Episode 52: The Sandwich Generation Impact: Redefining Leadership while Caring for Family

In this month’s episode of Real Time with WLP, we are joined by Maria DiIorio, Partner at bMod and RXCHAINGE.  Maria brings both executive insight and lived experience to a powerful conversation about leadership, ambition, and caregiving. We explore The Sandwich Generation Impact- Redefining Leadership while caring for Family.  Maria shares how this dual responsibility reshaped her definition of success, challenged her at pivotal moments as a leader, and ultimately influenced how she sets boundaries, shows up for her teams, and navigates competing demands. We examine the critical role workplaces must play in creating environments that recognize both performance and personal responsibilities. More about Maria:Maria Di Iorio is a seasoned healthcare marketing leaderwith more than 20 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry across both client and agency environments. As a Partner at bMod and RXCHAINGE, she plays a central role in shaping strategic direction and client engagement forCanada’s most respected full-service healthcare agencies.Maria’s expertise spans brand strategy, integrated campaignplanning, training, and launch execution. She is known for blending creative thinking with strategic rigor to help clients navigate increasingly complex commercial, medical and digital landscapes.Throughout her career, Maria has guided multi-channelinitiatives that advance client objectives while maintaining a sharp focus on stakeholder insights , patient needs and  behavioural impact. Her leadership is grounded in strong relationship-building and a commitment to excellence. 

In this episode, we unpack the shock of unexpected job loss, the emotions that hit first, the surprises that followed, and how months of searching can quietly reshape your sense of identity and confidence. Listen as our guest, Cindy Woodcock, reflects on the most unexpected advice received along the way, and how it challenged perceptions about success, worth, and resilience.From navigating interviews to rethinking how organizations assess talent, this conversation offers hard-earned insight and hope.If you’ve ever faced career disruption or want a more honest conversation about work, age, and resilience, this one’s for you.Be sure to listen to the full episode to hear Cindy's experiencesAbout Cindy WoodcockCindy Woodcock is Program Lead, Communications at the Canadian Institute for Health Information. With nearly 30 years of experience in health care communications, she began her career in 1995 and spent 17 years in public relations before moving into an in-house communications role in the pharmaceutical sector, working in a highly regulated health environment.A long-time mental health advocate, she previously served eight years on the board of Families Affected by Mental Health Everywhere and led communications for a leadership mentoring program at WLP focused on connection, growth, and inclusion.

Epidsod 50 features some of our thought provoking past guests of 2025: Kristina Fusella, Lida Citroen, Shannon Keenan, Namita Khatri, Andrea Loewendorf, Gail Tatebe, Tonya Dickenson, Tessa Misiaszek, Jennifer Meehan, Michael Casia,Katy McFee and Litsa Spiridonakos.In this final podcast of the year, they share their tips on how women and allies can help protect their time, energy and relationships to be even more productive.

Listen to our conversation with Katy McFee, Founder and CEO of Insights to Action Coaching and Consulting. Katy breaks down the importance of shifting from reactivity to proactivity — and how moving beyond constant responsiveness is key to elevating your leadership and driving meaningful impact.Be sure to listen to the full episode to hear Katy’s insights on over-indexing, gaining visibility, and positioning yourself for real career progression.About Katy McFeeKaty McFee is a former executive (VP/EVP), Forty Under 40 recipient, and host of the More Women Promoted podcast.As a certified executive coach, she's helped hundreds of women transition to, and thrive in, senior leadership. Drawing from her own challenging path to the executive suite, Katy is dedicated to closing the gender gap by helping women step into senior roles with confidence and authenticity.Katy has been featured in Business Insider and has published multiple articles about women and leadership in Forbes.com as a contributor.

For this month’s podcast, we’re joined by Andrea Loewendorf, Head of Immunology Canada at UCB, who explores the transformative role of mentorship and sponsorship in a woman’s leadership journey.  She shares how mentorship has shaped her career, and why sponsorship in particular is a catalyst for breaking barriers in pharma.Tune in as Andrea reflects on the importance of communitynetworks (like WLP), offers practical advice for building meaningful professional relationships, and discusses how women can lift as they lead.About Andrea LoewendorfAndrea Loewendorf is an accomplished global leader with over two decades of experience in the biopharma industry. As the Head of Immunology Canada at UCB, she spearheads UCB’s immunology strategy, translating vision into field execution and driving positive impact on patients.With her extensive background, Andrea has successfullyorchestrated global product launches, consistently prioritizing patient needs and bringing groundbreaking therapies to market. Notably, she set the global commercial strategy for a recent launch and has spent the past six years leading market access teams in the U.S. and across the globe. Her strategic vision extends beyond traditional boundaries, encompassing innovative approaches to market access, digital transformation, and brand excellence. 

