Pledge 1%’s #WomenWhoLead series celebrates female leaders who are changing the world. Our leaders come from a variety of backgrounds and industries, and are all doing their part to have an impact in their communities and at their workplace. We’ve asked them to share a bit about their background and path to success.
What is your name and title?
Laura Galbraith, Community Engagement Program Manager at Vidyard.
Briefly (1-2 sentences) describe your current role.
I run the community social impact program at Vidyard. I work to build and implement Vidyard’s social impact programming through a variety of different initiatives and programs. The goal is to introduce giving back through volunteering as a way of life and business at Vidyard. I work with other local groups and committees to help build a stronger community for all.
What’s the best decision you’ve ever made?
When I was in university, I was painfully shy. I would purposely choose courses and classes where I didn’t have to talk or present. I knew I didn’t want this to continue to be a barrier for me in my life. Since then, I have tried to say yes to opportunities that would have sent me running before (presentations, workshops etc). Looking back now, I am glad I faced my fear.
What’s the number one challenge you face as a woman in your industry?
Instead of focusing on challenges, we need to focus on our responsibility to the next generation. We must continue to inspire the next generation of young women to pursue a career in technology and STEM fields. We must be there as mentors and role models to help break the glass ceiling
Do you have any mentors? What does mentorship mean to you?
I have different mentors for different areas of my life. Mentors can help push us personally and professionally. They can identify areas of growth needed in our life that sometimes we cannot see, and offer advice and lived experiences for similar situations. They can offer encouragement in situations and help us move toward our goals.
What advice do you have for women who are just starting their career?
Say yes to new challenges and risks. Put yourself out there. Some of my best decisions in my career, and life, have been the times I spoke up and raised my hand to take on something new.
Are you reading/listening to anything interesting at the moment? Please share your most recent favorite book or podcast!
A local podcast, Bossy Woman. It includes a lot of really great local content, but it also covers subjects that are universal.
Pledge 1%’s #WomenWhoLead series celebrates female leaders who are changing the world. Our leaders come from a variety of backgrounds and industries, and are all doing their part to have an impact in their communities and at their workplace. We’ve asked them to share a bit about their background and path to success.
What is your name and title?
Lindsey Kneuven, Chief Impact Officer of Pluralsight and Executive Director of Pluralsight One.
Briefly (1-2 sentences) describe your current role.
Maximizing the power of Pluralsight’s people, technology and resources to democratize tech skills and revolutionize the way the world learns technology.
I am responsible for transforming the way nonprofit and K-12 organizations and their learners gain tech skills through management of the Pluralsight One social enterprise, partnerships, grants, product development and volunteerism.
What’s the best decision you’ve ever made?
Working across sectors and roles within the social impact field has been transformative.
I have worked for an international humanitarian organization, both on the ground in rural Kenya and from the organization’s headquarters stateside. I have worked in the private sector in wealth management for a community foundation, a corporate foundation, a grant-making organization, as well as the first company to incorporate as a Benefit Corporation and then receive venture funding. I’ve also served on numerous boards.
The breadth of experience and exposure to the different goals, strategies and needs has exposed me to models that are shaping the future. It has better equipped me to lead with empathy while developing partnerships with diverse stakeholders and building to achieve humanitarian principles.
What’s the number one challenge you face as a woman in your industry?
I frequently face the misperception that the social sector and my role are based on emotion, caring and relationships, rather than strategy, expertise or data-driven decision-making.
What advice do you have for women who are just starting their career?
Develop mastery and apply the full force of your skills, passion and network to the problems you want to solve.
What woman inspires you the most? Why?
For me, it’s not about one woman in particular. I’m inspired by the unsung women and girls across our local and global communities who are overcoming tremendous odds every day to advocate for their rights and their access to education. They carve out the space to speak up and fight inequality and injustice so they can realize their potential and lead.
Are you reading/listening to anything interesting at the moment? Please share your most recent favorite book or podcast!
Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson and Afghanistan by Steve McCurry.
What’s something coming up that excites you?
Upcoming travel to visit our NGO partners. I love working alongside humanitarians and community members who are impacted by global challenges to solve big systemic problems.
Pledge 1%’s #WomenWhoLead series celebrates female leaders who are changing the world. Our leaders come from a variety of backgrounds and industries, and are all doing their part to have an impact in their communities and at their workplace. We’ve asked them to share a bit about their background and path to success.
What is your name and title?
Alia Daniels. Co-Founder and COO of Revry.
Briefly (1-2 sentences) describe your current role.
