Alan Greensmith, '04

My role involves introducing the Low FODMAP Diet for Irritable Bowel Syndrome to the US. IBS affects 45 million people in the US and what people eat plays a role in their symptoms of IBS. Monash is a world leader in diet and IBS and has proven that short chain carbohydrates are the cause of symptoms in many individuals. By understanding which of those sugars is the cause of IBS symptoms for those individuals, people are able to alter their diet and live a normal life. Monash has created a number of resources including the #1 paid medical app in the world to help people manage their symptoms due to diet in IBS. Our revenues from the app go back into more research at Monash. We think this is a great model for the future. Using research to roll out resources that help patients which in turn allows us to fund more research.

The Saint Joseph's University Pharmaceutical Marketing MBA put me on the path to higher levels of leadership at Pfizer and to leading the IG sales team at Grifols USA. At Pfizer, I was part of the team that developed the marketing plan for Lyrica. The MBA program introduced me to a broader understanding of the overall business and positioned me to do what I am doing now in leading a major commercial effort in launching the Monash Low FODMAP diet and associated resources into the US marketplace.

I have always been thankful for the opportunity that Pfizer gave me to participate in the Saint Joseph's University program. My cohort of 25 people at Pfizer have all made the most of the learning and the degree and all have experienced promotions and significant career success. We have also maintained great friendships from our time together in the pressure cooker during the two years we were in the program. The team at Saint Joseph's University is knowledgeable, approachable and supportive. I have often recommended the program to others wanting to step forward in their career. While I am no longer in biopharma, I am still in healthcare and my training from Saint Joseph's has allowed me to grow in my career while working to be part of the bigger effort to improve healthcare and health outcomes.