Pledge 1%’s #WomenWhoLead series celebrates female leaders who are paving the way for the next generation. While our featured leaders come from a variety of backgrounds and industries, they are united in their efforts to promote equality for all women in the workplace. We’ve asked them to share a bit about their journey to success, as well as lessons they’ve learned along the way.

What is your name and title?

Anneke Forzani, President and Founder at Language Lizard.

Briefly (1-2 sentences) describe your current role.

I oversee all aspects of Language Lizard, a small business that publishes and distributes children’s resources in over 50 languages to schools, libraries and literacy organizations. We support multicultural education and culturally responsive teaching.

How did you get here? Please share any quick stories from past work experiences.

I spent several years working as a marketing manager for a large telecommunications company, serving immigrant communities that spoke Arabic, Russian, and Polish. I recognized that most companies were not focusing on these communities and, as such, often their needs were not being met. At the same time, I was studying children’s writing and graphic design to engage the creative side of my brain “for fun”. These two experiences led me to develop a business that would provide children’s books in home languages for communities that did not have high quality literacy materials in their languages.

In your opinion, what’s the #1 decision or move you’ve made that has helped advance your career?

For several years, I worked with a professor of education and some graduate students on a book that would support teachers in developing culturally responsive classrooms, helping diverse students thrive both academically and socially. The book was a culmination of years of working with teachers of diverse students, and the book was published at the end of 2019. This book has helped to position our company as a leader in promoting diversity education.

What is the most important lesson you’ve learned this past year?

If sales are slow due to circumstances beyond your control, find important work to do to set your company and yourself up for success when things get back to normal.

What’s the number one challenge you face as a woman in your industry?

I interact with many women educators and literacy professionals, so being a woman has not been a hindrance in my current career. What has been a challenge, is being a working mother, particularly during a year like this – when children do not have their regular routines, and normal support structures are unavailable. This year has forced me to focus and prioritize more than ever before.

Do you have any mentors? What does mentorship mean to you?

I had a great mentor for many years in my previous company. She was a senior executive and helped me to move to many different, interesting positions throughout the company. She is an amazing example of strong, female leadership, and showed me how to lead successfully with high expectations AND compassion for members of your team. I think a good mentor or role model can help you learn how to lead, and can provide opportunities for success.

What advice do you have for women who are just starting their career?

You can learn from both great managers and from those who are not so good. Find traits that you want to emulate as well as those that you want to avoid. Also, make sure you are always learning. If you are not learning, then see if you can move to a new opportunity (even if it’s in the same company) where you will learn and grow.

What is one thing companies can do, big or small, to help create an environment that advances women into leadership positions?

Offer an ability to move through different roles in the company to grow and learn new skills. Also, allow women, and all employees, to manage their schedules flexibly so they can succeed at work and at home.

What is one thing you hope to accomplish in the next year?

Provide books in some new languages, including some indigenous languages.

Is there a cause that is particularly close to you? If so, why this cause and how did you get involved?

Room to Read – they support global literacy and girls education, two causes that are close to my heart. They also have a program where they mentor writers and illustrators in developing countries to help develop talent around the world. I learned about the organization from a friend who is the head of a NJ chapter.

When did your company join Pledge 1%? What does your impact program mean to you?

Early 2020. We support an organization that promotes diversity in children’s books, and also Room to Read and some smaller programs. It is extremely meaningful to support literacy and educational initiatives throughout the world which will help bring people out of poverty, and also will help build community in diverse classrooms.

What do you like to do outside of the office? Any interesting (or unique) habits or interests?

I love to visit national parks, hike, and challenge myself physically. Two years ago, I hiked up half dome in Yosemite National Park which was a huge accomplishment for me as I have a fear of heights. I also try to train once a year for sprint triathlons.

Are you reading/listening to anything interesting at the moment? Please share your most recent favorite book or podcast!

I just discovered a new podcast called the Superhuman Project Podcast. The Superhuman Project is “an effort to help individuals become the best version of themselves & live their full potential.”

What’s been the one (or two!) things that have helped you navigate this past year? Any tips or tricks to dealing with remote work?

Breath. I began meditating and have been learning to become more present in the moment, focusing on the here and now rather than worrying about the future.

You can learn more about our company with this 5 minute video.

Pledge 1%’s #WomenWhoLead series celebrates female leaders who are paving the way for the next generation. While our featured leaders come from a variety of backgrounds and industries, they are united in their efforts to promote equality for all women in the workplace. We’ve asked them to share a bit about their journey to success, as well as lessons they’ve learned along the way.

What is your name and title?

Deena Tearney, CEO at Pacific Point Inc.

Briefly (1-2 sentences) describe your current role.

