Her Story
About Vanessa
Vanessa Velasquez serves as Senior Manager of Strategy and Project Management at the New York Stock Exchange, where her work blends corporate strategy, government relations, and project management in the heart of global finance. Her career path includes five years in technology at Amazon and Apple, with roles spanning operations, M&A, and people management, followed by two years as a White House Fellow in federal government service. She is a graduate of Mississippi State University, where she double majored in international business and marketing while studying Chinese and Spanish, experiences that honed her skills in stakeholder management, process efficiency, and cross-cultural business understanding.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Vanessa
01What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Staying curious and being a continuous lifelong learner is key to success. People who are successful have that mentality, ask questions, and want to learn even if it's not part of their job description. This allows stretching yourself and learning how different parts of business function.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Don't be scared to reach out to people for informational interviews or coffee to learn about their roles. Also, don't be scared to take random roles and try different things because you're not stuck to one career field. Your ability to sell yourself and your skills makes you valuable.
03What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Managing changing tariffs and reaching out to governments amid a rapidly changing global economy. Staying on top of changes while pivoting and finding solutions requires agility and adaptability. Understanding cultural differences in how people do business is also key.
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