Cincinnati native Laurie Dohmeyer began her career as a registered nurse in labor and delivery, caring for mothers and babies. A hard-working hospital floor nurse, she enrolled in a master’s degree program with plans to become a nurse practitioner. There, she was introduced to the world of clinical research. Her life, then, changed course.
“I felt I could have an even greater impact to help more people, and I decided to pivot,” Laurie recalls. “I went to the dean of the business program and switched to an MBA.”
Laurie has spent the last 25 years on the corporate side of clinical research, specializing in business development, sales, partnerships, acquisitions, and strategy for global pharmaceutical companies. She says, “I’m passionate about speed and efficiency in clinical development to bring new medicine safely and effectively to market.”
Based in the Greater Cincinnati area, Laurie is Senior Vice President, Global Pharma Strategy and Business Development for ICON plc. Headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, the company provides clinical, consulting, and commercial services across several industry sectors including biotech, government and public health, medical device, and pharmaceuticals. They employ 41,900 people in 106 locations in 55 countries, with focus areas including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s research and development, among many other therapeutic areas.
Laurie oversees an international team of 80 professionals managing ICON’s top pharmaceutical accounts. Based on her proven leadership, she was tapped to serve as interim Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) when the need arose, putting her in charge of driving revenue, business growth, and profitability, in addition to her duties as senior VP.
Company leadership had experience with Stanford Graduate School of Business (GSB) Executive Education — with several other employees participating in the Stanford Executive Program (SEP) over the years. ICON’s leaders and Laurie agreed she could benefit from attending SEP as she rose to her new challenge. “I knew the Stanford Executive Program would help me advance my career, gain new skills and knowledge from world-class Stanford GSB faculty, and expand my professional network with executives, entrepreneurs, and leaders across the globe,” she says. “I was looking to gain more assertiveness, confidence, command of the room, and executive poise. I got so much more.”
A Transformational Journey
The Stanford Executive Program inspires and empowers leaders both personally and professionally, helping them build the mindset, skills, and network they need to increase their influence and impact, and establish their legacy.
“SEP was a transformational journey full of learning, personal growth, and connections that will last a lifetime,” Laurie says. “The program surpassed my every expectation and was more than just an education. It became one of the greatest gifts I have ever given myself. This program redefined what it means to learn, grow, and connect.”
Laurie participated in SEP Flex, a hybrid program that combines an on-campus learning experience with live online learning over 14 weeks — a good fit for her demanding work schedule. SEP’s focus on “The Whole You” helps leaders nurture themselves personally and professionally, to lead with clarity and purpose. The curriculum focuses on three key themes: Leading People, Leading Organizations, and Leading Global Systems.
Laurie enjoyed “the deep dive” into subject areas where knowledge and mastery is critical in her elevated role, including strategy, finance, marketing, artificial intelligence (AI), ethics, design thinking, scaling up, innovation, and ESG (environmental, societal, and governance — a framework for evaluating corporate sustainability).
“SEP empowered me to elevate my leadership capabilities, deepen my strategic acumen, and broaden my perspective,” Laurie reflects.
Becoming a Purposeful Leader
Laurie says the opportunity to learn alongside other global business leaders greatly contributed to her own professional growth. She and her cohort members stay in touch via a WhatsApp group, each of them documenting their lessons learned in hopes of sharing them with others.
“Now I have 99 new friends and colleagues, and a network to support us as we continue on in our journeys,” she says. “Some may make a pivot in their career. I intend to stay in clinical research, because I’m just so passionate about it. But this program has me thinking big. I’m thinking about what’s next.”
Laurie is applying what she learned about finance, leadership, and more to meet her company’s goals for sales, talent acquisition and retention, and market expansion. “I’m a more confident leader now,” she says. “By staying true to my values and leveraging my skills and experiences, I hope to inspire those around me in this journey.”
For this former nurse — who keeps her nursing credentials current — it’s still about helping people live better lives.
“The lessons absorbed, the conversations that challenged my thinking, and the relationships forged with this brilliant global alumni community have already become cornerstones of my personal and professional journey,” Laurie says. “The future is mine to shape. I am now equipped with better insights and the confidence to advance my career and lead with purpose in my professional and personal life.”