Pacific Point is a Salesforce consulting firm, rooted in Honolulu, Denver and Sydney. My role is to lead the strategy and growth of the company.

In your opinion, what’s the #1 decision or move you’ve made that has helped advance your career?

To always be learning. I have realized that I have so much to learn, every single day.

What is the most important lesson you’ve learned this past year?

Despite the pandemic, Pacific Point had the incredible honor to be recognized by Inc. 5000 alongside so many impressive businesses. This ranking is not only a testament to excellence of our consulting team, but also highlights the growing need for technology solutions that strengthen businesses and enable personalized customer experiences. Now, more than ever, we are hyper-focused on delivering valuable Salesforce solutions and business results for our clients.

What’s the number one challenge you face as a woman in your industry?

As a woman in technology, which is male dominated, I work hard at finding the balance of being an empathetic leader as well as a boss. However through my leadership style, I am proud to say that once people join our company, they rarely leave unless its personal reasons or moving cities. I am very proud of building this work family.

Do you have any mentors? What does mentorship mean to you?

Mentorship has been an important part of my career development. My primary approach to mentorship is through indirect mentors. I felt that I would gain the most value by watching closely how leaders and peers handled situations in my day-to-day job and situations I knew and understood well. I would ask colleagues their perspectives on things that were happening right in front of us. For me, it is a very practical form of mentorship in what to do (and what not to do) without those people even realizing they were mentoring me. I think what is key in mentorship is that you still trust your own intuition.

What advice do you have for women who are just starting their career?

Starting your career is the time to focus on learning and build skills and experience. Hard work and taking ownership are essential throughout your career. I like this quote on Instagram, “Instead of begging for a seat, build your own table”.

Seek opportunities and work hard, you got this!

What is one thing you hope to accomplish in the next year?

I founded Pacific Point with the goal of bringing CRM and Salesforce to the Hawaii market. Seven years later, Pacific Point is the state’s leading Salesforce consulting firm and is currently Hawaii’s only consulting firm that is a certified Salesforce partner. Growing nationally and internationally has been extremely exciting, although there was definitely a learning curve. Because of the challenges with traveling to our Sydney and Singapore offices, my goal for this year is to focus on our growth in the Denver area, and to connect with community in all of the cities we have offices in.

Is there a cause that is particularly close to you? If so, why this cause and how did you get involved?

I have a passion for encouraging youth to pursue careers in business, leadership, and
technology. I support various youth programs that are focused on topics such as STEM, Women in Business and Leadership, and Women in Technology. My career in technology has been really rewarding for me, so I want to encourage young women to consider careers in this field.

When did your company join Pledge 1%? What does your impact program mean to you?

Pacific Point joined Pledge 1% in December of 2019. We actually have had our impact program running for several years but felt it was time to “make it official.” We love volunteering our time to inspire students, especially girls, to pursue careers in technology through hands-on workshops and professional mentoring. Recently, we taught a hands-on workshop to junior high women on building a lemonade stand on the Salesforce platform.

What do you like to do outside of the office? Any interesting (or unique) habits or interests?

In my spare time, I love to golf – it’s a great mental game for me. I get distracted with a lot of things throughout the day and many different things happening at once. I love clearing my head when I play golf and focusing on one thing – hitting the ball. Fresh air and playing with a friend is also a huge plus!

Are you reading/listening to anything interesting at the moment? Please share your most recent favorite book or podcast!

I’m a huge fan of Gary Vaynerchuk and listen to his podcast in the car if I’m not on calls or with family. He is such an inspiration to me with his raw communication on positivity, gratefulness, and kindness, yet counter-balanced with his grit to work hard and fight for the win. His insights on marketing bring me a lot of value as well!

What’s been the one (or two!) things that have helped you navigate this past year? Any tips or tricks to dealing with remote work?

We sent special packages out to our employees with a Pacific Point trucker hat and a bottle of wine. (Many thanks to 1813 in Australia as well as Empathy Wines and Darioush in Napa Valley, CA for making it happen!) Then we put on our company hats, poured ourselves a glass, and signed on for some much-needed (re)bonding. It was a great chance to rehash old office jokes, nerd out about shared interests, and generally reconnect with some of the people we’ve been missing. As an added bonus, we strengthened our international bonds that in the past relied on long plane flights to build and maintain.

I know logging into a meeting with no agenda can seem daunting for some teams. If that’s a concern for you, sending items for the meeting can help break the ice or have a few non-work topics ready just in case. Once the ball is rolling, your team will remember what it’s like to…well… be a team.

Pledge 1%’s #WomenWhoLead series celebrates female leaders who are paving the way for the next generation. While our featured leaders come from a variety of backgrounds and industries, they are united in their efforts to promote equality for all women in the workplace. We’ve asked them to share a bit about their journey to success, as well as lessons they’ve learned along the way.