I am a socially conscious entrepreneur who found my niche at the intersection of entertainment, entrepreneurship and social impact as the co-founder and chief operating officer for Revry, a global queer streaming tv network.
As an advocate for inclusion for all underrepresented communities, the cornerstone of my personal mission is to create avenues for authentic representation in media and business.
What’s the best decision you’ve ever made?
Saying yes to creating Revry. Not just from a career standpoint, but also from a purpose standpoint. I am now actively working in a place where I can help people feel seen and know they are not alone.
What’s the number one challenge you face as a woman in your industry?
The number one challenge I face as a woman in the industry is the same advice I gave below; not being fearful to speak up, then keep speaking louder until you are heard.
What advice do you have for women who are just starting their career?
Don’t be afraid to use your voice. If you’re ignored, don’t be afraid to say it again. Sometimes you have to be your own advocate.
What woman inspires you the most? Why?
Bozoma Saint John. She is, by her own admission, a total bad ass. She walks into every room and is 100% authentically herself. It is such a beautiful and aspirational thing that I hope to be able to do.
Are you reading/listening to anything interesting at the moment? Please share your most recent favorite book or podcast!
My favorite podcast right now is Pod Save The People. In this current political climate, I appreciate the view points of these super brilliant hosts. Plus I am a huge Brittany Packnett-Cunningham fan.
What’s something coming up that excites you?
I’m incredibly excited to see all of the inroads being made by women, people of color, queer folks and all the ways those communities intersect in both media and business. Seeing folks who were traditionally ignored finding themselves in positions where they can make actual change is so exciting and inspiring to me.
Pledge 1%’s #WomenWhoLead series celebrates female leaders who are changing the world. Our leaders come from a variety of backgrounds and industries, and are all doing their part to have an impact in their communities and at their workplace. We’ve asked them to share a bit about their background and path to success.
What is your name and title?
Maggie Hureau, Head of Social Impact at Harry’s.
Briefly (1-2 sentences) describe your current role.
I get to lead the company’s social impact work and think about how we can do better in the world. Social impact here is comprised of two main areas. First and foremost, we donate 1 percent of sales — not profits or proceeds — to nonprofits that are helping us reach more men, and give them access to the mental healthcare they need. Second, I lead our high-five program where all full time U.S. employees get 5 paid days to give back to nonprofit organizations.
What’s the best decision you’ve ever made?
The best decision I’ve made is to stay at an organization and within a role for nearly 5 years (which is long in the nonprofit space). It helped me gain a deep understanding of the CSR/social impact/philanthropy field. While it didn’t feel like it at the time, that investment has paid off amazingly in my current role!
What’s the number one challenge you face as a woman in your industry?
I have the unique experience of being a women with our social mission serving, for the most part, men. It’s been an interesting experience. I was definitely overwhelmed at first at how often I was approached about having a social impact program that served a population that experiences privilege.
At first, I found myself really trying to back up the why behind the work — men are 3.5x more likely to die by suicide, 22 veterans take their own lives everyday, etc. Particularly in the beginning, I found it really hard to prove I had the right to work in this space given I don’t identify as a man.
Do you have any mentors? What does mentorship mean to you?
I have plenty of mentors — all of which I’ve previously worked with. Mentorship to me means everything! Nearly every big decision I’ve made in my career was talked through, in great detail, with one of my mentors.
To me, the greatest value add isn’t around exclusive professional topics, but where personal life and work collide. For example, how to manage my mental health in a particular stressful work scenario, or how to balance my work and personal life.
What advice do you have for women who are just starting their career?
If you find an organization that you deeply believe in, with a manager that you can learn from, stay put and don’t look for the next quick opportunity for growth or a heightened role!
In other words, don’t chase a title or move on before learning everything you can from that manager or position.
What woman inspires you the most? Why?
I’m inspired the most by people who are deeply empathetic for others. The people in my life that have every reason to shut down and not connect, but instead continue to dig deep to pause and try to understand what it’s like in someone else’s shoes. Those folks are incredibly inspiring to me.
When did your company join Pledge 1%? How long have you been working on your impact program?
We’ve been donating 1% of sales for the past 6 years ,so we’ve been here since the beginning! I worked on our impact program as a nonprofit partner for 4 years and have led this program for the past 2 years.
Are you reading/listening to anything interesting at the moment? Please share your most recent favorite book or podcast!
I’m really excited to start reading For the Love of Men: A New Vision for Mindful Masculinity by Liz Plank! By the sounds of it, the book is incredibly relevant to the work we are doing in mental health for men.
What’s something coming up that excites you?
