International Women's Day | Jessica Reigel, Nexperia

Jessica is from Denver, CO where she works as a Distribution Corporate Account manager for Nexperia. She has 18 years in the electronics/semiconductor industry in engineering, marketing, and sales.

Jessica’s varied career has spanned from OEM, manufacturer’s rep, to distribution. Her current focus is to drive distribution growth in the Americas for all of Nexperia’s discrete portfolio. 

We spoke to Jessica about her career in Tech....

Starting from the beginning - What made you get into Tech?

"I always had an aptitude for math and science in school; and had a natural curiosity to understand how things worked. That lead me to study Physics".

Who has inspired you within your career?

"I have been fortunate to have some great mentors in my career. Some of them had a belief in me; even when I did not necessarily see the path that they saw".

What’s the one thing you love about your job?

"Problem solving, and creating solutions to help others".

This year's hashtag for International Women’s Day is #BalanceforBetter. What does this mean to you?

"It has been proven that people who lead a balanced life tend to perform better overall. I travel a lot for my career and do my best to schedule time to work-out while on the road. This time for myself helps to keep my mind clear and focused. When I am home I make sure to take time with my family, and also to enjoy my hobbies. Here in Colorado we are in the middle of our ski season and most weekends you will find me in the mountains snowboarding with my family".

Why do you think there is a lack of Women in the industry?

"Women are influenced from an early age in our society that subjects like math and science are “for boys”. We have to encourage girls who like these subjects to pursue them. I believe that anyone who enjoys what they are studying will excel".

What one thing could the industry do to champion Women?

"Companies that have internship and mentoring programs should focus on diversity. It has to start when women are young and still deciding their path".

What barriers have you had to overcome from being a Women in the industry?

"I have always focused on the positive in my career. I work hard and try to show my value to my employer (or potential employer). When I set goals, I push until I achieve them. I do not let societal gender bias influence my confidence".

How can businesses become more ‘diverse and more balanced’?

"Businesses need to focus on the best candidates for their positions. I have often though that HR screening should remove people’s names when passing on resume’s to hiring managers so that one’s credentials lend the initial impression. These types of initiatives have to be driven by the companies themselves. Businesses have to recognize that diversity makes their organization stronger".

Your job at Nexperia sounds very interesting. What are the main perks working there?

"Nexperia is an excellent company to work for. I have found a genuine openness in the culture and encouragement to grow that I have not experienced before. This has been the most diverse sales team that I have worked with in any company thus far".

And finally, what advice would you give to any female starting in this field?

"Set goals and create a plan on how you would like to achieve them. Seek out mentorship that will be honest and provide guidance to you in your career. Know that this is a great time in history for women and that you can achieve anything that you work hard for, and that it may not be a linear path. Sometimes the best learning comes from the unexpected detours-just do not lose sight of your objective".

To hear any of our other interviews from some incredible Women within the Technology markets, click on their photos below :-