PagerDuty Career Growth & Development

Describe your career journey so far. What skills and experiences have you acquired along the way that have helped you get to where you are now?

When I started in tech, I didn’t even understand what software was. Fortunately, my employer invested in comprehensive training that built upon the foundation my father — a sales professional and author — had given me. He taught me that success stems from building trust by answering three unasked customer questions: Can I trust you? Are you committed? Do you care about me?

Unlike many salespeople who rely on “the gift of gab” and generic pitches, I learned that listening matters more than talking. Years of customer meetings, negotiations and implementations helped me develop my skills, complemented by training programs and books. There’s no replacement for practice — you improve through repetition.

I approach every interaction guided by three principles: Do what’s right, do your best and treat others as they want to be treated. This customer-focused approach has been the cornerstone of my success in building lasting relationships and driving results throughout my career in technology sales.

What support did you receive from individuals or resources that helped you step into a leadership role?

I never aspired to leadership until my manager — a talented leader who built a top-performing team — approached me about a first-line role and offered his sponsorship. With his coaching, I received the Leadership MVP award that year and my team won top enterprise team the following year.

Great mentors have been essential to my growth. My network includes diverse leaders with different experiences whom I can ask questions and soundboard ideas. Some have become friends, others business acquaintances, but all model expertise I value, including balancing demanding careers with fulfilling personal lives. Approaching these conversations with curiosity, vulnerability and self-awareness has been game-changing.

PagerDuty invested in me with a career coach, continuous training and stretch opportunities. When our CRO called asking me to lead EMEA sales temporarily, I felt excitement mixed with uncertainty and fear. I was transparent and he explained why he believed in me and promised support. I’ve learned that admired leaders didn’t get there alone — they’re products of countless people who believed in them and invested their time, wisdom and energy.

How do you encourage other women on your team to become leaders themselves? Are there any stories you can share that showcase how you’ve done this?

A vice president once shared wisdom that shaped my leadership philosophy: “Leadership should be a pull, not a push.” Rather than forcing your way into leadership roles, be pulled through sponsorship and recognition from leaders who see your impact.

This drives how I develop women on my team. You don’t need a title to lead — opportunities present themselves daily and I encourage seizing ownership of projects requiring commitment and the ability to inspire others.

One sales rep excels at orchestrating cross-functional teams and building pipeline, so I asked her to lead training for our entire North American field team. Another rep deeply understands customers’ businesses, so I invited her to join a company-wide project defining our customer journey to accelerate value realization. By creating platforms for sharing expertise, I provide broad exposure that showcases their natural leadership abilities.

When asked about getting promoted, I share what I’ve learned: when you’re doing your job well, you don’t need to self-promote. Say yes to opportunities that let you share your story, actively help others succeed and recognition follows naturally when you focus on creating value for others.