DataRobot Belong Community Women@DR was founded to bring together women and allies in DataRobot for support, networking, encouragement, resources and community. We celebrated successes and achievements, created safe environments to support each other through difficulties, and created both a space for vulnerability and a sounding board for ideas and action.
We have developed a mission to serve our community thoughtfully.
Women@DR seeks to create, foster, and expand an inclusive culture that connects, educates, and advances the needs, career goals, and aspirations of female-identifying members and allies.
As we celebrate Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day in March, we look to our community of strong, resilient and capable leaders to set the tone. At our global company launch in February 2024, 7 women were honored as DataRobot AI Legends. They were honored as the embodiment of DataRobot’s values and success.
We spoke to some of these trailblazers and asked them questions that could inspire others to become legendary:
- How have you built confidence and/or resilience throughout your career?
- What advice would you give to a female ID person just starting out in their career?
Here’s what they had to say…
Ina Ko, Senior Product Director, Customer Engineering
How have you built confidence and/or resilience throughout your career?
Building confidence and resilience throughout my career has included being humble, seeking new challenges, using a supportive network for guidance and feedback, and focusing on the impact of my work. Recognizing the fluidity of life and careers as opportunities for growth rather than setbacks was essential. This mindset has helped me navigate uncertainties, turn failures into lessons, and embrace continuous learning and adaptation.
What advice would you give to a female ID person just starting out in their career?
For women just starting out in their careers, my advice is to focus on your unique journey without comparing yourself to others. Embrace change as it brings valuable lessons that refine your path to success. Cultivate a mindset of positive intent and try to understand the motivations of your peers and colleagues. This approach will help you foster a collaborative environment by building deep and authentic connections with those you work with. Embrace every opportunity to grow, lean into change, and remember that your unique contribution and resilience will determine your path.
![Julia Townsend](https://www.datarobot.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Julia-Townsend.jpg)
Julia Townsend, Director, Revenue Strategy & Execution
How have you built confidence and/or resilience throughout your career?
When I first started back in the day, I had a big goal I wanted to achieve and everything I did was chosen to move the goal away. This really helped me see a bigger picture and not get too down when obstacles came up. I also have a personal mantra that “this is a moment, and it will pass in time”, which really helps!
Embracing new opportunities when they arise, even if you think you may not have all the skills you think are needed, has led me to some interesting professional experiences. This made me feel confident that I can move on to new projects even if I don’t have all the answers right away.
What advice would you give to a female ID person just starting out in their career?
I would really recommend taking the time to invest in building relationships and champions across the business. This is such a great career and life skill that is essential to master in order to get things done and be trusted and influential. This has a permanent impact for every new move you make.
![Brooke Miller](https://www.datarobot.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Brook-Miller.jpg)
Brook Miller, Senior Director, Demand Planning, Creative and Marketing APAC
How have you built confidence and/or resilience throughout your career?
For me, confidence comes from knowing that mastery is not the end goal for me. Instead, I choose to adopt a mindset of continuous learning and build confidence through working with people who can teach me new things as well as sharing my own experience with others.
In the moments when I need to rely on resilience, I find that zooming in on the bigger picture to gain some perspective really helps. By seeing the difficult times as just one chapter in the overall story of your career, you can keep moving forward without being consumed by what’s happening in the present moment. It’s also okay to ask for help, say you don’t know the answer, or take a moment to reset when needed.
What advice would you give to a female ID person just starting out in their career?
Take the time to understand yourself, your strengths, and where you can contribute, then raise your hand for something that scares you every year. The right mindset will take you a long way while building your skills. Align yourself with people you admire and want to learn from, and don’t be afraid to ask them for guidance. One day you will be able to give the same gift to someone else.
![Catherine Stepanova](https://www.datarobot.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Katherine-Stepanovaf-1024x1024.jpg)
Katherine Stepanova, Senior Director, Legal – Lead Americas Commercial Counsel
How have you built confidence and/or resilience throughout your career?
Building trust and resilience is a process that requires a lot of patience, support from others, both professionally and personally, and a lot of hard work. My confidence and resilience, first and foremost, comes from my grandmother, an incredibly strong woman who had been through a myriad of challenges in her life and was able to embrace challenges and overcome hardships and setbacks. She taught me from an early age that girls can do anything they want to do if they get an education, work hard, have a commendable work ethic in whatever they do, and believe in themselves. She’s been my biggest cheerleader my whole life, and I’m eternally grateful for that, and that’s something I’ll try to pass on to my daughter.
What advice would you give to a female ID person just starting out in their career?
Build a strong support system, both professionally and personally. There will be good days and bad days, bumps in the road, but with a strong support system you will never lose the desire and ability to move forward, think through challenges and overcome difficulties. Don’t forget to enjoy the journey!
![Sahana Sundara Raj Sreenath](https://www.datarobot.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Sahana-Sundara-Raj-Sreenath.jpg)
Sahana Sreenath, Head, Database Engineer
How have you built confidence and/or resilience throughout your career?
For me, it was stepping out of my comfort zone and taking on tasks that I initially found challenging. Being approachable when you need guidance and not being afraid to make mistakes at first all create a solid foundation to build on.
What advice would you give to a female ID person just starting out in their career?
I found the following very helpful when starting out: 1) Staying curious every day will take you far and help you better learn the intricacies of your roles and responsibilities, 2) Frequently seeking and incorporating feedback will allow you to become more effective in the workplace , and 3) Continue to stay motivated and committed, develop a strong work ethic, challenge yourself whenever possible and your work will speak for itself!
![Teresa Gearin](https://www.datarobot.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Teresa-Gearin.jpg)
Teresa Gearin, Marketing Operations Project Manager
How have you built confidence and/or resilience throughout your career?
Embracing the change! Change is inevitable and sometimes feels constant, but learning to adapt and be open to learning and improving your skills makes change feel less complicated and more like an opportunity. I’m always actively looking for ways to improve my environment whether it’s processes, organizational tactics or just the way I think and perceive any situation. This helped me build the confidence needed to navigate male-dominated industries/teams, difficult situations, and stand up for myself. At the end of the day I am my greatest ally and my worst critic, practicing balancing the two helps.
What advice would you give to a female ID person just starting out in their career?
Your voice matters! Learn to embrace the power of standing up for yourself and others with confidence and assertiveness. Your time, experiences and thoughts are valuable. Always be coachable, proactive in your learning and development, and honest with yourself about what you really value and strive for.
About the Author
![Angie Sullivan](https://www.datarobot.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Angie-Sullivan-300x300.jpeg)
Angie Sullivan is the VP of Accounting at DataRobot. She is also a core member of the Women @DR Belong community. Angie has worked in Finance for almost 20 years. DEI is particularly important to her and focuses on encouraging women to pursue and grow in their careers in finance and technology. Outside of work, she enjoys her family and home in Seattle, Washington, and loves spending quality time with her two daughters (ie future trailblazing female leaders)!
Meet Angie Sullivan