Type Of Business:
Research-based pharmaceutical and health care company
Marketing Area:
International
Expertise:
Contract management; Financial management; Coalition building; Project management; Audits; Mergers and acquisitions; Budgeting; Forecasting
Major Product/SVS:
Products and services for humankind; Nonprofit businesses; Counseling teens and adults; training and teaching
Favorite Business Publication:
Bible; WSJ; Forbes Magazine; Black Enterprise; CFO Magazine; CIO Magazine; Businessweek
Hobbies/Sports:
Helping others; Learning something new every day; Traveling throughout the world; Teaching; Training; Counseling; Cycling
Education Degrees:
MBA in Finance and Information Technology, La Salle University (2003); Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, La Salle University (1999)
Affiliations Awards:
National Black MBA Association, Inc.; Healthcare Businesswomen's Association
Place of Birth:
Philadelphia
Throughout the duration of your career, what was the one highlight that stood out the most?:
The highlights of her career include various mergers and multimillion dollar acquisitions, saving millions of dollars through contract negotiations, meeting top level GSK shareholders, attending Wall Street analyst meetings, and building relationships with internal and external customers. Also, she has received numerous awards throughout her years of service at GSK.
In addition, she is able to maintain a solid personal life alongside her career. She is well-balanced and has effectively managed her professional life while simultaneously being a devoted mother. She would be considered a multitasker in the truest sense. This is evident in her ability to attend her son’s and daughter’s recitals, school trips, concerts, rehearsals, basketball games, karate classes, and parent-teacher conferences. Obviously, being well-balanced is equally important to her, as her personal commitments, goals, and accomplishments at GSK. She has demonstrated her ability to remain focused, positive and committed to excellence in spite of life challenges. Several of her co-workers were astonished when she shared with them that her divorce was final. One colleague actually said to her, “I didn’t know you were going through a divorce, your work never diminished, neither did your performance, positive personality, or countenance ever change.” She has learned that a person of integrity and character remains faithful to those who are important to them. To sum it up best, the success she has experienced as both a parent and professional stands out the most because of her ability to effectively balance them.
Charity:
Local Church; Local Community; Counselor; Teacher; Treasurer, Newsletter Editor, Local Nonprofit Organization
Number Of Years In Profession:
20
Number Of Years In Current Position:
5
What Does He/She Attribute Success To:
She attributes her success to her fundamental belief in God and the principles she adheres to on a daily basis. She knows that Christ gives her the character and strength to complete all tasks. Secondarily, her success is contributed to preparation and hard work. She knows that when preparation and hard work meet, success will always follow.
Ms. Peterson is a financially savvy contracts manager, exceptionally skilled at negotiating contracts that minimize costs, increase savings, and gain efficiencies that ultimately maximize revenue returns. She has a hands-on leadership style that facilitates the ability to skillfully galvanize multifunctional and multinational business teams to identify process improvements and eliminate waste. She excels at developing high-performance teams that execute with uncompromising integrity by articulating a clear vision, and gaining buy-in from all stakeholders.
Why did you become involved in your profession or industry?:
She became involved in her profession through the opportunities and experiences she gained at GlaxoSmithKline. The many years of hard work and preparation put her in a position for this great opportunity. Her success became inevitable after the conditions in her work experiences were satisfied.
Extended Bio Profile:
Ms. Peterson has more than 20 years of progressive experience in U.S. and U.K. contract management, financial management, financial reporting, financial analyses, audits, mergers and acquisitions, information technology, consumer health care, mergers and acquisitions, and investor relations.
Position Responsibilities and Duties:
Managing a $40 million annual budget; Overseeing information technology data contracts for extending; Negotiating new or existing contracts; Ensuring each country abides by both GlaxoSmithKline and government guidelines; Overseeing three direct reports
Education Certifications:
Certified Lean Six Sigma Green Belt(2011)
Awards/Honors:
Appointed, GlaxoSmithKline Communications Coach; Representative, Senior Management in Internal and External Meetings, GlaxoSmithKline; Recipient, Various Impact and Spirit Awards, GlaxoSmithKline; National Honor Society; Magna Cum Laude
Where Will You Be In 5 Years:
In five years, Ms. Peterson sees herself as a vice president of a major corporation, while simultaneously polishing her skills as a college professor. In addition, she has an entrepreneurial spirit, and she is confident that she will enter into the free enterprise through some of the business ideas and creativity that is within her.