Our second Woman of the Week is Angela DiCaprio, Program Manager for a longstanding telecommunications, media, and networking client. A trilingual immigrant from Canada raised by a strong mother who’s waited 20 years for US citizenship, she believes women have limitless potential. Here’s her story.
Angela’s Hunger for Growth Is Never Satisfied
Q: How did you get to where you are in your career?
A: I grew up in Montreal and graduated with a political science degree. After college, I moved to Toronto because I didn’t want to be part of Quebec’s secession. I started my first sales job as a contractor for a major service provider in Canada selling phone systems. While I was there, an opportunity came up to do the same thing in Atlanta. When I interviewed, I let them know that I was on the fast track in Toronto to be a manager. I wanted to move into a management role because I love to empower people to succeed. For the past 14 years, I’ve been at MarketSource, where I started in a sales role. I then became a manager, then moved into a program manager role for a large transport client for a year. From there, I assumed an operations role in a client sales center, where I was always thinking about driving efficiencies and how to make things better for our clients. Now, I lead five program teams supporting that same client. In my time here, I’ve been able to build some wonderful relationships, many of which have persisted, even after colleagues moved on to other companies.
Q: Have you had any mentors?
A: I’ve been fortunate to work with so many quality people along the way and to benefit from the plethora of learning opportunities available at MarketSource. Several years ago, I worked with a coach. Now, I’m participating in the Women in Leadership program and am in the early stages of working with my mentor. I am getting so much out of the experience. That said, my mother, who raised me alone after my father died when I was 13, has been my biggest mentor. She, an Italian immigrant, is a very strong woman who supported and encouraged me every step of the way.
“My mother, who raised me alone after my father died when I was 13, has been my biggest mentor. She, an Italian immigrant, is a very strong woman who supported and encouraged me every step of the way.”
Q: Have you run into any obstacles that you attribute to being a woman?
A: Things are more inclusive now, but I used to work in an environment where female assistants to the two male bosses were feuding and behaving unprofessionally. I had to not only avoid getting drawn in to their issues but step in and set some boundaries. In one role, I was working under a poor male leader who often put me in unfair positions. I felt like I had to shelter my people from him. I knew what he was asking me to do wasn’t right, but I didn’t trust it. As women, we often ignore our gut feelings and take responsibility for others’ behavior unnecessarily. Men are more comfortable trusting their intuition. One way I rise above unprofessionalism is to continually invest in improving myself and expanding my knowledge. I’m always seeking out and pursuing education opportunities. For example, a few years ago, I earned my AMA certification, and I feel great about that.
Q: How does being a woman shape how you approach your professional role?
A: It’s a reality that most businesses remain male-dominated, but that doesn’t intimidate me. I want women to feel like the world is their oyster. I want to empower them and believe it’s critical for them to believe in themselves and their limitless potential.
Q: What’s something people would be surprised to know about you?
A: My parents were born in Italy, so I’m first generation Canadian (which of course means I love hockey!). In 2020, I finally got my green card—20 years after coming to the US. It was difficult to wait, but I finally get to pursue my citizenship next year! And I’m trilingual. In addition to English, I also speak French and Italian.
Q: What advice would you give women in MarketSource who wish to pursue a leadership role?
A: Immerse yourself in every aspect of your job. I’ve always tried to be well-rounded and well-versed in all the facets of my role. You can only achieve that if you’re willing to get your hands dirty and seek out avenues and opportunities to learn everything you can about your role. Whatever field you go into or role you accept, do the work you need to understand what you’re committing to. Be proactive about educating yourself. If you want to move up, take ownership of your goals and show initiative. Don’t stay complacent, and don’t assume opportunities are going to fall in your lap. You can’t expect someone to serve advancement up to you or initiate your development; you must take the first step. Ask what you can do to move ahead. Get a mentor. Talk to other people. And trust yourself.
Q: What’s your hope for the future of women in leadership?
A: I’d love to see a female president. We need more women shaping our country. Our contributions are important because we see things differently. We’re also able to build consensus. Men and women may understand and perceive things differently, but I believe that both male and female perspectives are essential. I also believe diversity of cultures, experiences, and generations are as important as gender diversity.
Q: Tell us about your participation in MarketSource’s Women in Leadership program. Why did you decide to pursue that?
A: I’m pursuing it because I’d love to get to the next level of leadership and always want to be ready for my next move. I also want to be honest with myself about how I’m showing up for others. Being a good leader means checking in with yourself periodically. The WIL program is a terrific environment. I love having a safe space consisting of all women, where I can be myself, be vulnerable, and share what we’re facing as a group. It’s important that we share our journeys with each other. I always learn something from others and see their challenges. It’s very validating, comforting, and inspirational.
Angela DiCaprio is innovatively agile, analytically collaborative, and results driven. She takes pride in her people and provides the best environment for them to be successful. As a Program Manager at MarketSource, her goals include people, process efficiencies, and customer success. She is always looking to improve herself and to be a force to empower women throughout the organization and in her personal life.