Allison Velez

I attribute my success to the strong women in my life who have guided and supported me, especially my mother and the mentors I've found along the way. The biggest thing that helped me navigate male-dominated spaces like Amazon and casino gaming was having strong women around me and building a community around myself. I started reaching out and creating relationships that are impactful and meaningful with other women counterparts and getting involved in employee resource groups like Women at Amazon, Latinos at Amazon, Women at Light and Wonder, and Latinos at Light and Wonder. Talking to strong female presence is very important because it gives you direction and broadens your horizon. They're able to show you vision and focal points in your career that you may not see yourself. I also believe in doing your research, studying, and staying on top of trends. Furthering my education has been crucial - I'm the first in my family to get my Master's of Business Administration, and I pride myself on continuing to grow my family's legacy and our lineage. I think nobody can take away a degree from you - you earn that. I've also learned to believe in myself and have confidence, even when people walk into rooms and downplay you or judge you based off your looks before they've even spoken to you. It's very important to gain these assets that nobody can take from you and to have strong women in your life who will be your cheerleader and say you are doing amazing. As women, we need that because we do doubt ourselves or second-guess ourselves. Your inner voice needs to talk to you and say you can do it, and even if someone downplays you, you don't stoop to that level - you continue to show up every single day with confidence and courage. Age does not define your success. If you have something to say in the room, speak up. You matter, you have an important voice, you have a seat at the table. If they placed a seat at the table for you, you have a voice and you belong there. That's what I learned being a part of employee resource groups and having a mentor and that community base. What matters is that you're trying to make an impact - that's what counts, results and impact.

The best guidance I’ve received about my career has come indirectly through the example of the people closest to me, particularly my mother. Her story has been the most inspirational influence in my life and has shaped how I approach both my personal and professional journey. She came to the United States in the 1980s with very limited resources and no knowledge of English, carrying a strong vision of building a better life. After leaving a small village in Switzerland and taking a leap of faith to pursue opportunity abroad, she worked in the travel industry, where she met someone who encouraged her to move to the United States. With courage and determination, she eventually relocated to Florida, learned English, and built a new life from the ground up.

Watching her navigate every challenge with resilience and independence taught me the importance of perseverance, adaptability, and self-belief. She ultimately became a stay-at-home mother to three daughters, and that role became one of the most impactful contributions in my life. Her strength, sacrifice, and dedication to our family continue to be a foundation for who I am today. Growing up in an all-women household, I was surrounded by examples of integrity, creativity, and resilience that taught me to think independently, solve problems confidently, and trust my own instincts.

My father also played an important role in my upbringing, bringing discipline and structure through his career as a federal air marshal before his retirement. Although he traveled frequently, his presence and guidance were always steady, and the values he instilled complemented the strength I learned from my mother.

In addition, my husband, whom I met while working at Amazon, has been one of the most influential mentors in my life. Working together on the same leadership team allowed us to grow both professionally and personally, and his support has helped me develop greater confidence, emotional resilience, and clarity in my own identity. He has encouraged me to challenge limitations, let go of external expectations, and fully embrace who I am without hesitation.

Overall, the best “career advice” I’ve received has come from witnessing the strength, sacrifice, and belief of the people around me. Their example has taught me to stay grounded, work hard, and define success on my own terms while never losing sight of who I am or what I value.

