Melanie Woon

I really attribute my success both personally and professionally, to the people around me. Whether that’s my friends, my children, or the teams I work with, I don’t do anything in isolation. As a project manager especially, there’s no such thing as success without a strong, hardworking team.

I also credit my support system growing up. My parents were American‑born Chinese and adopted me from Taiwan, and they grew up during the Great Depression. They instilled in me a strong sense of ethics, responsibility, and work ethic from a very young age. Those values shaped how I approach my work and relationships today, and they’ve been foundational to who I am.

The best career advice I ever received came from an executive I worked with earlier in my career, who told me to stop apologizing for things unnecessarily and instead focus on how to move forward. I used to walk into meetings leading with statements like, ‘I’m sorry this wasn’t completed,’ or ‘I’m sorry this didn’t go as planned.’ What I learned was to reframe that approach. Instead of apologizing, I focus on the opportunity, what we’ve learned, how we can improve, and what the next step is. Now I’ll say something like, 'Here’s where we are, and here’s how we’re going to move this forward.’ That shift in perspective has been incredibly valuable and has helped me show up with more confidence and clarity.

The first piece of advice I would give is to remember that you belong in the room. It can be intimidating, especially when you’re walking into spaces where you may be one of the only women or, in my case, one of the only people who doesn’t look like everyone else. But you’re there because you’ve done the work and you’ve earned that seat. I tell this to my daughters all the time. They’re multiracial, and I remind them that even when something feels uncomfortable or unfamiliar, that doesn’t mean they don’t belong. And if there ever is a situation where there’s been a misunderstanding or misalignment, my advice is to be transparent about it. Clear, honest communication goes a long way, and confidence comes from knowing your value and standing in it.

I think one of the biggest challenges right now is the fear around artificial intelligence. There’s a lot of talk about AI ‘taking over’ or replacing people, and I don’t think that’s an accurate or productive way to look at it. Having worked with different AI models, I see that we’re still a long way from AI being fully reliable or autonomous.

What I do see is an opportunity. AI can take some of the more repetitive or administrative work off people’s plates, but it still requires human judgment, in other words, people to review outputs, apply context, and make decisions. So while it may change how certain roles function, I don’t believe it eliminates the need for people at any level. The real opportunity is learning how to use AI responsibly as a support tool, not viewing it as a replacement for human expertise.

Integrity is the value that matters most to me, both professionally and personally. For me, that really comes down to two things: honesty and ownership. Being honest in how I communicate, and also being willing to fully own my actions, whether things go well or not. On a personal level, that means having a clear understanding of who I am, recognizing my strengths, and being aware of the biases I bring into situations. Professionally, it shows up as accountability and transparency. I believe that when you take ownership of your work and your decisions, it builds trust and creates clarity. That kind of integrity is something I try to carry into everything I do.