Her Story
About Dietra
Dietra Riggins is an accomplished aerospace manufacturing professional and Quality Manager at Triple Inc., where she oversees quality and compliance while supporting production and customer requirements. With more than 26 years of experience in the aerospace manufacturing industry, she has developed a broad understanding of operations, production control, finance, and quality management. Her career reflects a steady progression through increasingly responsible roles, beginning in administrative support and production control before advancing to Finance Administrator and ultimately Quality Manager.
Throughout her career, Dietra has built her expertise around accuracy, efficiency, compliance, and operational excellence. In her current role, she leads quality activities, manages inspectors, reviews technical documentation and engineering blueprints, addresses supplier and customer concerns, and ensures products meet established specifications and regulatory requirements. As a woman working in a traditionally male-dominated industry, she has navigated professional challenges by relying on knowledge, preparation, integrity, and consistent performance. Her leadership philosophy emphasizes forthrightness, honesty, accountability, and respect, while her SAE AS13001 DQR certification further demonstrates her commitment to aerospace quality standards.
Education and continuous learning have remained important elements of Dietra's professional development. She earned a bachelor's degree in Business Management from the University of Phoenix in 2019 and obtained her DQR certification through SAE AS13001 that same year. She also pursued a master's degree and remains committed to expanding her knowledge and capabilities. Beyond her professional achievements, Dietra values perseverance, family, and personal integrity. As a grandmother of five, she carries the lessons of hard work, accountability, and resilience from her career into her personal life, while encouraging others—particularly young women entering manufacturing and quality-related fields—to continue learning, believe in their abilities, and pursue their goals with confidence.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Dietra
01What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I’ve received is to work hard and keep motivating myself, even when things feel discouraging. I remind myself of what I’m working toward and celebrate small successes along the way. In quality, the work can sometimes feel thankless, so recognizing those small wins helps me stay focused and keep going.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice to young women entering the industry is to never let doubt define you. Let your education, knowledge, and capabilities speak for themselves. When someone counts you out, keep showing up, proving yourself, and demonstrating through your experience and wisdom that you are capable of achieving your goals.
03What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges I’ve faced is being a woman in a traditionally male-dominated manufacturing environment. Working with an all-male team of inspectors, I’ve had to earn their respect and prove my knowledge and expertise. Navigating those challenges has pushed me to become more confident and demonstrate that I belong in the role.
04What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values that matter most to me are honesty, accuracy, efficiency, effectiveness, and respect. Professionally, I strive to apply these values in how I work with customers, colleagues, and external stakeholders, while ensuring compliance and delivering products that meet the required standards and specifications. Personally, I try to carry those same principles into how I treat and work with others.
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