Influential Woman · Project Management in Technology and Infrastructure

Jessica Stiles

Associate Principal Project Manager II, TEECOM

Saint Petersburg, FL

1Award received

Certifications · Degrees · Memberships

Degree Associate's Degree in Math and Science from Community College Degree Degree in Fashion Marketing from The Art Institute

Her Story

About Jessica

I was a starving artist who had a tiny little opportunity thrown my way by a friend of a friend who said he needed someone to work in one of his trailers. I looked around and learned, and I said these people make money, I'm going to make money, and I'm going to make a career out of this. I just started reading and researching, and I picked up every piece of information I could. I would go out in the field and ask the guys, like, why do you do it like this? I wanted to understand and know everything, and I just sucked it all in. I'm 100% self-taught from the ground up. I clawed my way through this career in a male-dominated world, and I can't tell you how many men told me you're not technical, you're not smart enough, you're not this enough, you're not that enough. Time and time again, I keep succeeding, I keep climbing, and I accomplish things, and no man will ever tell me that I'm not any of that. My determination is what I'm most proud of - I never give up, I'm not going to crawl into a ball and die, I will make it. Today, the work I do is really cool because I get to combine all of my skill sets. I work with people, I'm working on construction build-outs, but it also has technology infused into it. That piece of it means you never stop learning, and I love that. I love to constantly evolve, grow, and add more tools in my tool belt. The technology piece is the future, and to take my whole skill set and have the technology combined in there is just so powerful to me.

Her Interview

Ten minutes with Jessica

01What do you attribute your success to?

I attribute my success to my determination. I was told I would never go back to school or make anything out of myself, but I went back to school twice and graduated with honors both times. I really clawed my way through this career in a male-dominated world. I can't tell you how many men told me you're not technical, you're not smart enough, you're not this enough, you're not that enough. Time and time again, I keep succeeding, I keep climbing, and I accomplish things. No man will ever tell me that I'm not any of that. I think that's the thing I'm most proud of, honestly - my determination. I never give up, I'm not going to crawl into a ball and die. I will make it.

02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?

The best career advice I ever received came from The Art Institute, where they taught me that if you want to make it in this world, you have to make yourself that thing. You have to be able to sell yourself and package it in a way that people are going to buy into you as a person. Truly, that was the greatest skill set, and it was worth every minute and ounce of time that I put into that college. They taught you how to be - if you want to be an artist, you're not just going to get a job, somebody's not just going to hand it to you. You're going to make this life for yourself. I've applied that everywhere, whether it was art or project management.

03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?

I would say believe in yourself. You have to. And confidence, 100%. It'll take you everywhere. Because of the things I've been through, I love to empower other women. I would hear men saying things like 'oh, she doesn't know,' and then I would hear them going in the background like 'oh, I think she was right, I think she was right.' Just to give other women that message - don't ever let them tell you that you're not that thing. You can be that thing. Never let anyone tell you that you can't do it.

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