Q&A with WOMAG Professional Development Lead, Prelia Moenandar

Hi Prelia, welcome to the WOMAG Executive Committee! What interested you in the Professional Development Committee in particular?

I was part of the first cohort of the Keynote Program which was organized by the Personal Development Committee, and I really enjoyed being part of it. I think it’s a great program that allows you to learn and build relationships with your fellow WOMAG volunteers at the same time. I want to pay it forward and support WOMAG in organizing meaningful personal development programs that would benefit members.

Were you involved with WOMAG in the past?

Yes, besides participating in the Keynote Program, I’ve also participated in other WOMAG activities and events, and I volunteered for last year’s Meal with a Mission.

What is your "day job", and how do you think it will help you in your role as Professional Development Lead with WOMAG?

I do government affairs and policy advocacy in Southeast Asia for Corteva Agriscience, but it’s a one-person team in Southeast Asia and I mostly work through the Regulatory Affairs team and other functions in the countries I support. Doing a regional role in a matrix organization requires a lot of coordination and effective communication, and I think those skills would be helpful for me in leading the Professional Development Committee because there’s no formal reporting line. I need to empower and support the team, and that is what I do in my day-to-day job.

According to the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap 2022 report, at the current pace, the average time it will take for the gender gap to close in East Asia and the Pacific is a staggering 168 years. What change do you hope to see in the shorter term - let’s say, within 10 years?

I want to see at least a level playing field for women to be able to perform at their best. Currently, working women, regardless of their occupation, face a lot of challenges that men don’t face. The burden of child-rearing still disproportionately affects women in most societies, and when women have to take maternity leave for 3-4 months, sometimes it affects their chances for promotion or other opportunities. I hope that despite these “disadvantages” that women face, they will no longer become challenges for women, and we will have work and labor policy environments that create a level playing level for women to perform at their best without being discriminated against for these perceived “disadvantages” over men.

Want to learn more about or connect with Prelia? You can find her LinkedIn profile here.