Our Lead(H)er series features impressive women leaders in the tech industry. In this Q&A, we are featuring Hayley Islas-Wolf, Regional Vice President at Liaison International.

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Where did you grow up and how would you describe yourself as a child?

I was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA. I was always fiercely independent, loved the arts, was a social butterfly and an achiever.  I could be found making art, playing the piano, singing, dancing, and working with my dad around the house on projects.  I am the middle child between two sisters.  With a family legacy in the entertainment industry, I had thought I would end up in that world, but I instead made my own path.

What did you study in college and what was your first job out of school?

I was an Interpersonal Communication major with a minor in Music at California State University Long Beach.  I worked throughout college and held several internships, but my first job post graduation was at Deutsch, an advertising agency in LA.  I was a human resources assistant and started hiring for all of the entry level jobs at the agency and running the internship program along with making lots of copies and filling. I quickly realized that human resources was not where I was going to stay and somehow stumbled into working on a college campus.

Can you share the details on your career path and what were the critical moments that got you to where you are today?

I got recruited to be an Admissions Counselor at a college and got bit by the higher education and technology bug.  I loved the tactical and strategic side of hitting goals and working smarter. I also enjoyed creating relationships with the incoming students throughout their journey and being an advocate for them. I found that by creating innovative strategies and events, students had better outcomes and, at the same time, the institution excelled. It was a win-win. 

I was quickly promoted to helping run the Admissions Office at a small regional school.  After spending a lot of time being scrappy and having to bring in big numbers and try new things constantly, I was ready for the next step in my career.  First I served as the Associate Director of Admissions at Azusa Pacific University. I then went on to serve as the Director of Admission at Pepperdine University for the undergraduate college. At the age of 29 I was the youngest director at a top 50 school in the nation while also managing to graduate with my masters in business.

I learned so much being on college campuses and running the office that brought in the revenue for the institution.  Not only did we need to do the basics and day to day functionality well, we needed to think creatively, maximize everything and serve the students and institution.  In my time on college campuses I ended up taking on the big technology projects like implementing a Student Information System and CRM.  I loved that data and strategy could then be paired with the human element of managing and empowering a team to then effect change at a larger organization.  It was exhilarating.

After working at three very different institutions - regional to mid to competitive, I realized that all colleges and universities had a lot of the same obstacles and problems. Some of which could be solved by technology and thinking outside of the box.  I knew at this point in my career that going into a more consultative and technology focused career path, I could effect more positive change in the world of academia and lean into my strengths.

What is your current role and responsibilities?

I am the Regional Vice President for Sales at Liaison International, a higher education specific tech, consulting and services company.  I oversee the western United States and all International new business.  I have a great team of AVPs that provide solutions and consult for colleges and universities in those areas.  I get to play a strategic role in our growth as an organization, serve as an executive sponsor for the universities we work with and help coach and mentor.

Looking back, is this where you thought you’d be professionally?  Was it always your goal to be in this position?

I don’t know if I had a particular goal of being an RVP early on in my career, but as I found my direction and what I was passionate about, it makes sense.  I love solving problems and thinking creatively - ultimately helping others achieve their goals and dreams. Technology and strategy removes barriers and enhances the human element.  I love the consulting side of my job - using what I have spent my career doing and helping colleges and universities at a much larger scale and then I also love my team.  It is also fun to be a part of our company’s strategies and helping to voice the staff and customers voices in the process.  I knew I would be in leadership and use my people and technical skills in a role, so though I may not have known I would be a Regional Vice President at a large technology company, I knew the skills and goals I had that align with my current role.

For people who are looking to be in a similar position, what advice would you give to others in terms of helping them achieve their career goals?

Sometimes it feels like you are working hard and not seeing movement in your career.  Especially as a woman, it is important to become your own advocate.  I had to really hone this skill and it took longer than I would like to admit.  I learned that by not buldosing or being docile - rather letting your work, relationships and achievements speak for themselves - you can then ask for what is next in your career. It is okay to ask and be ready for the next step in your career.

Remember, you are the only one who is in control of your trajectory and career.  It is important that you always put out the very best of who you are and when you are feeling frustrated and trapped, it is important to communicate and advocate for yourself.  Jumping job to job or company to company only solves part of the problem.  If you have a good boss and work for a good company, it is better to try to help make the changes you want to see and to ask for what you would like.  Questions like, this is where I would like to be in a few years or even now, what do you need to see from me, how can I enhance my skill set to achieve that, and what feedback (good or bad) do you have for me so I can be the best I can be.

What are the most important skills that you need to do your job well?

I think communication, collaboration, ingenuity, coaching and care.  Communication is essential in my role with my direct team, which all of the universities and colleges we work with and then across the organization as we continue to work on ideas and enhancements.  

This leads directly into collaboration.  This can be seen in all areas of work and ultimately we know that by collaborating and working together whether that is client to vendor or internally person to person, when we put our heads together and have candid and healthy collaboration we can achieve much greater results.  

Leading into ingenuity.  I love thinking outside of the box.  When faced with a problem or an obstacle that looks daunting or insurmountable, it is always very advantageous to take a step back and think about all of the ways to reach its summit. Often times when we think creatively and outside of the box, incredible results can be achieved.  I have done this in every role in my career and I think has lead to some of my best successes.

Coaching and care to me go hand in hand.  In my current role managing a team, it is important that I don’t just solve every problem that comes our way, rather work with my team and others to come to a solution.  This allows for others to be empowered moving forward.  Also, I manage out of a place of individuality.  Everyone is treated equally, but my approach with each person is different, because each person has a different need or way they thrive in their own unique personality style.  This has served me well and is how I like to be led.  It creates room for each person to truly thrive and flourish.

What do you find most interesting/rewarding about your work?  What’s the most challenging?

Working in the technology space in higher education can be challenging and my career in higher education prior as I am an innovator and often like to see results quickly.  Higher education can oftentimes feel like a very big ship that take a very long time to turn.  I guess it is also part of the thrill, when you can be a part of that change, but change moves slowly.  I truly believe in the work we are doing.  Whether I was in my roles as a Director of Admissions or now as a Regional Vice President helping Higher Education Administration and end users serve students better, we are indirectly and directly helping set up the future generation.  I am also very passionate about equity, diversity and inclusion.  It was a very large focus in all of my roles on campuses and I think even if technology or consulting can bring down some of the barriers or biases, then we are winning.  That is meaningful work!

What is your proudest professional accomplishment?

I think I look at my age and my career and I very proud of all the hard work I have done.  I have talked about getting to a top 50 university as a director of admission under the age of 30, my roles and career trajectory at TargetX and Liaison.  What I did not mention is that during the last 4 years my husband and I also opened up two bars!  I was able to balance and effectively run my career and two successful businesses that got featured on national news.  We have now sold one of them and are in the process of selling the other, but this to me is a huge accomplishment - all while never losing steam at my career.  It was the least amount of sleep or freetime I have ever experienced, but I feel a great sense of accomplishment.  I think in my entire career, I have proven that I am capable, competent and successful.  Now that the bars are sold/in the process of selling - I am so grateful for the new time I have to have work life balance.  This is a new phase in my life where I am not ever going to lose steam on my career or my aspirations, but now I get to balance it out (not working three full time jobs anymore) where I can enjoy walks with my dogs, pick up painting, playing the piano and ceramics and traveling and spending time with my husband.

