Fellows Spotlight
Yvette-Marie Margaillan
(Tucson, 2020)
CEO & Clinical Director, Autism Pediatrics
1. Can you please describe your work and how public policy impacts how you manage your organization?
I currently serve as the CEO & Clinical Director of Autism Pediatrics, a health care company that provides therapeutic health-care services and advocates for public policy initiatives that help increase access to health care. My work focuses on bridging the health-literacy gap in order to increase early intervention services and reduce the need for lifelong care among individuals with developmental disorders. We walk a careful line between achieving fiduciary responsibility to our monetary stakeholders while providing the highest quality of care to our members. Public policy is at the heart of health care, and early in my career I was honored to have helped lobby for legislation that successfully increased funding and access to health-care services for millions of Arizonans.
Public policy shapes how businesses, NGOs, and government entities interact and collaborate to improve the human condition. Involvement in public policy by diverse stakeholders is essential for achieving the best possible outcomes to help lift up as many people as possible. I have the privilege of communicating the stories of countless individuals to ensure their voices are heard and their needs are met, and that those of us who can make a difference in their lives take action.
2. Do you have a favorite quote that is meaningful to you?
The sun does not shine for itself. Rivers do not flow for themselves. Trees do not bear fruits for themselves. Living for others is a rule of nature.”
I just returned from a whirlwind week of knowledge, emotions, and meaningful connections at the Global Shapers Annual Summit, hosted by the World Economic Forum in Geneva, Switzerland. Over 550 young change-makers from 150 countries came together under one roof to learn from each other and inspire each other. It was an absolute honor and privilege to forge genuine connections with so many brilliant, kind-hearted individuals dedicating their time and talents to improve the state of the world. I eagerly await my return home to begin my term as Curator, leading hub projects in Tucson and collaborating with hubs from across the globe to solve local problems with a global mindset. One of our peers shared this quote with us, immediately igniting a call to action in each and every one of us and serving as a reminder that in order to live a truly remarkable life we must live selflessly.
3. Is there a book you would recommend to the Fellows?
Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear
I’m a firm believer in creating processes to free up mental and physical bandwidth in order to have time to fill one’s own cup. One book I always recommend to friends and colleagues is Atomic Habits by James Clear. The book explains behavioral science principles in the simplest and easiest to follow terms. It discusses how we tend to lose ourselves in the details of trying to make huge changes for impact, when in reality the biggest changes occur with the tiniest of changes we make in our lives, habitually maintained for compounded effect.
4. How has the Fellows Network been useful to you?
I’ve been fortunate to form lasting friendships with Flinn-Brown Fellows and have many friends who became Fellows after me. Each year I wait in excitement as the Flinn-Brown Network shares the good news of the new cohort. We keep one another up to date on policy and politics and help inform each other when in doubt. The network is so diverse that it’s impossible not to learn something entirely novel from your own lived experiences.
5. What do you see as potential opportunities strengthening civic health in Arizona?
I’m excited and honored for the opportunity to lead an initiative of the World Economic Forum in Arizona. One of the Forum’s pillars is to increase civic engagement among youth by bringing young leaders to the table and sharing ideas, thoughts, and information. Our hub will engage in various collaborative projects by connecting youth to mentors, and my goal is to engage civic leaders in the process. One topic our cohort would frequently mention is how much better our little slice of the world would be if politicians and public policy advocates lived as the Fellows do, by trusting each other, listening to each other, and making a concerted effort to truly understand one another.
View all Flinn-Brown Fellow profiles here.