OWL President Profile
Pamela Gleeson, the new president of OWL, shares her plans to expand the organization’s offerings and venues for interaction.
Where do you work?
I am the chief financial officer for Santen Incorporated, a Japanese-owned ophthalmic pharmaceutical company.
How long have you been in ophthalmology, and what brought you into ophthalmology?
I have been at Santen for 13 years. Santen is headquartered in beautiful Napa, Calif., and I joined the company after moving to Napa to get married.
Why do you enjoy ophthalmology?
I have a financial background, not a scientific one (I got my science credit in college by taking Nutrition 101!). Even without the benefit of a background in biology or chemistry, I find the eye and ophthalmology to be incredibly interesting. The eye is one of the most complex structures in the body, and sight is such a critical sense. I have found learning about ophthalmology to be a fascinating experience. I’ve also needed glasses since I was 10 years old, so understanding myopia held personal interest for me.
Who were your mentors and why?
My father and oldest brother were my earliest mentors (don’t tell the rest of my family!). My father was successful in his career yet extremely modest. My brother, 11 years my senior, has always been my wise, intelligent big brother and has given me sage advice since I was a child. An early mentor in my career was an individual who originally was my peer and became my boss at a different company. I learned from him how to inspire people with various backgrounds and goals, and also the value of networking, which was and is a strict discipline for him.
What is one tip you find helpful in balancing work and personal life?
I have given talks on work/life balance and have found personally that (for me, as a working mother of two very active young boys) you have to 1) learn how to juggle expertly, and 2) not be shy about asking for help. This is a subject that is so important to working women, mothers as well as those without children, and is a topic I would like to focus on as we expand our OWL programs.
Who was the most influential person in your life as a child?
Definitely my parents. They instilled in me a wonderful value system that I have to admit I didn’t always appreciate at the time, but now that I am raising my own children I am thankful for every day.
Who is the most influential person in your life today?
That’s a good question – many people influence various aspects of my life. I observe the best characteristics of people in my family, friends and colleagues and try to incorporate them into my approach toward and outlook on life. I lost my father this past year, and that helped reframe my thinking about what is most important in life.
What do you like best about belonging to OWL?
The chance to interact with and learn from amazingly dynamic women.
Why did you join OWL?
My boss, Adrienne Graves, CEO of Santen, is a founding member. That’s how I heard of OWL in the first place, and she encouraged me to get involved four years ago now. It was great advice!
What are your goals as president of OWL?
I am looking forward to working with the OWL Board to expand OWL’s program offerings and venues for interaction.
— Compiled by Kristine Houck, Curriculum Director, SLACK Incorporated