Influential Woman · Energy

Manasaveena Chennuri

High Voltage Engineer, Duke University

Hillsborough, NC

Certifications · Degrees · Memberships

Degree Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering Degree Master's Degree in Electrical Engineering with Published Thesis on DOE Project Cert Board-Certified Professional Engineering License Cert Unlimited Electrical Contractor License Member Encompass Employee Resource Group (Founder at ABB)

Her Story

About Manasaveena

My journey in engineering has been anything but conventional. For 19 years, I've been in the energy industry, with 17 years working full-time, and I currently serve as VP of Engineering leading my department. What most people don't know is that before I became known for my engineering expertise, I was a radio host for Radio City, the biggest network in Hyderabad and across India. I hosted a prime-time commercial show about love, interviewed celebrities, and honestly, I was making more money as a radio host than entry-level engineers in India. I used to joke that I mastered radio feeders before I mastered electrical feeders. But I hid that part of myself for 20 years because I thought I needed to fit into the box of what an electrical engineer should look like. I took it off every resume, never mentioned it in interviews, worried that showing my authentic self would mean I wouldn't be taken seriously in a male-dominated field. The truth is, that experience made me the leader I am today. Engineers are extremely underdeveloped in communication, and my ability to communicate with C-suite, field teams, and people who have never seen an engineer before has launched my career in ways my master's degree and professional licenses alone never could. I lead with CADETS: Communication, Accountability, Drive, Execution, Team, and Self-awareness. My success isn't measured by my own advancement but by how many leaders I can grow. When I took over my current team, they were drafters and designers. Now they're engineers, managers, and team managers. That's what makes me proud.

Her Interview

Ten minutes with Manasaveena

01What do you attribute your success to?

What helped me succeed is being authentically myself. I didn't know that for a long time, but the moments when my career peaks is when I'm showing up with my vulnerability and still leading. When I was younger, in my 20s, what helped me was not taking no for an answer. Even when I felt like a door was closing, I told myself there is another door. When I thought leaving ABB, my dream Fortune 500 company, would be the end, I took a small step back and my career took a leap. Every time I feel like it's a step back or a failure, like when I had my third baby and it completely shook my balance, I lean into asking myself: with what I have today, how can I make it an opportunity instead of seeing it as a challenge? My success became real when I realized it's not about rising my own boat, but the whole team's boat. I became a more confident leader when I saw that I can grow more leaders. When I took over my team, they were drafters and designers, and now they're engineers, managers, and team managers. That's what success means to me.

02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?

Don't cut yourself out of your own story. What I want to tell my 23-year-old, 27-year-old self is this: whatever made you exceptional, don't hide it. I was a radio host, and I cut that part of myself out for 20 years because I was worried that if I showed up to an interview and said I'm an electrical engineer and also a radio host, I wouldn't be taken seriously. I thought I needed to fit into the box they wanted. But Brene Brown says the opposite to belonging is fitting in, because belonging is when you show up as your authentic self. Fitting in is when you're checking the boxes, asking yourself: Should I fix my accent? Should I hide where I went to school? Should I pretend all I cared about is engineering? That's not true, and it doesn't serve you. What made me exceptional is that person I hid, and she's the one who made me the leader I am today. Whatever your passion is, whether it's Excel sheets, music, coding, writing SOPs, or something completely different, be authentically yourself. It will help you launch. Don't try to look like that white man in the corner seat, because you can never look like that. And that's your strength, not your weakness.

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