Cleaning the Lion Cage

The AGC Experience podcast features our AGC Talks speakers sharing their message in an audio podcast that you can listen to from anywhere. Listen in to our recent AGC Talks featured guest. Listen as Cheryl Anderson shares What I Learned from Cleaning the Lion Cage a motivational talk with AGC Minnepaolis December 2021. 

Speaker Bio: 

CHERYL BEAL ANDERSON is recognized as a leader that is bold, perseveres through challenges and is action-oriented for excellence. Anderson is the Vice-President of Global Regulatory Affairs (GRA) and Drug Safety/ Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy at Upsher-Smith Laboratories, Inc., LLC in 2015. Anderson confidently led her team through merger & acquisitions by Sawai Pharmaceuticals, Inc, post-merger integration and remote work-from-home in response to the global COVID-19 pandemic. She set a course for GRA to add strategic capabilities, increase productivity, establish key performance indicators and leading our FDA meetings. Anderson also led the Quality organization from 2017 to 2020, through change, and reorganization. In 2021, Anderson was moved to the Upsher-Smith Executive Team, being the only woman and first African-American. 

Prior to Upsher-Smith, Andersons regulatory affairs roles were at Lundbeck (US), Eli Lilly and Company, Pfizer Global Research and Development/ Parke-Davis and Alcon Laboratories where she grew in responsibilities, expertise and leadership in the Neurology, Oncology, Cardiovascular therapeutic areas. Anderson was a faculty member and clinical researcher at the University of Illinois at Chicago and University of Texas, College of Pharmacy. 

Anderson was recipient of the Pfizer Global Leadership Award; Eli Lilly & Company first Healthcare Businesswomens Association Rising Star; Achievement in Business Award, Center for Leadership Development. Anderson is a mentor in her profession, track-record of commitment to youth development. She is committed to encouraging minorities and girls to consider careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). 

Andersons education and career have afforded her experiences in Texas, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota and extended to Beijing, China, Dublin, Ireland, Copenhagen, Denmark, Osaka and Tokyo, Japan. She is a member of the Women Business Leaders for executives in health care. Anderson was selected as a 2021 Women in Business Honoree by the Minneapolis-St. Paul Business Journal. 

Anderson is an active member of The Links, Inc. Minneapolis St. Paul (MN) Chapter and serves as Co-Chair of the Services to Youth Committee. She is a member, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Delta Phi Omega Chapter, the Ways & Means Committee and the Coordinator for the 2021 Pearls of Prestige Debutante Cotillion and Scholarship, Program and Presentation. 

Anderson is member of Center for Healthcare Innovation, Inc., Board of Directors, and the University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy, National Board of Advisors. 

Anderson has an MBA, Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Marketing, St. Josephs University, Philadelphia, PA; Post-doctoral ASHP-accredited Residency in Psychiatric Pharmacy Practice; Doctor of Pharmacy, University of Texas and UTHSC at San Antonio; BS, Pharmacy, University of Texas; and BS, Biomedical Science, Texas A&M University. 

Anderson and her husband Donnie have two adult children, Brittani, and Joshua. Donnie and Cheryl live in Maple Grove, Minnesota. 

AGC Accelerated Global Connections is a business networking organization that helps connect business professionals globally through in person networking, motivational talks, and online social profiles. To learn more about AGC and membership in this growing organization.  Visit https://www.joinagc.com/