Alimentiv is proud to continuously honour and recognize the achievements of women and foster this culture globally amongst our employees and prospective candidates. This month, we are taking time to highlight Judi Hall, Vice President, Clinical Research for Alimentiv. Judi took some time to discuss her growth and development within the company, motivation, and inspiration for women as well as advice for women in leadership and future leaders.

What was your start and journey within the company?

I joined Alimentiv in January 2020 as the Director of our Data Sciences team, overseeing our Clinical Data Management and Statistics groups, and moved into the Vice President, Clinical Research role in January 2022, where I am responsible for overseeing our full service Clinical trial offering. Prior to joining Alimentiv, I worked in various roles in clinical development at pharmaceutical, CRO and academic institutions. I feel lucky to be a part of an organization that values collaboration, creativity and diversity, and I am inspired every day by our mission to improve the lives of people with gastrointestinal disease.

How do you balance work and life responsibilities?

The answer is: not always very well! But I am at peace with the inevitability that I won’t always be able to achieve perfection in every facet of my life, and have found this attitude to be very freeing, even if it’s taken some practice to embrace consistently. I try to find 30 minutes each day to walk, run or bike outside, which is grounding. Also, I am very lucky to have a spouse who makes dinner most nights.

As a female leader, what has been the most motivational thing you’ve seen amongst other women?

I used to work with a female leader in an area of academic medicine that is quite male-dominated, and she was an absolute inspiration. She was committed to being a role model with integrity and purpose and was an especially fierce mentor and advocate for more junior women entering her field to ensure that there would be others to follow in her footsteps. She acknowledged the challenges she faced, and advocated for change at every opportunity, but did not waste time on negative emotions and spent most of her energy working to advance the research for the benefit of her patients. Her determination and focus was inspiring and has really stuck with me after many years. I know the culture in that field has shifted because of her.

Is there something you’ve witnessed or experienced that was encouraging or you found promoted strength in women?

Strength, to me, is being true to your values and ideals and acting in the interest of others. I had many early mentors who showed me the importance of staying humble and actively seeking the viewpoints of a diverse array of individuals, and the importance of giving these viewpoints a platform. As a leader, I am aware that I have a voice that others might not have, and I try to make sure my decisions will benefit all those around me.

Who inspired you and why?

I am inspired by anyone who embraces a seemingly insurmountable challenge, even if there is a risk of failure – we only learn through failure. My Dad used to tell me I should try to fail at least once a month in one way or another. I have a pretty good track record so far!

What advice would you give to women wanting to be in leadership?

Three things:

  • Great leaders are people who care about others, first and foremost. My favorite part of this job is celebrating the successes of my colleagues and team members, both in their personal and professional lives.
  • Stay curious! Everything I know I learned from someone else. Asking questions is the most important way to learn, grow, plan and achieve desired outcomes.
  • Maintain a growth mindset, be open to new ideas and experiences, and listen more than you speak (I am still working on this last one).