Alexa Evans

I attribute my success to raising my hand for opportunities, staying open-minded, and not giving up no matter what obstacles come my way. I went back to school three times because I was financially supporting myself, moved back to Europe, and then COVID happened and my belongings were stuck in Europe for a year and a half until the borders opened again. Through all of that, I just kept trying and had faith in the journey - I know that sounds cheesy, but there is always something else coming, and that takes time to fully understand. Networking has been absolutely critical to my success - not just with colleagues, but with whoever you meet. My first job came from someone I knew previously, and as an au pair, my host mom was in PR for talent management and she invited me to move back to Germany and work for her, which gave me my intro to public relations. I've found as many mentors as possible along the way and paid that forward too. I've been amazed by the fierce mentorship I've found among women at Amazon - how they advocate for one another and bring each other along. The best career advice I ever received was to raise your hand and be honest about what you don't know. You don't have to pretend to be someone else - authenticity helps bring out the best in yourself and others and helps you focus on what could be possible together. I've done so many things with an open mind that I wouldn't have done if I'd just stuck to one trajectory and not seen where the path could go on its own. Even taking the contractor role at Amazon - I left another job for a three-month contract, and on my first day they offered me full-time. It was completely unexpected. So I'd say just keep saying yes, keep trying, and have faith in your journey.

The best career advice I've ever received is to raise your hand and be willing to take opportunities before you feel completely ready. Be honest about what you don't know - if you know nothing about something, just say 'tell me more.' You don't have to pretend to be someone else. This approach helps bring authenticity out of yourself and others, and it helps you focus on what could be possible together. That mindset has helped me do so many things with an open mind that I wouldn't have done if I had just stuck to one trajectory and not seen where the path could go on its own. Growth happens outside of your comfort zone, and confidence is built through action, not before it.

I would tell young women entering communications and PR to raise your hand for opportunities, even when you don't feel completely ready. Don't give up - I went back to school three times because I was financially supporting myself, and I faced so many obstacles along the way, but you just have to keep trying and have faith in your journey. There is always something else coming, even when you can't see it yet. Be authentic - you don't have to pretend to be someone else. Focus on networking and building relationships with whoever you meet, because those connections can open unexpected doors. Find as many mentors as possible and be willing to learn from them. And just say yes to opportunities, even if they seem uncertain. For example, I was hired as a contractor for just three months and I left another job for that opportunity. On my first day, I found out they wanted me full-time. It was completely unexpected, but I had said yes to the possibility. So raise your hand, stay authentic, don't give up, and trust that persistence and growth create unexpected opportunities.

One thing that really surprised me when I came into Amazon corporate PR is how fiercely the women advocate for one another in terms of mentorship. I've been surrounded by so much feminine mentorship at all times, and these women are so like-minded and supportive. When you reach a certain level, there's this momentum to bring each other along the way, and it just took me aback how humble and lacking in hierarchy it all was. Yes, there are still inequalities wherever you go, but I've just been so amazed by how supportive all these women at this level are. The communications field offers significant opportunities for women to build strong networks, find mentors, and advance into leadership positions. I believe that continued investment in mentorship and women helping other women succeed will create even greater opportunities for future generations in this field.

The values most important to me are family, authenticity, self-care, and grace - especially giving yourself grace when things aren't going perfectly or when you're not getting enough self-care and things start looking less than terrific. Grace has been taught to me by my mentors, but I still have to remind myself of it. I also deeply value giving back and being there for others. I mentor young kids - I don't have my own children, but I love being a role model and being there in ways that maybe some kids' parents can't be there. Those kids have taught me so much too. Having a space for giving back creates this ripple effect from even just little actions, and it brings so much gratitude. I believe in being honest about what you don't know and bringing authenticity out of yourself and others. I value the connections we have with each other and focusing on what could be possible together.