Melanie Reid

I’d attribute my success to a combination of adaptability and relationship-building. During COVID, the events industry changed overnight, and I had to quickly figure out how to make this career path work in a world where people weren’t gathering in person. That meant not only pivoting to virtual events, but also leaning more deeply into strategy and understanding how events contribute to broader marketing and business goals. It was one of the first times in my career where I shifted from being focused primarily on execution to thinking more holistically about impact and outcomes.

The second piece is being able to meet people where they are. A huge part of my role is working across different personalities, teams, and levels of experience, and I’ve always put a lot of effort into understanding how to communicate effectively in those different dynamics. Learning how to manage up, down, and across an organization has been incredibly important to my growth. I think building strong relationships and creating trust has opened a lot of doors for me throughout my career.

The best career advice I’ve received is to stay open-minded. You may start in one field or one role, but industries evolve, companies evolve, and your career will evolve too. Being willing to grow with that change — whether that means deepening your expertise or pivoting into something new — is incredibly valuable.

I’ve also learned how important it is to stay calm and grounded through those transitions. Some of the biggest growth moments in my career came from situations that were unexpected or outside of my comfort zone. Approaching change with curiosity instead of resistance has made a huge difference for me, both professionally and personally.

My biggest piece of advice would be to trust yourself. One thing you learn over time is that experience builds confidence — and more often than not, once you’ve learned something, you won’t make the same mistake twice. It’s important to recognize the value of what you already know and to own your expertise. If you’re in the room, there’s a reason for it.

I also think it’s especially important for women entering industries like technology, where teams can still be very male-dominated. I work closely with engineers, product teams, and technical stakeholders, and early in your career it can sometimes feel intimidating to speak up or stand your ground. But I’ve learned that you can be collaborative and respectful while still being confident in your perspective and your role. Finding that balance is something that takes time, but it’s incredibly important and empowering once you do.

One of the biggest challenges — and opportunities — in my field right now is how quickly everything is evolving, both in events and in technology overall. The pace of change is incredibly fast, and AI is a huge part of that. It’s impacting not only how companies operate, but also how we work internally, how we connect with customers, and even what people expect from experiences and interactions.

For events specifically, there’s a growing expectation for experiences to feel more personalized, strategic, and measurable than ever before. At the same time, technology is creating new ways to engage audiences and work more efficiently. I think the challenge is learning how to adapt without losing the human element that makes events and relationships meaningful in the first place.

For me, the biggest opportunity is staying curious and open to change instead of resisting it. The people and companies that will succeed are the ones willing to evolve alongside the industry.

A strong work ethic is really important to me, both professionally and personally. I tend to be very intentional about the goals I set for myself, so if I’m committing to something, it’s because it genuinely matters to me. I value working with people who bring that same level of care, accountability, and motivation to what they do.

At the same time, one of the values I care about most is empathy. It’s easy in professional environments to focus only on deadlines, deliverables, or roles, but behind every project and every email is a real person. I think it’s important to lead and collaborate with that perspective in mind.

At Riskified, for example, I work closely with colleagues in Israel, and there have been moments where world events understandably impact people on a personal level. Experiences like that reinforce the importance of approaching work with compassion and understanding. At the end of the day, I think people do their best work when they feel respected, supported, and seen as humans first.