A Tale of Three Career Paths: Professionals from Workiva Share Their Unique Growth Journeys

At Workiva, your next role is up to you.

Employees at the SaaS data platform company are encouraged to develop their skill sets and explore new roles. It’s this perpetual room for growth that drew Director of Professional Services Monica Green into the Workiva fold — and kept her there for the past nine years.  

Green started her journey with Workiva as a professional services manager before moving on to help shape governance, risk and compliance integrations as a project manager, which led her to her current role within professional services. 

“Every role has been something different,” Green said. “We’re always creating something new and special on each team.” 

Afforded the power to move between teams and explore new professional passions, team members find life at Workiva is never stagnant, Green noted. 

“Constant growth is the glue that holds our culture together,” she said. 

“Constant growth is the glue that holds our culture together.”

Exponential development is a theme that echoes through many Workiva origin stories. When Client Services Manager Kelly Stathopoulos joined the team in 2018, she was a solutions architect — a far cry from her current position. After feeling pulled to explore life beyond her background in auditing, Stathopoulos moved into an emerging public-sector-facing role. 

“That team didn’t exist when I joined,” she noted. “Since I’ve been here, we’ve had so many roles, teams and opportunities crop up and develop.”

There’s a thrill in seeing new careers emerge and colleagues rise to the occasion, Stathopoulos said. 

“It’s an opportunity that furthers both the product and the company,” she said. 

This constant state of evolution is the crux of Workiva’s low turnover rates — many people move between roles internally but rarely leave outright.

“Everyone is encouraged to earnestly explore their interests,” Stathopoulos explained. 

This exploration is nurtured and formalized by people like Talent Acquisition Consultant Maxo Jean Pierre. Having recently revamped the organization’s job architecture, Jean Pierre spoke to Workiva’s personnel-centric paths to more senior roles, leadership and beyond.  

“We’re here to answer the question, ‘What does my career look like moving forward?’” Jean Pierre said. “Being a talent acquisition advisor  means having those conversations with full transparency.” 

Jean Pierre sees Workiva’s ambitious ethos as the driving force behind its thriving internal development culture. 

“We don’t get comfortable here — we keep moving forward toward new ways of doing things,” he said. 

Without stasis, employee experiences have more opportunities to intertwine and natural networks take hold between teams at Workiva.

“All three of us have worked together,” Green said, motioning toward Jean Pierre and Stathopoulos. “Even though we’re on very different teams and live in different cities, our journeys have crossed in many ways. It really tells the story of what it means to work here.” 

Starting Where You Are 

“Everyone starts somewhere,” Jean Pierre said of his early career. 

Hailing from Haiti, Jean Pierre’s first job in the United States was as a dishwasher at Disney, where he went on to work with housekeeping, ticket sales and operations. After serving as a contracted recruiter with the company, Jean Pierre unlocked his passion for talent acquisition. 

When a friend recommended Workiva, Jean Pierre felt an instant connection.

“I felt from the core: Every person I encounter speaks highly of this company,” Jean Pierre said. 

As Jean Pierre moved through the interview process, he was increasingly taken by the culture he encountered.

“My hiring manager took the time to show interest  — not only in my recruiting background — but in the totality of my experiences,” Jean Pierre said. “He showed me I had so many transferable skills I had never spoken to.” 

The extra care for his rich, diverse professional experiences captivated Jean Pierre.

“From the first conversion, I felt I could see myself in the job,” he said. “It was clear diversity is important here.” 

A Part of Something Bigger

Asked to list Workiva’s many business employee resource groups — affectionately called BERGs — Jean Pierre offered a lengthy catalog: “Black BERG, Rainbow BERG, Asian BERG, Veterans BERG, Disabilities BERG, Hispanic and Latino BERG and Women BERG.” 

While many companies launch resource groups as lip service to DEI, Workiva is cultivating something bigger, said Jean Pierre. “It’s one thing to say you are creating a culture of inclusion, but it’s another thing to practice it,” he said. 

Jean Pierre sees inclusion in action in the Black BERG’s mentorship program, headed by Green. Green explained that the mentorship program is meant to cultivate community and conversation around professional development. 

“You have a network, mentor and leaders to talk to about your experiences and questions,” Green said. “Say you’re looking to sharpen a skill or have a difficult conversation with a manager — the mentorship community has your back.” 

But the goal of empowering growth reaches far beyond individual BERGs. 

“One of my earliest managers told me to ask, ‘Who are the five people I should know?’” said Green. “When you keep asking that question, you grow meaningful relationships and establish a collective.” 

The Future is Unwritten 

In her five years with the SaaS company, Stathopoulos’ exhilaration for Workiva’s product and culture has never waned. She points to an authentic customer-centric mindset as a driving force on her team, one which remains in flux with an ever-changing tech landscape. 

“There’s never a dull day at Workiva,” she said. “It’s not hard to stay excited about what’s next.” 

Jean Pierre nodded in agreement.

“There’s an innovative mindset: If it worked in 2023, it doesn’t mean it will work in 2025,” he said. “We are already thinking about what will impact us on the horizon.” 

What thrills Green is the room for continuous innovation and growth opportunities at Workiva. 

“Our future isn’t painted,” said Green. “This is our state of being — always evolving.”