In addition to managing our social impact program at Harry’s, I also get to lead our social mission for Flamingo, our women’s brand! We’ve donated big in our first year. Now in our second year, we’ll lean in to our nonprofit partners more than ever and make a real impact on women and their relationship to their bodies. Stay tuned for more soon!
Originally posted: March 20, 2020
Pledge 1%’s #WomenWhoLead series celebrates female leaders who are changing the world. Our leaders come from a variety of backgrounds and industries, and are all doing their part to have an impact in their communities and at their workplace. We’ve asked them to share a bit about their background and path to success.
What is your name and title?
Erin Baudo Felter, VP of Social Impact at Okta.
Briefly (1-2 sentences) describe your current role.
I lead Okta’s Corporate Social Impact Initiative, Okta for Good, which directs our technology, employee and financial resources to mission-driven organizations around the world.
What’s the best decision you’ve ever made?
Investing in my professional relationships and network. There is no way my career could have grown in the way that it has without an intentional investment in these relationships. In particular in the small world of social impact, where the field is still emerging, being able to learn from – and with – my peers throughout the various stages of my career has been a game changer.
I’m not talking about going to a networking event once a quarter. I’m talking about building real relationships, investing in them, going out of my way to hop on the phone or answer a text or share a playbook.
The best part is that our field is full of wonderful, generous people aligned around a common goal of leaving the world a little better than we found it. That alignment has made my professional relationships much deeper and more fulfilling than I ever thought possible.
What’s the number one challenge you face as a woman in your industry?
I’m just going to say it: imposter syndrome. I have had a textbook case of it for most of my career!
It helped me so much the first time I simply put a name to it. It helped even more when I started to lean into my curiosity about it. Two of my favorite reads about this topic are The Secret Thoughts of Successful Women: Why Capable People Suffer from the Impostor Syndrome and How to Thrive in Spite of It and The Confidence Gap.
Recently, I’ve done some intentional work with more direct coaching and support to try and shed the imposter mindset once and for all. If you’re in the middle of that journey, you are not alone! Keep going. There is clarity and confidence on the other side, I promise.
Do you have any mentors? What does mentorship mean to you?
I have never uttered the words “Would you be my mentor?” Yet, I feel I’ve had many mentors throughout my career. I believe mentorship has to develop organically and that you really can find it anywhere. You can find it in long-term relationships or in powerful moments and conversations; in leaders much more senior than you or in peers.
What advice do you have for women who are just starting their career?
Be gentle on yourself! We are all our own worst critics. I spent the first 5 years of my early career obsessing over how far I was from where I thought I should be and feeling discouraged and lost.
The truth is, it does feel like that in the early days, but that’s because you’re building your experience, trying things and figuring out what sparks you. There will come a time when that knowledge, experience and confidence builds up and you suddenly realize you’re the expert in the room.
What woman inspires you the most? Why?
My aunt. She built a technology company in the 80s and took it public during a time where she truly was the only woman in the room. When I think about how we are all standing on the shoulders of those who came before us, I think of her.
Are you reading/listening to anything interesting at the moment? Please share your most recent favorite book or podcast!
I re-read Radical Candor recently. It is so solid when it comes to management books that resonate with the kind of leader I actually want to be. For fun (fun for an anthropology major), I’m reading The Ohlone Way which is a beautiful little book about the life and culture of the indigenous people of the SF Bay Area.
What’s something coming up that excites you?
This is a big year for Okta for Good. We’re growing our team and stepping into some new and deeper work in the areas we care about. In particular, we are expanding nonprofit technology enablement. Stay tuned for more details!
Originally posted: March 19, 2020
Pledge 1%’s #WomenWhoLead series celebrates female leaders who are changing the world. Our leaders come from a variety of backgrounds and industries, and are all doing their part to have an impact in their communities and at their workplace. We’ve asked them to share a bit about their background and path to success.
What is your name and title?
Melynnie Rizvi, Director of Employment, Inclusion and Impact at SurveyMonkey.
Briefly (1-2 sentences) describe your current role.
As an experienced employment attorney, I develop strategic partnerships with HR professionals and executives in order to advise on employment law issues both domestically and globally.
As a CSR professional, I am responsible for the development and implementation of global Corporate Social Responsibility and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion programs.
What’s the best decision you’ve ever made?
Taking the opportunity to build a social impact and diversity, equity and inclusion strategy and program. I had never done it before when offered the opportunity.
I have learned so much and what I have learned has been an amazing compliment to the work that I do as an employment attorney.
