Her Story
About Heather
Heather Chen, MBA, PMP, is a Product Manager with nine years of experience in the technology and video game industry, including the past five years at Blizzard Entertainment. She specializes in product strategy, roadmap development, and cross-functional leadership, guiding products from concept through execution. Her responsibilities include developing product roadmaps, identifying high-value features that align with business objectives and customer needs, managing team roadmaps and product requirements, and overseeing implementation to deliver successful, high-impact outcomes. Known for her strategic mindset and collaborative leadership style, Chen excels at aligning technical teams and stakeholders to create innovative, customer-focused solutions.
Chen's educational journey reflects her passion for continuous growth and lifelong learning. She earned a bachelor's degree in Biology and an Associate of Science in Computer Science before transitioning into the technology sector. She later obtained her Project Management Professional (PMP) certification and graduated with high honors from Pepperdine Graziadio Business School, earning a Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a concentration in Digital Innovation and Information Systems. She is an active member of the Project Management Institute (PMI) and Beta Gamma Sigma, the international business honor society, and is a proud alumna of both Pepperdine University and the University of California, Irvine.
Chen attributes her success to grit, resilience, and determination in navigating a traditionally male-dominated industry, coupled with an unwavering commitment to continuous learning, mentorship, and servant leadership. She is passionate about creating opportunities for others, empowering teams, and fostering inclusive environments where individuals can thrive. Beyond her professional responsibilities, she is deeply involved in community service, serving as a Chalk Walk captain for Children's Hospital of Orange County through Gamers for CHOC and fundraising for Give Kids the World. She believes authentic relationships are built through genuine community engagement rather than transactional networking. Her advice to young women entering the industry is to seek mentors who will advocate for their growth, confidently share their accomplishments, and never hesitate to make their voices heard.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Heather
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to my grit and determination. I'm not afraid to get in there and try and figure out the tough problems, especially with a great team behind me. It takes a lot of grit to take on the unknown in a male-dominated field. I take great pride in making teams work effectively and efficiently, creating productive and fun teams, bringing people together, and consistently improving processes and outcomes through operational efficiency. I don't think work should have to be a slog - you can still work hard and have fun while doing it.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Your career needs to fit your life and what you want out of life. In today's day and age, your work is part of your life. Building relationships with people before you need them, creating social equity, having genuine connections, trusting and respecting others - it's about a sense of community, not just networking and collecting contacts.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Don't be afraid to reach out or get mentorship or mentor others. Advocate for yourself and your needs. Hard work should show through, but raise it up so people understand your contributions. Look towards mentors when new to the industry. I didn't have a mentor when I joined and fumbled through things, and I think I wouldn't have made as many mistakes or would have been further in my career had I gotten more advice earlier on.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest opportunity and challenge is AI. It's important to understand AI as a tool to help become better, faster, more efficient, but it's also a threat as companies look to replace people with it. It should supplement efficiency instead. Consumers should practice conscious consumerism and support places that create willing wages for people.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Continuous learning always challenging yourself and looking for ways to grow. Service and giving back, supporting and mentoring others, uplifting others. Leadership through empowerment helping others succeed and empowering them to stand up and show their skills.
Join Influential Women and start making an impact. Register now.