What is your name and title?

Renee Barker, Food System Sustainability Manager at Postmates Civic Labs.

Briefly (1-2 sentences) describe your current role.

As part of the Civic Labs social impact team, I positively impact neighborhoods through community engagement and innovative technology solutions. I head up our work that tackles food security and sustainability across the communities we operate in.

How did you get here? Please share any quick stories from past work experiences.

I have been involved in various aspects of sustainability in my career, but really honed in on food security in my role at Postmates. I believe it is important to look at a broad view of how we can affect the food system as a delivery company and make an impact in the environmental, social, and economic sectors. Recently, I was really excited to work on our partnership to purchase and donate meals from Black-owned restaurants to those that are feeding the hungry in their communities. We have also been working to empower restaurants to donate food easily through our FoodFight program to assist their neighbors in need.

In your opinion, what’s the #1 decision or move you’ve made that has helped advance your career?

Being open to learning from others has been incredible! Engaging with other companies on their social impact programs and learnings through Pledge 1% has been extremely helpful. Also, having the support to pursue my continuing education in Product Management through General Assembly has helped inform how I tackle projects and interact with our team.

What is the most important lesson you’ve learned this past year?

The importance of community. Many of us faced a challenging year both personally and professionally, and it is so important to come together virtually to keep the connections we have to support and uplift each other. It can be challenging to engage with others while staying at home – but the connection is what a lot of us need to stay motivated, happy, and ready to tackle anything.

What’s the number one challenge you face as a woman in your industry?

There is still a lot of room for improvement in terms of equity for women in the tech industry – from equal pay, to funding, to representation in senior leadership roles.

Do you have any mentors? What does mentorship mean to you?

There are so many people that I look up to and seek advice from as mentors! To me, mentorship is about listening and guiding, and offering expertise to help you find the answers yourself.

What advice do you have for women who are just starting their career?

Be open to change and seize opportunities when you see them! It’s okay for there to be some uncertainty in your career path – I never thought I would have ended up where I am today when I graduated. Always value learning and growing, and remember that the world is always changing and your priorities may change as well.

What is one thing companies can do, big or small, to help create an environment that advances women into leadership positions?

Be supportive of each other and advocate for clear career pathing and opportunities for advancement at your company. Invest in the women at your company to grow into leadership roles.

What is one thing you hope to accomplish in the next year?

A lot of my professional goals are centered in making a positive impact at a large scale. I hope to continue to grow and strengthen the programs that I work on, and grow my own professional skills in more technical aspects.

Is there a cause that is particularly close to you? If so, why this cause and how did you get involved?

My passion for sustainability stems from my love of nature and the outdoors. Systems and connections in nature is well studied, but in our complicated globalized economy it can be hard to see the links and ways to increase equity and reduce waste across so many sectors. I hope to bring more clarity to building a more equitable and circular economy that brings resources to those who are in need.

When did your company join Pledge 1%? What does your impact program mean to you?

I am so proud of Postmates for joining Pledge 1% and for tackling so much with such a small team. As our company grows in new markets, our potential impact is also growing to meet the needs of communities we operate in across the country.

What do you like to do outside of the office? Any interesting (or unique) habits or interests?

I’ve reinvigorated my hobby of embroidery! My knots are messy and it doesn’t look great, but I am enjoying learning new techniques and working on a new creative outlet!

Are you reading/listening to anything interesting at the moment? Please share your most recent favorite book or podcast!

Untamed: The Wildest Woman in America and the Fight for Cumberland Island by Will Harlan is an amazing story that I hope everyone can check out and be inspired by!

What’s been the one (or two!) things that have helped you navigate this past year? Any tips or tricks to dealing with remote work?

What helps me is to be deliberate at setting aside time to be away from technology and staring at a screen. It is easy to be connected at all times and always looking at my laptop, but I feel so much better when I can go for a walk without my phone notifications or play with my dog in the yard for a break every day.

Pledge 1%’s #WomenWhoLead series celebrates female leaders who are paving the way for the next generation. While our featured leaders come from a variety of backgrounds and industries, they are united in their efforts to promote equality for all women in the workplace. We’ve asked them to share a bit about their journey to success, as well as lessons they’ve learned along the way.

What is your name and title?

Peggy O’Flaherty, Co-Founder & Chief Community Officer of Mavely.

Briefly (1-2 sentences) describe your current role.

As CCO, I bring together over 25,000 women and 300 plus brands, mostly female-founded, to empower growth. The women are creating income and content, and the brands are acquiring customers at a lower cost and gaining a higher lifetime value of a customer from trusted referrals.

