In this episode, Jessica Beltran, Associate Director of Lab Operations at Seeker Biologics, talks about mechanisms she has learned to improve efficiency in the lab.

At a very young age, Jessica was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, which drove her into science and LabOps. With a varied, interesting career, she gained knowledge on lean six sigma and facilities management that she would bring into the laboratories she has managed since. Learning management consulting taught her the importance of contingency planning and keeping a short distance between leadership and lab frontline workers to support the science better and make operations more efficient.

Tune in to this episode to listen to Jessica’s journey and learn how she applies her knowledge to improve everything she touches!

Summary:

Lean Six Sigma and facilities management are great tools to improve lab operations.

About Jessica Beltran:

Jessica Beltran, MS has 10 years of laboratory and facilities experience and is currently the Associate Director of Lab Operations at Seeker Biologics. Born and raised in Chicago, Jessica received her B.A. in Psychology from Northwestern University and began working at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center as a research assistant and lab manager, expanding the lab into two satellite locations on campus. She earned her Master of Science in Conservation Medicine from Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, aiming to simultaneously benefit the health of people, animals, and the environment with research management. She spent five years on the Hines for Amazon account melding her scientific thinking with that of Lean Six Sigma practices and facilities management. Her passion for improvement and efficiency ultimately landed her a pioneering position at Amazon as its first-ever Dogs at Work Program Manager. Her interdisciplinary role at Seeker and other biotechs put her at the interface of every aspect of the company, ensuring optimized lab operations that respond to demand while maintaining the company’s identity and scientific mission.  

Jessica’s drive to deliver efficient and memorable biotech operations is fueled by her own health journey with alopecia areata, an autoimmune disease that causes complete hair loss. Enabling the science, labs, and scientists that invent better therapies for people like her is why she works to improve everything she touches.

Things You’ll Learn:

• Jessica was diagnosed with alopecia areata, an autoimmune disease that causes hair loss when she was six months old.
• Jessica was the first-ever Amazon Dogs at Work Program Manager.
• Seeker Biologics is currently in stealth mode, so Jessica doesn’t discuss her work there as it is not yet public knowledge.
• Amazon’s workplace pace and growth have a reputation where one year of work is said to be equivalent to five years at any other company.
• Gemba walking is a management strategy where you put yourself in the shoes of your frontline workers to make you better at making decisions.
• You want to minimize the distance between the people who are making the decisions for the company and the employees at operations.
• Technology and innovation are just a byproduct of the people.

• Connect with and follow Jessica Beltran on LinkedIn.
• Follow Seeker Biologics on LinkedIn.
• Connect with and follow co-host Kerri Anderson on LinkedIn.