Business Affairs Music Executive at Disney Parks, Experiences and Products. She has earned her way into executive studio music supervision on 60+ feature films, album and film score productions and she took 15 music apps to #1 on the App store among many others.
Q: Have you ever felt the pressure of being a business executive and being a woman? What do you attribute your success in deflecting gender challenges in the workplace? “I think that as a woman, I tend to put a lot of pressure on myself. If something goes wrong or mistakes are made, I tend to take them personally and want to personally fix them and make all parties feel as comfortable as possible. I think that men tend to be able to compartmentalize a bad day at the office and leave it there. Women take issues home and worry about solving a problem until it’s corrected and everyone is comfortable. It’s a hostess mentality, we’re good at it. Also, I have a job that requires networking outside of the office and I have a family so I’m constantly trying to find work/life ‘balance’ which is a constant and ongoing challenge for me. One of the things that I have changed to deflect challenges in the workplace is that I do not apologize. Women tend to over-apologize which is generally reflexive and makes us look weak in the workplace. If you make a mistake, take responsibility and fix it but don’t say you’re sorry. Reserve that special word for when you really need it.”
Q: What advice do you have for women who want to create a successful career in the corporate space? “Wake up every day and go out and do the job you want to do. Find an area of the business that is engaging to you and go for it. It’s okay to be creative in your approach. Network. Be prepared if you meet someone who might be able to help you. Always have a point of view. There are so many interesting areas that are constantly evolving in entertainment, you can evolve and develop new skill sets in parallel if you find a way in. Bring some passion and curiosity to your job and you will find that the response will be overwhelmingly positive and rewarding.”
Q: Is there advice that you would have for your younger self? “Take a few marketing classes.”
Q: What has been your greatest milestone or highlight of working with Disney and/or other company? “Disney’s acquisition of my former client Tapulous (Tap Tap Revenge). Receiving two BAFTA nominations for Disney: Fantasia Music Evolved Microsoft Kinect console game. This was one of the most complex music games I have ever had the privilege to work on and I loved every minute of it.”