Are you involved with any professional organizations outside of the company? Volunteer work?

As mentioned, opening up Quail State - the first rooftop craft cocktail bar in Fresno, CA, and then opening up Saint J - the first natural wine bar in Fresno, CA all while maintaining and growing in my career took up a lot of my time over the last 4 years, but I am excited to get plugged back into some of the organizations and volunteering I did prior to my crazy adventure.  In those 4 years, we really worked and helped in the revitalization of the Fresno downtown area and a lot of my time and effort outside of work went into that community.  My husband and I now live back in Los Angeles and are getting plugged into our local community.

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Q&A

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

Traveling - in the past 5 months I have gone to 9 countries alone.  It is something I love and am passionate about.  I also love to work out, hanging with our dogs, and spending time with my husband and friends.

How do you manage stress?

Taking care of my mental and physical health are essential.  I love being active - HITT, barre, hot yoga, weight lifting, hiking - it is such a good physical and mental reset for me.  Also, I think it is important to fuel the soul - for me this is being creative in the arts or gardening.

How many cups of coffee do you have in a day?

This is a funny question, but I hear you.  I typically have two cups of coffee in a day.  I try to not overdo my caffeine intake and I do not drink any other caffeine if possible in the day.

What advice do you have for recent college graduates?

It takes time to learn and master something.  Be humble, don’t be afraid to make mistakes, but learn from them.  I think the best piece of advice is make the mistake and then never do it again.  That is what will set you apart from the rest and enhance your career trajectory.  Also, the other piece of advice I would have is that so much for my early career I was looking for the greener grass.  Ultimately, what I learned is the grass was never greener at a company or institution, but what was important was have a good manager, a caring work environment and a place that at the end of the day is doing something you believe in.

Our Lead(H)er series features impressive women leaders in the tech industry. In this Q&A, we are featuring Stephanie White, Senior VP Customer Success at Duck Creek Technologies.

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Where did you grow up and how would you describe yourself as a child?

I grew up in rural Northeastern Pennsylvania.  We had a lot of freedom to enjoy the mountains and lakes where we grew up.  As a child I was a rule follower and a people pleaser.  I liked to have fun but had to be in the lines. 

What did you study in college and what was your first job out of school?

I studied International Business, with a focus on Accounting and Minor in Japanese.  My first job out of college was Andersen Consulting in New York City and I was staffed on a project at Marsh and McLennan as my first client.  I thought I would be assigned to that project for 6 months, hop around to different companies and industries, but I ended up taking on various roles including Program Management, Developer, Tester, BA, led development teams and conversion teams and stayed at that client for over 3 years.  

Can you share the details on your career path and what were the critical moments that got you to where you are today?

I started my first job at Andersen Consulting after college and never left.  I worked in Andersen Consulting’s consulting practice, which became Accenture, implementing core systems for insurance, reinsurance and capital market customers for about 12 years.  During the last few years, I worked in the Accenture Quality and Process Improvement program, guiding project teams on best practices and ensuring projects were meeting CMMI certification standards. My next role was within the Accenture Software group, where I worked with several organizations to integrate acquisitions into the division.  One of the products we worked with was Accenture Claims, where I got reconnected with several members from my first project at Marsh.  I was asked to take on a role leading the QA, BA, and Documentation teams for Accenture Claims in 2009.  In 2011, we acquired Duck Creek. I continued leading various engineering teams, including QA, Support, Release Management, Dev Ops, Performance Test, UX and Technical Writing through 2018 across the Duck Creek suite of products.  

In 2018, I was approached to take on a new challenge leading our customer facing support organization for our growing Cloud customer base as well as OnPrem customers.  Many across the organization thought I was crazy for even considering the role, but with challenge comes tremendous opportunity to improve our business, and my teams and I have been able to experience the rewards together.  Although apprehensive at first, I have never been so passionate about our company, the role our team plays as our customers advocates and how we help them achieve success.  

After I had my first child, in 2002, I started working part-time 3.5 days a week and was fortunate enough to continue part-time, after my son was born in 2005, and for several more years.   I was always very goal oriented, and I struggled the most during this time.  I was trying to be the best parent, wife, friend, daughter, sister and employee.  I was also taking care of my terminally ill father 1000 miles away.  It was very difficult.  I felt like I did not fit in the stay-at-home mom role.  There wasn’t a part-time mom’s group.  And I didn’t feel like I could advance in my career being part-time.  My part-time status was always a consideration when it came to performance cycles.  I felt like I was on pause.  However, I do not regret it and would do it all over again to spend that precious time with my kids.  Well, I would do it a little differently now that I am older and hopefully wiser.  I learned there is no set path, you choose the one that is right for you.  I made the choice to focus on raising my family and knew the consulting lifestyle and commuting from NYC every day, was not going to allow me to be the mom I wanted to be.  And that meant taking a step back from my career.  

What is your current role and responsibilities?

As SVP of Customer Success at Duck Creek Technologies, I am responsible for the teams of passionate technology professionals who focus on customer experience and ensuring our customers achieve their business and IT outcomes using our software.  The team of Customer Success Managers and Customer Success Engineers are advocates to the customer for the duration of the customer’s contract from kickoff through post Go-Live production phase. Our team of Onboarding Success Managers focus on ensuring the customer is trained on our proven Cloud standards, guide in preparation for go-live with speed and minimal risk and are operationally ready in production to drive value.  Our upgrade team works with customers to keep them current and getting value from the latest versions of our software.  Our migration team supports our OnPrem customers moving to the Cloud. And lastly, our Customer Success Ops team enables all our organization to focus on driving proactive strategic value to our customers through standardized playbooks, communication, metrics, and analysis.  

Looking back, is this where you thought you’d be professionally?  Was it always your goal to be in this position?

Definitely not.  At one point as a child, I thought I wanted to be a dentist like my grandfather and uncle.  After living in Japan and learning Japanese in high school as an exchange student, I wanted to focus on using language in business.  While I have had occasional opportunities to leverage language for short projects, I have not used it in my day to day job. Even so, that incredible experience and my appreciation for people of all cultures and backgrounds is something I am privileged to leverage everyday at Duck Creek and across our customers and SI partners.  I love people and nothing makes me happier than to see them thrive and succeed.  

For people who are looking to be in a similar position, what advice would you give to others in terms of helping them achieve their career goals?

Never sacrifice what you believe in to achieve success.  You won’t be happy if you are not true to who you are.  

What are the most important skills that you need to do your job well?

Empathy, listening, integrity, data driven decision making, and being action oriented. 

What do you find most interesting/rewarding about your work?  What’s the most challenging?

Every day is different and brings a new challenge.  This is what I find most rewarding because there is nothing monotonous or predictable about any given day – it is also what is the most challenging.   This is software and there is no defect free software that meets 100% of every customer’s needs out of the box…and our customers have complex businesses.  As a result, I am constantly growing and learning from others, our customers, and colleagues.  I have been honored to be presented with new challenging opportunities throughout my career, which I find extremely fulfilling.  There is nothing more gratifying than solving complex problems and seeing customers succeed. There is also nothing more rewarding as a leader than seeing your team members achieve their goals and full potential, whether it is overcoming an obstacle, getting recognition from a customer, or getting a promotion and advancing in their career. 

What is your proudest professional accomplishment?

