From the Editors—Greetings From Your New Co-Senior Editor

Jessica Sue, BSc, MHSM
Co-Senior Editor, ISCT Telegraft
Quality Manager
Sydney Cord Blood Bank, Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network
Australia

In 2019, I signed up as an ISCT member with encouragement from my manager, Guy Klamer. Joining the ISCT community has opened the door to opportunities, collaborations and experiences that continue to shape my professional career. As an Early Stage Professional (ESP), having just finished my terminal degree of Master of Health Service Management, the first opportunity to be actively involved was as a member of the Global ESP Committee. Despite the very late night/early morning here in Australia (depending on whether you’re a night owl or early worm!), I looked forward to every meeting. It was energizing to be part of such a passionate group with members from all over the globe, representing different disciplines and sectors of the CGT industry, with many initiatives and projects on the go at any point in time. Through 2020 – as the world and our professional and personal lives were upended by COVID-19 – I met monthly with my mentor via the ESP Mentoring Program, a reassuring constant in uncertain times. It was a privilege to have a global CGT expert invest time in myself and the other mentees in our group, to share their knowledge and insights, and broaden my perspective for my own career path and opportunities. In 2022, there was the opportunity to develop an ESP subcommittee for the Australia/New Zealand (ANZ) region to address the unique needs of ESPs in the region whilst bridging local initiatives with the global ISCT network. Alongside Guy and my fellow co-chair to the founding subcommittee, Madison Paton, the subcommittee grew in membership and held networking events and ESP-centric sessions at several ANZ regional ISCT meetings. My involvement with ISCT continued to expand with another ESP opportunity, joining the Telegraft board in 2025 via the ESP Leadership Development Program. Also in 2025, the ISCT community voted me in as the Elected Member Technologist on the ISCT Board of Directors for the 2025-27 period.

I share my journey with ISCT to date not to recount a list of achievements, but to illustrate what members can gain by being actively involved, and how saying ‘yes’ to opportunities – even those that may be out of your comfort zone as many of these were for me – will profoundly impact your professional development and experience with the society. For ESPs in particular, the Mentoring Program, ESP Leadership Development positions on committees, and the regional and global ESP committees are invaluable experiences where you will get out as much, if not more, than you put in.

Throughout my seven years as an ISCT member, the Telegraft member newsletter has been a constant companion: a platform to share committee achievements, and a readily accessible and trusted source of updates in our field. The immediate past Co-Senior Editor Janet Macpherson wrote in her recent article that Telegraft is a ‘prominent launching pad where early-career researchers routinely publish alongside the industry's founding figures’¹. This resonated with me when I reflect on the first article I published in Telegraft in 2021 and how proud I felt that my perspective and experiences in my field were going to be published and read by ISCT members. To have my article sit alongside contributions from leading ISCT members is a humbling feeling. My motivation to contribute to ISCT has never waned and in my role as Co-Senior Editor I hope to create the same sense of connection for all members, to continue to feature diverse member voices, celebrate individual and collective achievements, and continue the legacy of Telegraft as an engaging and inspiring publication for ISCT.

There are many Telegraft articles that have left a lasting impression on me, that showcase what Telegraft does best: connecting and capturing the people, experiences and ideas that shape our community, and I would like to take this opportunity to share a select few that particularly resonate:

Letter to a Young ISCT Member²

To me, this reflection piece by outgoing Telegraft editorial member Ashley Krull is a must read for any ISCT member who wants to maximize their ISCT membership – Ashley shares how she ‘put herself out there’ and built her network within ISCT.

The Biology of Belonging: Our Hatching Moment as Young Researchers³

Written by three early-stage researchers following their attendance at the ISCT Annual Meeting in Dublin, I think this article beautifully captures the transition from feeling overwhelmed to belonging and highlights how supportive our ISCT community can be.

Diversity, Inclusion and Equity: What does it mean for you?⁴

This article prompts the reader to think about diversity and equity in professional lives, including as an ISCT member – an important read for all, as a reminder we must champion voices from different disciplines, regions, backgrounds and career stages.

I encourage all members to submit an article to Telegraft – an update from your committee, reflections on your experience at a regional or annual meeting, or insights from your corner of the field! All ideas are welcome. Alongside Co-Senior Editor Russell Cruz and the wonderful Telegraft Editorial Board, I look forward to celebrating the people that make this community so special and connecting with you all through future Telegraft editions.