The Alumni Magazine for Worcester Polytechnic Institute. (WPI)
Issue link: http://wpialumnimag.epubxp.com/i/456562
42 Winter 2015 In this latest venture, Schwartz's emphasis is on developing pharmaceutical products for oncology, dermatology, ophthalmology, and women's health. "RestorGenex has two different focuses," she explains, "a cosmeceuticals line and a prescription line of products. The cosmeceuticals are really a minor part of what we do—developing them allows us to utilize our existing assets quickly. Our principle focus is restorative medicine; our aim is to restore people's good health by replacing or supplementing what the aging process has diminished or taken away." Restorative medicine is the wave of the future, Schwartz believes, and she's incredi- bly excited to be a part of it. "The baby boomer market is growing in leaps and bounds; people are living longer and they want to remain healthy for as long as possible. It's the Golden Age of drug development." In many respects, the formation of RestorGenex represents the zenith of Schwartz's career—the point at which her extensive, highly focused academic background can provide an ideal foundation for the execu- tive leadership skills she has also amassed over the years and must now employ to successfully lead RestorGenex's drug development ini- tiatives. "I've been fortunate enough to work on a number of drugs that have made it into clinical practice— more than 70 percent of drugs in pre- clinical development never make it out of that phase," she refects. "I fnd it incredibly fulflling to watch a drug develop, enter the clinic, and then be- come commercialized, and I'm hopeful that I'll be an integral part of that process again and again at RestorGenex." Yet, what ultimately makes a pharmaceutical company successful, Schwartz asserts, is not the drugs but the people: the patients the company hopes to treat, as well as the employees who work on those treatments. "A good company is patient-centric," she explains. "If a drug fulflls an unmet medical need and is effective and safe or best- in-class, monetary success will follow and the investors will be happy. And if employees feel valued and believe they are working toward a common goal, the company will succeed and become a place where talented people want to work toward collective success. A good leader leads the employees to alignment of collective vision and helps them understand what's important." Schwartz is grateful for this new opportu- nity, not only for the personal and professional fulfllment it offers, but also for the leverage it affords her in sharing her knowledge and experience for the beneft of other women in the STEM (science, technology, math, and en- gineering) disciplines. "There are many, many more women in STEM professions than there were when I was in graduate school, in terms of students and faculty," Schwartz acknowledges, "but the glass ceiling is still very much intact. The boys' club still exists. There are still far too few women on public and private boards of directors and in the C- suite, and there aren't many lead- ing start-ups either." Not surprisingly, Schwartz is doing her part to bring about change on this front. Over dinner one night a few years ago, she and several women executive friends realized that they were dealing with many of the same frustra- tions and workplace obstacles. So the four of them got together and formed The New England Women in Science Executives Club (NEWISE), a peer-to-peer organiza- tion for C-suite executives in the science, healthcare, and academic communities. The organization now includes more than 70 mem- bers who meet monthly to speak openly among themselves—free from formal programming or competition—about the challeng- es, solutions, and ideas they con- front both personally and professionally. The group has become very popular, Schwartz says, and has proven to be a wonderful opportunity to discuss issues with peers in a relaxed, collaborative environment. Changing attitudes takes time, she concedes, but one can move the needle if one persists. "I've encountered challenges throughout my career, but it hasn't inhibited me," she says. "I've always had to make my own way. My parents raised me to understand that although I was smart, there was always going to be someone smarter than me. I learned how to hear 'No' and keep going—I've heard it many times over the years. You can't take failure personally. "I keep an open mind about possibilities," Schwartz concludes. "There are many out there, and science is an exciting place to be. I'm glad I made it my career choice." " The baby boomer market is growing in leaps and bounds; people are living longer and they want to remain healthy for as long as possible. It's the Golden Age of drug development. " J