What’s the number one challenge you face as a woman in your industry?
Balancing my ambition and drive to grow and succeed while making time for myself and my family.
Do you have any mentors? What does mentorship mean to you?
Yes, I have had mentors during my career and I have mentored others during my career. Mentorship is incredibly important. I have learned many valuable lessons from my mentors and having someone who will also champion my work has been incredibly important to my success.
What advice do you have for women who are just starting their career?
Learn as much as you can about the business or industry that you work in and how what you do can add value.
It is not enough to work hard. You have to understand how what you do benefits the business that you are in.
Also, don’t be afraid to ask for what you want. The worst that can happen is someone says no.
What woman inspires you the most? Why?
My mom. She never had a career and raised me by herself and always struggled to do so. She always pushed me to have a better life than she did, to get an education and to be able to take care of myself and my family.
Are you reading/listening to anything interesting at the moment? Please share your most recent favorite book or podcast!
I am currently reading Know My Name, which is Chanel Miller’s memoir. She was the young woman who was sexually assaulted by the Stanford water polo player.
The way she tells her story of what she went through and the persecution she suffered because she came forward is so moving and impactful. It also makes me realize that we have so much more work to do in changing our mindset to support women and not judge them.
What’s something coming up that excites you?
I am excited for the continued opportunity to make an impact in our local communities and to help create a more equitable and just world for my 9-year-old son.
Originally posted: March 18, 2020
Pledge 1%’s #WomenWhoLead series celebrates female leaders who are changing the world. Our leaders come from a variety of backgrounds and industries, and are all doing their part to have an impact in their communities and at their workplace. We’ve asked them to share a bit about their background and path to success.
What is your name and title?
Alexandra Gobbi, CMO at Code42 Software.
Briefly (1-2 sentences) describe your current role.
As CMO, I am responsible for the company’s global product marketing, brand development, corporate communications, demand generation, marketing operations and field marketing activities.
What’s the best decision you’ve ever made?
Be open to opportunities as they arise. My career path has taken me along roles that I would not have deliberately mapped out. However, looking back, they each contributed to shaping who I am today. Some roles have given me specific functional skills, others have taken me on geographic journeys. Most of all, each role has helped me define my leadership style and values.
What’s the number one challenge you face as a woman in your industry?
I am very lucky that there are a number of female B2B tech CMOs and I feel well supported by this tribe.
Do you have any mentors? What does mentorship mean to you?
I have been fortunate to work with and alongside some incredible leaders and have been exposed to career marketers along the way. Many have provided guidance and often unique perspectives that have helped me make better decisions. Sometimes it’s the most powerful questions and statements that make you reframe how you operate, like “You’ve got another run in you!”.
I think that is what mentorship means to me – the ability to reframe and refocus a situation and the surge of energy and support you need to get through.
What advice do you have for women who are just starting their career?
Speak up. Coming from a European education, I was brought up to listen and engage only when called upon. I learned later in life that my perspectives, questions and insights were just as valid as those of others in the room.
No one has the answer, but together we can determine a better solution to a problem and it requires everyone to engage.
Women need to feel comfortable asking tough questions and advocating for themselves. The earlier you start, the easier it becomes.
What woman inspires you the most? Why?
There are many women across the world that have inspired me for their courage, authenticity and leadership. Specifically, the following come to mind. Debra Searle for her courage as she decided to row across the Atlantic solo and after her husband succumbed to open water anxiety. Also, Christine Lagarde, the current president of the European Central Bank for her global influence in the male-dominated financial sector.
Are you reading/listening to anything interesting at the moment? Please share your most recent favorite book or podcast!
I recently have started to run and love listening to various marketing (B2B Growth), leadership (Ted WorkLife) and neuroscience (Hidden Brain) podcasts while running. I’m currently reading The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg and am fascinated by the impact one small change can have on one’s life.
What’s something coming up that excites you?
My youngest son is graduating from high school this year and my husband and I will join the empty nesters club. I’m excited to see my kids spread their wings and find their passions. I’m also looking forward to fun weekend escapes with my husband.
Originally posted: March 16, 2020
Pledge 1%’s #WomenWhoLead series celebrates female leaders who are changing the world. Our leaders come from a variety of backgrounds and industries, and are all doing their part to have an impact in their communities and at their workplace. We’ve asked them to share a bit about their background and path to success.
What is your name and title?
Kara Goldin, Founder and CEO of Hint, Inc.
Briefly (1-2 sentences) describe your current role.
I disrupted the beverage industry with a delicious, purpose-driven brand that helps people lead healthier lives without compromising on enjoyment.
