
You are navigating something specific — a reorg, an internal move, a promotion that keeps not materializing, a role you want to reshape — and you are done trying to figure out the strategy alone.
You don't actually want coaching. If you're in crisis, feeling desperate and not in a place to self-reflect, try new things, and take radical responsibility for your outcomes, this probably isn't for you.
You are not ready to try new things. This program works because it is built for you and creates change. Consuming without action won't get results.
You just want a resume rewrite or a recruiter. This is a strategy and skill set you carry for the rest of your career — not a transaction.
You are not a woman working in the pharma or biotech industry. This program is built entirely around women that work with or for Pharma and Biotech (may include CROs, start-ups, vendors, etc.) If you aren't a woman orwork in another industry, this isn't for you.
It is not the best expert who gets the role. It is the woman with the right strategy and mindset.
This is the 10% they never taught you—but it's the 10% that determines the next ten years. industry strategy blended with neuroscience personalized to you.
This Is What Changes When You Stop Guessing and Start Growing Strategically. Here's everything included in The Right Move Protocol®.
Value: $24,000
6 Months of Personalized Coaching, Industry Trainings, and Strategic Development
Because confidence is physiological, not just mindset.
Breathwork Sessions for Nervous System Regulation
Women you learn from and with and show you you're not alone.
A Curated Community of Women in Pharma and Biotech
Coaching Conversations, Q&A, and Call Replays — On Demand
Private Podcast
Insert value proposition here.
The Right Move Workbook and Materials, Mailed to Your Door
AND THREE Bonuses THAT ACCELERATE EVERYTHING:
- The Make Confident Decisions Workshop — so you stop second-guessing and start leading with clarity.
- The Time Saving Method for Pharma Professionals — because the program only works if you can actually show up for it.
- The DiSC Communication Workshop + Bonus Sessions Personalized to your cohort — for the kind of development that compounds.
Select the plan that works for you:
Payment Plan - $12k
6 months of personalized coaching
learning portal, workbook and tools
curated peers in industry
breathwork, assessments, and more!
4 payments of $3,000
One Payment - Save 10%
6 months of personalized coaching
learning portal, workbook and tools
curated peers in industry
breathwork, assessments, and more!
1 payment of $10,800
Real Questions from Women Like You
It was built for a general professional audience — which means the advice on positioning, communication, and advancement was designed for industries that don't operate the way pharma and biotech do.
Four things make this different.
- Industry specificity. Every framework, every strategy, and every piece of guidance is built around how pharma and biotech organizations actually work. The positioning strategies that get you seen in a matrix structure are fundamentally different from what works elsewhere. Generic advice doesn't translate, and you've probably already felt that.
- A framework you keep. This isn't a session-based program where you show up weekly and ask questions. You build a strategic protocol in month one and spend the remaining months applying it with expert guidance. You leave with a repeatable system — you'll never have the same problem again.
- Practitioner background. A Master's in Organizational Psychology combined with 18 years of pharma and biotech talent development is not a common combination. It means the career strategy and the human behavior science behind it are integrated — not two separate things happening in parallel. You're not getting career advice layered on top of generic coaching.
- Development from the inside out. The internal work — understanding how you lead, communicate, and show up under pressure — is built on behavioral science. The external work — how organizations make decisions, how leaders perceive and evaluate talent, and how to position yourself for what you want — is grounded in direct experience inside these companies. Most coaching addresses one or the other. This addresses both, which is why the results tend to stick.
Industry specific. Proven method. Neuroscience -backed. Personalized to you.
My clients identify as women and work as scientists, researchers, principal scientists, managers, directors and beyond. They work in all phases of drug development from molecule to marketplace.
Most are at a pharma or biotech company. Some are at NIH, FDA, or a CRO. Some are at a healthcare company that partners with pharma. Some are between roles after a layoff or break.
What they all have is they are high-performers with an established expertise and career working in or with pharma or biotech, and a specific goal they want to achieve.
