Marie Lotto: 2022 Distinguished Achievement Award recipient

Marie Lotto BSBME ‘02, MSBME ‘03 (MBA ‘14, MIT)
Vice president for business development, Hologic

We are honoring Marie as a product development and marketing strategies leader in women’s healthcare and the surgical sciences who serves as an example of how future engineers can navigate their careers.

How did you choose UW-Madison?

I was being recruited for volleyball, so I was looking nationwide for both an excellent university and volleyball program. I was extremely fortunate to have both when I decided to attend UW-Madison! I did not yet know at the time that I would become an engineering student.

How did you decide on engineering?

I have always loved being creative and designing things. As a child, I wanted to be an artist for a long time. Over time, I also realized that I loved math and science. After putting these together, I came up with engineering. As I looked across the different departments, biomedical engineering was the best fit as I was intrigued by medical device innovation and the impact that it could have on patients around the world.

As a student, how did you spend your free time?

Free time … what is that? In all seriousness, being a Division 1 athlete and an engineering student for top national programs was very time-intensive. Luckily, I spent that time with people I enjoyed being around, many of whom became friends for life. We did have time for fun from time to time as well. This experience gave me perspective whereby I can take a lot in stride, including doing my MBA at MIT full time while working full time, which required world travel!

How did your experience in the college shape your career?

I remember an orthopedic surgeon coming in one day and showing us hip and knee implants. I cannot describe why, but I had an immediate interest. I ended up working in sports medicine in knee, shoulder and hip arthroscopy right after college. I have also worked in the medical device industry my entire career, which was shaped by BME. I have held roles across many disciplines, including mergers and acquisitions, strategy, marketing, operational excellence, and new product development.

What would you say to engineering students today?

Continue building not only your engineering acumen, but also communication and teamwork. This is a winning combination. Also, your engineering degree provides tremendous value within and beyond traditional engineering roles.

Any hobbies?

My husband and I enjoy playing and traveling with our two little boys who are 6 and 4. I became a gardener during the pandemic; my garden is 50 feet by 40 feet and is a labor of love. I still play volleyball and have even picked up pickleball. I also volunteer on a few boards including the Industry Advisory Board for the BME department at UW-Madison.