How did you get here? Please share any quick stories from past work experiences.

Mavely is my 4th company. I have spent my entire career building up women and women businesses, as well as women’s faith. I strongly encourage women to reach out and offer a hand to support another women on their journey. I admire men that do that for women as well. My last investor and I made an enormous impact in the church and tech space, and we took those learns to build Mavely – with the goal of empowering everyday women and brands.

In your opinion, what’s the #1 decision or move you’ve made that has helped advance your career?

Making a decision to take the gifts and talents that have been given to me and use them as a channel of love to build others up. Living with a spirit of generosity has helped me advance my career. As well as being transparent about the fact that for me, work comes second to raising my 5 children.

What is the most important lesson you’ve learned this past year?

In the midst of 2020, that old saying of hindsight is 2020 couldn’t be more true. Looking back, living life with childlike curiosity and vulnerability has really helped me persevere through personal challenges. It also helped me build trust in my team, foster better relationships with customers, and ensure trust with my investors.

What’s the number one challenge you face as a woman in your industry?

Maintaining my voice and standing tall in my strengths.

Do you have any mentors? What does mentorship mean to you?

Yes, I have several mentors in various areas of life. Mentorship is huge for me as a way of giving back. I have 13 interns right now, and through Pledge 1% we are working with Technovation, assisting teen girls in STEM to build apps that change the world.

What advice do you have for women who are just starting their career?

Build a business and life that you are passionate about, stay true to your North Star, run your business focussed on KPI and OKR, understand the numbers, and learn quickly how to trust your gut.

What is one thing companies can do, big or small, to help create an environment that advances women into leadership positions?

Ensure that everyone has an equal voice across all areas of the organization. When women are using their voice and strengths, they will naturally rise to the top.

What is one thing you hope to accomplish in the next year?

A mission trip to Africa.

Is there a cause that is particularly close to you? If so, why this cause and how did you get involved?

Watts of Love brings solar lights and economic stability to the poorest regions of the world, replacing kerosene. The money they save on not buying kerosene (an extremely toxic and fire hazard) is used to purchase pigs, goats and supplies for their farms. Extra light extends their day for learning and family time.

When did your company join Pledge 1%? What does your impact program mean to you?

We joined Pledge 1% in Fall 2020. Having our entire team rally around an organization that we can impact has brought great momentum and helped us increase the spirit of giving back.

What do you like to do outside of the office? Any interesting (or unique) habits or interests?

Building experiences with my 5 children, cooking, travelling, and being active and in nature.

Are you reading/listening to anything interesting at the moment? Please share your most recent favorite book or podcast!

The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership and Draw The Circle.

What’s been the one (or two!) things that have helped you navigate this past year? Any tips or tricks to dealing with remote work?

Meditation.

Pledge 1%’s #WomenWhoLead series celebrates female leaders who are paving the way for the next generation. While our featured leaders come from a variety of backgrounds and industries, they are united in their efforts to promote equality for all women in the workplace. We’ve asked them to share a bit about their journey to success, as well as lessons they’ve learned along the way.

What is your name and title?

Julia Robinson, Sustainability Program Manager at Atlassian.

Briefly (1-2 sentences) describe your current role.

As a founding member of Atlassian’s Sustainability Team, I work on projects that deliver measurable, meaningful impact across the issue areas that we’ve prioritized as a company – climate change, human rights, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. I lead our sustainability reporting strategy and human rights and ethics focus area.

How did you get here? Please share any quick stories from past work experiences.

I’ve always looked for roles where I’m trying to change the status quo or work within systems to change them for the better. I started my career in women’s empowerment and global health in Sierra Leone and South Africa, before coming back to the United States to work on corporate sustainability and responsibility. I’ve done a lot of searching in my career! Every job I’ve had has helped me hone my purpose and my “theory of change” – basically how I want to make a difference in my small corner of the world.

In your opinion, what’s the #1 decision or move you’ve made that has helped advance your career?

My privilege has given me access to opportunities that absolutely helped me advance my career. So, I don’t want to imply that one lucky move got me where I am today. The decision to join a tech company after only working at nonprofits very much felt like a leap of faith – one that I’m glad I made! It’s given me the opportunity to learn about entirely new ways of working and thinking, in addition to being able to make a tangible difference within and beyond my organization.

What is the most important lesson you’ve learned this past year?

It’s OK to ask for help – whether that’s time off, seeking out therapy, or support from a loved one or colleague.

What’s the number one challenge you face as a woman in your industry?

As a white, cis-gendered woman in sustainability and tech, the challenge is always asking whether what I’m doing or how I’m going about things is holding up systems and structures that continue to perpetuate discrimination, bias, and inequity against BIPOC and people of under-represented identities. This is an ongoing conversation I have with myself (and others!).

