Q&A – with Jude Baroudi , Analyst at Windrose

In our Q&A’s with the team at Windrose, we look at their career, advice they’ve been given and what it’s like to work at Windrose. In this edition, we speak to Jude Baroudi, who has recently started in our Philadelphia office.

Tell us about your career journey so far

I joined Windrose immediately after completing my undergraduate degree in neuroscience this past spring. As a student, most of my professional/work experience was through research positions and internships, where my work focused on the effects of aging in the peripheral nervous system. The longer I worked in research, the more my desire for working in the life sciences space grew, and Windrose has been a great environment to work with some exciting therapeutic innovations across various disease areas.

What moment in your career and studies are you most proud of?

I am most proud of my resilience and ambition. Initially, like a lot of people, I struggled a bit in my program as the pace was different and it was my first time out on my own. A few years later I graduated with Latin honors and an undergraduate thesis based on the research project I was contributing to, but I am most proud of the work it took to get there. My achievements are much more fulfilling knowing I’ve blankly stared at a few organic chemistry exams in the past despite dozens of hours of studying…

What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve been given?

The best career advice I’ve been given was to “play to your strengths”. Leveraging what you know you can do well in a career boosts your confidence and helps to quiet down imposter syndrome once you’re in a new role, but it also helps you easily identify your weaknesses. Once you’re confident in your existing capabilities, learning new skills is easier – and perpetual learning is what defines a great career.

What has been your favourite thing since you’ve been working at Windrose?

Aside from the really interesting projects I get to be a part of, my favorite thing about Windrose has been the people and the culture. I felt very welcomed and appreciated right from the start, and everyone’s so willing to help when needed. Windrose takes a lot of pride in its people and its clear that the leadership team wants you to succeed and grow within the firm, which is refreshing to see in your first role out of school!

And finally for fun… which talent would you most like to have?

If I had to choose one talent, it would be to be able to speak as many languages as possible. I grew up in a Lebanese immigrant household, so I am fluent in Arabic, and I can speak some French as well. Knowing those languages has kept me connected to my identity and my culture while growing up in America, and I think it would be invaluable to know languages spoken around the world in order to connect with those regions and cultures as well. As I get older, one of my goals is to travel as much as possible and being able to comfortably get around most of the countries I plan to visit would be a cool talent to have!