Career Conversations 48: A No-Nonsense Guide to Self-Advocacy

Telesia enjoys designing high-impact educational experiences. She activated this passion in her roles as director of multicultural affairs at the University of South Carolina Aiken and as dean for campus life at Presbyterian College. She later transitioned to the association space at the National Association for Campus Activities, serving as director of education and research. She joined the HBA team in early 2021 and works to establish the educational content strategy for the association and to develop global learning initiatives.

Her own life-changing educational experiences ignited and cultivated her enthusiasm for education. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in English from Paine College, a Master’s degrees in student personnel services and higher education business administration and a Ph.D. in educational leadership and policies from the University of South Carolina.

Telesia resides in Columbia, SC and finds joy in reading, traveling and spending time with her husband and son. She is also an avid women’s basketball fan, never missing an opportunity to cheer on her Gamecocks at UofSC and any WNBA team with former Gamecocks.

Shweta Bhardwaj is Director, Global R&D & Digital Policy, Worldwide Govt. Affairs & Policy (WWGA&P), Johnson & Johnson. Her focus and expertise include digital/data science policy, cybersecurity, interoperability, health data, AI, and government regulation of new technologies that enable more efficient and accelerated R&D. Shweta partners externally in shaping digital health, regulatory and health data governance issues, through trade associations such as Global Data Alliance (GDA), BIO, AdvaMed, APACMed and IFPMA. She is Vice Chair- Interoperability Working Group, MedTech Europe.

Shweta holds MSc. in Global Health & Public Policy from the University of Edinburgh (as a commonwealth scholar). In her previous roles, she has worked within MedTech industry, WHO and international non-profits. She is passionate about social impact and engages in J&J's flagship Talent-for-good programs, which address critical areas in healthy equity, access & social determinants of health.

Dr. Kavita Dhamdhere is an ophthalmologist passionate about advancing eyecare, which led her to pursue a PhD and a fellowship at UC Berkeley, focusing on diabetic retinopathy, retinitis pigmentosa, macular edema, and geographic atrophy.

As a strategic leader and physician-scientist, Dr. Dhamdhere has extensive experience driving research and development in multidisciplinary organizations. She is dedicated to delivering the highest quality vision to patients and has played a pivotal role in developing numerous devices and pharmaceuticals that address critical gaps in eyecare.

Currently, she leads clinical development at Tarsus, where she is excited about their pipeline of transformative programs. These initiatives have the potential to impact countless patients suffering from conditions with no approved treatments, reinforcing her mission to drive meaningful change in eyecare.

Beyond her career, she is a proud single mother of two wonderful children—the wind beneath her wings—who inspire her every day to push the boundaries of innovation in eyecare.

Brian is a versatile finance leader with over 25 years of progressive experience in financial reporting, technical accounting, forecasting, consolidations, revenue operations and internal audit. His expertise includes strong understanding of GAAP, technical accounting research, forecasting, SEC filings, internal controls and ERP systems.

Heather is a visionary leader with over 25 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry, excelling in global and national roles. Heather’s deep-rooted passion for cultivating potential shines through her commitment to fostering a workplace culture that emphasizes performance, engagement, and continual development.

A firm believer in the holistic development of leadership qualities, Heather advocates for maintaining balance across all life aspects. She understands that personal well-being directly influences professional effectiveness, integrating this philosophy into her leadership to enhance both the lives and performance of her team members.

Beyond her professional achievements, Heather is a devoted wife and mother of two boys, one of whom is on the Autism Spectrum. She openly shares her experiences juggling the challenges of being a working mom in today's corporate environment, bringing a raw and inspiring message that motivates others to pursue their dreams while being present for what truly matters