Co-founding the Women’s Resource Group at Duck Creek in 2020. It was the first Employee Resource Group (ERG).  With a couple new ERGs launching, we are now at 7 and counting.  I continue to be the executive sponsor of the WRG (now at 350 members globally), and a member of the Employee Experience Council.

Are you involved with any professional organizations outside of the company? Volunteer work?

I am a member of Athena Alliance and various Customer Success related communities and networks. My husband and I will be empty nesters next year, so I hope to volunteer more consistently, however, I currently support a local organization called Blessing Bag Brigades, donate blood, volunteer, and support various other local school and community events.  

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Q&A

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

I enjoy time with family and friends…we love to travel, go to the beach, play tennis, run, bike, ski, go someplace new or try a new adventure.  

How do you manage stress?

Exercise.  As much as I say I hate to run, when I am stressed, I feel so much better after a great run or playing tennis.  Humor always helps. When I stress, it helps to look back at another time I felt overwhelmed or stressed, and remind myself how everything worked out.  Deep breaths and reminding myself that ‘this too shall pass’ often helps.

How many cups of coffee do you have in a day?

Too many.  I try to stick to one pot of the (fairly large) French Press I make every morning. I am the only coffee drinker in my house, so if it is there, I drink it.

Any book or podcast recommendations?    

Latest read: Chief Customer Officer playbook, Podcast: Women in Tech, the Double Shift

What advice do you have for recent college graduates?

You can pave any path forward you desire. Details from your past, where you grew up and where you went to school does not define you. It is your work ethic, attitude, energy, passion, and moral values that define you and will bring you success and happiness.  Stay true to who you are, and you can achieve anything.

Our Lead(H)er series features impressive women leaders in the tech industry. In this Q&A, we are featuring Debi Dowling, SVP Business Operations and COS to CEO at Onapsis.

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Where did you grow up and how would you describe yourself as a child?

I grew up in the UK in a town called Reading just outside London. I had always wanted to move to America. As soon as I started traveling for work, I knew it was where I needed to be! I have been stateside now for just over 6 years in New Hampshire and most recently to escape the LONG winters have moved to sunnier climates of North Carolina, but I still get my Boston fix traveling back for work most months!

What did you study in college and what was your first job out of school?

I studied Business Studies at college and had absolutely no idea what I wanted to do when I left school. I saw an ad for Vodafone back in the day when a mobile phone was the size of a brick and only used for absolute emergencies! It was a 2-year rotation program to learn about all aspects of business from Sales to Marketing to Customer Support and it also allowed me to continue my studies with a certification with the Institute of Credit Management. I ended up staying just over 10 years at Vodafone in a variety of roles including Customer Services, Credit Analysis and ultimately became the Head of Risk Strategy for the UK. 

Can you share the details on your career path and what were the critical moments that got you to where you are today?

After 10 years at Vodafone I knew I needed to make a decision - would it end up being a ‘job for life’ or should I explore the big world outside of this very structured company. I took the plunge and ended up leaving for a start-up opportunity in the city of London. Wow, it was such a change from the process and discipline I thought I loved at Vodafone to being thrown into the chaos and delight of start-ups - I think that is where I got my real passion for working in more early stage companies and having the opportunity to really help shape the future!  

I really focused my career around Project Management and Business Operations with a real love for Services. I moved several times in my career from start-up to corporate and back again most recently spending just over 8 years at Juniper where I moved into the Chief of Staff world and worked with 3 very different leaders over the years and also relocated to the USA. 

What is your current role and responsibilities?

I am currently SVP of Business Operations and COS to the CEO at Onpasis and this is my 4th and I have to say favorite COS role to date (I mean I have to say that right - the boss is probably reading this!).  All joking aside, I think the COS in a start-up is VERY different to that in my last 3 roles in a non-start-up environment.  Every day I get to do what I love and no days are ever the same.  I get to work in all aspects of the business from leading hands on functional teams (Right now I am running our Marketing organization, Business Operations and Company Enablement) and I have also lead some of our most strategic company initiatives - most recently working with the Chasm Institute on our  ‘Crossing the Chasm’ initiative as we move into a much more focused and deliberate GTM approach.  I also get to work on what I love most, which is employee engagement initiatives - these focus on wellness activities (we launched our 4.5 day work week last year) and community events and communications and development.

Our Lead(H)er series features impressive women leaders in the tech industry. In this Q&A, we are featuring Monika Ochocki, Director of Customer Care at SmartBear.

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Where did you grow up and how would you describe yourself as a child? 

I grew up in the suburbs of Vancouver, British Columbia as a first generation Polish Canadian. My parents moved to Winnipeg, Canada from Poland in the late 1980s and in the 90s moved to the suburbs of Vancouver where they raised me, my twin sister, and older brother. One of my most vivid memories as a child was receiving a kid’s recipe book from a Scholastic Book order that was filled with different desserts. Snickerdoodles was the first recipe I tried, and it ignited my love for baking, something I did often with my sister. I was lucky to win the sibling lottery. Growing up with a twin sister meant we spent loads of time playing with Barbies, exploring the outdoors, and trying to find ways to annoy our older brother.  

Our Lead(H)er series features impressive women leaders in the tech industry. In this Q&A, we are featuring Shannon Rose, VP Omni-Channel Retailing at Rue Gilt Groupe.

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Where did you grow up and how would you describe yourself as a child?

I was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio.  I was one of five children, 4 girls and 1 boy. As one of five children, 4 girls, and a boy, I was sporty, but chic and loved all things sports fashion. 

What did you study in college and what was your first job out of school?

I went to college with the aspiration of being an attorney; however, I quickly realized that the law office environment was not my destined path after my first internship at a large firm.  After graduation, I joined my father’s family custom home building business as a superintendent. 

Can you share the details on your career path and what were the critical moments that got you to where you are today?

While there are several significant moments that got me to where I am today, the most critical moment was when I recognized imbalances at certain points in my career and had to figure out how best to navigate. For example, at the time, it was less common for a young woman to serve as a superintendent in the construction field. While I had the advantage of working for my father, where I felt more empowered to challenge the stereotypes, the experiences of navigating challenging the norm provided me a foundation to grow as a woman leader.  As I advanced my career at Simon Properties, I was able to leverage this foundation to become a leader who leads with a purpose, a voice, and respect.  

What is your current role and responsibilities?

Today, I am head of Merchandising and Brand Management for Shop Premium Outlets (SPO), Simon Property Group’s e-commerce off price marketplace, where I am responsible for overall growth and ultimate success of all our brand partners.  In addition, oversee key initiatives such as SPO Live and SPO external partners.

Looking back, is this where you thought you’d be professionally?  Was it always your goal to be in this position?

No, I thought I would continue in my father’s footsteps and carry on the family business! My childhood ‘passion for fashion’ ultimately secured my path to my current role.   

For people who are looking to be in a similar position, what advice would you give to others in terms of helping them achieve their career goals?

My advice would be to expose yourself to every aspect of e-commerce business from operations to fulfillment to marketing.  The greater you are exposed to the holistic e-commerce business model, the better off you will be in driving overall growth for your business. 

What are the most important skills that you need to do your job well?

We operate as a startup with a lean team.  Prioritization, time management, curiosity, and leadership are critical for the success of my position.

What do you find most interesting/rewarding about your work?  What’s the most challenging?

The most rewarding thing about my work is the ability to create change instantly.  The most challenging part of my work is that there is more opportunity than hours in the day to tackle everything.

Are you involved with any professional organizations outside of the company? Volunteer work?

