What was your route to the top? After law school I worked at the law firm Foley Lardner for five years during which I led the summer associate program for our office and served on the firm wide associates committee and recruiting committee. I then had the opportunity to move to Singapore where I was hired by Red Hat to lead the Asia Pacific legal team. In that role I built and oversaw the legal function for India, Japan, China, Australia, Korea and ASEAN for five years. When I moved back to California with Red Hat, I moved into a new role supporting several product teams as well as assisting in launching our first online products and cloud partner program. I also lead negotiations with several of our strategic partners including Amazon and Microsoft. I served on the Women's Leadership Board which is focused on increasing the number of women in the technology industry and the number of women in leadership positions at Red Hat. Red Hat has been focused on Diversity & Inclusion for many years and it is one of the reasons that I am proud to work there.

What keeps you up at night? (i.e. What are your biggest business-related concerns?) I am concerned about the current macro climate in the US. Our system is rooted in a commitment to truth, law and ethics. Many established institutions, including the legal system and legal institutions, appear to be under attack. This creates uncertainty and instability in the economic and political climate, neither of which is good for business.

What is the best leadership advice you provided, or received, and why do you think it was effective? Try to establish personal connection with others, even if in the smallest way as people are always more likely to trust your lead when you do. Whether you are working in a foreign country, dealing with a difficult client, or managing your team, when you have connection it leads to more effective outcomes and engagement. Secondly, always be open to learning and collaborating. After working at Red Hat I have learned that leadership it is not determined by the title behind your name. Given our open source roots, we typically problem solve through a collaborative process that seeks the input of many stakeholders. Certainly being a lawyer has trained me to spot issues and work through problems, but leading to resolution typically requires input from many stakeholders and then distilling the issue to a workable path forward. Everyone feels they are part of the solution and although it may add time to the process, it typically leads to more effective outcomes.

Looking back, what do you wish you had known when you started out in the legal profession? Never be intimidated by a situation, whether you are the only woman in a room negotiating with 10 men on the other side, a junior lawyer with senior executives, or a lawyer working with engineers. Be confident, even if you have to fake it. That doesn't mean acting like you know everything. You should ask questions, but never feel like you don't deserve to be in the room.