To celebrate Safety Partners’ 30th year in business, we’ll be sharing quarterly interviews from key players in the company. This quarter’s story is an interview with Nicole Reardon, Team Leader at Safety Partners. Learn about her professional background, how she made the transition to EHS, what her favorite part is about working with clients, and more:
What is your professional background?
I happened upon the field of Safety while attending college at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida, where I set out on the professional pilot track. Early on in my first year, I discovered that I was much more passionate about the aviation safety courses I was taking and made a decision to switch over to the aviation safety program. I was somehow enamored with the idea that we could look at past airplane tragedies and figure out ways to make things safer for others down the line. This basic idea lead me to really fun job opportunities in Operations and Safety in chemical manufacturing and then beverage distribution.
What made you decide to switch your career focus?
Staying in the EHS world was a priority for me, and I’ve learned that general EHS knowledge can be applied to pretty much any industry with the right training. I loved my work managing safety in more industrial settings, but I was looking for something more small scale and much more hands on. Safety Partners sold me during the interview process and I’ve been soaking up everything I can about the biotech industry ever since.
Was it a smooth transition?
It was a really steep learning curve and I am still amazed at how much I’ve learned in the 5 ½ years I’ve been with Safety Partners, but even more amazing is how much there is still to learn! I had a handful of wonderful mentors that swept me under their wing when I first joined Safety Partners, so I never felt alone. Learning the ins and outs of the biotech industry and how to practically apply my EHS knowledge in lab settings took time and patience, but steadily I have become as confident as I am today.
What do you love most about your career? About Safety Partners?
As a Team Leader at Safety Partners, I’ve been lucky enough to supervise some amazing Consulting Safety Officers throughout the years. This human interaction is really important to me and I’ve found it to be really fulfilling to build these partnerships with my team members. There are many things that I love about Safety Partners, but the coolest thing I can think of, aside from the awesome all-woman leadership team, is the support that each client receives behind the scenes. Our clients not only hire a safety consultant, but a whole team of employees that work together to get things done.
What is your favorite part about helping clients?
Seeing my clients in the news always gives me a little boost to keep going! It’s so rewarding when you feel like you are a part of a client’s team and that your support has contributed, even in the smallest way, to their success.