Note: If you are a student, have no experience or exposure to pharma or biotech, or still deciding whether this industry is for you, start with my podcast and book instead.
The assumption that career coaching is only for people who want to leave is one of the most common reasons women wait too long to get support. Internal growth requires just as much strategy — sometimes more. You're navigating relationships, managing perception, and trying to get leadership to see you differently, all without the leverage of a competing offer or an obvious transition moment.
That's harder, not easier.
The Right Move Protocol® is built around strategic career design — which means it works whether you're pursuing a promotion, repositioning yourself for a different function, growing as a leader, or simply making sure the next two years of your career aren't more of the same.
Many clients aren't leaving. They're getting clear, getting seen, and getting the trajectory they've been working toward — inside the company they're already in.
When it comes to investing in their own growth, something stops them — even when they can clearly see the cost of staying where they are.
Here's what I've noticed: the hesitation is rarely actually about the money. It's about whether you believe you're worth the investment and you can achieve the result.
That belief — the one that keeps you giving everything to everyone but yourself — is often the same thing showing up at work and keeping you from the role, recognition, or trajectory you've earned.
The first time you invest in yourself can be the hardest but it can also be the thing between where you are now and where you want to be.
You won't feel 100% confident until you join and reach your goals, but you can't get that result until you decide to go ALL IN on you and act with courage.
Here's what I'd ask you to consider: how much time are you currently spending on unfocused job applications, decision paralysis, or stressing about your career? For most women I work with, the program doesn't add to their load. It replaces the mental overhead that's already there with a clear strategy and real support.
The program is built around your schedule. If you can't make a live call, you watch the recording and use the Coaching Concierge to get coaching on demand so you don't fall behind.
The question isn't really whether you have the time. It's whether staying stuck is worth the time it's already costing you.
You learn to speak up and advocate for yourself in a safe space, see you're not alone, build relationships that last far beyond the group, and get access to answers to questions you wouldn't think to ask but help you grow far beyond your current state. This is a one-of-a-kind coaching experience. When you schedule your consultation, we will discuss your questions and how you will be successful.
"When I started this program, I had frustration and a CV draft. I had a sense that I needed to leave, but I didn't have a strategy, a target, or the confidence to be in the rooms I knew I belonged in.
My first goal was to obtain a promotion at my current job, which I achieved (in 6 weeks). My secondary goal was to be in a role that I love within 12 months. I wanted to obtain a role in a sponsor-side organization where I could use my expertise and help build out a program for a TA I wanted to work with. I didn't just meet that goal—I landed a role that's a significant step up in title, compensation, and opportunity. All within 3 months."
Jennifer was promoted in 1 month and moved to Associate Director at a new company just 2 months later.
"Working with Melissa has helped me to gain focus in my career path. We assessed my interest and values and developed a career plan. I incorporated these interests into my role to improve my job satisfaction.
I also used the information to transition into a position that more closely aligned with my passions. In addition to solidifying a career plan, she also coached me through navigating challenging relationships and tackling negative thoughts. I highly recommend working with Melissa!"
Michelle moved from Medical Affairs to Translational Oncology and was later Promoted to Senior Director.
"I have really loved the program! I've gotten such meaningful support from you and the other women in the community; our group calls each week have helped empower me to persevere through difficulties in my current role and in the job search.
Working with Melissa has made such a difference in my career journey. I ended up getting two competing job offers, both for roles that would have expanded my skillset and moved my career in the direction that I wanted to go. I really cannot say enough how grateful I am to have Melissa as my coach."
Christina got 2 competing job offers after an unexpected lay-off
Scheduling a consultation is your next step.
Most women who reach this point know something needs to change. They don't always know exactly what. That is precisely what the consultation is for.
Join the waitlist. When enrollment opens you'll schedule a 45 minute call with me to confirm we are a good fit.
On the call we will get clear on where you are, what is actually in the way, and whether this program is the right next step for you. You will leave with more clarity than you came with — regardless of what you decide.
I work with a small cohort at a time. If it is not the right fit, I will always tell you that.
This is your next step.
