We’re proud our employees are as diverse as the patients we serve – from what drives them each day to their own personal experiences that shape who they are. At UCB, we believe by encouraging our employees to channel their energy, passions, and different perspectives, we can better understand and rethink how we innovate and deliver impactful solutions patients value. Join us as we begin a 5-part series showcasing what drives UCB employees to put patients at the heart of everything they do.

For all of us, our story begins with UCB’s Patient Value Strategy. Patient value is not just what we say, but how we live. We’re passionate about making a culture of care something we practice each day.

“Even when I started, there was something about the importance and significance of patients that drew me in. The way I’ve described it over the years is that there was something palpable in the air at UCB, and I just wanted to be a part of it.” – Denelle Waynick, VP, Legal Affairs (Americas) & U.S. General Counsel

We are committed to this strategy because we know it enables us to do the right thing for patients. By fulfilling our commitment, we can drive innovation that leads to more impactful solutions on the horizon.

My belief is that our medicines are differentiated and disease modifying, and that our medicines help people to live better and longer lives, and I think that is a high calling. The charge we have been given in this industry is to find those new drugs that solve issues that aren’t solved for right now, and UCB takes that charge seriously.” – Duane Barnes, President, Head of U.S. Operations

And for many employees, our reason for working at UCB stems from our own experiences as caregivers or patients. This helps us to put ourselves in the shoes of patients to better understand their perspectives. It drives us in our daily work and how we do business so that everything is centered on providing patients a meaningful experience.

“While I was in medical school, I watched my late sister-in-law suffer from lupus, a serious, life-changing chronic autoimmune disease. Her experience over the course of her illness, including many interactions with physicians, inspired me to specialize in rheumatology and later to become a researcher.”—Dr. Victor Sloan, VP & Development Strategy Lead, Immunology Patient Value Unit

“At some point in our lives, many of us will become a patient. Three years ago, I experienced a sudden cardiac arrest while at work, and few people survive this type of event. Ensuring there are safe options available to help treat patients, like myself, is the reason why I’ve dedicated my career to monitoring the safety of medicines. – Karyn Mumma, Head of Safety Surveillance

From employees beginning their careers…

“Every day I get to work to make an impact with doctors and patients. It’s a rare and special thing for someone starting their career, like me, to genuinely love their profession and know they have found their career company. I look forward to continuing to grow and learn so I may help patients.” – Laurel Tapia, Neurology Associate

To those who have been with us for a long time…

“Having been at UCB for over a decade, the one thing I know to consistently expect in my colleagues is a high degree of talent and genuine passion for patients. It’s those whom I work with and the patients we work for, that inspire me to be better.  I love connecting with colleagues new to UCB and hear them say, ‘wow it really is different here!’ ” – Natasha Trujillo, Regional Care Lead, U.S. Bone Operations

We’re all laser-focused on creating value for people living with severe diseases. We hope you’ll follow along as we share more stories from employees across UCB about why patients are at the heart of everything we do.