Do you have any mentors? What does mentorship mean to you?

For me, mentorship is about an exchange, and it comes in many forms. I learn from peers, from people I mentor, from leaders and managers, and from loved ones.

What advice do you have for women who are just starting their career?

Don’t be afraid to spend some time searching for what gives you meaning and purpose. Also, set up strong work/life boundaries – once you get into the “grind culture” mindset, it’s really hard to stop.

What is one thing companies can do, big or small, to help create an environment that advances women into leadership positions?

Companies should look at the data first to understand where the issues are. Likely what’s required is going to be deep structural shifts, and it might not be something that immediately feels good or can be turned into a positive news story. And companies need to challenge themselves to think intersectionally. It isn’t enough to only advance the careers of cis-gendered white women.

What is one thing you hope to accomplish in the next year?

I’d like to keep seeking out joy and intention in both my career and my personal life.

Is there a cause that is particularly close to you? If so, why this cause and how did you get involved?

Although I get a lot out of my job, I also have volunteered for political campaigns and causes, especially in the past four years or so. Lots of phone banking, door knocking (when that was safe to do!), and other forms of organizing to get out the vote. I think civic engagement is a vital responsibility. A lot of people undervalue how much of a difference it can have.

When did your company join Pledge 1%? What does your impact program mean to you?

Atlassian is a founding member of Pledge 1%, and it was one of the top reasons I joined the company. I’m really proud of the contributions of the Atlassian Foundation and our employees.

What do you like to do outside of the office? Any interesting (or unique) habits or interests?

I love cooking, and that’s been a great hobby to pick back up in the past year of social distancing and sheltering in place.

Are you reading/listening to anything interesting at the moment? Please share your most recent favorite book or podcast!

I just finished Interior Chinatown by Charles Wu. It was one of the most inventive novels I’ve read in a while.

What’s been the one (or two!) things that have helped you navigate this past year? Any tips or tricks to dealing with remote work?

Back to the work/life boundaries thing – I make a phone call, usually to my dad, at the end of every work day. This gives me a hard stop to shut down the laptop, and it means I get to hear how he’s doing. It’s something I’d like to continue once we’re past the pandemic.

Pledge 1%’s #WomenWhoLead series celebrates female leaders who are paving the way for the next generation. While our featured leaders come from a variety of backgrounds and industries, they are united in their efforts to promote equality for all women in the workplace. We’ve asked them to share a bit about their journey to success, as well as lessons they’ve learned along the way.

What is your name and title?

Neha Sampat, Founder and CEO at Contentstack.

Briefly (1-2 sentences) describe your current role.

As CEO of Contentstack, I represent the company and our interests, facilitate sustainable growth, and unblock and rally to help my team move our vision forward. Our vision is to use technology to break down barriers for better human connection.

How did you get here? Please share any quick stories from past work experiences.

In 2007, I left VMWare to found Raw Engineering to help enterprise brands adopt new technologies. We offered a service. In offering that service over time, we became digital trend spotters. Content was critical to building customer relationships, but it could no longer be confined to a website alone. Also, enterprises needed to be liberated from all-in-one suites, which hampered business and tech teams’ creativity and productivity.

The need defined the product. That product is Contentstack. We launched in 2014, created a stand-alone company in 2018, and raised capital in 2019. Since launch, we have partnered with over 100 brands to modernize their storytelling.

In your opinion, what’s the #1 decision or move you’ve made that has helped advance your career?

Splitting my companies. In 2018, we had a profitable services business and several product lines, but limited resources. I spun out Contentstack and sold Built.io to Software AG. It allowed us to scale Contentstack as far as we have. Running Contentstack – building relationships with employees and clients and delivering on a better way to tell stories – has been the most meaningful role of my career.

What is the most important lesson you’ve learned this past year?

Over-communicating is a must during tough times. In a year of so many things feeling out of control, transparent communication is very much in our hands. No surprises should be the goal – except for the fun kind.

What advice do you have for women who are just starting their career?

1. Be authentically you. Work on understanding the unique value you bring to the table and own that value.
2. Be curious. Use every learning opportunity that comes your way.
3. Build allyship by focusing on what you can give rather than what you can get.

What is one thing companies can do, big or small, to help create an environment that advances women into leadership positions?

Pay women equitably and make workplace flexibility the norm.

Is there a cause that is particularly close to you? If so, why this cause and how did you get involved?

I relentlessly work toward achieving equity in the workplace. I do this through committing to initiatives like Pledge 1% and Insight’s ScaleUp DE&I pledge, and hiring talent through Gainsight & SVA Academy’s CSYou – which helps underrepresented groups enter the customer success industry. I also focus on broader strategies like looking for talent in undiscovered places and mentoring aspiring female founders on their path to entrepreneurship.

