Haunted by dengue, she fights social inequities

Her manager, Konstantin Popov, said Beatrice has proven to be a perfect match for his team.

"I think her personal story is what makes her stand out," said Konstantin, the enterprise excellence business partner in the Small Molecules and Oncology Operating Unit. "Our core values and her core values are closely aligned."

Beatrice's values continue to translate into action, even outside of work. She has been working on her PhD in positive organizational behavior for the last five years (she's hoping to defend her dissertation next month). Additionally, she is working on establishing a business focusing on social impact to help Thai orphans escape poverty through education and entrepreneurial skills. She helped them, for example, design, draw and produce holiday cards that they sold at a Christmas market.

A representative from Rotary International contacted her last summer to identify underprivileged children in Thailand to attend a camp in Finland to learn business and technology skills.

"He asked me if I could help select the kids since I knew them and the area," she said.

The project has yet to materialize, however, because the Rotarian contracted dengue while traveling to Thailand last December.

"Unbelievable, right? It keeps appearing," Beatrice says. "I'm so glad that I work for a company that is battling against this awful disease."