“I looked at a lot of different areas of medicine when I was in college,” she said. “I probably most seriously thought about physical therapy for a while and then had an opportunity when I was still in college to work part time in a multidisciplinary clinic where there were naturopaths and chiropractors.
“We actually had an Ayurvedic practitioner, and I really just found myself gravitating towards what the naturopathic doctors did. And that probably sealed the deal for me at that point in my life.”
Reflecting on her career, Jacques highlighted the evolution of the industry post Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA), noting its growth and increased public acceptance, especially following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jacques’ experience underscores the importance of blending medical expertise with industry knowledge and ultimately enhancing the credibility of dietary supplements.
“Having been trained in the medical aspects of botanical medicine and nutritional medicine was a really valuable skill in building the first part of my career where I was working in a space between contract manufacturers and brands and ingredient suppliers. And I also was doing a lot of technical writing. I was writing for databases, things like micrometics. So having, you know, that kind of medical expertise was very valuable on the technical writing side that may not be applicable to most people’s careers.”
Additionally, Jacques is a member of numerous professional organizations, including the American Herbal Products Association, The Obesity Society, Women in Bio, Women in Nutraceuticals and the United Natural Products Alliance—all networks she said that allow her to “hang out with all the best people.”
“I’ve spent about half my career as a consultant and most of that time as an independent consultant, so there’s a real value when you’re mostly a sole practitioner within the industry of maintaining a network of other professionals,” she added. “So for me, it’s a way to stay connected. It’s a way to keep my educational sharpness around what’s really happening on a science level, on a political level, on trends across the industry. So it’s really multi-value.”
