From engineer to leader: Thevie Chea’s success story at Okta

From senior solutions engineer to director of solutions engineering in four years, Thevie Chea has grown her career at Okta EMEA and is now leading a team of 12 across France and Italy. We wanted to learn more about how she achieved her success at Okta and the key factors that contributed her career advancement.

What is solutions engineering, and how would someone know if this is the right career path for them?

Working in solutions engineering is the perfect balance between solving customer challenges and closing business. You get the thrill of addressing strategic tech initiatives while bringing impact to the company. Pre-sales is an exciting place to be because the innovation is constant, and it's an everyday challenge where you can really learn and thrive.

From a people management perspective, you get to support development and career paths. In the business, you may create or optimize processes within the solutions engineering organization, but you're also fixing customer issues while driving the roadmap in the right direction to grow Okta's opportunities in the market.

What I love about my role is that I get to do a lot of things at the same time. I enable my team to be successful and build strategic plans with my stakeholders. I'm also able to dedicate time to initiatives such as W@kta, our Employee Resource Group for Women at Okta, and Okta for Good, our philanthropy initiative, so that fills my cup also. Knowing that I'm able to do what I love, support other women in the company, and also give back to the community is something that matters to me.

You mentioned working with W@kta, Okta's Employee Resource Group for women. What advice would you and other women at Okta give to those interested in a role here or at another tech company?

Don't stop at the job description. Talk to people, and expand your network. It's hard to do, but putting yourself out there is worth it. Think about what you could learn in a role and how your skills or experiences could contribute to a company. You don't need to check all the boxes to apply.

What message would you give other women who may be hesitant about entering male-dominated industries or pursuing leadership positions?

Things have drastically changed over the past decade, especially in the IT industry. I believe it's up to us to make a difference. Consider leadership not just as a career ladder but as a strategic trajectory you want to pursue in leading the next generation.

The tech industry is so big that there are always opportunities. It's all about finding the right match for you, and for me, Okta was that place where I felt this. What I love about IT is that there's ' always something new. You'll never get bored!

You talk about how work is more than just what you do; it's about finding connections and supporting others. How has this positively impacted your career and work experience?

Throughout my career, I've had the opportunity to contribute to various cultural initiatives sponsored by companies I've worked for, and this became part of what I wanted no matter where I was. This empowered me to lead similar initiatives at Okta, such as W@Okta in EMEA, charity activities, and university partnerships. Fostering collaboration, raising awareness, and ultimately bringing people together.

How do you collaborate and connect with others across Okta? Do you work from the office or from home?

I usually go to the office two to three times a week but enjoy some remote work also. We opened a great office in Paris a while ago. It's the perfect setup to work - you have the space to collaborate and socialize with your colleagues. In sales, especially, it's crucial to be close to your teammates.

The EMEA team usually gets together during our annual sales kickoff events. We have offices across EMEA (Dublin, London, Amsterdam, etc) where people usually have local meetings, so if anyone's near those offices it's easy to pop in to work or meet up with colleagues.

I also collaborate with our Americas and APAC teams on global initiatives, either within the Solutions Engineering organization or when it's product related. It's great to have interactions within EMEA and with global team members.

Any fun facts about you or favorite thing you'd like to share with anyone reading this article?

I love to cook. I always test out my new recipes by giving them to my team to try!

Kickstart your career at Okta

As Thevie Chea continues to lead her team and drive innovation at Okta, she remains committed to empowering others, especially women, to pursue leadership roles in the tech industry. Her journey is a testament to the impact of hard work, strategic thinking, and a passion for making a difference. Interested in what your journey can look like here at Okta? Check out our open positions!

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