I joined TikTok as the Data Protection Officer (DPO) in April 2020 – unaware when I accepted the role that a global pandemic would be in place and the world would be coming to grips with the new and unpredictable landscape we suddenly found ourselves in. Most people apply for a job and navigate the jump from the requirements set out in the job spec to the reality of the job itself. In the role of DPO, there are a number of requirements where the law prescribes the main responsibilities of a DPO, though there is also some latitude for companies to decide what is appropriate to the organization. A DPO acts as a “critical friend” to the organisation to advise and foster compliance with data protection legislation.
How did you end up doing the job you're doing now?
Prior to TikTok, I spent 9 years at LinkedIn and before that worked at eBay. I had a variety of roles from leading global teams handling a wide array of member and customer legal privacy and intellectual property issues to sitting on the Trust & Safety leadership team with exposure to a range of security matters including risk, fraud and content issues. The mix of legal related knowledge, ability to operationalize at scale and experience in interfacing with both users and Regulators placed me in a good position with respect to the requisite skill set. Looking back I’m able to connect the dots even though the path was much less clearer at the time.
If you could say something to yourself before you started a career in tech what would it be?
Having worked in different industries prior to tech, namely academia and the health insurance industry, it brings a different perspective than going straight from studying into tech. I would tell myself, you will never get used to the abundance of incredible food which will give you an excuse to avoid expanding your culinary skills until a global pandemic hits and it’s unnecessary to keep a list of tech jargon that you think will help you blend in, in fact the ability to interface with engineers, lawyers, users and regulators in plain language without the jargon will be much more valuable.
What's the most challenging thing you've found about being a woman in tech?
The more my career grew the more I noticed that at times I was the only woman at the table. I felt, and still do, a certain degree of responsibility to represent as well as pay it forward and advocate for other aspiring women in tech. It can be tricky to set aside sufficient time to mentor and organize women’s employee resource group led activities while also delivering on the day to day job. However, the pay off is so rewarding and worth it.
Lockdown bonus questions:
How has lockdown affected your life and your job? Are you working from home? Furloughed?
Are you enjoying the downtime or can you not wait for things to go back to normal(ish)?
I’m working from home and I am relishing the opportunity to spend more time with my parents by working from their house in the countryside, especially as one of them was diagnosed with cancer during the pandemic. It has been challenging to navigate so-called zoom fatigue while building relationships at a new company and striving to care for a loved one. Nevertheless lockdown has been a silver lining enabling me to combine both roles much more seamlessly than had this not materialised. Once I have a spare minute I would like to campaign for greater rural broadband though for now will settle with turning off my camera in an effort to reduce the bandwidth constraints.
Walking in nature (weather permitting) is a daily prescription I give myself. It helps me think through how to approach a work related matter; listen and learn from a podcast; catch up with friends or simply listen to the birds and clear my mind.
