It’s International Women’s Day today, and we have so many incredible women we’re excited to celebrate here at Wrike. Women play a monumental role in our company, from our product design team to marketing operations and everything in between.
To get a sense of the inspiring women who make Wrike what it is, we asked a few of our team members to share how they’re celebrating International Women’s Day, how they feel empowered in their roles at Wrike, and the women in their lives who have inspired them.
Anna Grigoryan, Director of Product Management - Platform UI & Mobile at Wrike, explained that International Women’s Day usually marks a day of gratitude toward the woman in her life. “It's usually the time for me to reach out to my female colleagues, friends, my mom, and other wonderful women around me to thank them for who they are and for continuing to be beautiful and courageous and spreading love,” she says. This is something we can all do, however we identify, to create a sense of gratitude on International Women’s Day.
In her role at Wrike, Grigoryan reflected, “I feel as empowered as any other man in the room.”
Alex Lane, Wrike’s Workplace Operations Manager, said she views International Women’s Day as an opportunity to lift up women who haven’t had the same opportunities as she has. “Today is a chance to bring awareness to the challenges (and the achievements!) that women face that I don't always see in my day-to-day life,” she said. “I'm very privileged to have the opportunities I have, but not all women have those opportunities. International Women’s Day is a chance to highlight ways we can support each other to make a more inclusive and welcoming world for all.”
Lane is celebrating by sharing a few podcast recommendations, featuring track athlete and mother Allyson Felix and former PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi. “Allyson and Indra talk about their personal experiences with gender bias, navigating motherhood in the corporate world, balancing work and family, and how they became the best of the best at what they do. I am inspired by their stories and listening to how they made a positive difference in not only their personal worlds but paved the way for other women to feel confident and empowered to do the same.”
Kenedee Parry, Sales Development Representative, shared that her role at Wrike has allowed her to feel empowered to speak her mind. “In tech, women are usually the minority. And in Sales, women are mostly the minority. It can feel daunting sometimes, but Wrike allows for me to speak my mind and talk directly to anyone in a higher-up position. I feel respected by all and not discriminated against based on gender.” She credited her female sports coach with paving the way for others: “My coach didn't play into any of that and pushed us to work and be the best we could be. She pushed herself into meetings with the male athletic directors to advocate for women's sports.”
Strategic Customer Success Manager Dury Bell said she likes to celebrate International Women’s Day by reaching out to the women in her life. “I will personally message the different women in my life and let them know how thankful I am for them!” Bell is continually inspired by her mother: “She immigrated from South Korea in the 1980s and always has a heart to serve those in her community and help those in need.”
When it comes to elevating women in tech positions, Demand Marketing Manager Laura Perez Riau explained how important it is to have gender representation in the executive team and promote mentorship programs. “Having women in leadership positions has always been a source of inspiration and empowerment for me, and at Wrike, we've always had outstanding women leading the way. Someone you can look up to, learn and get advice from, and that shows you change is possible.”
Finally, Senior Human Resources Generalist Lauren Warnock offered the perfect heartfelt example of lifting up a woman who inspires her: “Oria Ortov [Customer Success Manager at Wrike] and I started on the same day. She is one of the most unique and accomplished women I've ever met. She speaks multiple languages, has traveled the world, goes on hikes with her family to get back to nature, and is perhaps the most humble person who marches to her own beat. In her world, success is measured in laughter and empathy, which the whole world should be paying more attention to.”
So today, on International Women’s Day, we’re going to be following the lead of these incredible women. We’ll lift up the many inspiring women in our lives by making sure they know the impact of their contributions — and we’d encourage you to do the same.
