Sarah Ptach
CEO & President | Canyon Labs
What accomplishments are you most proud of?
One of the accomplishments I am most proud of is the acquisition and transformation of a business we brought into Canyon Labs in January 2025. At the time of acquisition, the company was operating at negative EBITDA and, more importantly, the culture was deeply strained. There was limited trust, low engagement and a workforce that did not feel seen or valued.
What makes this experience meaningful to me is not simply the speed of the financial turnaround, but the way the team responded once we invested in them. Within three months, the business returned to positive EBITDA. More importantly, we rebuilt the foundation of the organization by prioritizing transparency, accountability and a genuine commitment to listening. We worked to ensure that every employee understood both their importance to the company and the impact of their contributions.
By the end of the year, the business achieved one of its strongest performances since 2019. That result was not driven by any single initiative, but by creating an environment where people felt respected, aligned and empowered to do their best work.
This experience reflects the kind of leader I strive to be. I believe that sustainable performance is a byproduct of trust, clarity and shared purpose. When people feel valued and supported, they rise to meet and often exceed expectations. My role is to create the conditions for that to happen.
What’s your next big goal or project in your professional journey?
My focus over the next several years is scaling Canyon Labs into the leading platform for testing, consulting and sterilization services that support the safety and advancement of healthcare products.
As the healthcare landscape becomes more complex, there is a growing need for partners who can provide not just testing, but deep scientific expertise and guidance. A key goal is to expand our capabilities and geographic reach so we can support customers more comprehensively — from early development through commercialization.
This includes investing in our technical infrastructure, broadening our service offerings, and continuing to build a network that delivers consistent, high-quality results. Just as importantly, it means strengthening our role as a trusted partner, helping customers navigate regulatory, scientific, and operational challenges with confidence.
At a broader level, I am motivated by the opportunity to contribute to a more reliable and advanced healthcare ecosystem. The goal is to serve healthcare more expansively while staying grounded in our commitment to uncompromising safety, quality and scientific excellence. We are raising the standard in this industry.
What key advice would you offer to other aspiring leaders?
Leadership is less about what you say and more about what you consistently reinforce and do.
Every organization has values written somewhere, but the real culture is shaped by what a leader tolerates, what they reward and what they choose to address. People are constantly watching what matters in practice, not just what is stated.
One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is that small moments carry disproportionate weight. A missed conversation, an unaddressed behavior or a decision made without clarity can quietly erode trust. On the other hand, consistent follow-through, direct communication and fairness build credibility over time.
For aspiring leaders, my advice is to be intentional about the signals you send every day. Leadership is not defined in big moments — it is defined in the accumulation of small, consistent actions. If you are clear in your expectations, steady in your standards and aligned in your actions, people will trust you and performance will follow.
In the end, the culture you build is not what you intend; it is what you repeatedly reinforce.