Enrica, 11, and Dr. Parmigiani: Goals Got Them There
Dr. Francesca Dominici
Dr. Dominici, 46, is a wife, mother, and granddaughter, professor of biostatistics, Senior Associate Dean for Research at the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health and a competitive middle and long distance runner.
Her particular areas of interest in the field of public health are estimation of health risk associated with exposure to air pollution and identifying the most effective treatments for cancer with analyses of large and complex data. Demands for her expertise are many. She travels a lot – this month to Hiroshima Japan, Austin Texas, and Baltimore MD.
Dr. Dominici is also an accomplished marathoner who has run nine marathons, with a personal best of 3:15:21. Through her forties she has gotten faster in distances from the 10K to the marathon.
She blends work with family – her husband, Dr. Giovanni Parmigiani (professor of Biostatistics at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute) and also an accomplished marathoner, and her 10-year-old daughter, Enrica. While Dr. Dominici manages multiple deadlines and tasks during the week, she focuses more on family during week-ends -- taking swimming lessons with Enrica, watching her soccer games, and enjoying the many elements of family life.
She is not in the achievement grind (all the time). She has fun, too. She relaxes – enjoying her cappuccino in Harvard Square. Achieving goals is important, but so is enjoying life and it’s that balance that keep each – achievement and relaxation – in perspective.
And even though Dr. Dominici is usually focused on running personal bests, this year -- though she is still training -- they are not on her mind. She has had more travel than usual, and adjusts her goals accordingly. She's still running the Boston Marathon again – with a relaxed goal: “I am happily training for the Boston Marathon this year, not for achieving a PR but to fully enjoy a wonderful race and embrace how blessed I am to be able to run a marathon and have a good time”.
With a demanding career teaching, overseeing research projects nationally and internationally, and achieving her athletic goals, and family pursuits, Dr. Dominici understands the challenges of balancing personal, professional, and athletic goals to maintain a healthy life balance. She understands MOVE! on a larger scale -- public health – as well as anyone.
So I asked her a few questions:
C.U. – You know the focus of MOVE! – the focus on athletic goals first, because they are tangible, and then on professional and personal goals – not because they are less important but because athletic goals are easier to set and measure. Can you comment on that?
Dr. Dominici – I love discipline and I love setting goals. I love setting achievable goals. The mechanism of setting achievable goals allows me to get small rewards consistently. Everyone needs a constant reminder that “yes” you did it!
C.U. Of all people, you have a perspective on the relationship between setting physical goals and achieving life balance. Can you talk about that in terms of public health?
Dr. Dominici – There is research that supports the hypothesis that regular physical activity and setting goals and objectives is beneficial to your health. It improves focus, so it improves productivity at work, and consequently happiness and well-being. I would not been able to respond to the stress and the many deadlines that are part of my work without setting achievable athletic goals. Being able to accomplish my athletic goals gives me the energy and the focus to achieve the professional and personal goals in life.
C.U. What have you gained from MOVE!?
Dr. Dominici – A balanced and yet disciplined way to manage the multiple demands of a busy professional and personal life. Working with Cathy has allowed be to overcome many personal and professional challenges. She has taught me to “embrace the uncomfortable”, such as start swimming during a running injury
C.U. – Is there anything you can help others understand about MOVE!?
Dr. Dominici- MOVE! is essential to the well-being of busy professional women. In my day-to-day work, as I am mentoring my own students, I first ask them about their short- and long-term goals. I have been learning from Cathy not only how to manage my own life and achieve my own goals but also how to better mentor and guide the younger generations.
- Senior Associate Dean for Research at the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health
- Accomplished Age-Group Marathoner and Runner
- Wife and Mother and Granddaughter
Dr. Dominici, 46, is a wife, mother, and granddaughter, professor of biostatistics, Senior Associate Dean for Research at the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health and a competitive middle and long distance runner.
Her particular areas of interest in the field of public health are estimation of health risk associated with exposure to air pollution and identifying the most effective treatments for cancer with analyses of large and complex data. Demands for her expertise are many. She travels a lot – this month to Hiroshima Japan, Austin Texas, and Baltimore MD.
Dr. Dominici is also an accomplished marathoner who has run nine marathons, with a personal best of 3:15:21. Through her forties she has gotten faster in distances from the 10K to the marathon.
She blends work with family – her husband, Dr. Giovanni Parmigiani (professor of Biostatistics at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute) and also an accomplished marathoner, and her 10-year-old daughter, Enrica. While Dr. Dominici manages multiple deadlines and tasks during the week, she focuses more on family during week-ends -- taking swimming lessons with Enrica, watching her soccer games, and enjoying the many elements of family life.
She is not in the achievement grind (all the time). She has fun, too. She relaxes – enjoying her cappuccino in Harvard Square. Achieving goals is important, but so is enjoying life and it’s that balance that keep each – achievement and relaxation – in perspective.
And even though Dr. Dominici is usually focused on running personal bests, this year -- though she is still training -- they are not on her mind. She has had more travel than usual, and adjusts her goals accordingly. She's still running the Boston Marathon again – with a relaxed goal: “I am happily training for the Boston Marathon this year, not for achieving a PR but to fully enjoy a wonderful race and embrace how blessed I am to be able to run a marathon and have a good time”.
With a demanding career teaching, overseeing research projects nationally and internationally, and achieving her athletic goals, and family pursuits, Dr. Dominici understands the challenges of balancing personal, professional, and athletic goals to maintain a healthy life balance. She understands MOVE! on a larger scale -- public health – as well as anyone.
So I asked her a few questions:
C.U. – You know the focus of MOVE! – the focus on athletic goals first, because they are tangible, and then on professional and personal goals – not because they are less important but because athletic goals are easier to set and measure. Can you comment on that?
Dr. Dominici – I love discipline and I love setting goals. I love setting achievable goals. The mechanism of setting achievable goals allows me to get small rewards consistently. Everyone needs a constant reminder that “yes” you did it!
C.U. Of all people, you have a perspective on the relationship between setting physical goals and achieving life balance. Can you talk about that in terms of public health?
Dr. Dominici – There is research that supports the hypothesis that regular physical activity and setting goals and objectives is beneficial to your health. It improves focus, so it improves productivity at work, and consequently happiness and well-being. I would not been able to respond to the stress and the many deadlines that are part of my work without setting achievable athletic goals. Being able to accomplish my athletic goals gives me the energy and the focus to achieve the professional and personal goals in life.
C.U. What have you gained from MOVE!?
Dr. Dominici – A balanced and yet disciplined way to manage the multiple demands of a busy professional and personal life. Working with Cathy has allowed be to overcome many personal and professional challenges. She has taught me to “embrace the uncomfortable”, such as start swimming during a running injury
C.U. – Is there anything you can help others understand about MOVE!?
Dr. Dominici- MOVE! is essential to the well-being of busy professional women. In my day-to-day work, as I am mentoring my own students, I first ask them about their short- and long-term goals. I have been learning from Cathy not only how to manage my own life and achieve my own goals but also how to better mentor and guide the younger generations.