Wendy Morales W'96
Email: Feel free to contact Wendy Morales at wendy.w.morales@gmail.com
What was your favorite part of Penn/Wharton?
My favorite part about Penn was the friends that I made that I still keep in touch with, many of whom were in Wharton with me. As I’ve gotten older and gone out into the world, the people I met at Wharton are great friends to grow within my career and personal life. All of them are go-getters and highly driven people. As I travel around the world, it has been great to have friends from college wherever I go.
What advice do you wish you had known when you were an undergraduate that you would like to give to us?
I would tell people to not hesitate to take a risk coming right out of college. Your 20s are the best time to go out there and change the world; it’s a time to go after the dreams you have always had. I had lots of goals that I wanted to achieve, and I made sure not to hesitate. I wanted to see the world, and I made sure to do just that in my 20s. Your 20s is when you have less responsibility, more time, and more energy; use this advantage to achieve your dreams.
Another piece of advice is that it’s extremely difficult to find a balance in your life, but by making strong decisions you can prioritize what is most important to you.
Can you tell me a little about what you do now?
My niche is start-ups. Currently, I am working in international business for a technology and education company called DialogEDU. I work internationally helping educational institutions, multi-nationals, and healthcare companies to further their technology in education and global health.
What has been the biggest challenge of your career?
My biggest challenge right now is knowing that there is so much more I could do in my work life, but I have to prioritize my job of being a wife and mom of 3 children. Balancing work and home life is very difficult, but I have to remind myself to prioritize what is most important to me. There are times when I should be hopping on a call with Asia at 10 pm, but my child needs some extra help studying for her math test tomorrow. Finding the balance is a challenge.
Another challenge I have faced, like everyone, is strengthening weaknesses. Whether that be getting up and speaking in front of 500 people in a different language or raising capital, we all have strengths and weaknesses. Once you are in an executive position it is hard to hide behind your weaknesses and rely on others to compensate with their strengths. You have to overcome those obstacles, face your fears, and get good at them.
How has being a woman affected your career trajectory, if it has?
When I went to Wharton, I didn’t realize how new the idea of “women in leadership” was. As I have risen through the ranks, I have seen how raising a family and taking care of loved ones has caused many women to take a back seat in their career. Also, culturally, I have seen internationally how sometimes being a woman can be beneficial or a disadvantage in business deals. For example, when working with the UAE, I most likely won’t be the one closing a deal over my male colleague.
That being said I have never felt limited by being a woman; I have always had great mentors (both male and female) that have supported me. The world is our oyster for us women; if you are not getting the support you need in one place, switch to where you are appreciated and encouraged. If you want to break the glass ceiling in some area, do it!
What’s your favorite thing to do for fun?
I love to travel. It’s part of my DNA! I have been to over 70 countries. My friends from Penn and I have tried to plan trips every year around the world to get together, no matter where we have lived. Actually, this past Labor Day, some of my girlfriends from Penn and I left our families and went on a trip to Yellowstone!