At ARC, leading women drive innovation and shape organizational strategy in ways that create a lasting impact.

In part one, they talked about their careers, accomplishments they’re most proud of, how organizations can support women, and advice they would give to the next generation of leaders. We asked the same questions to an additional group. Read what they had to say:

Heather Unger – Managing Director, People & Culture

My desire for continuous learning has been the key to my career growth. Every time I learn something new, I gain fresh perspectives that make me a better leader and professional. I’m incredibly proud of the new internal programs my team at ARC has launched — we approach challenges by identifying a problem and shift quickly into solution mode. Seeing ideas turn into impactful initiatives is one of the most rewarding parts of my work.

In partnership with Cecile Burton, I’m co-chair of WeARC and enjoy the advocacy work we do for women at ARC. It strengthens our company culture and enables us to foster relationships among women in the organization. We empower each other by creating development opportunities, highlighting our strengths and demonstrating our leadership values. When businesses cultivate an environment that values inclusion and leadership potential, women can confidently step into more significant roles.

My advice to anyone reading this is to build genuine relationships. Be reliable, transparent and committed to the people you serve. When colleagues see you as an authentic partner and peer, your impact will be far more significant — not just in your department but across the entire organization.

Wendy Gilbert – Director, Data Services

Perseverance and resilience have been the keys to my career. Earning both my undergrad and graduate degrees in computer science wasn’t always easy — being a woman in tech comes with its challenges. I learned to hold my ground, prove myself and keep pushing forward.

As leaders, I think our most significant impact comes from ensuring our teams are focused on what matters and delivering meaningful solutions. Nothing makes me prouder than seeing teams crush it — getting things done and, more importantly, getting the right things done.

Women are naturally drawn to organizations and teams where they see strong female leaders, and I’m proud that we have that at ARC. Mentoring and coaching make a huge difference because empowerment can only go so far.

A small piece of advice I’d give is to be adaptable. Careers don’t have to be linear to be successful!

Paige Blunt – Senior Manager, Direct Connect & One Order

The two traits that have helped me the most in my career are perseverance and inquisitiveness. You must be willing to confront challenges in your career and explore traditional and nontraditional solutions.

The work ARC has done bringing together three industry stakeholder groups to discuss New Distribution Capability (NDC) and ways to move adoption forward has been extremely rewarding for me. It’s been a significant undertaking that has impacted every level of our business.

Organizations can support women in the workplace by using failures or setbacks as learning opportunities. That enables them to create roadmaps and mentorship opportunities to help them achieve higher positions.

For organizations and individuals, it's important to not settle for the notion of “this is the way it has always been done” when you see an opportunity to solve an issue or change a process.

Adrienne Ables-Sinclair – Senior Manager, Talent Acquisition

One thing that’s helped me in my career is being passionate about my work. I’m always thinking about ways to improve things — whether it’s a process or creating a better user experience. I love bringing people together and creating a space where ideas can flow freely, but I also focus on ensuring those ideas become real and impactful.

Last year, I helped establish a new partnership with the Women in Technology (WiT) DMV chapter. Through this collaboration, we’ve been able to offer our employees new educational resources and training opportunities, as well as help raise brand awareness for ARC to further build our talent pipeline.

I’m most proud to have won a SPARC Award, the highest form of recognition at ARC, at the end of 2023. It’s a milestone in my career that I’ll always remember. Seeing a year of planning and collaboration come to life was incredibly rewarding, and being recognized for the dedication to the project made it even more special.

I believe organizations that prioritize learning and development and invest in women by offering leadership courses, seminars, or coaching can empower more women to pursue leadership roles.

There’s so much to learn in the travel industry, so my advice is to embrace curiosity and never be afraid to ask questions. The industry is full of knowledgeable and passionate people — don’t hesitate to tap into their expertise and let them be your resources as you grow.

ARC values a supportive and inclusive workplace where employees can express themselves, learn, and grow in their careers. Learn more about our culture and the opportunities available at ARC.