Hint continues to drive growth and gain market share in retail, DTC and Food Service. From the #1 flavored water without sugar, diet sweeteners or preservatives, to a cult-favorite SPF 30 oxybenzone and paraben-free sunscreen, to our brand new plant-based and aluminum-free deodorant, I’m always thinking of ways to solve problems with healthier-for-you solutions.
What’s the best decision you’ve ever made?
Trusting my gut and investing in myself. When we started Hint, I was solving a problem and realized I could extrapolate the solution to help everyone.
I feel strongly that a purpose-driven company with an authentic story will resonate best with consumers; and therefore, experience a natural accelerated growth trajectory. It all started with word of mouth from my family, friends and wonderful supporters in the corporate world. Hint has been called the “unofficial drink of Silicon Valley” since the early days, due to the amount consumed at major tech companies like Google, Facebook, Uber, Instagram, Yelp, Hulu and Spotify.
What’s the number one challenge you face as a woman in your industry?
When I first went to the experts, people constantly told me that what I wanted to do (create a great tasting, unsweetened flavored water with no sugar, diet sweeteners or preservatives) was impossible. One executive even said, “Sweetie, people like sweet.”
It was a challenge, but ultimately it forced me to challenge them right back and go where no one else had been. It made me an innovator, a disruptor and an unexpected competitor.
Do you have any mentors? What does mentorship mean to you?
I do have mentors. Most of them are from other industries. Their experience and wisdom is precious to me.
I truly value mentorship, which is why I started The Kara Network. The Kara Network is a mentoring platform to help other entrepreneurs. I also have a podcast called Unstoppable, where I interview other disruptors across a variety of industries.
I believe that hearing fellow entrepreneurs’ stories and providing helpful insights can help other people who are interested in similar endeavors.
What advice do you have for women who are just starting their career?
You can do anything if you set your mind to it. If you have an idea that excites you, solves a problem and can change people’s lives, go for it!
Turn nos into yeses and the impossible into a recipe for success.
Follow your passion, work hard and don’t give up. Tap into your curiosity and discovery. Don’t just accept what you see. Remember it’s a journey and it may not happen overnight. However, when it does, it will be very rewarding.
What woman inspires you the most? Why?
Ruth Bader Ginsberg! She paved a path for all of us and she continues to fight for what’s right with grace and grit. She’s an icon; a truly evolved woman who inspires me all the time!
Are you reading/listening to anything interesting at the moment? Please share your most recent favorite book or podcast!
Scott Galloway’s Section 4 Podcast. It’s very funny as Scott has a dry sense of humor, but it is also super educational. He really does the homework!
What’s something coming up that excites you?
My first book, Undaunted, will be coming out this fall with Harper Leadership. I’m hopeful that what I share will help others get “undaunted” and move past their fears toward a journey of success. It’s another way of paying it forward.
Pledge 1%’s #WomenWhoLead series celebrates female leaders who are changing the world. Our leaders come from a variety of backgrounds and industries, and are all doing their part to have an impact in their communities and at their workplace. We’ve asked them to share a bit about their background and path to success.
What is your name and title?
Janelle Crockett, Data Analyst at Zylo.
Briefly (1-2 sentences) describe your current role.
My primary responsibility is to identify and provide actionable insights on customer data. Utilizing my skills with SQL database structures and python coding, I ensure that the data is not only accurate, but provides high levels of utility for clients.
What’s the best decision you’ve ever made?
Take risks, pursue work that I am passionate about and push myself beyond what I think I am capable of. Through that, I can find out what I can truly do.
Do you have any mentors? What does mentorship mean to you?
Yes. To me, mentorship is about finding some connection with, and receiving guidance from, a more experienced person in the field that you hope to move towards.
True mentorship involves some level of regularity. The best mentors have a buy in with the mentee. They are as invested in helping them grow as the mentee is in growing.
What advice do you have for women who are just starting their career?
Don’t be afraid to take risks. Remember that whenever you come up short, use that as a learning opportunity. Life has no shortage of growth opportunities and it is up to you to pursue them.
What’s something coming up that excites you?
My background and experience is with philanthropy and I am increasingly fascinated by how for-profit companies like Zylo set time and funds aside to give back to the community.
Twice a year we hold Zylo on the Streets. Zylo on the Streets is where the full team takes the afternoon to volunteer at a variety of nonprofit organizations. It’s always a joy to see everyone so invested in the community. Seeing these afternoon sessions grow with each iteration is really special and touching.
Originally posted: March 13, 2020