Meet Gladstonee: Michelle Sibly

What brought you to Gladstone?

I moved to the Bay Area 10 years ago with my husband for his postdoctoral fellowship and I worked here in public accounting. After my first daughter was born, I realized client service accounting lacked the work/life balance and consistency I wanted. So I sought out in-house accounting positions and stumbled across an opening at Gladstone. This was right at the time Gladstone was moving the finance office up from Southern California and expanding operations in San Francisco.

What do you like about Gladstone?

I like being part of this community of amazing people. Gladstone is a really interesting and complex place from an accounting perspective. I also like being part of an organization that is producing such incredible science and is focused on overcoming disease.

Can you describe one of the people who influenced your career?

My husband, who is a scientist himself, encouraged me to apply to Gladstone. It’s been great working in the same industry as him, from a different angle. I often ask him about Stanford accounting policies and bounce my ideas off him. It helps me see things from the scientists’ perspective, which can be really helpful.

What do you do when you are not working?

Spend time with my friends and family—I have two girls who keep me busy. I like to travel whenever possible, particularly to places with nice beaches.

If you could learn to do anything, what would it be?

I really wish I could pirouette. Not enough dance classes in my childhood I guess.

What is your hidden/unique talent?

I can juggle, though not well enough to quit my day job—yet. I also used to have a Tetris addiction and could make it to level 26.

Name one thing that not many people know about you.

I can speak French. I was in French immersion throughout school, but with no real practice I’m now extremely rusty. I can still get by when I go to a French-speaking country.

If you could meet any scientist from any point in time, who would it be and why?

Stephen Hawking. If I weren’t an accountant, I would have loved to be an astrophysicist. It’s mostly way beyond me, but I love thinking about space-time and think he had one of the most amazing minds, not to mention his incredible perseverance and determination.