120. Kathy Ford; Chief Operation Officer, biopharmaceuticals; R.N., B.S.N

Ordinarily Extraordinary - Conversations with women in STEM

Kathy Ford is the Chief Operating Officer (COO) at Kura Oncology. She has over 30 years experience in biopharmaceuticals. She is equally passionate about the work she does bringing treatment to cancer patients and as a mom and grandmother. Kathy earned her R.N. from Massachusetts General Hospital School of Nursing and her B.S.N. from Fitchburg State College.
What do we talk about in this episode?

1. Kathy's journey from nursing, being a stay at home mom, and back into the job market and into executive management in biopharmaceuticals.
2. The changes she has seen for women in medicine and STEM fields over the past several decades.
3. The importance of family in her life. Grandmotherhood is her greatest joy!
4. Her passion for working for a company working to treat and cure cancer.
5. The importance of women, especially in higher positions, using their voice to support other women.
6. What does a COO do?

Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio

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Resources

Hematologic cancers begin in blood-forming tissue, such as the bone marrow, or in the cells of the immune system. Examples of hematologic cancer include leukemia, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma. It's also referred to as blood cancer. (https://www.summitcancercenters.com/cancers-we-treat/hematologic-cancer/#:~:text=Hematologic%20cancers%20begin%20in%20blood,referred%20to%20as%20blood%20cancer.)

Some 37% of active physicians in the U.S. were women in 2021, up from about 36% in 2019, and about 47% of residents and fellows were women, according to the AAMC report.Large gender pay gaps still exist, however. A 2021 report from the Rand Corporation published in Health Affairs found female physicians earn $2 million less than men over the course of their career, with the largest gaps in male-dominated specialties. (https://www.healthcaredive.com/news/AAMC-us-physician-workforce-women-specialties/640621/#:~:text=Some%2037%25%20of%20active%20physicians,according%20to%20the%20AAMC%20report.)