I came to the US from Sichuan province of China, which is famous for giant pandas and spicy food, to get a doctoral degree. My early research was about using innovative packaging technologies to extend the shelf life of fresh mushrooms so they don’t get mushy, which is how I got into the packaging field. Packaging serves different purposes, such as protecting a product during transportation and, in the pharmaceutical business, communicating clearly with patients and positively contributing to patient experiences.

In 2015, I was at a stage where I felt stuck in my learning and career growth. I wanted to advance, but there’s a perception out there that while Asian employees are very technical, good at solving problems and following rules, they're not good at being leaders. There were some unspoken expectations of being a leader–you have a clear vision, you can pull people around you, and you can communicate clearly and concisely. As a first-generation immigrant to the country, I felt those were barriers. With language, not only do you need to know the vocabulary, but certain subtle ways of saying things. Culturally, I didn’t know American customs, sports, pop songs, or slang, and my quiet way of presenting myself seemed at odds with becoming a leader.

When an opportunity at Genentech arose, friends told me the company has a great culture, the workforce is diverse, they put a lot of emphasis on their people and patients, and there’s a strong focus on science and innovation. And of course, the West Coast in California is very attractive for its diverse cultures and cuisines, so I was pleased when I was hired.

Right away, I saw that leaders in the company come from a wide variety of cultural backgrounds and professional experiences–they don’t have to fit a certain mold. People don’t ask, "Can you speak fluently? Do you have an accent?" Instead, they support you. The attitude is, "Hey, the reason you are here is because we see you have potential and you can grow into becoming a leader.” Not having to worry about cultural stereotypes or how I sound was liberating, giving me a sense of belonging and emboldening me to step out of my comfort zone and take actions to build my leadership capabilities.

In 2018, I had the opportunity to step in as an interim manager even though I had no managerial experience. The head of our team trusted me, guided me through the journey, and provided timely and constructive feedback. Since then, Genentech has encouraged me to participate in leadership development programs, including Asian Leadership Academy (ALA), which targets future Asian leaders and aims to increase Asian representation at the leadership level. In the ALA program, we learned how to lead ourselves and to lead a team. We discussed hurdles Asian employees face in their professional development and how we can support each other to change the perception of Asian employees. We connected with leaders within our company who were supportive and encouraged us to reach out to them – acknowledging that it may be intimidating to speak to your senior leaders. When the CEO and the Chief Diversity Officer of the company stood up and said, “We are here to support you and feel free to reach out – you know my email" that’s testimony to how Genentech puts its values into action.

As a company, the problems we’re facing every day are complex and require a lot of collaboration, so we need to create space for people to speak up. You need diverse views on a subject to stimulate innovation. Genentech cherishes diversity because innovation is the engine to our business. The more I grow as a leader, the more I am motivated to help the people around me grow, too.