Evolving My Role, Impact, and Leadership at Appian

July 28, 2025
Amy Horton
Amy Horton
Director, Product Management

Read about Amy Horton’s journey from launching new product areas to mentoring the next generation, her career at Appian has been all about growth and ownership while solving meaningful challenges through collaboration.

How has your role evolved at Appian since you started?

I joined Appian as a professional hire with nearly 20 years of experience, drawn by the culture and collaborative environment. I started as a senior product manager working on the internal Intelligent Contact Center (ICC), hired specifically for my background in the contact center space. I saw Appian as both a natural fit, where I could apply 14 years of industry experience, and as an opportunity to grow in new ways.

While ICC was eventually phased out, my journey didn’t stop there. I transitioned to help launch Government Acquisitions with Ben Allen, and my role has continued to evolve ever since.

Can you share a time when you were outside your comfort zone and how did you grow through it?

Wrapping up my time at ICC was tough, I had spent 15 years in that space. But I reminded myself that I had been craving a new challenge, something outside my area of expertise that would push me to grow. That mindset shift helped me see the transition as a long-term opportunity, and I decided to give it a real try.

One pivotal moment during that transition was when I began proposing strategy, something we approached very differently back then. I found myself presenting to senior leaders, including our Founders, and had to educate them on the contact center industry. While they deeply understood the business, I brought a different perspective from having worked in the industry hands-on. It was my job to explain how the operations worked, what to expect, and also to understand what Appian was trying to achieve.

One of the biggest growth moments came when people disagreed with me. When you’re passionate about something and someone challenges it, it’s easy to take it personally. I had to learn to stay open, really listen, and find value in differing opinions. That shift, learning to separate feedback from ego, made me a much stronger product manager than I was when I started.

Amy with her colleagues at Appian World Amy (third from the left) is pictured with her colleagues at Appian World.

What does “owning your impact” look like in your role today compared to when you started?

Owning my impact meant being involved in every aspect of the work. I created my own path, built a team, and was given the freedom by my manager to experiment, even when the process or solution wasn’t straightforward. That freedom was empowering. It allowed me to document what worked, collaborate more closely with sales and marketing, and understand how our work was landing across the business.

I carried those principles forward by involving UX early in the product process, before requirements were fully defined, so we could build with the user in mind from the start. I was also fortunate to collaborate with people who were supportive and fully committed.

To truly own a product, you have to believe in it, take responsibility for it, and invest in the relationships that will help you bring it to life. Because you can’t do it alone.

What advice do you give to junior employees who hope to grow into leadership here?

It all comes down to listening, learning, and fully immersing yourself in a topic. Even if your focus shifts over time, it’s essential to build real expertise in your current area and become someone others trust. Without that depth and credibility, you risk becoming stagnant and missing out on new challenges.

I also believe you can learn something from everyone, even those you may not naturally get along with. As long as you approach people with respect, there's always an opportunity to grow from their perspective or experience.

What’s next for you – what are you excited to build, lead, or learn going forward?

I’m incredibly grateful for the journey so far and excited to keep taking on new challenges. I want to keep creating, but just as importantly, I want to focus on growing the next generation of leaders. My hope is to help develop someone who builds something even greater, more impactful, more beautiful. It’s not about having them land where I am; it’s about helping them go further. Their success is my success.

If you’re interested in growing your career at Appian, apply for an open role.