Hibo Said Moussa Cornejo

I attribute my success to my love of challenges and my mindset that nothing is impossible. No matter what adversity I've faced in life, I've always believed that as long as we're alive and breathing, there's always a solution. I've learned that the moment you face difficulties and feel like it's too much or you cannot do it, that's exactly when things can fall apart and we give up. But I've always listened to that little voice in my mind that tells me I can do it. I never let myself down, because solutions come when we refuse to give up. That determination and refusal to accept defeat has been the foundation of everything I've achieved.

The best career advice I've ever received is to never stop learning, no matter how much time has passed. As long as we're breathing, there's always something new to learn. This advice has become especially relevant in today's world where AI is almost dominating or about to dominate many fields. I've been hearing a lot about making sure I'm not left behind when it comes to AI. While I'm not necessarily fearing that AI will replace interpreters completely, because I don't think that's possible, I do see how we can use it to leverage our work and make things go faster. The key is to keep learning and adapting so we can use these new tools to our advantage rather than being replaced by them.

I would tell young women to double their work and recognize that they have the same potential as men. Especially in Africa where men dominate the market in many positions, women need to have the willingness and the mindset that they can do it. Push boundaries, move forward, and prove that we can do it. It's also crucial to equip ourselves in leadership by taking leadership classes and trainings. This is a must for any woman who would like to end up in leadership positions, because you never know when things will change and your hard work will be recognized. When that happens, you need to be ready and know what to do next. We should never stop preparing ourselves for the opportunities that will come.

The biggest challenge for me right now is establishing myself with U.S. companies after coming from Africa. This past year has been difficult because people didn't know me since I'm freshly coming from Africa. They would ask if I've worked for Americans in the U.S., and I'd tell them I've been working for U.S. companies and U.S. government ever since 2005. Whether they're operating in the U.S. or remotely, it's the same work, but some companies have reticence about that. I think it's just a question of people getting to know you and building that trust. The challenge is breaking through those initial barriers when you're new to the market, even when you have extensive experience working with the same clients internationally.

The values most important to me are honesty, integrity, and helping one another. I believe you cannot take anything for granted, especially people. As long as you're honest and true to yourself, people will always look up to you. I love being a leader that people can look up to, and I'm passionate about working with other women to tell them that it's not the end of the world. One step at a time, you can achieve whatever you want. Things are really difficult, but we can only achieve our goals by supporting one another. That spirit of mutual support and encouragement is essential to me, both in my professional work and in my personal relationships.