Business Management Certificate Alumni Profile: Julee Ashmead

Please tell us a bit about who you are and your career:

I have an undergraduate degree in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology. I have worked in the biotech and research field for 12 years. My expertise is in synthetic biology and am currently the lab manager in the Dudley Lab at Pacific Northwest Research Institute.

Why did you choose to attend the program?

Many scientists are well versed in science-based knowledge but not on how to run a successful business. I wanted to be able to efficiently run a lab with an emphasis on marketing to generate donors and other funding.

What did you value most about the program?

I really value the marketing and financial intricacies that the Foster School taught to us. Also, how to negotiate and pitch an idea.

How has attending the course impacted your career?

I moved from being the manager of a small group within a biotech company to being the lab manager at a non-profit.

What was your experience like during the course?

It was great, the instructors were friendly and helpful. It was a very nice change from the science courses I completed at the UW. You got to know your professors and their focus was on their students and teaching instead of teaching as a means to an end in order to get funding for your projects.

What is your favorite memory of it?

Leta Beard is awesome. She is by far the most outstanding professor I have had. (Editor’s note: Leta Beard is the current faculty director for the Business Management Certificate and teaches marketing in the program.)

Have you made lasting connections with faculty or other attendees?

Yes, I am still in touch with Leta and some of my other classmates.

What skill from the course were you able to apply immediately at your job? Or what skills from the course are you using now?

Asking for and getting a promotion and raise. ????

In what ways have you been able to measure the return on investment of participating in the program?

Monetarily, it has increased my pay and I am at a better job with less stress.

Is there anything you wish you had known prior to starting the program?

Yes, I wish I had known about the software program “Lucid Charts” before I wasted time designing flow charts in PowerPoint.

What would you like to share with prospective students of the program?

Bring a ton of caffeine for the late-night classes.

Note: Julee attended the program when it was called the Certificate in Business Administration.