Career inspiration
With a PhD in biotechnology and immunology, Mari’s Auntie Maria would often tell Mari about her business, her projects and how she was pushing medicine to the next level. Above all, Mari recalls how Auntie Maria always spoke to her as an equal and how, from a young age, she loved hearing about Auntie Maria’s work.
This gave Mari a vision of what she wanted from her future career and ideas for ways she could add value to herself, her family and society.
“When Maria walks into a room, you know that she’s a boss, and even as a little girl, I knew that’s what I wanted to be.”
The importance of role models
Watching Auntie Maria succeed in male-dominated environments showed Mari that it is key for women in positions of power and achievement to find ways to give back to their communities and serve as a role model for others.
Mari’s pledge
“If you can see it, you can be it. I pledge to do my best to serve as that role model and mentor for young women and girls who are thinking about where their career could go, what their future could look like and how they could drive forward their ambitions and goals.”