WIB-Seattle Leadership Spotlight: Lauren Stavig

Lauren Stavig
Account Executive at Medix
WIB-Seattle Membership Chair

Lauren’s passion for life science started in high school. “I was always really fascinated by science classes and I found that it was something that my brain understood. I just thought it was absolutely fascinating—it’s almost like magic,” she said. “I decided I wanted to be in the industry because of its power to transform people’s health.”

Lauren earned her bachelor’s degree in cellular and molecular biology from Yale University. While she loved what she was learning, she discovered that she didn’t want to build a career in a laboratory. “I did a lab internship one summer, but I decided that probably wasn’t the best route for me,” she said. “My career goals transitioned: I still wanted to be within the life sciences community, just not so much in the lab. I moved into recruiting for the life sciences because of a friend who did similar work. It’s a great way to develop an understanding of the landscape and positively impact people and organizations.”

Lauren has developed a passion for her role and the opportunity to utilize her scientific knowledge and relationship-building skills. “Medix supports healthcare and life science organizations with resource alignment, recruiting, and consulting,” she said. “I’m a part of our Life Science division and specifically support clinical-stage biotech and biopharma sponsors by aligning resources, such as consultants, as well as contract and permanent talent. Our goal is to provide sponsors with resources to accelerate drug/device pipelines for the ultimate benefit of the patients.”

Lauren’s people skills have allowed her to thrive as a go-between for her clients and their need for highly skilled individuals in the life science community. “I love the consulting part of it, and learning about different companies, therapeutic areas, and business strategies,” she said. “I find a lot of value in finding the right people for my client’s teams, hand-picking them, and placing them together. Within that search for the right people, I value being able to show kindness and compassion to people. That’s why I love networking—people are just people! It’s not about what your title is; it’s about treating people like people and being kind.” 

Her passion for networking and connecting people made Lauren a natural fit for the Membership Committee. “I heard about WIB from a colleague of mine who was on the board in Seattle. She introduced me to Breana, the Chapter Chair,” she said. Lauren’s work as a board leader helps WIB to grow our membership numbers and keep our members engaged with everything that the chapter has to offer. So, what’s her advice for new WIB members? “Truly, get out of your comfort zone. A huge part of that is networking,” she said. “You need to develop skills and grow in your personal career, but don’t stay in a silo. You need to get out there and learn about other careers. College does not adequately prepare you, so get a coffee or hop on a phone call. Don't be afraid to reach out. Something like eighty percent of jobs are through your network. Working on those social skills is a huge complement to your technical skills.”

Lauren’s key to her own success is combining her science-heavy education with her talent for connecting people so they’re in the right place at the right time. “Success is impacting people, and providing value to propel them towards their goals,” she said. “It can be so fulfilling to find the perfect role for someone and equally as rewarding to match the right person to a team and hiring manager. I like to think of myself as a professional match-maker, and finding the ones that stick are what it’s all about.”

Lauren’s talent for making networking easy has helped our chapter grow so much, and we can’t think of a person more suited to the Membership Chair position. We’re so glad that Lauren is always ready to make connections among our members and keep them coming back for more! 

Submitted by Mariana Huben