Advocacy

As a global communications leader, I am passionate about using my experience to advocate for change in two key areas: to elevate the role of communications in organizations and to encourage women to take on international assignments.

Elevating the role of communications

We’re living in a perma-crisis environment of constant change, nonstop issues and growing pressure from all sides. And yet, I’m still surprised how many companies, even those with billions in revenue, don’t have a C-level communications leader at the table.

That’s a real risk.

Communications is about protecting trust, guiding leaders through complexity and helping companies show up the right way. I advocate for giving communications a seat at the table, not just because I do this work, but because I’ve seen what happens when it’s missing.

More women international assignees

You can’t be what you can’t see.

I was the first person my company sent from the U.S. to Japan as an expat, and I was also a woman doing it without a roadmap. No mentors. No playbook. Just a lot of learning by doing.

Women make up only 14-20 percent of international assignees, which means many others are likely in the same position I was: qualified, but underrepresented and unsure how to take the leap.

Why does this matter? Because international experience isn’t just a résumé builder. It’s a proven pathway to the C-suite. U.S. News & World Report cites research showing 71 percent of Fortune 100 CEOs have spent at least two years in senior roles abroad.

That’s why I’m passionate about advocating for more women to take international assignments. I speak openly about my experiences and try to make the invisible visible so the next generation has something I didn’t, and that's a clear example that it’s possible.