With having a demanding job, I prioritize my time outside of the company to my family at home, so with two teenage kids, I enjoy volunteering at their schools for several sports and fundraising efforts.

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Q&A

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

Spending time with my family, watching my kids play sports, and focusing on home decorating and projects.

How do you manage stress?

Commit to 30 minutes of exercise every morning and destress in evening on TikTok.

Any book or podcast recommendations?

I love podcasts!  

I enjoy listening to leaders in the industry across all disciplines talk about their business and experiences, such as:

• Remarkable Retail
• The Jason & Scot Show
• Watson Weekly
• Life with Marianna
• BOF
• Glossy

What advice do you have for recent college graduates?

Be curious at all times, absorb as much as you can and take advantage of every leader you are exposed to. 

Our Lead(H)er series features impressive women leaders in the tech industry. In this Q&A, we are featuring Olivia Salas, Sr. Director, Global Ops & SI Partnerships at Bullhorn.

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Where did you grow up and how would you describe your childhood?

I grew up in Dallas, Texas in a family of 6.  We were lucky to be surrounded by lots of family, most notably my grandmother.  She was the center of our world; most of my childhood was spent at her house learning everything about our family, history and culture. Our family gatherings were epic - we could easily fill a restaurant with 40+ of us! 

What did you study in college and what was your first job out of school?

Going to college (Texas A&M University) was one of my proudest moments - I was the first in my entire family to attend college and leave home (moving 3 hours away was a big deal in our family!).  That being said, I was like a lot of first generation students - didn’t really know what I wanted to do or even where to start. I was lucky to have stumbled across a Latino student organization that had an amazing sponsor who quickly became a mentor for me.  She taught me how to navigate being away from home and finding my place in a school of over 50,000 students.  Through her guidance and that of other mentors along the way, I decided to pursue a degree in Psychology and earned a Bachelor of Science degree.  My first job out of college was working in an Admissions Office for a University in Houston, where I was responsible for recruiting and supporting other first generation students.  My passion for wanting to help others led me to pursue a Masters in Clinical/Counseling Psychology a year later. 

Can you share the details on your career path and what were the critical moments that got you to where you are today?

My career path has been anything but linear.  After completing my Masters degree, I thought I wanted to be in a clinical setting and work with families. Instead, I took a much different path; I found myself back in a recruiting position, this time, at a corporate office for a large retailer (RadioShack).  The early years of my career were spent learning how to navigate a large organization, how to take risks and how to take on any and all new projects.  A critical moment in my early career involved me taking part in a large company layoff where I was responsible for decisions that would impact the lives of others. Two important lessons that I learned and still carry with me today are: (1) always take the time to recognize and acknowledge the contributions of others and (2) make sure your skills are transferable. It’s important to be able to relate back to the broader business.

From this experience, I decided that I wanted to be part of the solution of helping others find their right fit for their careers and support their professional development.  I was blessed to have the opportunity to be part of a small consulting organization; over the course of 15 years and 8 mergers and acquisitions, we became a leading global SaaS organization implementing talent software solutions.  With each M&A activity, we essentially became a new startup and with that new challenges and opportunities to try new roles/ responsibilities.  My time at Outmatch (now Harver), allowed me to grow not only as a professional, but ultimately a leader - in my last role I was responsible for all Client Operations which included leading our Strategic Consultants, Implementations Specialist, Project Managers and Global Support Teams.  Like many of us, coming out of the pandemic I chose to take a different path with my career and branch out from my comfort zone - after 15 years at Outmatch it was time for a change.  I took some much needed time for myself and decided to do some consulting work and then took on a role leading a Customer Experience team for a Human Performance organization.  However, life has a funny way of opening up opportunities when you least expect it.  At the beginning of 2022, one of my previous mentors reached out to me about a great opportunity at Bullhorn - again helping to build an operation and processes to support the business and customer experience, two things that I love to do.  So here I am…10 months later and loving it.   

What is your current role and responsibilities?

Today I am the Senior Director, Global Ops and SI Partnerships at Bullhorn. Bullhorn is the global leader in software for the staffing industry. More than 10,000 companies rely on Bullhorn’s cloud-based platform to power their staffing processes from start to finish. My responsibilities include overseeing our Professional Service Global Operations and leading our SI Partner ecosystem. I lead five teams including, Global Service Operations, SI Partnerships, Global Documentation, Product Consulting and Hypercare.  While each of these teams have their own individual goals and responsibilities, we are ultimately responsible for ensuring our internal teams and SI Partners are enabled and ready to provide our customers with a great implementation experience.

Looking back, is this where you thought you’d be professionally?  Was it always your goal to be in this position?

No way!  The 20 year old me thought she would be a licensed psychologist, but in a funny way I am still leveraging my love for human behavior and continuing to apply it to a corporate setting.  Having a background in Psychology absolutely helps in relationship and team building.

For people who are looking to be in a similar position, what advice would you give to others in terms of helping them achieve their career goals?

• Take risks and don’t be afraid to try something new. 

• Build your network across the business, don’t just stay in your bubble.

• If you get the chance, try working at a startup or small business - while it can definitely be challenging, it will teach you how to be flexible and scrappy. 

What are the most important skills that you need to do your job well?

• Relationship Building/ Networking: This is by far one of the most important skill sets needed for any role.  Much of our success relies upon our ability to support one another and work cross functionally.

• Ownership/Accountability: Each day presents a new set of  “challenges” and you have to be willing to roll up your sleeves and come to the table with solutions, even when they may not be the most favorable. 

• Be Humble:   Don’t take yourself too seriously. Remember there will always be people smarter than you - take this as your opportunity to learn from them and grow.

What do you find most interesting/rewarding about your work?  What’s the most challenging?

Being able to lead and support my teams is really the most rewarding thing for me.  I love to see people take on new challenges and see the wins - being part of that journey is really exciting.  

There are new challenges everyday, but honestly it's what keeps things interesting.  Just a new puzzle to solve!

What is your proudest professional accomplishment?

Supporting up and coming female leaders is a passion of mine and I was very fortunate to have had the opportunity to start a Rising Leader program at my previous organization.  Creating a program and safe space where we could share and learn from each other was really amazing.

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Q&A

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

These days I don’t have much free time - I am a club volleyball and softball mom that spends most of my time shuttling my daughter between practices and weekend tournaments.  However, when we can get away my husband and I love hitting up wine country!

How do you manage stress?

Spending time with my family and friends - helps keep things into perspective. 

How many cups of coffee do you have in a day?

No coffee for me…but bring on the iced tea!

What advice do you have for recent college graduates?

Never underestimate the importance of having a mentor(s) in your life. There will be many times in your career where you will need someone on your side to confide in, provide guidance, and challenge your thinking. Make sure that you are actively looking for and nurturing these relationships. I cannot tell you how much I have learned from the mentors in my life and how each of them have helped shape who I am today.

Our Lead(H)er series features impressive women leaders in the tech industry. In this Q&A, we are featuring Cara Munnis, VP of Product Management at Amwell.

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Where did you grow up and how would you describe yourself as a child?

I grew up in the Merrimack Valley area of Massachusetts with a younger brother. Curious, energetic, and reluctant to go to bed. Even as a child, I was a night owl. My parents taught me how to operate a VCR and fall asleep to movies at the age of 2!

