Building Relationships, Building Impact: Monika’s Story at Moderna
As a child, Monika Kowalska dreamed of becoming an archaeologist—uncovering civilizations and piecing together history. Instead, her curiosity for science led her to study pharmacy, setting the foundation for a career in clinical research and pharmacovigilance. Now, as Director, Global Case Management at Moderna, she leads a team responsible for managing adverse event data from clinical trial systems, helping to ensure accuracy of safety reports and timely reporting to regulatory agencies. It’s a critical role that supports clinical trials and contributes to the regulatory process for Moderna’s therapies.
However, what truly drew Monika to Moderna was the opportunity to build something from the ground up. “The job posting I saw in 2021 was my career dream—building a team from scratch in an organization that was still evolving,” she says. Transitioning from a well-established pharmaceutical company to a fast-moving biotech company was a leap, but one she took with enthusiasm. “It sounded fascinating—especially the idea of recruiting people and shaping the organization.”
Her background in pharmacy gave her a strong foundation, but Moderna pushed her beyond her comfort zone. “I had to broaden my perspective,” she explains. “At my previous company, responsibilities were more specialized. Here, I had to learn the full process—from beginning to end—to understand how my team fits into the bigger picture.”
Leading with Trust and Connection
Monika’s approach to leadership is deeply rooted in trust and connection. “One of the most important things in managing a team is building relationships,” she says. “Trust comes from responsibility—delivering what you promise—but also from personal connection.”
For Monika, leadership isn’t just about overseeing tasks—it’s about understanding people. She prioritizes regular one-on-one meetings, not just to check on progress, but to understand her team’s challenges, successes and aspirations. She also values open and clear communication, especially in a company as global as Moderna. “Working in an international environment means we have to be mindful of how we communicate,” she says. “Language, culture and different ways of working can all impact collaboration. But if we take the time to listen and learn from one another, we build stronger teams.”
Staying for the Science and the Future
Through Moderna’s ups and downs, Monika remains committed. “I see a bright future,” she says. Her excitement is driven by the science. “mRNA is such an interesting platform,” she says. “I love being a cheerleader for early research—whether it’s oncology or cystic fibrosis. Being at a company where new drugs are developed internally is inspiring.”
“Beyond research and development, what excites me is the long-term potential of what we’re building,” she says. “We’re not just working on one breakthrough—we’re advancing a platform that can be applied across multiple diseases. That kind of impact is rare to see in a career.”
Most importantly, she’s proud of what she’s built. “I invested my time in creating this team, in transitioning operations from vendors to in-house,” she says. “We significantly reduced costs and improved quality and compliance. None of this would have been possible without my amazing team.”
At Moderna, being a changemaker means questioning convention—Monika’s favorite Moderna Mindset. “It’s about seeing gaps, asking ‘why,’ reflecting and figuring out how to make things better,” she says. For Monika, change isn’t just something she manages. It’s something she creates. And maybe, in some way, she’s still an archaeologist—only instead of uncovering the past, she’s helping build the future.
Learn more about how you can join Monika and other changemakers at Moderna by visiting our careers page.