2023 Women Leaders in Technology: Alexa Tsui

Almost 17 years ago, Alexa started her career in government contracting with INPUT (now Deltek's GovWin). She has an extensive background in market intelligence and strategy with time spent at Bloomberg Government and almost a decade supporting a small 8a helping take the company from 35 people to over 150 leading BD, Capture, Recruiting and supporting operations. A self-proclaimed Agilist and Certified Scrum Master, she is known to try to apply the agile methodology to all business processes. Alexa leads the International Market for MetaPhase Consulting across technology partners, industry partners, and government partners including securing new work. Alexa holds a master's degree in Teaching English as a Second Language with a postgraduate certificate in English Composition. She lived for a year in Japan teaching English at the university level. She still enjoys adjunct teaching when possible.

When not working, Alexa enjoys heavy weightlifting, dance fitness, her animals (dogs, cat), geeking out over emerging technology and not taking life or herself too seriously.

What has been the biggest factor in your success so far?

This is going to sound really counterintuitive, but the biggest factor in my success has been to not make goals. Don't get me wrong, I love a good checklist and a gist of a direction, but for me, it stops there. I don't want to be tied to a previously thought-out notion of where I should go or what my life should look like. I would rather throw it to the universe and say, "surprise me." This means, always taking the call. Always being open to a conversation or a different idea or a different role in a company. Being open to the art of the possible, I always have a sense of what I can do and what I would struggle doing. I have no doubts about my strengths and what makes me happy in a role or company. This means if some adventure crops up where I know I can do the ask and I know my strengths would be leveraged, the next question that follows is, "Do I want to do this?" This is a powerful place to start any adventure.

What do you enjoy most about your career in the consulting industry?

When talking to new recruits about the Public Sector industry, I always ensure to tell them they could make more money in a different industry and likely have a more sexy role too. I do this because, when you sign-up for Public Sector work, you sign-up for endless red-tape, slow processes, and technology that is five to 10 years behind the times. But in return, you get to work in service for your country. For me, it's about the why. Every project we take on directly impacts the American people. I've been attached to programs that revamped the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Emergency Notification System for bird flu, I've watched an astronaut suit-up in the National Buoyancy Lab to run tests to prepare for the International Space Station, and I've been a part of many software development projects supporting many mission critical applications. I am supremely grateful to have a career being in service to this country.

What is your proudest achievement to date?

This is unrelated to Public Sector consulting, but I used to own my own Blacklight Dance Fitness studio. I was an instructor for over 10 years and also founded and launched the Dance Instructor Academy program that would mint new dance fitness instructors. One day, a blind lady showed up. Turns out she wanted me to teach her how to teach Zumba…while being blind. My studio had a small 6×6 ft stage raised 3 feet off the ground where students could easily see the instructors teach. However, teaching a blind person to teach dance on a 6×6 stage posed quite a risk, she could easily fall off! Fast forward four months. Melody taught an entire song by herself, onstage, in front of a packed class. It was hands down the proudest moment of my life. The "how" was a journey in love, laughter and friendship. I still review these videos and smile; I am so grateful for the opportunity to have had this experience.

What's the best advice you've ever been given?

As a student of leadership, this is a hard question. I would have to say, "If you say one prayer a day, make it thank you." I believe this quote is attributed to Rumi. I've had a rough childhood and lost a brother to suicide. I've hit some really hard/dark times, including my current fight with breast cancer. However, I align with gratefulness, hope, and the infinite possibility that anything can happen. If you can keep your courage screwed to the sticking point (Shakespeare) and your heart grounded in hope for a better day, while remembering this whole journey is ending one day at a time, you can do the one thing that is the hardest to do these days: Focus on the important.

What does this recognition mean to you?

Being recognized as Mentor of the Year for Consulting Women Leaders in Technology is an immense honor and humbling. In applying my mentorship practices of reverse mentoring and servant leadership, receiving recognition of my process would, in fact, give recognition where it is due, to the very people I mentor and help. I have an intrinsic motivation to be a mentor and help others, and this is self-sustaining when the people who I mentor, and who in return help me grow into a better person, are successful and recognized for their success. My success is driven by the success of others, and that is where the credit is always do, to the others. Recognition by this venue of my mentorship process will be helpful in communicating and sharing these standards I have held over the years and help spread to others as a leading practice. Having Consulting Women Leaders in Technology as a platform to identify and recognize a standard practice that can be adopted to help all individuals succeed equally by the motivation and servant leadership in this growing and competitive industry, is honestly a dream come to fruition.