September Member of the Month, Jen Duddy, Head of Industry, Media & Entertainment, Google

Hometown: Medway, MA

Current job title/company: Head of Industry, Media & Entertainment at Google

Which three words would you use to describe your personality? Friendly, Empathetic, Competitive

Name a woman who inspires you and why? Hands down, my Mom! Her courage, determination and strong work ethic inspire me. She’s a Fine Arts Teacher who loves her job and has continued to add academic degrees, certifications and new skills throughout her adult life, even becoming a certified yoga teacher a few years ago in addition to all her other commitments and hobbies. Her energy is impressive and I’m lucky to have her as a role model.

What does She Runs It’s new eMembership mean for you? I’m excited by the eMembership option because, especially in current times, it’s encouraging to know that women across all regions of the country can get together to socialize and support one another professionally. When I lived in NYC, I was a member of Ad Women of NY (AWNY), She Runs It’s original name, so it’s great to see the organization evolve and expand in this way.

How did you benefit from hosting the She Runs It networking circle recently? I loved meeting so many wonderful women from around the country at the virtual event! I was inspired by the stories that were shared and look forward to staying in touch with the amazing women who participated. Thank you again for the invitation and the opportunity.

What is inspiring you during this period of change we are all currently experiencing? I’m inspired by the resilience of the human spirit, and by people from all walks of life who are taking action and getting involved in many ways to help improve diversity, equity and inclusion in our workplaces, as well as, standing up to fight systemic racism in our country. This is such an important time in our history and I believe we must take part in enacting positive change. This widely shared quote from civil rights leader John Lewis are important words to live by:  “When you see something that is not right, not fair, not just, you have to speak up. You have to say something; you have to do something.”