Build your career and your life around your passion, authenticity and helping others
I’ve been with AMD for over 23 years. Despite other opportunities, I chose to stay because I’m constantly challenged, surrounded by people who believe in me, and I have been given many opportunities to grow.
Many people believed in and supported me throughout my life. While neither of my parents was university educated, both held management roles. Both were equally involved at home, making meals and caring for my siblings and me. They are my role model for gender equity and work/life balance. From an early age, I didn’t perceive that being a girl posed any limitations. My parents were supportive of me in whatever I wanted to do. In school, a teacher encouraged me to aim higher and revisit my career choices. Her belief in me drove me to leverage my love for science and math and study engineering. Early in my career at AMD, a leader recognized my performance and potential, and this recognition raised my confidence and opened up opportunities for me. And lastly, I could not do what I do today without the support from my husband Raymond.
Through my experiences a few principles guide my career and life.
- Have passion for what you do. At work, for me, this means solving challenges, providing direction and driving to improve and simplify while positively impacting people, products and processes. At home, for me, this is spending time with family and prioritizing experiences and vacations to make memories. You can have a successful career without sacrificing time with family and for yourself. My colleagues and friends know I make this a priority.
- Be authentic – This means focusing on your strengths and not compromising who you are for what others want you to be. My style is direct and efficient communication, challenging the status quo, focusing on actions and not stressing about things I can’t change. I also sometimes describe myself as stubbornly independent. It’s more important to me to belong somewhere because of what I can add rather than fitting in because I do what others want me to do and say.
- Help each other – We are stronger together, whether it’s collaborating on a project or learning from each other. Since I have benefited from many role models I look for opportunities to share my experiences with others.
I have been fortunate to have never felt that my gender held me back. I want my daughters and other young women to feel the same. Our guiding principles may differ, but I encourage everyone to find what drives you and makes you happy. You can do anything you want to do. Be you, stay true!