Perfect. Thank you. Well, good morning, good evening, and good afternoon, everyone. And, Anna, thank you so much for for having me.It is truly an honor to be with all of you today. Before I talk about leadership or culture or rising in your career, I want to begin with a story from when I was a young girl in Cameroon. I know Anna touched a little bit about Cameroon because I think as you hear some of the stories I'll share, my journey will hopefully make sense to you when I'm done with this keynote. So my grandparents were farmers and merchants. They ran a small store in a place called Lukumba in Cameroon. And when customers bought heavy bags of rice or flour, it was hard for them to carry everything home. 

So when I would visit my grandparents, I wasn't you know, if I wasn't running around playing soccer or playing with my friends, I would help by delivering their goods, those customers' goods with a wheelbarrow to their locations. This was work that I would say people expected boys to do back then in our community. And when young girls would see me walking and and and delivering and pushing this wheelbarrow truck and delivering these goods, they would they would laugh. Right? I remember looking at them in their eyes and holding a stare for a moment and then just continuing, you know, my path forward. I did the work even when the comments stung. Right? You're you're doing something good for your family, and you have people sort of laughing at you. Later that day, I asked my grandfather. I said, papa, why why do they laugh at me? And he smiled. He said, how do you feel when they do that? 

I told him I didn't care even though I did a little. He said, don't mind them. They don't understand that everything that you're doing is preparing you to step boldly into the future that you want for yourself. And he would say, take pride in your work. Take pride in working hard. Take pride in helping our family. That moment planted something in me. It taught me to block noise and focus on what really matters. I didn't understand the lesson fully then, I must say, but it stayed with me. It helped shape how I lead and how I stay steady when things get difficult. And I'm sure if you look at my background, I've had some roles where things could get a bit difficult. 

Years later, when senior there was a senior leadership role opened up in a former organization that I worked for, and I had hoped to be considered. I had delivered strong results. I believed I was ready for the next step. Instead of waiting quietly, I asked for the CEO to spend time with me so I can walk him through a little bit about my background. It was a bold move. Right? Because the CEO could have said no. I wanted him to know my work, and he agreed. And we had a thoughtful conversation. He listened. He asked good questions. He gave me space to share my ideas. At the end of the process, he chose someone else, but he also gave me clear feedback and encouragement. 

He told me he was so proud of me and saw a ton of potential and value in the contributions that I was making in the organization. Reaching out to the CEO taught me another important lesson. Be bold about your path. Don't stay quiet and hope someone will notice you. If there is an opportunity that you believe you're ready for, say it out loud. Tell anyone that you can speak to about it. Ask for the meeting. Share your work. Share your aspirations. That meeting didn't land me the role that I wanted, but it opened a door I didn't expect. The CEO became a mentor. He encouraged me. He challenged me, and he's still in my life today. None of that would have happened if I had waited in silence. You have to take the first step forward towards the future that you want to build for yourself. 

Around that same time, the company also introduced three sixty degree feedback for all leaders. That process brought, as you can imagine, another set of challenges and lessons to learn. And when my feedback came back to me, I felt two things at once. My team and clients shared observations that were encouraging, and then there were comments that made me pause because they pointed to things I hadn't seen in myself. I felt a mix of pride and discomfort. I sat with both. And I tell you, it wasn't easy, but it was one of the best things that could have happened to me. Candidly, I felt a bit defensive. I felt misunderstood. And that's a very human reaction because I know some of you have probably felt some of that if you've gone through a three sixty on your own. 

But here is what changed my thinking. I had a circle of support that pushed me to look again. One of them was my executive coach who said she said, you know, stayed with me for a period of time. She said, what if there's something here for you, Abby? You don't have to accept everything that's in this three sixty. But what if there's something there for you to take? Something that you can grow from. That moment honestly helped me, you know, think about, okay. What can I do differently? What can I do that might make a difference, not only for the feedback received, but also for myself? That moment actually helped me develop one of the most important leadership principles that I carry with me today. Feedback is a gift. 

Some you keep, some you regift, and some you throw away. I know when I say it sometimes, people like, what does that mean? Once I learned how to sort feedback, I could act with purpose. When feedback aligned with my values, I kept it and used it to grow. When it could help others, I shared it forward. I gave it to someone else and helped them. And when it came from old expectations or people's assumptions or opinions of me, I let it go. So sorting feedback this way shaped four habits that changed how I lead as well. First, I set my intention before I walk into a room. I learn to take a moment before key conversations to ground myself, use positive self talk, and really be clear about how I want to show up. 

Second, I protect my energy and focus. I became more mindful of where I invest my time and attention so I could be present for the people and the work that needed me the most. And third, I lifted others. I made it a habit to acknowledge the good work happening around me. As I like to say now, your light does not deign when others shine. Right? Instead, when we all shine, we create a future that is bright for everyone. And lastly, I stayed true to who I am, and I blocked the noise. I kept my own style. I stayed rooted in my values. I didn't try to become someone else just because others had different expectations for who they wanted me to be. But staying true to yourself didn't mean staying unchanged. 

