You’ve worked in consulting, telecommunications and technology. How has working in these different sectors shaped your career?

Consulting was great. I learned a lot from my clients and colleagues who had completely different backgrounds, especially since I was at a firm that specialized in public affairs.

I then had an opportunity to move in-house at AT&T. One thing I learned there was the importance of understanding what the business does, its operations and revenue streams and the teams you need to work with to understand the issues that you support.

Since I moved into my role at Salesforce six years ago, we’ve more than doubled in size. We’ve shifted product needs based on what’s happened in the AI space and, personally, I had to learn how to navigate a company’s headquarters.

Speaking of Salesforce, you were the company’s first dedicated public affairs hire. What was that like and what has been your favorite part of the role so far?

I started at the very beginning of the pandemic. I didn’t go into the office for a long time. There were about 34,000 employees, which felt small compared to AT&T. It was super fun to see how the company maneuvered that time. It gave me a lot of faith in trying to build something with the team here at Salesforce. A little over six years later, we are more than 80,000 employees.

What I’ve liked most about Salesforce is that we keep a bit of irreverence, even though we’re large. We are serious about serving our customers, but we don’t take ourselves too seriously.

You’ve been active in the Council for many years now, including serving on the Board; the Programs Committee; the Leadership, Strategy and Culture Committee; and the Policy Communicators Group. What has your involvement with the Council meant to you throughout your career, and what keeps you engaged?

The Council offers opportunities for every stage of your career. The trainings and programming are helpful when trying to expand your skill set, particularly earlier on in your career. Young professionals should really take advantage of it.

One of the things that’s been beneficial for me is the great network of professionals. Programs like the Public Affairs Institute offer the opportunity for senior-level practitioners to go back to school for a week with people who are also really interested in learning about different industries and what’s happening in the world.

The Council’s got some great new programs ahead. I’m excited to see what happens and help where I can contribute to the growth.

I saw that you recently served as a speaker for a webinar on AI and global public affairs. What sparked your interest in AI?

I’m lucky to work at a company that is a leader in AI, so I’m at an advantage. We’re not afraid of it, which is really exciting. I have access to Slack, Claude Cowork and other AI tools that many folks in our field don’t.

What do you think is the most important thing for public affairs professionals to know about AI going forward?

Two things are especially important. First, you need to understand it for your business, because it’s going to change how we work. Second, it is a great opportunity to take grunt work off all our plates. For example, I get a daily Slack briefing of my next day through an auto-populated Slackbot skill. It reviews my Slack, my email, my calendar, and tells me what I need to pay attention to first thing in the morning.

AI can amplify your role. This is an exceptional moment in time right now to figure out how to free up time to be strategic and to work better as a team, to work with your consultants more efficiently and effectively. I don’t think of it as a cost savings tool. Instead, it’s really an opportunity to rethink how we work.

Are there any resources that you recommend for people who want to learn more about AI?

Start by putting a list together of what you actually want out of utilizing AI, which will indicate where you should lean in and with which tools.

I recommend podcasts like On with Kara Swisher and Hard Fork that talk about the industry as a whole. It’s important to understand what’s happening in the industry because the language used is important. You’ve got to really understand what’s out there.

I’m also a member of Mixing Board, now folded in with Axios Communicators, and we’ve got a great Slack channel where we share information. Off the Record is another great group and podcast.

What excites you the most about the future of public affairs?

There is a growing recognition of public affairs as a separate expertise. Every year, there’s a shift toward looking for people who have experience in managing crises and navigating geopolitical changes, as well as understanding how these things impact businesses, nonprofit organizations and campaigns. It’s incredible to see this area of the field shine when for a long time it was viewed as the operational arm of a government relations team.

I hear that you’re an avid golfer. What do you love most about it, and what’s your favorite course that you’ve played?

You’re outside for several hours, and there’s not really anything else you can do —­ you have to stay pretty focused. It’s a slow sport, but you’re constantly moving. Living in Northern California like I do, you can play all year round.

My favorite experience was when my husband and I went to St. Andrews a few years ago and played at the Castle course. It was absolutely beautiful, and we had the best time. Plus, the weather was unseasonably gorgeous for St. Andrews at that time of year. ­

What else fuels your downtime?

I’m a longtime Pilates Reformer practitioner, which has really gotten popular. I’m glad to see so many people seeing the benefits of it.

I’m also a big Pinot Noir fan. My husband and I just bought a house in Sonoma, so we’ll be spending a lot more time up there, homing in on that hobby.

What advice would you give someone just starting their career in public affairs?

Be super curious. There are so many ways to achieve your goals, so keep talking to others, whether internal to your organization or externally. To that end, the Council offers a lot of opportunities to meet people, network and learn.

Read a lot, listen to some podcasts. There are a lot of great options, including some shorter ones like The Daily Punch or the Politico options. There are so many ways to stay up to speed. You can never learn enough!