November 1, 2023
As executive assistant, Kenya B. supports PharPoint’s C-Suite team, manages the corporate admin team, and ensures things run smoothly and consistently across the company.
Kenya would describe herself as resilient and confident. “With reason,” she laughed. “You have to be confident in an executive assistant role. It’s a unique position.”
If you were to poll co-workers — all of whom Kenya has interacted with in one way or another in her nearly four years at the company — organized and adaptive would likely be added to that list.
Originally from New York, Kenya started her career in magazine publishing. She shared one of her early projects at a prominent women’s magazine supporting a cover shoot with Matthew McConaughey and Jennifer Lopez (and recalled the specific flower that was on set: white gardenias). During her time in publishing, Kenya honed her attention to detail and the ability to stay level-headed in stressful situations, two skills she’s carried with her throughout her career.
Kenya’s time in magazine publishing was fast-paced and what many would describe as glamourous work. It came with its own challenges, the most unexpected of which being that Kenya was working in New York City on the morning of September 11, 2001.
“After 9/11 happened, I decided I wanted a change of pace. It was scary, and I was there, in it. And so I moved to North Carolina in 2002, and had to pivot and figure out what my next move was.”
In North Carolina, Kenya found that next move in an administrative role in the healthcare industry. This path eventually brought Kenya to join the PharPoint Research team.
One of Kenya’s favorite things about working at PharPoint is the team’s adaptability and flexibility, which she’s seen across departments in projects and meetings. She noted how that unique flexibility remains tied to company values. “Whatever we do, it’s coming back to, what’s our purpose?” Kenya shared. “We keep the client and the patient very close. ”
Outside of her work at PharPoint, Kenya is a mother to a son in college and two dogs. She’s also a licensed realtor, an Usher fan (whom she’s seen twice in his Vegas residency), and a homebody who loves hosting and cooking for friends.
Both in and outside of work, Kenya stays busy. She shared how tying contributions to a bigger mission has helped keep her work life fulfilling.
“That’s something you have to understand as an executive assistant and an admin person in general. Your small task is tied to a bigger picture,” Kenya said.
“Having had health issues in the past, I know how important the clinical trials we support are — especially being a Black woman. It’s important for us. We can be the last when it comes to clinical trials, unfortunately, but the industry is making changes there. I know that’s something that’s near and dear to the heart of people at PharPoint: making clinical trials more inclusive. Because without these clinical trials, without these approved drugs, without some of the things we help clients do, where would we be as a community?”