It meant knowing what to, you know, knowing what you stood for while also being willing to look inward and grow as well. These four actions were small. One would say, oh, they're not monumental. That's true. But they changed everything for me. My relationship strengthened. My leadership grew, and my confidence became even more steady. So sorting feedback helped me rise without losing myself. That is what I mean when I say feedback is a gift. Well, you know what? Now I I want to come back to my grandfather because he loved stories. And one of his favorites was about a turtle. The turtle was walking with his friends, enjoying the moment, not paying attention, and then he fell into a latrine pit. His friends looked for sticks to pull him out. The first sticks were too long too short, actually. And then they kept looking and finally found one long enough. They were able to pull out the turtle. 

They pulled him out with great effort, of course. And as soon as the turtle was on his feet, the turtle said, why did you take so long? The smell down there was terrible. His friend said, we should have just left you there. Anyway, my grandfather always asked us, what did you learn? For me, and hopefully you picked a few things for yourself, this story carries three lessons that guide my leadership style today as well. One, pay attention to where you're going. Stay awake to your surroundings. Notice the signals around you because they're always signals. Notice the people. Notice the people. Two, show gratitude. When people help you, acknowledge it. Gratitude brings more support and builds trust. The third one is practice patience. Many leaders chase speed. The launch is energizing. Attention is high, and early wins create the illusion of progress. But when you think about it, the real test arrives later. 

The slow middle where ambiguity increases, where resistance shows up, and outcomes require discipline. Strong leaders remain present in that stage. They stay the course. They reinforce priorities and give their teams the consistencies required for results to form. And when you think about it, honestly, rushing delivers activity, but disciplined patience delivers outcomes. So these lessons help me pay attention when life shifted, staying patient when progress felt slow, because I'm sure we've all experienced it, and hold on to gratitude even when things were hard. They became foundation of my resilience. So look. I moved to United States as a teenager. New country, new expectations, new reality. I faced moments of discrimination. There were days when I wondered where I fit. My faith, my family, and my culture, honestly, just carried me through, my journey. When I first arrived, I didn't have the money to go straight to college, so I worked full time after high school and went to school part time. I saved. 

I learned how to keep going when the path wasn't easy. That discipline stayed with me. You don't wait for perfect conditions. You have to make value driven choices when path is uncertain. For example, years later, when I found myself in role in a role that no longer supported my well-being, I made one of the hardest decisions in my career. I walked away. I knew I was I mean, I pretty much knew who I was. I knew what mattered to me, and I knew my values had to guide me. Resilience for me is not being tough. It's about knowing when to persevere, knowing when to pause, and when to choose a healthier path for yourself. 

It's about staying rooted in the things that don't shift, whether it's your faith, whether it's your family, your values, and your sense of self. Those experiences shaped how I lead today. Over time, I, you know, I've sort of created a set of questions that I ask myself to stay grounded in how I lead. One of them, hopefully, it helps you is, am I paying attention to the people around me? Right? You gotta be intentional in making sure that you see what's around you. Back to the turtle story. Right? Am I seeking to understand with empathy? Am I showing interest in what others are saying? Am I keeping an open mind? Am I noticing who seems worried or withdrawn and checking in with them? 

Am I inviting different perspectives so that I can grow, right, that whole growth mindset? Am I pushing or or taking a pause before responding so I can speak with intention and not just speak out of turn or speak for the sake of speaking? These questions help lead for me with clarity and kindness. They help me stay centered. They help me build teams where people feel seen. They also help me hold on to the principles that has carried me through every stage of my life. I always say there's no work life balance. You have to harmonize your work and life. Staying the course for me with intention, perseverance, values, and gratitude, When I think of intention, it means knowing why you do what you do. 

Perseverance means taking one step forward even on hard days because hard days will come. Right? And values keep you steady when the world shifts around you. Oh, boy. The world is always shifting. And gratitude, which is actually one of my favorites, keeps your heart open so you don't grow bitter or tired, because life can give turns and and movements that can get you there. These principles prepared me for senior leadership roles. They carried me through setbacks and disappointments because I've had them too because people always wonder, you know, is life always perfect? No. It's not. They helped me find my voice in rooms where I once felt invisible. Yes. I have felt invisible before. They shaped the way I lead culture and belonging today for my company. 

So when I think back to that little girl pushing a wheelbarrow in Cameroon, being laughed at by people who could not see her future, I feel a deep sense of peace. She kept going. She kept helping. She kept learning, and she didn't need permission to take on work that mattered for her. I want each person here to hold that same truth for yourselves. If you are building your path in tech, if you are trying to grow into leadership, or if you are simply just trying to stay steady in a demanding, complex, and ever changing world that we live in, I want you to ask yourself, what feedback do you need to revisit? What noise do you need to shut out? What values do you need to stand on? And who do you need to thank? And what course do you need to stay on even when it feels slow? Your journey will not always be easy, but you are more prepared than you think. 

I didn't know I would be in this role coming from Cameroon. Right? Think about it. You already have strengths inside of you. You already have a voice that matters. You already have the ability to shape teams, companies, and communities. I believe in your path. I believe in your power, and I believe that when you lead with intention, perseverance, values, and gratitude, you will transform any space you enter. So stay your course and believe in yourself. Thank you.