Celebrating International Women’s Day at Magnite

In honor of this year’s International Women’s Day, we’re spotlighting some of the women behind Magnite’s industry-leading platform and products. Read on to learn more about how they approach their roles and how they have prioritized their growth and development in a male-dominated industry.

What’s the most important risk you took and why?

There are so many. I wouldn’t necessarily recommend my path. The first big risk I took was quitting my job coding radar systems in a bunker and pursuing a career in fashion. I hated the fashion industry, but it led me to business school where I found a path that brought together my background in software with my enjoyment of excel spreadsheets.

How do you generate great ideas in your organization?

I don’t generate great ideas. Great ideas come from the people closest to the problems. I think it’s really all about ensuring that there are safe spaces to bring those ideas forward, a willingness to bet and see what happens, and rewarding the folks that are willing to take chances and try new things. 

What advice do you have for a woman who works mostly with men? Such as balancing the appearance of being bossy when being confident, or trying to connect deeper with any sort of “boys club” dynamic.  

My advice would be to not force it. Be authentic. You may need to find your own way to be heard. You don’t have to be the loudest or the most verbose to influence. It’s also rare to find someone that is truly listening to what others are saying. You can get a lot more done if you understand what others are thinking.

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What are you currently working towards and how do you continue to grow and develop as a leader?

Early on in my career, I often worked towards titles and promotions, but these days I’m more focused on skills and opportunities. I’m looking to lean into activities that promote skills I want to grow (i.e. presentation or discussion-leading, in my case) and lean away from activities that I don’t enjoy (i.e. emails).  

What’s one thing that makes you most proud? 

I’m good at advocating for myself. I work really hard to discover what I need and want and then go ask for that. I actually think this is a huge part of my career progression – very few people will advocate for you as effectively or consistently as you can advocate for yourself.

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Who do you look up to for inspiration or mentorship?

Inspiration: It’s all in the family. My father has been my greatest source of inspiration. I grew up seeing him navigate tough situations while keeping a positive outlook when managing his business. He takes immense pride in his work and old age hasn’t diminished his enthusiasm. Sheryl Sandberg has been another source of inspiration for me and the personal experiences illustrated in her book, Lean In, have been relatable. 

Mentorship: In the first several years of my career, there were a lot of times when I felt I was not up to the mark. My attempts at making things work would fail miserably even when I changed tactics or changed jobs. In all situations, my husband comforted me and gave me strength to push forward. He consistently reminded me that these experiences would mold me to be better, and urged me to use them to think of what I could do differently as a leader. The wisdom I gained from persevering in these instances have shaped how I approach challenges today. I constantly ask myself – How would I want to be treated by my manager in this situation? What would I have liked my manager to do to help me grow? 

What’s one thing that makes you most proud?

When I left one of my previous jobs, there were two incidents that moved me incredibly. One of my employees who I had placed on a performance improvement plan subsequently thanked me and to my disbelief did not harbor any personal animosity towards me. The individual also thanked me for being respectful and objective while handling the situation. 

The second was an email I received from an employee informing me how they thought that I was the best boss that they ever had and will have. This individual was part of an organization to whom we outsourced our work. It has been a source of great pride knowing that I had made such a big impact on a team member. 

What advice do you have for a woman who works mostly with men? Such as balancing the appearance of being bossy when being confident, or trying to connect deeper with any sort of “boys club” dynamic.

This is a very interesting question. I have been told in some organizations that I am aggressive and a risk taker and I should tame myself down. In other organizations, I have been told the opposite – that I should be more assertive and put my foot down. However, I have realized I cannot please everyone and need to be true to myself. I have never given much thought to the fact that I may be the only woman in the room. If there is something I feel strongly needs to be conveyed, then I make sure my voice is heard. If it’s not important enough to interrupt the conversation, then I choose to provide my feedback later. I think the key that I have realized over time is being comfortable with who you are and enjoying doing what you are doing is most important.