Just as our wings come in many flavors, we believe our people come to Wingstop with many stories. In celebration of Asian American Pacific Islander heritage month, we’ve created a platform for all team members to speak their flavor and celebrate the richness of our diversity. This month, we are spotlighting International Brand Manager, Deanna Moon! Read below to learn more about Deanna’s Wingstop journey, and how she is unbottling her flavor across the globe!

Tell us about yourself!

I’ve been on the Wingstop team for a little bit over three and a half years. I graduated from Southern Methodist University with a degree in markets and culture with a concentration in management, business strategy, and organizations with a minor in business. In my free time, I enjoy cooking, traveling and working out. Since joining Wingstop as a marketing coordinator in 2017, I’ve enjoyed supporting the brand’s marketing efforts, especially during a remarkable time of growth for the company. Through various roles, I’ve focused on our in-restaurant merchandising, sports partnerships and brand activations. Most recently, I’ve joined the international side of the business as a brand manager to support our vision to becoming a Top 10 Global Restaurant Brand.

How does Wingstop’s culture enable you to bring your full self to work?

 Wingstop’s culture enables me to bring my full self to work by offering the privilege to learn from so many amazing team members. I feel inspired by the incredible people I get to work alongside every day. These individuals exemplify what it truly means to be humble, hungry and smart. As a woman, it’s especially motivating to see female leaders as key contributors in mapping out our strategic growth. Being surrounded by such talented people cultivates an environment where I am driven to give 100% to my work and my team, the same way my peers would do for me.

What is your advice for others looking to get into this field? How can they succeed?

I would point back to some great pieces of advice I’ve received over the years:

• Emotional intelligence and authenticity are essential for successful collaboration. I think a key contributor to success is the ability to check your ego at the door and build trust to foster productive channels for communication and teamwork. No matter where you are in your career, you are never too important to ask for constructive coaching.

• Never second guess your impact. This can be challenging for a lot of people, including myself. It’s very easy to allow self-doubt to be your own barrier, but it’s key to remember – you are where you are for a reason. At the end of the day, people will only believe you as much as you believe in yourself.

What does being part of the AAPI community mean to you, especially during this time?

With xenophobic attacks on the rise, it’s a tremendously difficult, yet empowering time to be a part of the AAPI community. Growing up, I’ve been exposed to racial discrimination and more frequent instances in the past year alone. This means it’s more important than ever to come together and learn as we work toward necessary change for our future generations, especially with efforts like Black Lives Matter.

As a Korean American, I feel a personal responsibility to use my voice to bring awareness to the ongoing issues for not just the AAPI community, but all marginalized people of color. With my own unique experiences, being a minority in this day-in-age has taught me how imperative it is to use compassion and have (often uncomfortable) discussions to help non-POC understand what it means to exist as a minority in America. I’m more passionate than ever before about speaking up for accountability, solidarity and a better future for everyone. We’re at a critical point as a nation to engage in the call to fight for equality and fundamental change within our institutions, which starts with each of us.

Is there anything else you want to tell us about yourself, your job, or message for others?

Never forget about the power of gratitude. In the craziness of our daily lives and current events, it’s easy to lose sight of what truly matters. I feel incredibly fortunate to have my peace grounded in the friendships and experiences I’ve had at Wingstop. I feel lucky that I genuinely miss being with my coworkers in-person every day! If the past 13 months have taught me anything, it’s sometimes we move too fast and forget to take a step back and realize how much there is to be grateful for. Considering the hardships of the past year, I’m thankful for adversity that stripped away life as I knew it to help me understand what relationships and values matter to me the most.