Dana Allin, CTP

I attribute my success to being able to look at the big picture and really ensure that as my team or cross-functional partners and I are looking to figure out what the strategy is going to look like, what the end state is, we take into account all the competing factors. I'm also very focused on communication strategies, bringing my teams along, bringing customers and partners along to make sure that we have buy-in and that we've built the right level of influence to make the changes sustainable. I think it's also really important to be realistic about strategies and game plans, making sure that we've done the right level of vetting to ensure that a strategy can really come to fruition. When you don't do that, you put a team, you might put field operations or a customer grouping at risk because we haven't done the proper due diligence. It's about attention to detail to really make sure that we've planned the scope of the strategy in its entirety. Beyond that, I feel that one of my real proficiencies is being able to marry my technical expertise in data and continuous improvement with my passion for working with people through servant leadership, allowing my team to reach new potential and empowered performance.

The best career advice I've received is really two-fold. First, seek to be the type of energy that people want to be around. That's really important to me in terms of how you show up for your team, how you really help to navigate uncharted territories and times of adversity. I think it's really important for how you show up and the energy that you exude. And then by vice versa, being balanced about where am I going to give my energy, making sure that I view it as value-added and it's a commodity, being very balanced about that.

I think the most important thing is to really make sure that you seek the opportunities that are going to give you critical experiences. By that, I mean it might not be the ideal job, or it might be an off-shift opportunity with awkward hours, but it's going to give you critical experience to establish your decision-making capabilities and your executive maturity. So I think it's important to take those critical experiences even if you feel you're not ready for them. I also think it's really important to find the organic best balance for yourself and how you self-promote. I struggled with this early in life where I thought I was going to keep my head down and do my job and it's going to speak for itself, and sometimes that's enough, and then sometimes it's not. So how do you create and build your network, not about what I've done, me, me, me, but sharing, hey, this is a project I'm working on collaboratively, this is what my team is working on, really kind of building what are you known for. And then I think it's also important to strategically look for those trusted people within your organization that can be a sounding board for you and really build out what your board of directors looks like that can help you really continue to pull in critical experiences, give you help with your self-reflection, and really help you kind of navigate how to build out the career that you desire.

In my field, one of the biggest challenges and simultaneously the greatest opportunities—is staying ahead of how technology can drive meaningful improvements. Rapid advancements in tools, data analytics, and automation continually reshape the way we operate, making it essential to anticipate trends and adopt solutions that enhance efficiency, accuracy, and overall outcomes. At the same time, integrating these technologies thoughtfully requires balancing innovation with practical implementation, ensuring that improvements are sustainable and aligned with organizational goals. Embracing this dynamic landscape allows me to not only address challenges proactively but also identify opportunities to create lasting impact.

From a values perspective, it's really around doing the right thing when no one's looking. It's really important to have that consistency. I pride myself in being known for being the same person I am whether I'm outside in my personal life or when I walk through the door at work in my professional setting. I believe that that's a fundamental need to lead with integrity and credibility and really be a voice that cuts through. You may have a different opinion than the audience that you're in front of, but how do you present it and build influence to really support moving whether it's a people agenda or a business agenda. I really value cross-functional partnership and lean very heavily on the people aspect. I seek to be the type of energy that people want to be around, and I'm very balanced about where I give my energy, making sure that I view it as value-added and it's a commodity. On a personal level, my perspective has really changed with becoming a first-time mother. A lot of our time right now goes into my family and my son, and I try to balance work and life integration, understanding when I've got to lean in and when to back away to really delegate to my team to let them be empowered.