We recently connected with Dr. Bridgette Moody and have shared our conversation below.
Dr. Bridgette , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear about the things you feel your parents did right and how those things have impacted your career and life.
If I could categorize 3 values my parents prioritized it would be respect, responsibility and resilience.
These three pillars are the foundation for success in my life. My parents infused integrity, morale, compassion and curiosity in all experiences. They held me accountable, encouraged self-awareness and planted seeds with common phrases or aphorisms that kept me engaged and provoked in thought. I truly believe through their sacrifices, the gifts they gave me reflect the best parts of them; gifts that have catalyzed a generational paradigm shift for our legacy. They were courageous and vulnerable, willing to share their journeys and lessons through life. In retrospect, they were my first demonstrators of leadership; my first glance at normalizing wins and loses on the path to success. I am humbled by how truly blessed I am to have them and to have experienced the communities they were connected to.
Dr. Bridgette , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I am a scientist that advocates for the education, recognition and exposure of underserved communities to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). I believe that our voices have the power to change the landscape and narrative of who STEM professionals are. As we know, there is a huge disparity in representation of minority STEM professionals in the United States. I passionately advocate to bridge this gap and highlight the brilliance that exists in these overlooked communities.
By training, I am a molecular pharmacologist with a background in several therapeutic areas of disease. I have researched innovative translational medicine techniques, provided insights to clinical studies and therapeutic development. In my current role, I provide scientific exchange with expert level thought leaders who drive changes and serve patients in medical practice. The commonality in all the tasks I have performed is the underrepresentation of culturally diverse and culturally competent medical professionals. There is a collective gap in exposure, awareness and opportunities for STEM careers in our underserved communities.
I’ve always been enthusiastically curious and passionate about science. I found it perplexing that this enthusiasm wasn’t’ always warmly encouraged or supported by those who taught me. Growing up in Lansing, MI there was a scarcity of cultural representation and exposure to STEM careers. I sought out opportunities with individuals that cultivated my talents and educational development. As I began to grow professionally this passion to provide exposure and awareness about STEM and wellness to our communities has been a priority of mine. Some of the most memorable accomplishments have been being able to sponsor Title 1 schools, providing scholarships for students to STEM summer camps, bridging gaps in digital literacy, providing ACT/SAT prep and hosting health literacy/wellness events in communities.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
I think the biggest challenge I’ve had to unlearn is striving for perfection. If you asked me my second favorite, it would be people-pleasing. Both mindsets diminish awareness of our intrinsic self-value and lead to thoughts of inadequacy. By practicing self-awareness we learn that striving for perfection is far less important than prioritizing a spirit of excellence. We also learn that constantly saying yes to others means we are saying no to ourselves (or something). In my younger years I prioritized other peoples definition of success. I even found myself setting limitations in my mind based on the barriers others were unable to hurdle. At some point, it clicked for me that I had the power to determine and define my own pathway to success;I truly believe the possibilities are infinite to brilliance. Overtime I’ve learned the importance of keeping my faith and tapping into those fundamental lessons my parents taught me. When we prioritize self-awareness, and discernment we take back our power; we claim our gifts and minimize unhealthy competition. This level of realism allows us to uniquely and authentically inspire others.
Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?
I strive to lead by example which means prioritizing our collective values and ensuring those are in alignment with our mission and goals. I actively listen with respect and execute with integrity. By acknowledging everyone’s gifts on the team and hearing their ideas, the team feels valued. I also believe it is important to encourage bidirectional feedback and dialogue. I have had success with creating safe spaces that honor the contributions of team members while highlighting collective accomplishments as a team. Morale is maintained by creating a safe space for innovation and elevation.
Contact Info:
Website: https://infinitebrillianceconsulting.squarespace.com
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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BrillianceInfinite
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Image Credits
Denay Shook Photography: https://www.denayshookphoto.net