Suzanne Ward

I’ve always been the person to step up when leadership says, “We need someone who…" My answer has consistently been, “I’ll do it.” That mindset opened doors around the world and afforded me the opportunity to work across diverse teams and cultures. I’m highly goal-oriented and focused on driving things through to completion, rarely turning down a challenge. I’m also a lifelong learner; there’s always something new to explore. My mother used to joke that I was perpetually in school, and she wasn’t all that wrong. I have used my degrees and certifications to support my professional success. That drive for growth, achievement, and continuous learning has always been part of who I am.

Equally important, I’ve made sure my voice is heard and that I create space for others to be heard as well. I believe work should be meaningful and enjoyable; we spend too much of our lives doing it not to. That’s why I value celebrating wins and even recognizing failures that can be turned into future successes, making every workday a fun day.

I never realized I had a special skill until management brought it to my attention. You make a lot of decisions. Some have to be made quickly. Some have to be made with little information. When working in medical devices, decisions affect lives. I quickly assess whether there is enough information and decide. Stop and get more information if it affects lives. Management said they learned from me and brought to my attention a hidden skill of mine: Most decisions can be made and tweaked along the way. An agile approach, the plan-do-check-act approach, works.

Go for it! It’s all out there, and you can take your career in any direction you choose. Project management can be a great entry point; many women excel in it, and it can be a pathway into technology. From there, you can lead technical projects, immerse yourself in the work, and build your expertise, just like I did.

Equally important is how you present yourself. Be confident and clear: I’ve done the research, I believe in this approach, and I stand behind my recommendation. Avoid uncertainty in your tone; don’t let your voice turn statements into questions. Speak with conviction so others trust your perspective.

You have every right to be at the table. You’ve earned your place, just like everyone else. Your insights matter, and your voice deserves to be heard—own that, and remind yourself of it often.

One of the biggest challenges is that we’re still losing girls early; it really starts around fourth grade, and many aren’t even being encouraged onto the path. Even at the college level, I meet women earning technology degrees who still question whether they belong. I remind them: you’ve earned the same degree as everyone else; you absolutely have a right to be here, and your voice matters. But the fact that this reassurance is still needed is disheartening.

Often, they’re invited to the table but aren’t sure how to fully step into that space. Part of it is learning how to present themselves with confidence. Small things like letting your voice rise at the end of a statement can unintentionally signal uncertainty. It’s important to communicate with conviction: I’ve done the research, I believe in this approach, I recommend it, and I stand behind it. That confidence makes all the difference.

Honesty and transparency are essential to how I lead. With an engineering leader mindset, I need clear, transparent input, especially about what might break, so I can make informed decisions. I’m also highly goal-oriented and focused on driving work through to completion.

At the same time, I believe work should be enjoyable. Celebrating wins is important, and even setbacks can be valuable when you learn from them and turn them into future successes. We spend so much of our lives working; it should be something we enjoy.

I also place a strong value on balance, making sure there’s space for both professional achievement and personal time.