Get to know 3 new coworkers through their answers to fun and goofy questions. Find out who has a chihuahua named Zeus, who wants to visit Zanzibar, and who is a huge fan of science fiction.
Anna Mamo, Senior Manager– Translational Sciences
How did you get into the industry? I started my career with a master’s degree in Microbiology and held positions performing research in various laboratories. I worked in an industrial synthetic chemistry lab, an academic immunology lab, an academic genetics lab, and a virology lab, at a start-up company developing regenerative medicine therapies, and then decided to go to business school. Post-MBA, I have been working to support early-stage biotech companies by creating business plans to commercialize their technologies in various parts of the health care ecosystem. I have worked at various companies including Idea Foundry, Highmark Health, UPMC Health Plan, and now UPMC Enterprises.
Do you have any kids? Any pets? I have a chihuahua named Zeus – why such a big name for a tiny dog? Because he truly believes he is the biggest, most scary dog that ever lived.
Do you have an unusual talent or hobby? I like to exercise my laboratory bench skills from time to time by repurposing them to make craft cocktails and bake/meticulously decorate holiday cookies.
What makes you a geek (if you consider yourself one)? I collect stuffed animals that are shaped like microbes.
Free space: Share any fun fact! I’ve visited 18 foreign countries and hope that number keeps increasing!
Michael Coutinho, Product Analyst – Population Health
Are you a Pittsburgh local or did you grow up elsewhere? Pittsburgh Local – Born & Raised in the South Hills.
What’s in your perfect meal? Anything done on the barbecue, especially a lemongrass pork dish that I love to make!
Do you have any kids? Any pets? I have two planted aquariums at home and enjoy spending my free time fiddling with the aquarium & watching the fish.
Where in the universe would you like to visit someday? I love to travel. During my Master’s program, I interned at Kaiser Permanente in San Francisco, which is now one of my favorite cities. One day I hope to visit Zanzibar, an island off the coast of Tanzania where my mom was born.
Ketaki (Kay) Desai, Head of Strategy – Translational Sciences
Are you a Pittsburgh local or did you grow up elsewhere? I was born in India, raised in the Middle East (UAE) and have been living in the US for 17 years (Pittsburgh since 2008). So, I have spent approximately a third of my life each in a predominantly Hindu, Muslim, and Christian country.
Do you have any kids? Any pets? We recently adopted a German Shepherd-Beagle rescue, Leo. My husband, Girish Chavan, works in the NLP team at UPMCE and my first day of work was “Bring your dog to work day,” so all three of us came to work together as a family last week.
Where in the universe would you like to visit someday? If I could take a worm-hole that goes to any place/time, that would be pretty cool. Also, any place in another solar system.
What makes you a geek (if you consider yourself one)? I am a HUGE fan of science fiction and love reading everything from the Foundation Series to the Ender Series and Hyperion Cantos. A perfect evening would be spent debating the Fermi paradox over a glass of wine with my husband.
