JoAnne Peters

I've been fortunate to have hands-on work experience that's been eye-opening and life-changing for me career-wise. This was my first perspective towards these more corporate roles, it's not something I was exposed to growing up, so that's been really amazing. The experience I've learned through my companies has shaped me tremendously. I'm also really grateful for my time at Missouri State University, because I was able to study abroad in Spain and Costa Rica, which really opened my mind and my perspective. Those experiences pushed me out of my comfort zone and shaped how I connect with different perspectives. What really inspired me was when I first saw how systems were being built, I saw how efficiency was created and how obstacles were relieved immediately after when a new system was rolled out to the team. There were some challenges that didn't exist anymore, and I thought that was amazing. I've also been fortunate to have a manager who emphasizes really understanding your current role before rushing into the next one, that advice has stuck with me. She always provides time to speak with everybody on a one-on-one level, and there have been some really fantastic leaders throughout my career here at Expedia Group and at my old job.

During one of our one-on-one meetings, I asked my boss what advice she would have, and what she said was to fully understand where you are before trying to go somewhere new. That really helped my perspective on where I was in my career, because you always kind of compare yourself to other people, but it made me feel stronger about where I was, and that there's so much that I can learn from where I am. In tech especially, one of the biggest challenges isn't just building something new, it's helping people adapt to it. Change management is real, and it requires patience and empathy.

My advice would be to just follow your passion, even if that diverts from the original plan, because success isn't always a straight line. You just have to stay true to yourself and what is interesting to you. Something that's always on the top of my mind is that it's not going to always look how you think it's going to look. Plans can diverge, but as long as you stay true to yourself and what's truly interesting to you, then you'll always have information to share. If there's anybody who can relate to being a woman in technology in the first few years of their career, and I can bring anybody up, then that's something that I stand for.

In regards to information technology, I think one challenge is the concept of change and change management when it comes to introducing new systems. I think it's really important to consciously integrate new systems and procedures to a team, because they can be naturally used to doing things one way, and then when you introduce something new, it can really be a challenge. So I think how that's handled can determine if a system is going to be successful or not. In tech especially, one of the biggest challenges isn't just building something new, it's helping people adapt to it. Change management is real, and it requires patience and empathy.

Uplifting the community is really important to me. If there's anybody who can relate to being a woman in technology in the first few years of their career, and I can bring anybody up, then that's something that I stand for. My foundation started at Missouri State University, where I studied IT and had the chance to study abroad in Spain and Costa Rica while completing a Spanish minor. Those experiences pushed me out of my comfort zone and shaped how I connect with different perspectives. I'm currently continuing my education through a graduate certificate program, which reflects how I approach growth, consistently and with intention. Sharing what I learn is something I've come to value most. There's something powerful about taking something that feels complex or intimidating and breaking it down so others can actually use it. For me, it's not just about staying current with technology, it's about bringing others along with me. I also value connecting with people, I'm part of a group called Women in Technology here in Springfield, and reaching out and connecting with people is something that I do.