Take on Your Next Adventure—with Confidence
A colleague of mine once commented that my resume looked more like a patchwork of disciplines and responsibilities than a traditional career path. While I agree, I couldn’t imagine a more exciting, self-fulfilling journey! I have had the privilege of leading global teams in finance, supply chain, technology, and data analytics. And today, I lead an operations team at the Disneyland Resort—a property with more than 30,000 employees (we call them Cast Members).
To be honest, I never actively pursued these opportunities. However, I was always fortunate to have sponsors who believed in me and encouraged me to take on new adventures. I wasn’t always a subject matter expert, but my sponsors knew that I had the skills to lead the people who were. Thanks to their support, I exercised muscles I didn’t know I had; and these experiences gave me increasing courage to accept any challenge.
Now, confident in my own abilities, I have developed a passion to encourage other professional women to pursue their interests. Most work extremely hard, but often wait for recognition and new opportunities to be presented to them. It’s not uncommon for women to hesitate to throw their names into the hat, unless they meet every requirement for the job. Many believe they have to make personal sacrifices, such as family commitments, in order to pursue roles for which they are easily qualified. I found that as long as I was clear with my personal priorities and values, and expressed my passion and interests, I could maintain work-life balance while making my career dreams come true. And I’ve devoted significant time lately giving others the confidence to do the same.
My journey has not always been easy. Like anyone, I’ve faced failures and disappointments along the way. But I’m fortunate to reflect on those moments, knowing that everything happens for a reason. And while I don’t expect each person I mentor to follow the same patchwork career path that I have had, I enjoy sharing my skills, confidence, and passion to help each of them pursue new challenges and get the most out of their careers—wherever that may take them.
Congratulations! You deserve all of the recognition for your dedication to being the best. Disney is fortunate to have you as a part of their team. Love you, Steve.
I’ve known Stephanie for over 25 years, and I’m honored to call her my best friend. She’s one of the most humble, grounded individuals I know. I admire her for so many reasons but mainly because she’s always kept her priorities in order. She’s proof that you can have it all in life if you work hard but maintain the work-life balance in your life. Congratulations, Stephanie to an incredible award! You’ve earned it!