Episode 47 with Real Time with WLP dives into the future of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in Canada with Namita Khatri, Canadian Leader for DEI at Randstad. Namita shares her insightful perspectives on the current state of DEI in Canada, the strategies for meaningful outcomes during uncertain times, and how we can all contribute to ensure the sustainability of an inclusive workplace.Don’t miss this thought-provoking conversation! About Namita Khatri Namita is a recognized leader in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) within Canada's workforce solutions industry, with nearly 20 years of experience within the industry. As the Canadian Leader for DEI at Randstad, Namita leads both internal DEI strategy and programming as well as the external DEI consulting practice, helping organizations embed inclusive practices that drive business success.With a deep understanding of the intersection between DEI and business performance, Namita has successfully helped organizations decrease costs, increase profitability, and expand into new markets by integrating DEI into their corporate strategy. Her expertise in connecting DEI to tangible business outcomes has made her a sought-after speaker and advisor, having hosted numerous events and webinars on building the business case for DEI and positioning it as a key business driver.Her thought leadership extends to speaking engagements with UN Global Compact Canada, the Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion (CCDI), Women in Governance, Financial Executives International (FEI) and various learning events, including workshops for Randstad’s clients across Canada.

In Episode 46, we sit down with Gail Tatebe, Founder of Ki Explore, and Tonya Dickenson, Founder & CEO of Asymmetric by Design, to explore how values-based leadership within their pharma roles, emotional intelligence, and bold decision-making paved the way for their pivots into entrepreneurship.Gail and Tonya share the professional direction and decision points, mindset shifts, and crucial lessons that helped them lead with purpose, both in pharma and beyond.Listen now and get inspired to lead your own career transitions with clarity, courage, and conviction.

Real Time with WLP podcast explores how Gen Z is reshaping the future of work, health, and leadership. Through an engaging and insightful conversation with Dr. Tessa Misiaszek of Korn Ferry, Joanna and Madeleine unpack what Gen Z wants in the workplace, how they’re navigating the healthcare system, and why their values, energy, and expectations are challenging organizations to evolve. With perspectives from both Gen X and Gen Z, this cross-generational dialogue is designed to inform and inspire leaders in pharma while giving Gen Z a seat at the table.Tessa Misiaszek, PhD, MPH, is a seasoned researcher, educator, and author with nearly 30 years of experience in workforce strategy, leadership, and organizational transformation. She has held executive roles in healthcare, education, and consulting, and has taught at institutions including NYU, Harvard, and Simmons University. Tessa co-authored Branding That Means Business and has published widely on topics such as the future of work, generational dynamics, and women's leadership.

Real Time with WLP podcast focuses on why the 55+ generation continues to be underrepresented, overlooked, and often misunderstood – especially in the worlds of health and wellness. Jennifer Meehan, Global COO of the Longevity Lab and EVP of Edelman’s Canadian Brand Practice, is on a mission to help brands and companies understand the value and vitalityof the 55+ generation. In conversation with Jessica Lovett, Jennifer unpacks the myths, highlights the opportunities, and talks about how healthcare and pharma companies can stop overlooking – and start engaging – this powerful and growing audience. As we reflect on how we communicate and collaborate as either part of or alongside the 55+ generation, take a fewminutes and listen to this informative conversation.

Episode 43 of Real Time with WLP explores two topics that are more frequently raised up together within the pharma industry: “innovation” and “risk”. Shannon Keenan, Co Founding Partner and CFO of Artemis Factor, discusses the importance of Inspiring Purposeful Innovation and Embracing Risk to solve real problems and make a meaningful difference.Shannon shares her perspectives on women’s unique strengths to drive change, inspire teams, and overcome barriers. She also highlights the importance of creating a culture that encourages calculated risk-taking and provides tips to prepare for and navigate failure while innovating.To help foster innovation and risk navigation within your role, take a few minutes to listen to this insightful conversation.