What is your favorite food and why? 
Thai food! I have been to Thailand many times and I never have enough of their amazing food choices. Especially panang curry and green curry! Dishes always have a unique flavor depending on who makes it.

What’s the best advice you ever received? 
To not interrupt while someone is talking. I get very excited in a conversation and often have much to say!

Do you have any hobbies? 
I love rock climbing, scuba diving and skiing. Skiing is definitely my top hobby.

How did you get involved in technology transfer? 
I had worked at a few companies that closed down. I saw a posting on the McGill site for a job very similar to what I had been doing in industry—taking care of intellectual property and managing inventions, but on a larger scale—so it seemed easy for me to adapt. I thought it would be a temporary pause out of industry, but the job is super exciting and challenging daily, and I’ve never left.

What’s something you’re working on right now that really excites you? 
This year we are getting many requests for licensing with all sorts of terms that are not standard practice. Adapting our templates to new realities will be fund and challenging.

What do you like most about working with inventors and other tech transfer professionals? 
It is a very nice way to apply a strong technical background (such as a PhD in a science field) with business activities. It is never boring with lots of challenges. I like to hear tech transfer professionals’ stories about how they handled situations involving bizarre and sometimes unreasonable requests. Inventors come in many flavors, and I really enjoy helping them get some traction with their technologies.

What does AUTM Membership have to offer that you can’t get from other organizations? 
The ability to have discussions with individuals who are doing the same job and understand our daily issues and challenges. The forums are very useful for getting advice when you have an issue to solve—many people are very helpful.

What’s your favorite memory from a past AUTM event? 
I would say it was the year when the Annual Meeting was in Las Vegas. Attendees often went for dinner together, and I got to know many new TT professionals as we walked around the Strip together. 

What do you enjoy most about your volunteer role with the Licensing Survey Committee? 
I honestly enjoy seeing the data and what changes for each institution yearly. Many institutions are very responsive when we have questions and are easy to connect with.