From Pack Mule to Unicorn: Reclaiming Your Worth at Work
Ever feel like you’re hauling the weight of the world at work? You’re reliable. Highly productive. Doing the job of multiple people. Always agreeable. And somehow... the workload just keeps piling on.

You’re not alone. Janki DePalma knows that story all too well. In this candid and inspirational session, she shares how she broke free from “pack mule mode”—where hard work and a positive attitude don’t always lead to recognition or respect—and transformed into a unicorn: someone seen, valued, and celebrated at work.

With honesty, humor, and hard-won wisdom, Janki offers a fresh perspective on what it takes to thrive professionally—without burning out. This session is your permission slip to stop merely surviving and start owning your worth.

 This isn’t your typical motivational talk. It’s a wake-up call, a strategy session, and a celebration of the unicorn you were always meant to be.

ABOUT JANKI DEPALMA:

Janki DePalma, FSMPS, CPSM, LEED AP®

Janki DePalma is the Director of Business Development at W.E. O'Neil Construction, with over 20 years of experience in the architecture, engineering, and construction industry. She’s a connector at heart who believes there is always room to widen the circle and give people a sense of belonging. Her work focuses on helping her firm's smart, hardworking people connect with others in the industry.  

She is a proud graduate of the University of California, Davis, with a dual degree in Comparative Literature and Japanese, though her love of reading began early in the stacks of her hometown public library. Janki is a frequent speaker and writer on topics such as networking, business development, emotional intelligence, and diversity in the AEC industry.

She is the past president of the Austin chapter of SMPS, was awarded Chapter President of the Year in 2023, and was inducted into the 2024 class of Fellows. She has been a board member for AIA Austin for the last 4 years, has chaired WIA’s Call to Action college outreach for the last 4 years, and is the chair of the AIA Leadership Collective. 

 A San Francisco native, Janki cheers for the Warriors, 49ers, and now the Purdue Boilermakers. In her spare time, she loves relaxing with her family and dreams of writing a novel one day. She also loves talking about all things 90s, especially Seinfeld and Veronica Mars.