I grew up in a Boston-based family business owned by my father and uncle. I remember the days when money wasn’t plentiful but I watched my father and uncle work hard and take risks that ultimately allowed them to provide for their families. It is fun now to see that they built working relationships and friendships that have persisted to today, 40+ years after starting their company. Boston was always a short trip away and a familiar place I’d go with my father.

What did you study in college and what was your first job out of school?

I focused on biology, psychology and pre-medicine at the College of the Holy Cross. My First job out of college was working as a research assistant at the National Institute of Health’s Framingham Heart Study.

Can you share the details on your career path and what were the critical moments that got you to where you are today?

During my college internships, I struggled to find an area of medicine that most interested and motivated me, and after some debate, my father convinced me I was really best cut out for business. I ended up going to Bentley University’s graduate business school and had an enlightening experience where I honed in on a nerdy passion for business processes, systems operations and technology. In my first professional experiences after earning my MBA, I chose to work in healthcare but in a role as a business systems analyst where I worked cross-functionally on various internal technology implementations. Eventually I fell into a product management role, a career track that I have stayed on to this day.

What is your current role and responsibilities?

I lead the Product Management team at Amwell, an industry-leading technology company offering telehealth SaaS products and services focused on digital healthcare delivery. In my group, I oversee product managers and product operations leaders, all of whom are focused on advancing our roadmap and delivering on client commitments. Aside from guiding my team, I personally contribute heavily to annual and quarterly product roadmapping, client conversations, internal presentations and thought leadership forums and handling of escalated issues related to the execution and delivery on our commitments. 

Looking back, is this where you thought you’d be professionally?  Was it always your goal to be in this position?

Not at all! Once I finally gave up my childhood dream of being a medical doctor, I didn’t have a plan. The only conscientious thing I did do as I navigated the twists and turns of my career was to ensure I was exposing myself to different types of digital healthcare roles and products in each new position. This was to stave off boredom more than anything else. Looking back, I’ve learned that once you are in a company for 12+ months, opportunities tend to naturally present themselves that are most suited to your abilities. I would say my path found me more than I found it, and the most important thing I did was continue to check in with my own satisfaction while evaluating and pursuing any appealing available options.

For people who are looking to be in a similar position, what advice would you give to others in terms of helping them achieve their career goals?

• Stay close to the technology, especially in your years as an individual contributor. This knowledge will establish the basis from which you will guide your teams and influence others as you grow into the management level. 
• Be a good listener and ask for clarification if something doesn’t resonate - no matter your level, there is almost always more to learn either about the subject itself or about the perceptions of those with whom you are working.

What are the most important skills that you need to do your job well?

• Assessing employee and stakeholder satisfaction
• Composing thoughtful content tailored to my audience
• Effectively influencing others in my organization by utilizing appropriate communication styles and/or aligning to their natural motivators
• Product Management and Healthcare industry fundamentals

What do you find most interesting/rewarding about your work?  What’s the most challenging?

I love setting things up and watching them run. Initially in my career, this applied to building software products with a team of engineers, launching them into the market and measuring utilization and user satisfaction. Today, this applies more to enabling and empowering my team members. I love nothing more than motivating a product leader to hone their natural skills, give them the agency to deliver successful products to market, and watch them measure their success.

What is your proudest professional accomplishment?

There have been a few times in my career when I found myself on a “transformation team”. These are times when software development teams are adjusting to new processes while they are also under the pressures of delivery deadlines. These times seem to indicate the most challenging phases of growth or change that I’ve been involved with, but they also positioned me for growth and a tremendous sense of accomplishment once on the other side.

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Q&A

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

I’m almost certainly with my kids. I have two young children, and it’s incredibly fun to introduce them to new things and watch them as they try and make sense of this world.

How do you manage stress?

A Vinyasa Yoga class is always my go-to.

How many cups of coffee do you have in a day?

One! Any more and I won’t sleep at night.

Any book or podcast recommendations? 

No new reads that I would highly recommend, so will recommend an old business book that despite the now-obsolete corporations it studies, teaches a framework for business success that still resonates with me today- Good to Great by Jim Collins

What advice do you have for recent college graduates?

If when you begin to transition out of studies mode and into getting that first professional job, and (like me) aren’t quite sure what you want to do, start looking inward for answers. Get a few internships in different disciplines and in different roles. After each one, ask yourself “what did I especially like about that?”, and ”What didn’t I like?”. When you get those answers, go even deeper. Ask yourself why you liked or didn't like each one of the experiences. You should begin to see a pattern about the types of tasks/responsibilities that you do or do not enjoy. Knowing this and using it as your career compass is essential to finding what will make you successful in your future. If you wake up excited to do what you do most days, this not only suggests you may enjoy your workdays, it is what will set you apart from others in the same role.  You are smart. We all are smart. You could probably attain moderate success in just about any industry, but being in a line of work that suits your natural skills and interests will make all the difference in the energy you devote to your job and your willingness to achieve real excellence.

Our Lead(H)er series features impressive women leaders in the tech industry. In this Q&A, we are featuring Annalisa Cooper, SVP, Customer Success at Wellframe.

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Where did you grow up and how would you describe yourself as a child?  

I grew up just outside of Washington DC in Hyattsville, MD.  My Mom and Dad emigrated in their late 30’s from Sweden and Scotland, respectively.  They met in the United States where they married and had three children after the age of 39 (and it was the first marriage for both of them!).  My Mom was a nurse and Dad a machinist.  Although we grew up as lower middle class, my siblings and I had a healthy upbringing, both emotionally and physically.  My Dad was extremely committed to fitness being a semi professional soccer player in Scotland, tennis player and runner.  He ran the Boston Marathon at the age of 50, which back in the early 70's was very unusual.   My Mom, who spoke very little English and had no family in the U.S., had an extremely strong work ethic and a kind heart.   I grew up appreciating the value of hard work and education and the importance of a healthy lifestyle.

What did you study in college and what was your first job out of school?

My Dad, who received his college degree at the age of 50 by taking one course a semester, was adamant that his children would get a college degree.  Unfortunately, they could not afford to pay for our tuition so all three of us had to cover the cost of our college.  I chose Sociology as my major, partly because I thought I may want to be a  social worker and partly because I wanted to continue to get A’s in my classes (I was a bit of a perfectionist!)  and it seemed an easier route at the time.   After graduation, I wasn't able to afford a Masters degree to pursue social work,  but was able to find a position as a discharge planner at a local hospital.  To this day, it was one of my favorite jobs.  I supported families by finding services to help their loved ones once they left the hospital, whether that was home health or placement in a facility.  I saved all the letters of appreciation that I received that still bring tears and smiles.

Can you share the details on your career path and what were the critical moments that got you to where you are today?

Having worked as a discharge planner for three years, I took a chance with a sales opportunity for Partner’s Health Plan, when HMO’s were fairly new in the healthcare landscape.  It was a risk given that I was fairly introverted and not at all comfortable with sales.  However, I quickly learned that being authentic and believing in the product was a good combination for success. At the same time, I pursued a Masters in Business from Johns Hopkins.  From there, I was promoted to lead account management and took that experience to several other health care companies.  Along the way, I had a valuable mentor that gave me other leadership opportunities in operations–claims, customer service, care management, and training.   This combination of sales, delivery and execution helped me grow into an executive leader because it gave me a holistic view of the organization where I could balance customer needs with the company needs.  At the same time, I broadened my professional journey by seeking positions in different areas of health care including  medical, behavioral health, pharmacy and finally the digital space.  