When did your company join Pledge 1%? What does your impact program mean to you?

We took the pledge in 2018 for all Surfboard companies (Built.io, Raw Engineering and Contentstack). Today, Surfboard companies pledge a combination of 1% Time (Raw Engineering) 1%+ Product (Contentstack) and 1% Revenues $$ via donations (Surfboard) to the communities we serve.

What do you like to do outside of the office? Any interesting (or unique) habits or interests?

I’m a certified sommelier and I like to find ways to share that passion with others. I host virtual wine-tasting networking events and fireside chats with employees and customers that include tastings.

Are you reading/listening to anything interesting at the moment? Please share your most recent favorite book or podcast!

My podcast, Dreammakers, of course. I host candid conversations with women that focus on profit, purpose, and what it takes to bridge the two. My guests fuel my creativity. I’ve spoken with a Founder and CEO of an online payments company that also runs a foundation that relocates victims of domestic violence, a product manager writing a second novel and obsessed with creating psychological safety at work, and a founder who facilitates allyship between professional women in Austin. I’m constantly in awe.

What’s been the one (or two!) things that have helped you navigate this past year? Any tips or tricks to dealing with remote work?

I elevated the value of fun. Cultivating happy cultures has always been core to what I do and how I operate. So, while it was a bit of a shock to be physically isolated from my tribe this year, it was also a fun challenge to keep the heart of our culture beating virtually.

Technology helped us do that through: Awards for best pandemic hair and best Zoom backgrounds, a David Hasselhoff Cameo during our QBR, team fitness via Zoom and customer-themed trivia and prizes.

Pledge 1%’s #WomenWhoLead series celebrates female leaders who are paving the way for the next generation. While our featured leaders come from a variety of backgrounds and industries, they are united in their efforts to promote equality for all women in the workplace. We’ve asked them to share a bit about their journey to success, as well as lessons they’ve learned along the way.

What is your name and title?

Karina Capulong Cerdan, DEI & Social Impact Program Manager at SurveyMonkey.

Briefly (1-2 sentences) describe your current role.

I channel the power of community, inclusion, and data to bring out the best in our people, products, and the communities we serve.

In my role, I manage our employee resource groups, volunteer programs, matching gifts platform, and am responsible for tracking belonging and quarterly diversity progress against annual goals.

How did you get here? Please share any quick stories from past work experiences.

I’ve had an unconventional path – a jungle gym rather than a ladder, so to speak. My love affair with DEI started at UC Davis driving student recruitment and retention programs. Then, it was nonprofit, and another 8 years in biotech before landing at SurveyMonkey. I’ve been a case manager, an administrative assistant, a barista, a project coordinator for hematology advocacy and operations. Regardless of the role, there was always an opportunity to learn and grow, but it took my own audacity, hustle and folks who were willing to share access and opportunity that helped land me my dream job.

In your opinion, what’s the #1 decision or move you’ve made that has helped advance your career?

Leave behind what does not serve you so that you can fly. Do what you love.

What is the most important lesson you’ve learned this past year?

You’re not going to make everyone happy, and you can’t take care of everyone or every issue that arises. That’s not the point. Focus on impact and on meaningful change. Be helpful. Be confident. Listen.

What’s the number one challenge you face as a woman in your industry?

I only know one woman who reflects my identity in an executive role in the DEI and social impact space. I want to see more. It’s incredibly motivating to see and meet someone you can relate to succeed and do amazing things. Everyone should have that, woman or otherwise.

Do you have any mentors? What does mentorship mean to you?

I’ve been fortunate to have had mentors throughout my career. A mentor coaches you to think for yourself, asks you questions you haven’t considered, and drops knowledge you otherwise may not be aware of.

What advice do you have for women who are just starting their career?

Don’t wait. If you’re curious about a role or if you have a defined goal – meet with as many people as you can to get the information you need and just go for it. Identify mentors and advocates along the way, communicate what it is you want, and take the steps to get closer. As my dad always tells me and my sisters, “You can do it!”

What is one thing companies can do, big or small, to help create an environment that advances women into leadership positions?

Your approach cannot be one-size fits all. Your women (and non-binary folks!) have intersectional experiences and the data shows this. SurveyMonkey participated in the Women in the Workplace Report, and data shows us that the pandemic has presented us with new challenges. How women of color, women caregivers, and women of different generations experience the workplace varies, and as such, should be considered in hiring (and return-to-work!), advancement, and daily support that managers and colleagues are held accountable to at work. If you don’t support your women, your business will suffer.

