Alumnus Spotlight: Paul Fletcher, MS in Law and Public Policy ‘19  

What was your background prior to studying at the Policy School?  

I grew up in Detroit, where I absorbed discipline and teamwork mentality as a high school athlete who competed in football, wrestling, and track. I continued to play football in college while completing a degree in business administration. I received my first job out of school working in the auto industry. The company transferred me to Seattle, where I spent a year working on their “Aftermarket” sales team.  I was able to excel in that role, but then a friend encouraged me to look into the pharmaceutical industry. When an opportunity arose at Eli Lilly & Company, they were willing to give me a shot, on the basis of my previous sales success, even though I didn’t have a science background.  I started in the pharmaceutical industry and never looked back.  

What motivated you to return to school on top of a busy career?   

Throughout my life, I’ve converted opportunities through action. Before studying at Northeastern, I completed an MBA program at Michigan State University while working full time at Lilly. It was an intense 19-month program where I spent every Friday evening and all day Saturday (except holidays) in class studying tough quantitative material focused on Integrative Management.  The focus paid off. The Head of Global Marketing for a brand I was working on at Lilly asked me to join her team and mentored me as I transitioned from sales to marketing. That role took me all over the world.  

What led you to Northeastern?   

After a decade at Lilly, I relocated to the East Coast to work at Biogen and then several smaller start-ups.  I eventually reached a stage of my career where I felt I needed to enhance my skill set and further burnish my credentials, so I decided to become a student again. I attended a friend’s graduation from Northeastern and subsequently had a great conversation with Prof. Christopher Bosso that inspired me to apply to the Policy School.  

Why did you choose the Law and Public Policy Program?   

My grandfather was an attorney so law had always intrigued me. Also, I knew that public policy plays a huge role in the healthcare field and I wanted to advance my skills to do my part to help shape the future of healthcare.  

What were your most valuable takeaways from your experience at the Policy School?   

It definitely paved the way for me by increasing my confidence. The curriculum was quite rigorous. It rounded me out and changed my thinking. The group project I completed for Capstone was a great, practical exercise in collaboration.  Sure enough, within a year of starting the program, I was hired by Sanofi to lead the launch of what turned out to be one of the top biologic products in history.  Studying at Northeastern paved a course for me that literally changed my life.  One of my proudest days was graduating from Northeastern University.  

What do you envision as your future professional path?   

In August I started a new job as a Head of United States Marketing at Galderma for a soon-to-be launched neuromodulator agent. Galderma is an organization that focuses their efforts exclusively on dermatology skin care products. Ultimately, I hope to take the leadership tools I learned at the Policy School and further apply them to additional executive-level positions, perhaps on a global scale.  

What advice would you offer current Policy School students?   

I have so much respect for these students, who are so committed and working so hard to learn how to help people! I would encourage them to take advantage of in-person opportunities for community and to leverage each other as a support network. Whether they choose to work in the nonprofit sector, government, the healthcare industry, or other fields, the common thread we all share is that the Policy School teaches us how to become the kinds of leaders who improve the lives of individuals and strengthen communities.  It was truly a privilege for me to study and graduate from Northeastern.  Each of us, in our own unique manner, can positively touch the future.  Northeastern can provide each of us with the tools and intellectual growth to achieve some truly ambitious goals!