Building Community Across NC’s Life Sciences Sector

During her time in the Jenkins Online MBA program, Cristina Maldonado identified a need for stronger collaboration between early-career professionals, students and leaders in North Carolina’s life sciences industry. Inspired by her coursework and supported by Poole College’s community-oriented culture, she co-founded a professional development network — the Operational Excellence Network (OEN) — to help bridge that gap.

With support from peers and mentors, OEN has grown into a grassroots effort designed to bring together students and professionals interested in continuous improvement in the life sciences.

Addressing a Critical Industry Need

In the life sciences, operational excellence plays a critical role in how organizations deliver safe, effective products. At its core, it focuses on improving how work gets done — by designing better processes, using data to guide decisions, and building a culture where people are empowered to continuously identify opportunities for improvement and deliver consistent, high-quality outcomes.

Maldonado saw firsthand how valuable this mindset can be, and how rarely it’s introduced early in a professional’s career. While the industry increasingly expects employees to think systemically and drive improvement, many recent graduates have limited exposure to practical problem-solving approaches such as Lean or Six Sigma.

Leveraging the mentorship, collaboration and applied learning opportunities within the Jenkins MBA program, she launched the Operational Excellence Network to help close that gap — creating space for students and professionals to learn from one another and build skills that translate directly to real-world impact.

A Q&A with Cristina Maldonado

What inspired you to co-found the Operational Excellence Network?

“I began my career in laboratory settings across the biopharma and biotech industries. Like many professionals, I didn’t discover operational excellence until several years into my career — yet it completely transformed how I thought about problem-solving and leadership.

“What I realized, though, is that there’s a gap between the technical skills learned at the university level and the problem-solving skills needed to excel in the life sciences industry. Through OEN, I wanted to bridge those missing links — lack of operational excellence awareness early in career, limited practical application and selective company support — by creating a platform where students, professionals and organizations can learn from one another and apply continuous improvement in meaningful ways.”

How has your experience in the Online MBA program shaped your approach to leadership and collaboration?

“The Jenkins MBA program has transformed how I approach leadership and collaboration. It’s helped me connect business strategy with human-centered leadership — with a focus on systems, culture and long-term organizational impact.

“Our cohort includes professionals from many industries, and that diversity has taught me the power of inclusive problem-solving. The program strengthened my ability to create clarity out of complexity, foster engagement and lead teams through change — all critical to sustaining a community like OEN and driving continuous improvement initiatives.”

What impact do you hope your efforts will have on students and professionals in North Carolina’s life sciences community?

“OEN exists to bridge academia and industry — creating a community that accelerates learning, innovation and real-world impact.

“For students, it’s about gaining practical problem-solving experience, mentorship and the ability to stand out in a competitive job market. For professionals, it’s about opportunities to advance career development, contribute to thought leadership and drive tangible business impact.

“And for North Carolina, it’s about strengthening our life sciences industry and maintaining our competitive edge as a top biotech hub.”

Looking Forward

In addition to her ongoing work with OEN, Cristina is partnering with Poole College’s career team to create professional development opportunities for MBA students, including an upcoming event called Perform and Advance: OPEX Tools to Secure Promotions (students can learn more in 12twenty). 

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This post was originally published in Jenkins MBA News.