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Meet a Dragon: Trish Kane

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Meet Trish Kane, our newest Vice President of Customer Strategy. Trish explains how she made the change from being a lifelong individual contributor to a people manager, and how Komodo truly lives its mission through Komodo Cares.

Congratulations on your recent promotion! How’s it going so far?

It’s going great! I’ve learned a lot in just the past six months. I’ve been working on a very high-profile account since the fall, where I’ve had the opportunity to work with more people across the organization – from our founders, Web and Arif, to the data team, to our engineers. Working with all these parties helped me refine my sales pitch and feel ready to take on a bigger role.

What excites you about working at Komodo?

I’m so motivated by the culture here. I’ve often hung back in previous companies and had success operating as an individual contributor. But Komodo’s culture is so different and fantastic that I became motivated to take on a leadership position to help further our mission.

Backing up a bit, why did you decide to pursue a career in the healthcare space to begin with? 

Reflecting on the decision, I always had a deep respect for the role pharma plays in helping patients. It’s such an essential part of healthcare; about preventing illness and helping us prolong our lives. It’s an industry that takes on risks to support the greater good, whether a company is working on common diseases, rare diseases, or any conditions in between. Like Komodo, pharma is committed to reducing the burden of disease – and that’s awesome! 

Two-thirds of our Life Sciences Solutions leaders are women. How does that compare to former organizations you’ve been a part of? 

Before joining, I struggle to remember the last time I had a female manager or encountered a woman in a leadership role. Komodo is such a refreshing change! Earlier this year, I spoke on a panel at our National Sales Week called ‘Super Sellers,’ featuring our top sales team members, and all three panelists were women. I got so many messages from other women at Komodo saying how empowered they felt seeing women in these critical leadership positions. 

I’ve always said to my children, my younger female colleagues, and my mentees that there’s absolutely no reason you can’t aspire to be whatever you desire, and I see that mindset embodied and encouraged here at Komodo. 

You also lead Komodo Cares, an employee-run philanthropy group within Komodo. How does that group’s work reinforce the company’s mission in action? 

I’ve worked at places where the company mission was just gathering dust on a plaque on the wall; they weren’t living the mission. But at Komodo, everyone is here to reduce disease burden, which informs the whole company’s culture. 

As an extension of Komodo, Komodo Cares offers another way to address disease burden with on-the-ground opportunities. We take on different projects and events to support non-profit organizations addressing issues such as hunger, disease, mental health, neurodiversity, racial inequality, LGBTQ rights, and more.

Why is Komodo Cares’ upcoming 5K partnership with Best Buddies so important to you? 

I have been impressed by Komodo’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives and focus. I truly believe that we can help make Komodo – and those we touch outside of Komodo – more supportive by understanding the perceptual, institutional, and psychological processes that impact the ways people interact with each other. 

In particular, the neurodiverse population is underrepresented in DEI discussions and the Best Buddies initiative aims to spread awareness and support for the neurodiverse. What could be better than offering human connection and employment support to someone who has been discriminated against based on their birth characteristics? The Best Buddies organization is dedicated to establishing a global volunteer movement that creates opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment, leadership development, and inclusive living for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. I am honored to partner with them on Komodo’s second annual (remote) 5K!

How have you survived the last year and a half at home? What have you done for fun? 

I’m a super curious person, so I’ve been reading a lot. Whenever someone mentions a book in passing, I’ll take note. I’ve just finished Radical Candor, a women’s leadership book, and a book on how to code. Now I’m reading a biography on the political genius and unique leadership skills of Abraham Lincoln. I’ve also been happy to spend lots of quality time with my family during the pandemic, making the most of the circumstances by trying out all of the outdoor restaurants in our neighborhood – even in the winter! 

Most importantly, I’ve used this time as an opportunity for self-reflection. Whether I’m planning the next five minutes or the next day, I’ve carved out time to ask myself, “What does Trish want to do next?" I’ve realized that it’s so important to do something for yourself every day, and I feel so grateful that I’ve had the time to prioritize that. 

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