Kimberly Woods leads medical operations at Xeris while mentoring women and serving her community

Kimberly Woods, the Associate Director of Medical Operations at Xeris Pharmaceuticals in Chicago, has built an eight-year career in Medical Affairs operations while also leading community service, mentorship and entrepreneurial work. Her story highlights a career pivot from dental hygiene to pharma leadership and the value of adaptability in a fast-changing field.

Why it matters: - Kimberly Woods' career shows how transferable skills, continuous learning and willingness to pivot can open leadership paths in pharmaceutical operations. - Her role sits at the center of Medical Affairs execution, where process discipline and cross-functional coordination affect compliance, communications and program delivery. - Her focus on mentorship and service extends her influence beyond the workplace and into community health and women's advancement.

What happened: - Kimberly Woods is the Associate Director of Medical Operations at Xeris Pharmaceuticals, Inc. in Chicago. - Woods has spent eight years in Medical Affairs operations in the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industry. - She leads strategic initiatives that support teams across clinical quality, regulatory, compliance, finance and medical communications. - Her work centers on project management, process optimization, digital system implementation and enterprise-level planning.

The details: - Woods' earlier career included 14 years as a dental hygienist. - She moved into pharmaceutical work through an administrative role and advanced into leadership through self-directed learning and hands-on experience. - Woods developed experience with Veeva Vault, SharePoint and Smartsheet, and she applies project management practices aligned with the PMP framework. - She holds a Bachelor of Science from Crichton College, Smartsheet and Project Management Professional certifications, and a notary public designation. - Her specialties include Medical Affairs operations management, project and program management, and process improvement. - Beyond her corporate role, Woods leads charitable efforts supporting Americares and Dispensary of Hope. - She also volunteers at camps for children with type 1 diabetes and in special needs communities through the Diabetes Education and Camping Association. - Woods runs a consulting practice focused on branding, web design and business development.

Between the lines: - Woods' career path reflects a broader labor-market reality: experience from one field can translate into leadership in another when paired with training and persistence. - Her emphasis on service and mentorship suggests she views leadership as both operational and relational, not just performance-based. - She also points to a common challenge in growing organizations: keeping pace with expanding priorities while resources stay tight. - Woods says her team is working through those growing pains together and relies on a collaborative, all-hands-on-deck culture.

What's next: - Woods says she will keep focusing on service, collaboration and empowering others in her professional and community work. - She encourages young women to speak up, build relationships intentionally, keep learning and keep moving forward after setbacks. - Her guidance to future leaders is to stay open to change, because a pivot can lead to a better-aligned opportunity.

The bottom line: - Kimberly Woods' career blends operational leadership, community service and mentorship into one message: growth comes from bold moves, steady learning and helping others rise along the way.

More information: Kimberly Woods' Influential Women profile or her website