Some of the  critical moments in my career path that led me to where I am today was  taking measured risks and never getting too comfortable.  But the number one reason for my success was truly my mentor, who I followed to several organizations.   She was very results driven and had high expectations, but was also extremely kind, supportive, and  genuinely cared about your life outside of work.   I learned that you can be kind and still be effective, but sometimes this combination is hard to find.  

What is your current role and responsibilities? 

Today I’m the  Senior Vice President of Customer Success at  Wellframe, a company that partners with healthcare organizations to modernize and build  their relationship with members through technology.  We support real time insights, staff workflows, and member interactions beyond the four walls of care delivery.  We are at the intersection of mobile engagement for the members and the workflow for healthplan staff, and our goal is to have members feel daily support through technology so that the health plan becomes a trusted ally.

As the leader of Customer Success,  I oversee the implementation of new customers, ongoing customer support for members and staff,  and our relationships with health plan payers. My team cultivates partnerships with our health plan customers to maximize the impact of our digital health management solutions to improve member engagement and clinical outcomes

Looking back, is this where you thought you’d be professionally?  Was it always your goal to be in this position?

I have always been interested in healthcare, particularly with my Mom being a nurse.  However, I envisioned myself as a provider of care – a doctor, nurse, or social worker.  Looking back, I could have been braver in following that path, although now in my larger role, I have the ability to make an even broader impact on overall health care delivery.  

What are the most important skills that you need to do your job well?

Sounds elementary, but communication skills are critical in my role.  I interact with all levels of staff, those new to the workforce as well as seasoned professionals.   In addition, I work with clients to help them to pivot and transform to address changing expectations of consumers in health care.   Active listening, awareness and authenticity are essential to becoming an effective communicator and leader. 

In addition, Customer Success leans on every part of the organization.  So collaborating cross-functionally, and always assuming positive intent, is a must in order to continue to deliver value for our customers and also support our internal teams.  When you can achieve that balance, you can achieve success.

What do you find most interesting/rewarding about your work?  What’s the most challenging?

Being a seasoned leader who has worked in this field for 35 years, the absolute best part of my job is helping staff develop, grow and achieve their maximum potential. There are so many individuals I’ve mentored along the way that are now in leadership positions.  Also, I love our mission and vision at Wellframe where we are truly helping transform healthcare to focus on the consumers.  Candidly, this can also be the most challenging.  The ability to affect change and transformation in large organizations is a tall task. 

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Q&A

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

I’m extremely active and love hiking, running and biking (Thank you, Dad!)  My new passion is pickleball (yes, me and the rest of the world).  It is a sport where you can get to “average” very  quickly and have a whole lot of fun with family and friends of all ages and abilities.

How do you manage stress?

I manage stress by staying active and ensuring I have a good work life balance.  This has not always been easy given the work demands from my leadership roles. With two children, keeping that balance was critical.  I tried never to miss an important event in their lives, and I’m thankful that I had the support of my bosses and spouse to accommodate this.   

How many cups of coffee do you have in a day?  

2 on a good day; 3 on a bad day

Any book or podcast recommendations?   

I love any Jodi Picoult book, but I also try to read one self help book a month.  (professional or fun)

What advice do you have for recent college graduates?  

Find your passion and stick with it.  Be brave and bold, but also kind.  Don’t underestimate the power of collaboration and humility. 

Our Lead(H)er series shares the stories of women leaders at some of the fastest-growing companies in the tech industry.

Here is a recap featuring the 26 inspirational stories from 2022 with a short segment from each profile. You'll learn everything from the challenges, successes, and surprises of their careers, lots of useful advice, and more!

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Jess Dashner, Director of Media Strategy & Operations at Gupta Media

"Seize every opportunity you can. Say yes to everything (within reason). If it pushes you out of your comfort zone, even better. Some of the best opportunities are ones you need to ask for, so don’t wait for them to be offered to you. And when you do ask, make it easy to get that “yes.” You might not be ready to take the lead on a juicy new account, but you’re ready to listen in on the pitch or help the team with research. These will all be valuable learning experiences early in your career, so be a sponge."

Check out the full Article   View Gupta Media's company page

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Carolyn Pampino, Vice President User Experience at SmartBear

"Read obsessively. Not just design blogs & books, but business blogs and books, too. It’s important to learn the language of the business to align your work with business outcomes. Learn about leading change, about influencing without authority, and apply one lesson at a time. Then, when someone opens a door of opportunity, run through it with all your glorious superpowers!  "

Check out the full Article   View smartbear's COMPANY PAGE

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Erica Jenkins, Chief Product Officer at Crayon

"Be curious.  Coursework can only teach you frameworks in technology.  The more you dig into a business problem, the more you understand and generate empathy about how to solve it."

Check out the full Article   View crayon's COMPANY PAGE

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Terry Trail, Senior Manager of PMO at Paperless Parts

"Know that most people are happy to help you; don’t be afraid to reach out to people on LinkedIn / through your network to learn about their experiences and network with them. When you do meet to network, make it easy for them and come with questions so that they don’t have to drive the conversation."

Check out the full Article   View paperless parts' COMPANY PAGE

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Meg Lister, VP, Product & Operations at Flipside Crypto

"In general, I think the best advice is to follow your passions – even if they don’t lead to a clear change or growth in your career now, you will learn and work best when you’re passionate about the subject, and that opens doors!"

Check out the full Article   View flipside crypto's COMPANY PAGE

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Angela Cantu, Sr. Engagement Manager at Fairmarkit

"Be humble.  Be willing to learn ALL the time.  Volunteer for projects that are out of your comfort zone.  Don’t bring a problem without a Solution to your manager. And last, but not least, be passionate and love your work. Life is too short to not enjoy your career and personal life."

Check out the full Article   View fairmarkit's COMPANY PAGE

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Aoife Sullivan, Senior Director, Client Delivery at Vestmark

"Don’t be afraid to make the career choices that work for you and your family. When you’re ready, look for the opportunities that match your aspirations and speak up for yourself. Build strong relationships with your peers through your work and show that you can be counted on to do what you say you will do. If you are starting out as a manager, ask for a coach to help you as you navigate the new path. Look for mentors among the people you admire, ask for their guidance, and let them be your sounding board."

Check out the full Article   View vestmark's COMPANY PAGE

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Elizabeth Storti, Chief People Officer at PathAI

"Take chances and be curious! Focus on expanding your scope and impact while doing work that fuels you."

Check out the full Article   View pathai's COMPANY PAGE

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Ashima Dua, Director of B2B Product at Outcomes4Me

"You can switch roles anytime or multiple times in your career. Try something, and if you don’t like it, try sometime else. Be curious about the work at your company and learn if that may be a fit for you!"

Check out the full Article   View outcomes4me's COMPANY PAGE

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Alison Durant, Chief Marketing Officer at EngageSmart

"In terms of long-term career goals, I can’t stress the importance of working with people you can learn from. Much like sports, you only get stronger, smarter, and more skilled by playing with folks who excel in areas you don’t. Also keep in mind that if you have joined the right team, you bring a unique point-of-view and skillset to the job. You want to be around people who inspire you to learn and grow, but who also support your curiosity and build the confidence of the team in positive ways."

