Inspiring Inclusion for Women’s History Month and Beyond

By Kim Anstett, Katie Ruiters, Sheila Bonnar, Penny Aulakh and Nicole Chovan · March 18, 2024

At Trellix, we are proud to celebrate Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day in March. As Executive Champion of the Trellix Women’s Voice Employee Resource Group (ERG), I’m honored to share insight from a few Trellix teammates who took the time to talk with me about what inspires them and how they work to inspire others.

When I was asked to join our Women’s Voice as the Executive Champion, accepting the opportunity was an easy decision. It is so important to me to be a champion for incredible women and partner with the many sponsors throughout our organization. I am excited by the passion and purpose I see at Trellix every day, and I think you’ll find some of that excitement for yourself in reading about what a few of our dynamic leaders have to say about inspiration and inclusion.

We asked a few of our Trellix Women’s Voice ERG leaders to share a response to a series of questions as we honor and learn throughout Women’s History Month and in celebration of International Women’s Day. Here’s what they had to say:

In what ways do you influence your team and the broader business?

Katie: I try to build authentic relationships with my colleagues at Trellix, and that starts with developing trust and mutual respect. When you show a colleague who you are, it becomes easier for them to see that you are coming from a good place.

Sheila: I influence my teammates by doing what I said I would, communicating often and respectfully, and in a way that is underpinned by the belief that a successful business is a result of its people and the relationships they foster.

Penny: I ensure everyone is aware of how specific projects and deliverables tie into the broader vision and strategy of the company. I am transparent on the current state of things and related challenges and voice my opinion to bring change. Finally, I encourage others to step forward and attempt to make changes, too.

Nicole: I believe influence follows when you establish trust, provide value, and express gratitude. It means being genuine and pausing to ask yourself, “What impact will this have?” This could be anything—a way of improving a process, providing feedback to someone, or taking on a special project. Whatever this is, I believe it should provide value and positively impact people and the business. Also, I believe taking the time to thank and recognize others for their achievements is essential to influence.

Describe a time when someone included you in an important way and how it impacted your career journey.

Katie: I was working late one night when one of our leaders called to thank me for my recent efforts on a tough initiative. I was blown away by the fact that he took the time to call me and give me his genuine thanks and appreciation. My husband and daughter were in the other room, and I felt proud that they could listen to that conversation! It was a nice moment I won’t soon forget.

Sheila: A manager had a difficult conversation with me about some opportunities where I could improve. I really needed to hear it, think about it, and decide how to implement change. Now, I look at the feedback I received as the greatest gift!

Penny: There are too many to choose from, but one that stands out is when a leader I reported to went out of his way to ensure that an incoming executive was aware of my talent and potential. This made a significant difference to my career.

Nicole: As an Inside Sales Account Manager, I wanted to transition to the channel. A channel VP took the time to mentor me and help me develop the skills needed to become a Channel Account Manager. We met regularly; he provided constructive feedback and pushed me beyond my comfort zone. I attribute my career in the channel to his willingness to nurture my professional development!

Share your reasons for joining the Women’s Voice ERG and what you’ve experienced from your involvement?

Katie: I’m an extrovert, but I work remotely. I joined the Women’s Voice group as an opportunity to replace some of the interactions I would get with colleagues if I were working in an office. This experience has provided opportunities to learn from the incredible people who work at Trellix and expand my network with colleagues I wouldn’t normally interact with. I’ve made new work friends, too!

Penny: I had two reasons for joining the Women’s Voice ERG. First, it was to connect with a network of like-minded women across the company so I could learn from and leverage their experience and knowledge. The seemingly small informal interactions can add up in the long term. Stepping up as a leader for the Women’s Voice group in India was a conscious decision that helped me further my leadership skills. My second reason, which I felt strongly about, was to develop a sense of belonging towards the community and give back in some way, whether it meant supporting women to pick up a new opportunity or just sharing resources and advice. In hindsight, joining the Women’s Voice ERG has been a great decision, and it has made working at Trellix even more enjoyable.

Nicole: It’s easy to get consumed by the day-to-day responsibilities of work and life, and I wanted an opportunity to give back. The Trellix Women’s Voice ERG provides an avenue to give back to Trellix and the broader community as a whole. For example, last year, we hosted a Trellix Women’s Voice Happy Hour and partnered with Dress for Success Dallas to host a clothing drive and fundraiser. As a bonus, I’ve had the opportunity to collaborate with and learn from individuals across the globe whom I probably wouldn’t have crossed paths with otherwise!

What gives you hope to inspire inclusion for the next generation of women in the workplace?

Katie: Trellix’s focus on our ERGs gives me great hope. We so often get stuck in our day-to-day lives, and I am thankful for the opportunities I get to connect with the amazing women in our Women’s Voice group and other ERGs.

Sheila: Our company has many fabulous role models who believe they can accomplish anything from day one.

Penny: Inclusion is not just desirable but necessary. I think individual perspectives towards inclusion have changed for the better. However, we still need to address practical barriers to inclusion, such as creating gender-balanced households.

Nicole: What gives me hope to inspire inclusion for the next generation of women in the workplace is looking back at how far women have come and having platforms—like the Trellix Women’s Voice ERG—to address the nuanced and unique challenges women face in the modern workplace.

Who inspires you as a role model and why?

Katie: My five-year-old daughter, Anna, inspires me. I want to show her that she can achieve anything she wants in life by being authentic, kind, and advocating for herself. Our leadership team here at Trellix inspires me daily. I have the opportunity to work closely with our leaders, and I truly believe nothing can stop us!

Sheila: I’m inspired by my grandfather, whose business ability gave my family a great start in life. He handled personal challenges with love and compassion, and his contributions to the community are still evident today. He made it all look easy.

Penny: The passion, perseverance, and grit of all successful and great leaders inspire me. Mahatma Gandhi is undoubtedly at the top of my list. As an Indian woman, Priyanka Chopra also inspires me. Her professional journey and commitment to making a difference through philanthropy and uplifting the cause and spirits of women globally is admirable.

Nicole: Both my grandmothers and my mom inspire me! I admire my grandmother for her courage. She graduated college at the top of her class with a triple major in mathematics, chemistry, and physics. At a time when few women went to college, let alone for STEM, I admire her courage in taking the road less traveled. I admire my other grandmother for her ingenuity. While she never progressed in school beyond the eighth grade, she had an entrepreneurial spirit and a natural business acumen. To help make ends meet while my grandfather was away at war, she used her superior culinary skills and sold her baked goods out of her house and to local bakeries. And finally, I admire my mom for her perseverance. She also took the road less traveled and had a successful career as a mainframe programmer. She was often the “lone woman” on her team and faced obstacles because of that, but she persevered nonetheless.

Honoring achievements and accelerating equality.

Trellix takes great pride in championing women leaders and team members across our entire organization—during Women’s History Month and every other month of the year. The ways we work to honor our diversity today directly translate into removing obstacles and creating pathways for continued progress and success in the future, and I’m grateful to be part of that work. Join Trellix this month in celebrating the contributions of women here at our organization and throughout history. Together, we Inspire Inclusion!