Sylvia Acevedo
QUALCOMM
Trailblazing to the C-Suite
Sylvia Acevedo, a trailblazing leader who began her career as a rocket scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, will take the stage to share her inspiring journey to the C-Suite of two major tech companies.
In her keynote, Sylvia will detail her transition from engineering to executive leadership, highlighting her impactful role as CEO of the Girl Scouts of the USA, where she led transformative STEM education initiatives. Her career trajectory exemplifies breaking barriers and redefining leadership across diverse industries.
Through a series of personal anecdotes and pivotal decisions, Sylvia will provide a window into the challenges and triumphs she encountered along the way. This session is designed to inspire and motivate by showcasing the determination and strategic thinking required to achieve success at the highest levels. Sylvia’s story is a testament to overcoming obstacles and seizing opportunities, offering valuable lessons for anyone aiming to make a significant impact in their field.
Sylvia Acevedo
BOARD DIRECTOR QUALCOMM
Sylvia serves on the Public Company Boards of Directors for Qualcomm, Credo Technologies, and the private companies Quark.ai, and Ambri Battery. Sylvia is on the Qualcomm governance committee and chairs the Credo governance committee. She began her career as a rocket scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and held executive roles at Apple, Autodesk, Dell, and IBM. In 2010, President Obama appointed Sylvia as a White House Education Commissioner. From 2016 to 2020, she was the CEO of the Girl Scouts of the USA, modernizing the organization with over 126 new STEM badge programs. Throughout the USA, millions of STEM badges have been earned launching girl’s interest in STEM. Sylvia authored the bestselling memoir,”Path to the Stars: My Journey from Girl Scout to Rocket Scientist” promoting perseverance and self-determination. She holds a Bachelor’s degree with Honors in Industrial Engineering from New Mexico State University and a Master’s engineering graduate degree from Stanford University. Duke University awarded Sylvia an Honorary Doctorate of Science in 2022.