What did you dream of doing when you were a little girl?
“A veterinarian or an author.”
Is there a particular female figure that inspires you ?
“It’s hard to pick just one. Mindy Kaling, who is obviously funny and smart. She has believed in her HBIC-ness in the face of a lot of adversity and found creative ways to make it happen. I love her quote, ‘Write your own part. It is the only way I’ve gotten anywhere. It is much harder work, but sometimes you have to take destiny into your own hands. It forces you to think about what your strengths really are, and once you find them, you can showcase them, and no one can stop you’.”
“ I also admire Brandi Carlile for her poise, talent, and ability to stand for and communicate what she believes in so effectively and gracefully.”
“And my dad recently gifted me the book Unbreakable by Richard Askwith—it’s about Lata Brandisová, famous Czech steeplechaser, Nazi resistor, feminist, and an all around woman of action. I’ve thought about her nearly every day since I read the book.”
Define a great leader—What are three traits you think great leaders possess?
“A great leader prioritizes the betterment and advancement of the people around them, is decisive but never too proud to be persuaded to change course, and stays calm in a crisis and focuses on solutions.”
What does gender equality mean to you?
“That women, like all human beings, should have the right to choose what they want out of their life without being limited by stereotypes, assumptions, or prejudices. And that without those limitations, women are pretty damn badass.”
What advice did you receive early in your career that has stayed with you?
“Never say, ‘I’. Always say, ‘we’.”
Based on your own experience, what advice would you give to women considering pursuing a career in marketing?
“Work hard. Find people who believe in you. Find people to believe in. Always believe you deserve big things. Never think you don’t have something to improve on.”
What main change would you like to see for young girls in the next generation?
“I want to see a generation of women who are so comfortable making huge assumptions about what they’re capable of that they can’t even recognize their assumptions. Be it women in technology, leadership or politics, I want to see a generation of women who don’t question what they’re capable of because of stereotypes or gendered insecurities that have crept into our psyches.”