Celebrating Women in Technology: Q&A With Melissa Korzun, Vice President of CX Operations at Kantata

In honor of Women’s History Month, we are sharing a collection of candid Q&As with women at Kantata who are leading the way in the industry. Each conversation highlights their impressive achievements and unique experiences in the technology industry.

In this Q&A, we spoke with Melissa Korzun, Vice President of CX Operations at Kantata, about her key principles in leadership, the women leaders who have inspired her, and more.

1. How did you navigate your career path to reach your current role at Kantata, and what advice would you give aspiring women leaders?

My career has had a lot of twists and turns along the way. I’ve applied some key principles that have served as my compass.

• Do what you find interesting, even if it doesn’t fit into a box. I’ve gained most of my success by reaching outside the boundaries of my assigned roles. Volunteer for stretch assignments that interest you; in fact, ask for them, even if they don’t align with your traditional role.
• Be radically curious and ask all the questions. It is ok not to know something and ask to learn more. Questions are powerful tools that expand your knowledge. Don’t ever be afraid of looking foolish by asking for something to be explained or clarified. Lack of clarity never results in anything good.
• Play, break things, and then make them better. Last year, I set out to learn how to use APIs to automate workflows. The first two months I spent mostly tinkering… what happens when I do this? Whoops! Do some research. Try again.
• Grow a network and nurture it. Having a trusted network of colleagues is critical for so many reasons. When learning to use APIs, I had a colleague on the same path; we learned together and improved faster because of it. My network has helped me solve problems, stay current, grow, find career opportunities, and become a better version of myself.

2. How do you balance professional responsibilities and personal well-being, and what strategies have you found effective in maintaining a healthy work-life integration?

I think that it is important that I come to work as a total person and treat my co-workers as total people. That means I come to work as a mom, wife, and Mimi in addition to my role at the company, and I recognize the same in others. I don’t think it is possible to split myself into two completely different people, and I don’t want my team to feel like they have to do that, either. That means I genuinely want to hear about their weekend plans and personal milestones, and I make space in our day to discuss them. Those kinds of relationships create a camaraderie that enables us to succeed.

3. Can you speak on any of your recent accomplishments? What are you most proud of in your work at Kantata?

I started off in 2024 as a new member of the Kantata team; however, I have been a Kantata customer for a long time. In 2023, I am most proud of my team’s work tackling complex processes by identifying ways to simplify manual efforts through automation. This required intimidating upskilling, and I finally committed to learning to work with APIs, something I had considered too technically complex for my capabilities. It was a refreshing time for both myself and my team as we celebrated failure, achieved success, and created sustainable solutions that allowed us to harness the power of technology to improve our operations. I am excited to apply this same framework of explorative collaboration with my colleagues at Kantata, who have already shown me that they are committed to developing creative solutions to complex problems every day.

4. In honor of Women’s History Month, can you highlight a woman leader who has inspired or influenced your career, and how did their impact shape your leadership style?

I’ve been very fortunate to work with several fantastic leaders who happened to be women, including several female ELT leaders at Kantata, such as Lauren Langston and Jennifer Schutz.

Anita Dressel, most recently CFO/COO at TeleTracking Technologies, was a wonderful mentor who always ensured I had a seat at the table and a forum for my voice to be heard. Her leadership and mentorship consistently pushed me to lead with ownership, accountability, and candor. Anita took the time to share her vision with me and walk me through the intricate details, asking for input along the way, which helped me grow as a strategic leader.

Deb Autor, who has served in various roles in the pharmaceutical industry, including time as Deputy Commissioner of Global Regulatory Operations and Policy with the FDA, has served as a consistent voice in my head as I have navigated my career. Deb taught me how to lead change, navigate difficult conversations, and be successful in complex situations. She once told me, “If someone punches you in the nose, assume positive intent until you find out otherwise…”. Just that one shred of insight has helped me through a few challenging times in my career.

All of these women have been incredible examples of authentic leadership that valued me as a total person and took the time to invest in my development.

Learn More

Melissa is one of many women at Kantata who are driving results both within their organization and within the technology industry. To hear more stories from the women at Kantata, browse the entire Women in Technology series here. And to learn more about career opportunities at Kantata, visit this page.