Check out the full Article   View engagesmart's COMPANY PAGE

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Anna Fisher, Chief Marketing Officer at Spiff

"Don’t get hung up on what title you think you should have, or the salary you believe you deserve. Just get in there, do the work, and get your hands dirty. If you work hard, you’ll move up quickly. If you can find something you love, things won’t feel as tedious along the way. Also, learn from others. Being new is actually a great opportunity, because there are so many smart people willing to help if you ask."

Check out the full Article   View spiff's COMPANY PAGE

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Christine Ho, Senior Director, Technical Programs Lead at Motional

"Don’t compare yourself to others. You are a unique individual on your own adventure: you get to define, learn, and iterate through every step in your career. Also, you are your own biggest cheerleader and advocate. This advice is especially relevant for women who often aren’t as vocal in advocating for their advancement, whether it’s taking on a new project, position, or raise."

Check out the full Article   View motional's COMPANY PAGE

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Lauren Hughes, Senior Director of Customer Success Strategy and Operations at Forrester

"I believe strongly in Daniel Pink’s work which states that the key drivers of motivation are mastery, autonomy, and purpose, with purpose as the main driver. Keep looking for the organization where you connect with the why; why the company exists. In that organization, you will find the most opportunity to grow and develop."

Check out the full Article   View forrrester's COMPANY PAGE

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Caitlin Reiche, Chief Commercial Officer at Zus Health

"I wish I could say I planned it, but of course much of the evolution of my career happened organically. Early on in my career, I didn’t think of myself as a salesperson. However, over time, I realized that external, strategic, customer and partner-facing conversations were the most invigorating parts of all of my roles - that introspection helped me realize that a Chief Commercial Officer or a go-to-market leadership position is the best fit for my interests and skills."

Check out the full Article   View zus health's COMPANY PAGE

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Sofia Kaufman, Chief People Officer at Aura

"You don’t need to know everything to do the job. Many times people (especially women) think that because they don’t meet every qualification on the job spec that they are not ready. Most people are willing to help you if you are willing to ask questions."

Check out the full Article   View aura's COMPANY PAGE

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Anita Peterson, VP of Client Services at InvoiceCloud

"Take every opportunity you get to get yourself in front of company leadership or a department you’re trying to work your way into—be prepared for these moments, because they can change your career. Don’t be afraid to take any entry-level position and work your way up to where you want to be.

And be yourself. I don’t believe in completely separating your work and home life. I want to work with well-rounded people because I think they make better colleagues. Tell me about your family, your hobbies, your favorite book. Let your sense of humor shine through. I want to work with YOU, not some anonymous corporate mannequin."

Check out the full Article   View invoicecloud's COMPANY PAGE

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Thuy Hill, Vice President, FP&A at PrismHR

"Don’t let your first job define your career. There are many graduates who know what they want to do coming out of college and it works for them. If you’re like me and not sure what you want/wanted to do, explore. You can refine your career along the way."

Check out the full Article   View prismhr's COMPANY PAGE

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Nicole Hildenbiddle, VP, User Experience at Rue Gilt Groupe

"There's a Martin Luther King Jr. quote that I revisit, which is: "You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step." I felt so much pressure to have it all figured out when I graduated college, but there was no way I could have foreseen how my journey would unfold. Each step introduces you to new people and opportunities, so forget about the five-year plan, focus on the now, and take your first step."

Check out the full Article   View rue gilt groupe's COMPANY PAGE

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Rachel Bates, Chief Revenue Officer at WorkStep

"The biggest piece of advice I can give is to build a 20-year network. Interactions with every single person you encounter are important. Every relationship at every level matters. Staying in touch with people and keeping the connection even after all the time has passed speaks volumes. You should always be thinking about long-term brand and that comes from the relationships you build."

Check out the full Article   View workstep's COMPANY PAGE

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Mariah Bridges, Sr. Director, Content & Community at InsideTracker

"I never thought my career would take me to where I am now, but I’m not surprised by it either. My only career goal has been to help people, grow outstanding communities, and learn along the way. So with that as a goal, I would say I’m right on track."

Check out the full Article   View insidetracker's COMPANY PAGE

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Holly Knights, VP, Digital Marketing & Analytics at SmartBear

"Don’t be too picky about finding a job. When you get one, use it as a learning experience and get as much as you can out of it. Learn the business, and always ask questions. If you start at a marketing agency, try and understand your clients’ businesses. It’s a unique opportunity to have a broad perspective across industries to see what works and why."

Check out the full Article   View smartbear's COMPANY PAGE

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Christina Nelson, VP of Sales at NuvoAir

"Don’t be afraid to fail or just start over. You’re not stuck in one path just because of your major. Find your passion and go for it."

Check out the full Article   View nuvoair's COMPANY PAGE

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Maayan Arbili, Senior Director of Customer Success at Aqua Security

"Don’t settle. Take the right role where you are happy, challenged and find the right cultural fit.   "

Check out the full Article   View aqua security's COMPANY PAGE

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Anupama Sharma, Senior Vice President Of Technology & Delivery at Actabl

"Take risks, don’t be afraid of failure – raise your hand to take on new opportunities even if you are new to the functional area. These are great learning experiences."

Check out the full Article   View actabl's COMPANY PAGE

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Nandini Karkare, VP of Sales Operations at EDB

"Be curious, ask questions. Sleep on it before you act or answer. And keep rolling the dice!"

Check out the full Article   View edb's COMPANY PAGE

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Mary Kaufman, SVP Product at Takeoff

"Find a job that sounds interesting to you and see where it takes you.  Remember the job you will love 20 years from now might not exist today so just build your skillset out and learn as much as you can.  So many career opportunities come from people you know or have worked with in the past, so keep in touch with those people you’ve enjoyed working with."

Check out the full Article   View takeoff's COMPANY PAGE

Our Lead(H)er series features impressive women leaders in the tech industry. In this Q&A, we are featuring Aoife Sullivan, Senior Director, Client Delivery at Vestmark.

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Where did you grow up and how would you describe yourself as a child?

I grew up in a town called Ballaghaderreen in County Roscommon in the West of Ireland. I am the eldest of four siblings, with three brothers, so growing up I was quite a tomboy, climbing trees, riding bikes, and generally getting into mischief and mayhem. When I wasn’t running around, my nose was buried in a book. I especially loved books that taught me how things worked. My favorite tv show was a BBC program called “Tomorrow’s World.” It felt quite futuristic at the time, although, of course, today we would laugh at it. I was curious, active, and restless as a child, and have been ever since. 

What did you study in college and what was your first job out of school?

I studied Applied Mathematics and Computer Science at the University of Limerick and truly loved every minute of my four years there. I met my husband Aidan and some of my dearest friends at UL. My first job was an internship with Microsoft. I worked as a QA analyst on the localization team that translated Visual Basic into French, Italian, and Spanish. 

Can you share the details on your career path and what were the critical moments that got you to where you are today?

I spent the first eight years of my career working in the telecommunications field, with a company called LogicaCMG, implementing text messaging software.  I worked on projects throughout Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and North America. As a twenty-something year old, I loved to travel, to meet new people, to experience different cultures, and to grow skills and confidence. I learned from many wonderful mentors along the way. One of the fascinating projects I worked on was the Iridium Project, a Motorola initiative where a constellation of satellites would allow subscribers to make phone calls or access data services from any global location. I worked on validating text messaging via satellite phone, timing the tests to when the satellite would pass overhead. 

