Austina Marfil Millan

I attribute my success to the education my parents gave me and all the people I've come across throughout my path over the years. I've developed a good judgment of what to take from everybody and how to improve on that. I think about my teachers, and I also find inspiration in people at work - my managers, some of my coworkers, and people from other areas. I try to grab something that I feel is good and nice and productive from somebody else, and I try to involve it in what I do. It's about constantly learning from the people around me and taking the best qualities I see in others to help me grow.

The best career advice I've ever received is to do a job that you're always having fun with, where you don't have to challenge yourself to get up every morning to do it. Find work that brings you genuine enjoyment and doesn't feel like a burden. And whenever you're not happy with it anymore, be mindful enough to move on to the next opportunity. It's about staying true to your own happiness and knowing when it's time for a change.

My advice to young women entering this industry is to be open to work and to express themselves. I've worked with people from different countries, and I've noticed that people from the United States, UK, and Australia are more comfortable saying what they want, while those of us from Latin America, South Africa, Mexico, Argentina, and Brazil tend to be more reserved. We often think, 'I have a job, I just want to do my job no matter what,' and sometimes we don't say what we want to say. But I always tell young women: you have to say it. Just say what you feel, say what needs improvement, because we're often the ones with the best ideas - and we're the ones not saying them. Don't hold back. Speak up and share your perspective.

The biggest challenges in our field right now are the new generations and how they're changing everything. We have different types of generations in the same workplace, and sometimes they clash. I feel like companies and organizations should start looking at these areas so they can create a better work environment. With the kids, new generations come with new challenges every year. They're so into technology that sometimes it's really hard to get them to sit down for a craft or a board game. They just want an iPad, and we're trying to make it fun without being inside an iPad all the time. Year by year, there are even more challenges with new technologies and different levels of attention and interest. But I also think there are opportunities here - if companies can adapt and find creative ways to engage these new generations while still maintaining the hands-on, people-focused environment our work depends on, we can create something really meaningful.

The values that are most important to me in both my work and personal life are honesty, trust, and having fun. Honesty is one of my most valued qualities - I believe it's essential in everything I do. Being trustful and building trust with others is also critical to me. And I feel strongly that if we have fun in what we're doing, everything works better. These three values guide how I approach my work and my relationships.