The first thing I would say is that sometimes, especially in a male-dominated field - casino gaming is very male-dominated, and my career started off at Amazon where supply chain and logistics doesn't have so many women - you can feel intimidated or feel like you have imposter syndrome, where you feel that you're not supposed to be in those rooms the same as your male counterparts. The thing I would say is the first thing is to find a mentor. I think the biggest thing that helped me navigate those spaces was having strong women around me guiding me. Also, build a community around yourself. Start reaching out, start creating relationships that are impactful and meaningful with other women counterparts and getting involved. I think that's the biggest thing - being involved in women at Amazon, Latinos at Amazon, women at Light and Wonder, and Latinos at Light and Wonder, talking to strong female presence is very important because it gives you that direction and that picture. You may not see the vision or you may have limited vision focal points in your career, but they're able to broaden that horizon for you. Do your research, study, and stay on top of the trends - I think that's one of the biggest keys. Further your education. I'm the first in my family to get my Master's of Business Administration, so I pride myself on that, to continue and grow my family's legacy and our lineage. I think that nobody can take a degree away from you - you earn that. Also, believe in yourself and have confidence. Even when you walk into rooms and people will downplay you or judge you based off of your looks but haven't even spoke to you yet, it's very important to gain these assets that nobody can take from you. Have strong women in your life that will be your cheerleader and say you are doing amazing. I think as women we need that because we do doubt ourselves or second-guess ourselves. Your inner voice needs to talk to you and say you can do it, and even if this person downplays you, you don't stoop to that level. You continue to show up every single day with confidence and courage. I think that's the most important thing, even for young women, because age does not define your success, it does not define that you're not supposed to be there. Doesn't matter if you're young - if you have something to say in the room, that's very important, speak up. Don't be shy. This person may have twice your age or be a senior vice president, but you matter, you have an important voice, you have a seat at the table. If they placed a seat at the table for you, you have a voice and you belong there. Don't psych yourself out or second doubt yourself. Tell yourself you matter, your voice matters. That's what I would have told my younger self, because I did that when I first started out - I was like, this is a senior vice president, I don't know if I really can speak up or say something, and then somebody else would say it and I was like I should have said it because I was thinking that. It didn't matter my title, what mattered is that I'm trying to make an impact, and that's what matters, that's what counts - results and impact.

Right now, I see this stage of my career as a meaningful opportunity for continued growth, learning, and expansion of my leadership impact. As I transition further into more advanced responsibilities, I’m focused on deepening my technical expertise, strengthening my strategic thinking, and continuing to build confidence in navigating complex engineering and organizational challenges.
At the same time, I view this period as an opportunity to reflect on the people and experiences that have shaped my journey so far. I’ve been fortunate to learn from incredible mentors who have guided me, challenged me to grow, and supported me in developing both professionally and personally. Their influence continues to inspire how I approach my work and how I think about leadership.
Beyond my technical career, I’m also increasingly intentional about building connections with other women in the field and contributing to communities that foster growth, mentorship, and empowerment. I value the opportunity to share experiences, encourage others, and help create pathways for women who are navigating similar career journeys.
On a personal level, I draw a lot of motivation from my family, my interests outside of work, and the balance they bring to my life. Those experiences ground me and remind me of the importance of purpose, connection, and joy in everything I do.
Looking ahead, I’m excited about continuing to grow in my career, expanding my impact, and stepping into new opportunities that challenge me. I also look forward to sharing more of my story, celebrating the milestones I’ve achieved, and using my experiences to inspire and support others as they pursue their own paths.

The most important values to me are being a role model and provider, especially as a mother of three boys. Having kids changed my whole life and perspective - they brought me so much and changed my outlook on life. I really began to grow a voice with them to be the protector and provider, and that's what really changed me in the workplace too. When I see younger women or younger men or even all ages that need motivation or to be picked up or to grow into their roles, I want to be that person that can provide that for them and support them. Outside of work, I spend the majority of my time with my boys, my husband, and my stepson. They're at all different stages and walks of life, but I want to be that person that supports their growth and their journey. I'm very passionate about my family being international - my dad is from Puerto Rico and my mom's from Switzerland, from the French part. Having those two different cultures is the best of both worlds, and having that perspective and outlook from my mother and father and how I grew up really strongly impacted me on life. That's what I want to bring to my boys and my stepson as well. I also value continuous improvement - I want to continue to grow and continue to learn. After getting my Master's of Business Administration, I really think it's very important to continue to have continuous improvement, not only professionally but personally as well. I'm pursuing my law degree and studying for the LSAT now. The biggest thing I pride myself on is just continuing to grow, continuing to learn. I also value honoring my family and honoring who I am as a person. My mom always taught me to tell the truth, because if you tell the truth, they'll know that you're honest versus telling a lie where they can't trust you. I learned those small life lessons through her. I represent our household, I represent our stature, and I think that's the biggest thing - honoring that, honoring your family, honoring who you are as a person. I think those are the biggest keys to being a successful woman and a confident woman.