35 under 35
Kaitlyn Dvorak Kornaus, Ph.D., CCRP Zeta Kappa - Ohio Northern University
Project Manager- Investigator-Initiated Trials, The Ohio State University, Division of Hematology
Which of the Delta Zeta shared values resonates with you the most? Generosity
Can you share a brief 5-7 sentence biography about yourself, highlight key moments in your career that have shaped who you are today?
Whenever I discuss my professional journey, I like to start with my “why.” Everyone that works in a cancer-related field tends to have their own “why.” I grew up in a small town, the kind where teachers have your parents, your siblings and yourself as students, always remarking that you look just like them. My parents weren’t from that town, so I never had the cute relations or remarks. Still, the realization that I didn’t look like my parents always stuck with me. Once I was a little older, I asked my mother if there was any one in the family that I resembled or reminded her of. Without hesitation, she said her mother. She said I looked like her, acted like her and was just as spunky as her. My curiosity was quickly replaced with sorrow, as my grandmother passed away from lung cancer when my mother was only 21 years old. It felt wrong that I never had the opportunity to meet the woman who I was the spitting image of.
That was the driving force behind pursuing a career in cancer research. Obtaining my Doctor of Philosophy in Cancer Biology has probably been by greatest achievement. Being a first-generation college student, to obtaining such an advanced degree just felt so empowering.
Who has been an invaluable mentor for your professional career? What did you learn from this friendship?
The main physician I work with. When faced with tough decisions, she approaches them through a lens and with the perspective that our patients are at the center of everything we do. On a daily basis, we are working to help and better aid our patients. By keeping that perspective and reminder at the forefront, it helps on hard days, and when things feel difficult or overwhelming.
How did you discover your passion and what opportunities have helped shape your curiosity for what you do?
As I mentioned above, it was definitely my personal experience that drove my passion for cancer research. I felt like I had to right the wrong that happened with the loss of my grandmother. That, somehow, I needed to contribute to the fight to cure cancer and save others.
Opportunities that focus on professional development or ways in which I can refine my position, given how new and innovative it is, really drives my curiosity. Those are the times I find myself being most inquisitive and open-minded because I know I am in a setting for trial and error, in the name of growth.
Looking ahead in your career, how do you envision continuing to incorporate generosity into your leadership style and professional endeavors?
Lending back to why generosity resonates with me the most, there are so many ways to be generous. In terms of leadership and my professional role, I believe it’s critical to give time to others, whether it’s in a mentor/mentee dynamic or helping a co-worker sort through a complex situation. Giving time can have a direct, positive impact on those you may lead and even those who are peers.
How has your community helped you professionally? Is there a friend (or Delta Zeta sister) that has been behind you every step of the way on your career journey?
My community, especially my Delta Zeta sisters, has been pivotal on my journey. Traci Kennedy-Brockfield has been a great support and friend to me from my time in graduate school, and now into my career. Christi Mayer has also been a profound support, she has a special way of making you feel like you can take on and do anything you put your mind to. I don’t know if either of them know how much their support has meant to me, but they have both given me support, grace and made me feel empowered.
What does empowerment mean to you, and how have you worked to empower others in your career or personal life?
I see empowerment as a type of shared confidence. Many will say they don’t feel confident in a certain situation or aren’t confident people for whatever reason. But by encouraging someone, supporting someone and showing them how amazing they are, you are empowering them to feel that about themselves. You have built up their confidence in themselves. I try to vocalize my appreciation more for people. I also try to compliment something I know they worked really hard on. Just having that awareness of what people are doing and finding ways to boost them up can make a big difference.
What does it mean to you to create an environment of belonging for others, and how do you carry that lesson into your personal and professional life?
I live by the sentiment that it takes more effort and awareness to be negative and exclusionary to others than it does to be kind and welcoming. I smile at people when I pass them, say “good morning,” or “have a good evening,” when I share elevators at the beginning and end of the day. I treat it as the idea of “doing the right thing.” Being kind to others will never be the wrong thing, so I go into situations showing kindness and treating it as a normal state of being. I like to think that leaves places lighter and with a stronger sense of belonging.