What is one thing you hope to accomplish in the next year?

I’d like to take our employee resource group program to the next level and grow us into a center of excellence in the industry. Influence and impact doesn’t happen in a vacuum. We’re all responsible for creating an inclusive, impactful environment regardless of our functions and roles, and employee resource groups help drive our DEI and social impact work.

Is there a cause that is particularly close to you? If so, why this cause and how did you get involved?

I’ll always have a special place in my heart for Big Brothers Big Sisters. I was matched to my Little Sister in the program for several years and matched and counseled dozens of Bigs and Littles in the Greater Sacramento region. It was also my first time recruiting a board of young professionals to champion the work, and I loved the entire experience. Role models and mentors make a huge difference.

When did your company join Pledge 1%? What does your impact program mean to you?

I believe SurveyMonkey joined Pledge 1% in 2019 under the leadership of Melynnie Rizvi alongside my colleague, Rebecca Nalder. Our impact program leverages our products and the expertise of our people to serve our customers and the communities they serve. It’s how we live our values and use technology for the greater good.

What do you like to do outside of the office? Any interesting (or unique) habits or interests?

This reformed plant-killer became quite the plant-mom during quarantine. I tried roller skating, but that was a bust. I used to dance when I was younger and try to keep up using the app, Steezy. I also enjoy food-travel TV, biopics, and walks by the ocean.

Are you reading/listening to anything interesting at the moment? Please share your most recent favorite book or podcast!

The last book I finished is Disability Visibility edited by Alice Wong. I’m learning so much about people with disabilities and the disabled community. Shoutout to our ERGs/DIIGs at SurveyMonkey for introducing this book to me.

What’s been the one (or two!) things that have helped you navigate this past year? Any tips or tricks to dealing with remote work?

I’m a work in progress when it comes to remote work. Time to unplug is important, so take care of yourself.

Pledge 1%’s #WomenWhoLead series celebrates female leaders who are paving the way for the next generation. While our featured leaders come from a variety of backgrounds and industries, they are united in their efforts to promote equality for all women in the workplace. We’ve asked them to share a bit about their journey to success, as well as lessons they’ve learned along the way.

What is your name and title?

Diz Petit, Head of Civic Labs (Social Impact) at Postmates.

Briefly (1-2 sentences) describe your current role.

Civic Labs mission is to positively impact our neighborhoods through community engagement and innovative technology solutions to combat complex, pervasive issues.

How did you get here? Please share any quick stories from past work experiences.

After joining Postmates in 2013, I worked to build the customer service team from the ground up, launching new Postmates markets in Seattle, New York, DC, and Chicago, co-building the sales team, opening up a new stream of revenue for the company through the Postmates Partner program, and standing up a new 900+ employee Customer Service, Sales, and Operations office in Nashville, TN. In the summer of 2017, I created the Civic Labs team, Postmates’ social responsibility arm.

What is the most important lesson you’ve learned this past year?

The definition of Toxic Positivity. Kendra Cherry defines it as this – “Toxic positivity is the belief that no matter how dire or difficult a situation is, people should maintain a positive mindset. It’s a good vibes only approach to life. While there are benefits to being an optimist and engaging in positive thinking, toxic positivity instead rejects difficult emotions in favor of a cheerful, often falsely positive, facade.”

What’s the number one challenge you face as a woman in your industry?

Wow, just one? It changes depending on the situation, company, colleagues, etc. Overall, I feel that my credentials are scrutinized more than men. I find that I usually have to offer more examples of my work and it’s impact than my male colleagues.

Do you have any mentors? What does mentorship mean to you?

Gabriella Wong from AccesSOS! We were connected via FastForward for a mentoring program and just totally hit it off. She is doing amazing things in the text-to-911 space as a tech nonprofit. I value her input, insight, and experience so much. She’s always just an email away to listen to my quandary of questions. Hopefully it’s a two way street, but I’m not sure it totally is.

What advice do you have for women who are just starting their career?

Prepare for your interviews and meetings with concrete facts that you have memorized. A lot of companies want someone who is “data-driven” and being able to put numbers down in a first interaction will help establish credibility. Yes, you shouldn’t have to do that, but it is my advice.

What is one thing companies can do, big or small, to help create an environment that advances women into leadership positions?

Hire more women and promote more women! It’s not that hard. If you don’t have at least one woman at the table where decisions are being made, what are you doing? It’s 2021.

What is one thing you hope to accomplish in the next year?

Graduating from Saybrook University with my MBA in Sustainable Social Impact!

Is there a cause that is particularly close to you? If so, why this cause and how did you get involved?

Right now I have been volunteering with Muttville, Rogers and Rosewater, and Berkeley Humane. I am a life-long animal rights advocate which will never change, but currently homelessness and saving dogs and cats are where I’m spending most of my time.

