Jenn Roberts Ma

I view my success as a continual work in progress, which is why I remain committed to learning and growth. I actively seek out connections with women professionals across industries who can challenge my thinking, broaden my perspective, and inspire new ideas.

Looking back, I attribute much of my professional growth so far to the remarkable colleagues and advocates who have invested in me along the way. Their guidance, encouragement, and belief in my potential have been instrumental in shaping my career and building my confidence. I'd like to pay it forward by also serving as a support, sounding board, and mentor to others.

One of the best pieces of career advice I ever received came early in my professional life. During a team brainstorming session, I shared several ideas and thought nothing of it. Afterward, my manager pulled me aside and said, "You know, those were great ideas, but you were apologizing for them before you even finished sharing them."

She pointed out that I was unintentionally undermining my own contributions by softening my statements and giving others an easy way to dismiss or overlook my ideas. She told me something I've never forgotten: don't apologize for taking up space professionally. If you have something to contribute, share it with pride.

That conversation changed the way I communicate at work. While humility is important, I've learned that confidence and credibility often go hand in hand. To this day, I still catch myself when I'm tempted to qualify an idea unnecessarily and remind myself to present it clearly and confidently.

My advice would be to give yourself permission to think in seasons rather than expecting perfection in every area of life all at once. And honestly, I'd give that same advice to women entering almost any profession.

I think there's often tremendous pressure on women to excel simultaneously in their careers, families, relationships, health, community involvement, and countless other responsibilities. The reality is that very few people can operate at 100% in every area at the same time—and that's okay. Over the course of a career, there will be seasons when work takes center stage, seasons when family needs more of your attention, and seasons focused on learning, growth, or personal well-being. Part of the journey is figuring out what matters most in a given moment, being intentional about where you invest your energy, and trusting there will be a time for the rest.

It's probably not surprising that my answer is AI. In communications, AI is both one of the biggest opportunities and one of the biggest challenges facing our industry today.

I see AI as an incredibly powerful tool when it's used by skilled communicators who understand strategy, audience needs, messaging, and storytelling. It can help accelerate research, spark ideas, identify patterns, improve efficiency, and scale content in ways that simply weren't possible before. At the same time, AI is not a substitute for expertise, judgment, or authentic human insight. In the hands of someone who doesn't understand communications, it can actually make content less effective by sounding generic and impersonal.

I think the challenge for communicators going forward will be learning how to leverage AI without sacrificing authenticity. The goal shouldn't be to replace human thinking, but to use technology to expedite and enhance it.

It may sound basic, but the value that's most important to me is empathy. I've always believed it's important to remind yourself that there's another perspective and to try to understand where someone else is coming from before you act, react, or make assumptions. That mindset has served me well both professionally and personally.

In communications, empathy is essential. It helps you understand not only what a client wants to say, but also what their audience wants to hear. It helps you build stronger relationships, provide better counsel, and identify how your expertise can best serve others. Because at its core, effective communication is about understanding people.

The same is true in my personal life. Empathy is the foundation of strong friendships, meaningful relationships, and supportive communities. I've found that personal and professional success are deeply interconnected, so when you invest in relationships, seek to understand others, and build a network of people who support one another, you excel in all areas.