{"id":2667,"date":"2023-09-13T12:38:32","date_gmt":"2023-09-13T12:38:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/careerplanning.me.holycross.edu\/?p=2667"},"modified":"2023-09-13T12:38:32","modified_gmt":"2023-09-13T12:38:32","slug":"meet-alumna-diane-mcdonnell-pickles-89-program-director-at-additional-ventures","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.holycross.edu\/careerplanning\/2023\/09\/13\/meet-alumna-diane-mcdonnell-pickles-89-program-director-at-additional-ventures\/","title":{"rendered":"Meet Alumna Diane (McDonnell) Pickles ’89, Program Director at Additional Ventures"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Name:<\/b> Diane (McDonnell) Pickles<\/span><\/p>\n

Class Year:<\/b> 1989<\/span><\/p>\n

Title:<\/b> Program Director, Project Singular<\/span><\/p>\n

Organization Name:<\/b> Additional Ventures<\/span><\/p>\n

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1. In one sentence, what does your job entail<\/b>?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I lead a direct to participant genetic sequencing study of patients with single ventricle heart disease and their immediate family members to fuel research to find curative solutions for this rare, complex disease.<\/span><\/p>\n

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2. What planned and unplanned events connected you to your industry and your first employer after Holy Cross? How did you learn\/decide it was a good fit for you?\u00a0\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

My first job after college was in substance abuse prevention education which led me to tobacco control policy work.\u00a0 I worked on local policy change efforts for several years and then served as Executive Director of a statewide coalition that spearheaded the successful 2004 campaign to make all workplaces in Massachusetts smoke-free.\u00a0 From there, I moved to a policy advocacy consulting firm where I spent more than a decade working for non-profit organizations helping them advance their mission through policy change.\u00a0 My passion for advocacy was largely fueled by the unexpected and life-changing experience of having a child born with a rare, complex, life-threatening condition called Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome for which there are no curative treatments, only palliative interventions.\u00a0 I found it unacceptable that I could bring my sick child into a family restaurant and have someone light up a cigarette at the next table.\u00a0 Moreover, I had to learn how to be an advocate in so many ways, in so many places, and on so many issues \u2013 with the healthcare system, insurance companies, the school system, and employers.\u00a0 Having a sick child who required three open heart surgeries before the age of 2 and ongoing medical interventions also dramatically impacted my career choices in terms of when, where, and how I was able to work.\u00a0 I needed to take several years off from my career and then could only return part time.\u00a0 Even after I was able to return full-time, work was a challenging juggling act and required understanding and accommodating employers combined with a great deal of hard work and commitment.\u00a0 Throughout these years, I volunteered on several congenital heart disease initiatives because it felt essential to try to turn my family\u2019s experience into something good for others.\u00a0 Approximately 4 years ago, I decided to make a radical career shift and move away from policy advocacy and into the field of cardiovascular research.\u00a0 For the past 2 years, I have been able to combine my personal passions with my professional skills and work for a nonprofit research foundation dedicated to finding treatments that will enable normal longevity and quality of life for patients with single ventricle heart disease like my son.<\/span><\/p>\n

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3. What were you involved in when you were on campus?<\/b><\/p>\n

I was a Student Alcohol Advisor (I believe now called SWEET Peer Educators) for two years.\u00a0 I also worked off-campus at a Worcester law firm as a legal secretary.<\/span>
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4. What was your major and how did it affect your career decisions?<\/b><\/p>\n

I was a Psychology major because I found it really interesting, but it honestly didn\u2019t impact my career decisions (please don\u2019t quote me to my parents or professors!).\u00a0 I really thought I would go to graduate school or law school, become a lawyer or a teacher or a child psychologist \u2013 but life had other plans.\u00a0 However, I do know that it provided me with a solid educational foundation for understanding human behavior and motivations, learning to problem solve effectively, and enjoying research and inquiry.<\/span><\/p>\n

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5. What are one or two skills that you developed at Holy Cross that you use in your work?<\/b><\/p>\n