Stephanie Andrews is a principal in the Life Sciences Practice. In this interview, she shares her experience of working at CRA over the past 30 years.
What elements of your work have changed during your career at CRA?
When I started, CRA only had two offices. It’s tremendous to have a first-hand account of how much the company has grown. As a junior, I would spend a significant amount of my time collecting and entering data. Today these data are all easily accessible and the majority of a junior’s time is able to be spent on analysis. The role was quite different before the internet!
On the converse, what elements of your work have remained the same?
The fabric of the people we hire at CRA has always remained constant. The juniors we hire today are cut from the same cloth as thirty years ago – we have an intellectually curious, collegial, and inviting culture. The commitment to high quality and the integrity of work product has never changed throughout the years.
What aspects of your work have kept you here over the years?
Both the people and the work itself have been the two contributing factors which have kept me at CRA over the years. The quality of people is, in my opinion, unrivaled. The people I’ve had the pleasure of working with have become close friends and mentors. I have been in many roles at CRA, all of which have challenged me to grow in different ways. I will always be grateful for the numerous opportunities to learn throughout my career.
Do you have a favorite memory you’d like to share from your time at CRA?
My favorite memory is a project we worked on for the Silver Institute estimating silver stocks around the world. I got to speak to people at National Geographic, the Vatican, and even the son of Jacques Cousteau to estimate silver stocks from shipwrecks!
What’s a more recent opportunity you’ve been able to take advantage of at CRA?
I most recently have been in an operations role for the Life Sciences practice, through which I had the opportunity to be involved in several acquisitions. It was an incredible learning experience where each acquisition presented several new and challenging situations. How many consultants can say that they’ve had an opportunity to work on even a single acquisition that will directly impact their team?
This interview was originally featured in CRA’s Alumni newsletter. To subscribe to our newsletter, visit: crai.com/alumni