Meet Tracy Gu, Vice President of Cockram USA and Champion for ISPE’s Women in Pharma®
Tracy Gu’s first in-person experience with ISPE’s Women in Pharma took place at the 2023 ISPE Annual Meeting & Expo’s Women in Pharma® Committee Meeting. Tracy stepped into the room full of energy and curiosity and was just beginning her Women in Pharma journey. Since then, she’s taken that spark and elevated it to an entirely new level.
Tracy is the Vice President of Cockram Construction Inc. and is an active leader within the ISPE Greater Los Angeles Area Chapter. With dual degrees in Mechanical Engineering and English from one of China’s top universities, her career began in cleanroom construction for semiconductor facilities before transitioning into pharmaceuticals—helping companies in China meet US Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) standards during a time of rapid industry expansion.
Since joining ISPE in 2004 and reconnecting with the ISPE Greater Los Angeles Chapter in recent years, Tracy has become a driving force for connection and empowerment. As former Chair and current Co-Chair of her Chapter’s Women in Pharma Committee, she’s helped shape impactful programming, from soft-skills workshops to high-profile panels like the 2025 Facilities of the Future Women in Pharma session. She also serves as Secretary on the ISPE Greater Los Angeles Chapter board, deepening her leadership footprint across the organization.
In this spotlight, Tracy reflects on her career path, her passion for giving others a platform to grow, and why ISPE—and especially Women in Pharma—is a place where confidence, community, and opportunity thrive.
1. Can you share a bit about your professional background and what initially drew you to the pharmaceutical industry?
I graduated with double degrees in Mechanical Engineering and English Language from one of the top 10 universities in China in the 1990s. Since then, I began my career as a Facility Engineer, responsible for constructing and managing Class 1 cleanrooms for Motorola's semiconductor factory.
With a significant increase of foreign investments into the Chinese market, pharmaceutical companies were allowed to establish joint ventures and set up manufacturing facilities in China. By 2002, there was a growing demand for experienced technical professionals with cleanroom knowledge and commissioning experience to help Chinese manufacturing facilities meet US FDA requirements. I seized the opportunity to work at GlaxoSmithKline, which marked the beginning of my career in the pharmaceutical industry.
2. How long have you been an ISPE member, and what inspired you to get involved with the organization?
I became an ISPE member the first time in 2004 with ISPE China. There was a discontinuation of my membership due to job changes, but I have been actively participating in ISPE events across the US. I have been with the ISPE Greater Los Angeles Chapter for over three years. What inspires me the most is the cutting-edge knowledge and knowledge-sharing that ISPE brings to all its members. When volunteering at ISPE events, I feel proud to facilitate knowledge transfer and experience sharing, as well as to empower women and young professionals who are striving for success.
3. When did you first connect with Women in Pharma, and what role do you currently play within your Chapter’s Women in Pharma group?
I first connected with Women in Pharma in 2022. I served as the Committee Chair for the ISPE Women in Pharma Greater Los Angeles Chapter for the two years. Currently, I am co-chairing so I can bring a new ISPE Women in Pharma leader to the board of our Chapter and am volunteering as Secretary of the ISPE Women in Pharma Greater Los Angeles Chapter board.
4. You played a key role in organizing the 2025 ISPE Facilities of the Future Women in Pharma panel. Can you tell us about your involvement and what you found most rewarding about the experience?
Being a Women in Pharma liaison for the 2025 ISPE Facilities of the Future Conference, I wanted to give the opportunities to my key female customers on the west coast of the US to speak up and share their experiences as female leaders. These kinds of speaking opportunities are not only helpful to female leaders to support their career growth, but also beneficial for ISPE members to learn from them. My involvement included setting up a panel with topics, inviting panelists and moderator, providing thoughts and discussion points according to the positions of each panelist, and providing opportunities to allow them to introduce themselves and their companies.
The most rewording part was in learning the whole process of organizing the 2025 ISPE Facilities of the Future Conference. Reviewing proposals together with program committee members allowed me to learn new concepts and techniques in the life science industry.
5. What piece of advice would you offer to a young woman entering the field or an Emerging Leader just starting out?
My advice would be to make friends at ISPE events, enjoy the knowledge sharing and social networking, and volunteer with ISPE to build confidence and gain technical expertise.
6. In your own words, why do you believe someone should consider joining ISPE, and more specifically Women in Pharma?
Joining ISPE can provide a significant step forward in terms of career development, enhancing one’s technical expertise and network within the life sciences industry. Women in Pharma specifically empowers members to build their confidence levels and offers diverse programs for all community members.
7. As someone actively involved in your ISPE Chapter, how do you think members can benefit from engaging both locally and on an international level?
Engaging with local ISPE Affiliates and Chapters as well as on the international level requires a proper balance of time and effort. Seeking resources to establish an efficient local committee and/or board can benefit all members and help teams achieve larger goals. Maintaining close connections with international committees ensures that local ISPE Affiliates and Chapters stay aligned with the mission and achieve broader objectives.
8. Are there any upcoming events or opportunities within your ISPE Chapter’s Women in Pharma group that you’re particularly excited about?
This year, we focused on developing the soft skills of our members. We completed a workshop on negotiation skills in March, have a self-defense class scheduled for 21 May, and will host another workshop on branding yourself in November. The combination of educational and fun networking events will attract more people to become members of ISPE.
Learn more about ISPE’s Women in Pharma program
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