In 2000 I moved to the US to work on a project with AT&T implementing the solution that would, for the next 15 years, count American Idol text messaging votes to choose the competition winners.  I found I loved living in New England, so with LogicaCMG’s help, I applied for my Green Card. After years of travel, I relished the idea of a home base. As luck would have it, I was offered a development role in a new team forming in the Lexington, Massachusetts office. Our team created enhancements for our billing solution. I really enjoyed the problem-solving and design aspects of software development, but I missed the human interaction of the implementation and client-facing sides of software delivery.

By 2006 I was ready for a change. I moved into the FinTech industry working with Linedata Services, a company that provides front office data management solutions for asset and fund managers. I started on the support team, learning the product, and, in particular, learning about our clients and their needs. Along the way I found crucial mentors who shaped my growth. One key mentor, Daniel Burstein, encouraged me to move into my first management role at Linedata. Before long I’d been given responsibility over both the production support teams for the front office product suite in Boston and the hedge fund products in New York. Managing two production support teams was definitely stressful at times. I think I’ve always been a capable communicator, but I had some lessons to learn about how best to communicate with those I managed. With the guidance of a management coach, I gained useful insights about my own personality, and how I mesh best with others. I tended to be a very direct person, almost blunt at times, who didn’t always see, or was perhaps unwilling to see, at times, the legitimate constraints others may face. My coach and mentors taught me to use my strengths to their best advantage, and to better read and respond to my team’s needs. With their help I gained the tools to meaningfully mentor my own team and foster their professional growth. I remain friends with many of the people I worked with at Linedata, some of whom followed me to my current company. This means a lot to me. 

I was ambitious, I was eager, and I’d found ways to grow. But certain notions of what success would demand of me held me back. Around this time, I attended a leadership seminar for professional women. A presentation on what it would take to rise through the ranks of leadership in corporate America left me stymied and perplexed. I’d just had my second child. The price it seemed I would be required to pay to stay on a management trajectory seemed overwhelming and exhausting. I wanted to simplify my relationship to work, not kick it into fifth gear. So rather than leveling up as a leader, I opted to revert back to an individual contributor role. I told myself it was simply to reduce my travel requirements, now that I was a mother of two small children. But that wasn’t the whole truth. It seemed to me that limiting my scope would help me control my destiny. Today, I regret such narrow thinking, but in this case, it did lead me in a direction that ultimately fostered my growth, my worries notwithstanding. 

I took opportunity to join the project management group at Linedata. Almost immediately, I found that I enjoyed the soup-to-nuts cycle of ensuring a successful project completion. My technical background enabled me to ask pertinent troubleshooting questions and successfully drive projects to completion. Soon, though, my restlessness kicked in again. It wasn’t enough to me to follow an adequate process successfully. I wanted to innovate by finding the ways a process could be improved and test the outcomes as we implemented our enhancements. I drove the restructuring of the project management function and the building out of a project management office.

In 2015 I received a phone call from Human Resources at Vestmark, a wealth management software company serving the managed account industry, asking if I’d like to interview for a project management role in their customer engineering team. I landed the job and was assigned to a major project for a key client while also building out the project management function. Three years ago, I returned to management with a new role at Vestmark within the project management team. I’ve subsequently taken over responsibility for additional teams including our products’ owners and our scrum masters. I now manage the three teams that help onboard new clients and manage upgrades of our software and delivery of enhancements.

What is your current role and responsibilities?

I am the Senior Director of Client Delivery at Vestmark.  My responsibilities include overseeing all of our client projects (new implementations, upgrades, delivery of enhancements, etc.). I manage three teams: our project management team, which works closely with our scrum teams and clients to manage the timely delivery of work; our product ownership team, which documents client requirements and then plans sprints with our scrum teams; and our scrum master team, which ensures the scrum teams can do their work by removing impediments and implementing process improvements to support productivity. 

Looking back, is this where you thought you’d be professionally?  Was it always your goal to be in this position?

Truthfully, I didn’t have a plan. I started university at 17 and I didn’t know what I wanted to do next. I chose to study math because it was my favorite subject. Microsoft was my first step into software, and it broadened my horizons about what was possible. Over the course of my career I’ve had the chance to work within almost every phase of the software development lifecycle: planning, design, development, QA, implementation, and maintenance. I got to try on all the hats. I’ve always known that I enjoy working with people. My experiences showed me that I enjoy working with clients and using software to help solve problems to make people’s lives easier.  

My career path hasn’t been a straight line, but there is a constant set of overlapping themes: wanting to learn more, to do more, and to improve processes along the way. Vestmark has provided me with a home where my restlessness and curiosity have been assets. These qualities have helped me build out teams and processes and guide them to continually strive to do better. 

In April of 2022 Vestmark nominated me to participate in a 15-month Money Management Institute Executive IQ Leadership Program, a joint effort of the University of Virginia Darden School of Business, Microsoft, and PricewaterhouseCoopers. The program provides senior leaders the hands-on education and the real-time skills and tools to make an immediate impact on their organizations. I’m in my second semester now. Though it’s challenging to be back at school while working full time as a mom of two, I see results, and that’s enormously fulfilling. 

For people who are looking to be in a similar position, what advice would you give to others in terms of helping them achieve their career goals?

Don’t be afraid to make the career choices that work for you and your family. When you’re ready, look for the opportunities that match your aspirations and speak up for yourself. Build strong relationships with your peers through your work and show that you can be counted on to do what you say you will do. If you are starting out as a manager, ask for a coach to help you as you navigate the new path. Look for mentors among the people you admire, ask for their guidance, and let them be your sounding board. 

What are the most important skills that you need to do your job well?

My job requires an ability to bring people together, to get buy-in to deliver on a shared purpose. When I can help a team overcome obstacles or manage through them and work to deliver on a common goal, I love the genuine camaraderie and the satisfaction that comes from a job well done. It gives me the energy and excitement to take on the next challenge.

What do you find most interesting/rewarding about your work?  What’s the most challenging?

Over the years I’ve had the chance to serve as a mentor and as a coach to my team members. The most rewarding aspect of my work is when I help a new team form, see them start working well together, and then watch them start delivering results and have fun doing it. Delivering software implementations, upgrades, and enhancements always presents challenges but if you are lucky enough to be part of a strong team, you can do an excellent job and enjoy the process.

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Q&A

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

I love to spend my free time with my family, going out for dinner with Aidan, and cheering on the sidelines of my daughter’s soccer games or at the ice rink watching my son’s hockey games.

How do you manage stress?

I walk, I go to the gym, and more recently, I’ve taken up tennis.

How many cups of coffee do you have in a day?

All the coffee!

Any book or podcast recommendations?

Professional – Leadership and Self-Deception: Getting Out of the Box - The Arbinger Institute. This book was recommended to by my current manager the main theme is that leadership isn’t about what we do, it’s about who we are. It powerfully teaches how to think out of the box, empathize with others, and understand their point of view. This book is a gut-check.  It reminds you that there are multiple sides to everything and to think before you speak.

Fun – Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine – Gail Honeyman. My book club read this book when it was first published. Eleanor’s story, the humor, the suspenseful subplot all make for a great book. It’s one of my favorites. 

What advice do you have for recent college graduates?

Don’t worry too much about having a plan all laid out. Try to figure out what you like doing, and look for a job you will enjoy most of the time, because if you like what you are doing and you can have fun with the people you are working with, you will apply yourself. When you do that, anything is possible.