When did your company join Pledge 1%? What does your impact program mean to you?

I think Postmates joined in 2017 when we formed Civic Labs! This impact program has meant the world to me. Looking back on all the things that we have done and built to change hearts and minds – I am forever grateful to Postmates for the opportunity.

What do you like to do outside of the office? Any interesting (or unique) habits or interests?

Foster dogs! Read! Grad School! Apply to Y Combinator! Beat Saber on the Oculus 2! Learn Japanese! Play guitar and sing in my band, Plush Palace!

Are you reading/listening to anything interesting at the moment? Please share your most recent favorite book or podcast!

I just finished reading Why Zebra Don’t Get Ulcers. My favorite book right now is Systemic Racism by Ian Haney Lopez and my favorite non-true crime podcast is the Ezra Klein Show.

What’s been the one (or two!) things that have helped you navigate this past year? Any tips or tricks to dealing with remote work?

Remote work is challenging when it’s forced. It used to be a little treat when you would work from home, but I am craving the feeling of the marker dragging across the giant whiteboard in front of a room of people during a massive brainstorm session.

Pledge 1%’s #WomenWhoLead series celebrates female leaders who are paving the way for the next generation. While our featured leaders come from a variety of backgrounds and industries, they are united in their efforts to promote equality for all women in the workplace. We’ve asked them to share a bit about their journey to success, as well as lessons they’ve learned along the way.

What is your name and title?

Nisha Kadaba, Global Social Impact Programs at PagerDuty.

Briefly (1-2 sentences) describe your current role.

I channel our company’s resources to accelerate change in our local and global communities. I’m a passionate builder – from strategic partnerships and deep relationships, to innovative programs and campaigns.

In your opinion, what’s the #1 decision or move you’ve made that has helped advance your career?

I took the plunge and left my first job in Los Angeles to attend the University of Edinburgh in Scotland to get my Masters Degree in Environment and International Development. It was one of the first programs of its kind, critically examining the inter-relationship between development and the environment, with a specific focus on social and environmental justice. This foundational knowledge inspired me to investigate the role technology plays in solving the world’s most pressing challenges. I’ve embarked on a career working at the intersection of tech and social impact.

What is the most important lesson you’ve learned this past year?

Let go of what you can’t control. I had a baby in June 2020, and bringing our son into the world during such a tumultuous time forced us to focus on what we could control and hone in on what was really important for our family.

What’s the number one challenge you face as a woman in your industry?

The age-old question – how do you achieve work/life balance, especially during challenging times? I am passionate about motherhood and passionate about my career – how do I succeed at both?

Do you have any mentors? What does mentorship mean to you?

Yes – I have several mentors. I view them as my “personal board of directors” and engage different people for different purposes. I’m lucky I’ve built a network of people that I can lean on when I need advice, both professionally and personally.

What is one thing you hope to accomplish in the next year?

I’m really looking forward to building out our new pro bono program at PagerDuty.org. We have incredibly passionate employees with valuable expertise, and I’m excited to connect them with nonprofit customers and grantees that will leverage PagerDuty’s platform and technology to further their critical work.

Is there a cause that is particularly close to you? If so, why this cause and how did you get involved?

I spent the summer of 2011 doing research for my thesis in the Amazon forest in Northern Paraguay at the Centro Educativo Mbaracayú – a unique school for adolescent girls that teaches entrepreneurship, environmental sustainability, and natural resource management. The students at the school impacted me for life – their resilience, commitment to their communities, and love for the environment was unparalleled. I’ve since supported the school and even keep in touch with some of the students – one in particular is now a Sustainable Tourism leader!

When did your company join Pledge 1%? What does your impact program mean to you?

PagerDuty joined Pledge 1% in 2017, and I joined our team in 2019. We have a small but mighty team, but we really move mountains to build thoughtful, meaningful programs that inspire our colleagues and make a tangible impact in our local and global communities.

What do you like to do outside of the office? Any interesting (or unique) habits or interests?

My husband is a true mountain man, and has inspired me to look to nature to replenish and re-energize. You can find us hiking, fishing, or picnicking in Marin.

Are you reading/listening to anything interesting at the moment? Please share your most recent favorite book or podcast!

I’m almost finished with “Milkman” by Anna Burns. I’m really moved by immersive stories from Northern Ireland, since my husband is from there.

What’s been the one (or two!) things that have helped you navigate this past year? Any tips or tricks to dealing with remote work?

Walking meetings – take a Zoom call to-go and walk around the block and get some sunshine. It’s tough being on camera/staring at a screen all day long, so walking meetings have been a great change of pace.