WLI Newsletter | Designing The Difference | Q1 Edition (Volume 23)

Hi,

The Women's Leadership Initiative (WLI) has had a fantastic start to 2026, and we are looking forward to more great events ahead.

As we mark International Women's Day and Women's History Month, WLI continues its commitment to advancing women at every stage of their careers. This month, we honor the resilience, ingenuity, and leadership of women across the semiconductor ecosystem from engineers and entrepreneurs to executives and emerging leaders.

Keep reading to learn more about what's happening across the WLI community, including recent events, upcoming opportunities, and stories from inspiring leaders in the industry. We invite YOU to be part of this movement. Whether you're new to WLI or a longtime supporter, there are plenty of ways to get involved, so drop us an email if you're interested in participating. Your voice matters, and we'd love to hear from you! We're also proud to recognize Credo for their continued support as our WLI Newsletter Sponsor—thank you for championing our mission! Be sure to forward this newsletter to colleagues and encourage them to subscribe so they never miss an edition of Designing the Difference. Once again, a heartfelt thank you to Credo for making this newsletter possible!

-GSA WLI Team

• Webinar: Women in Leadership Speaker Series | Next Gen Tech Leadership: Skills That Will Shape the Future | March 31st | Renesas | Register Here
• Executive Accelerator Program (EAP) Cohort 1 Graduation | March 26th | Silicon Valley
• Executive Accelerator Program (EAP) Cohort 2 Kick-Off | April 15th-16th | Marvell Technology | Santa Clara
• EMEA Lunch and Learn | April 30th | Imec Offices | Belgium | Invitation Only
• Webinar: Women in Leadership Speaker Series | Women Powering the AI Silicon Revolution: Leadership, Impact & the Future of Semiconductors | May | Marvell
• Austin Lunch and Learn | July 24th | AMD | Austin, TX | Invitation Only
• Board-Ready Women's Event | August 25 | Credo | San Jose | Invitation Only
• WHM Ending Event | August 26 | Meta | Menlo Park
• WISH 2026 | November 10th | Santa Clara Convention Center

Women in Hardware Mentorship (WHM) Kick-Off Event

Mentors and mentees came together to connect, share stories, and dive into the 4th cohort of the Women in Hardware Mentorship (WHM) program on February 3rd. We started the day with opening remarks from Antonella Oliva and a special welcome from Khurram Ismail the Chief Product Officer of Sandisk. Our Keynote speaker, Navine Nassif from Intel, shared her career journey and emphasized the importance of doing what makes you excited and not just what you are good at. The speakers on our Executive Presence Panel spoke about gravitas, communication, and appearance and how this effects your presence. Ingrid Cotoros led the Personal Brand workshop and dove into how to define your unique skills and assets. Thank you to Sandisk for hosting us at their beautiful offices! Also, a special thank you to all of our speakers, mentors and mentees for sharing time with us.

Keynote: Nevine Nassif (Senior Fellow, Intel)

Panelists: Emily Yang (Sr. VP of WW Sales and Marketing, Diodes), Jennifer Zhao (CEO, GigaDevice), Dina McKinney (VP of Silicon Engineering, NVIDIA), Jeanne Trinko-Mechler (Fellow, Marvell), Nevine Nassif (Senior Fellow, Intel), Angela Dalton (Director, Research and Advanced Development, AMD)

Event Testimonials

Silicon Valley Lunch & Learn

The GSA WLI Lunch and Learn series continues to provide invaluable opportunities for participants in the industry to connect, network, and learn from one another's stories of success. These smaller, invitation-only events are designed to support the career growth and professional aspirations of the women in our industry.

Hosted by Astera Labs, Silicon Valley

The February 4th program at Astera Labs opened with inspiring welcoming remarks given by Astera Labs President and COO Sanjay Gajendra and Svetlana Perets the Senior Director of Program Management and Co-Founder of the Women at Astera Labs Network. Keynote presenter Avni Agrawal, Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer of SixSense, delved into the importance of letting yourself be a beginner and how to gain trust as a new company in the industry. Then, Lyndsi Parker, Senior Director of Custom Silicon at Marvell moderated the panel discussion "Pathways to Success", sparking important conversations about taking risks, choosing what is best for you, and taking advantage of seeing the people around you as mentors. We concluded with a delightful lunch and networking session with over 110 attendees from the semiconductor ecosystem!

A huge thank you to our speakers and the Astera Labs team for their exceptional hospitality in hosting this successful event at their beautiful offices in San Jose!

Keynote: Avni Agrawal (Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer, SixSense)

Panel Moderator: Lyndsi Parker (Senior Director of Custom Silicon, Marvell)

Panelists: Eleena Ong (CVP Software Solutions & Application Engineering at Lattice Semiconductor), Vasavi Pottumuttu (Senior Director of Silicon Engineering at Astera Labs), Sayeh Sharify (Principal Machine Learning Research Scientist at d-Matrix), Sharada Yeluri (AVP of Engineering at Astera Labs)

Event Testimonials

Webinar: Women in Leadership Speaker Series featuring Renesas, "Next Gen Tech Leadership: Skills That Will Shape the Future"

Step into an inspiring IWD conversation featuring Malini Narayanamoorthi, VP and President of Renesas Electronics India, and Anusha Kolla, VP of Strategy, Technology & Operations, PWR Division, Renesas moderated by Pearl Cao, Senior Product Line Director. In a world where technology is evolving faster than ever, today's engineers and technologists need more than expertise, they need future ready leadership.

Join us as these three powerhouse leaders unpack:

• The emerging skills redefining specialized technology roles
• How to build influence and leadership in highly technical environments
• Why mentorship and visibility are becoming mission critical for career growth
• What next gen tech leaders must cultivate today to stay ahead tomorrow

This isn't just another leadership talk. It's a deep dive into what truly sets future focused tech leaders apart and how you can start building those capabilities now.

Be part of the conversation that prepares you for the next era of innovation.

Your future leadership journey begins here.

Panel Moderator:

• Pearl Cao, Senior Product Line Director, Renesas

Panelists:

• Anusha Kolla, VP of Strategy, Technology and Operations, PWR Division, Renesas
• Malini Narayanamoorthi, VP and President of Renesas Electronics India, Renesas

EMEA Lunch and Learn, Belgium

The GSA WLI Lunch and Learn Series brings together talented professionals from various companies to connect, network, and learn from inspiring women leaders. Featuring engaging keynote presentations and insightful panel discussions, these events are centered around the theme "Pathways to Success."

They provide fantastic opportunities for building connections and enhancing visibility, both crucial for professional growth. We are excited to announce the 2026 EMEA Lunch and Learn event is set for April 30th in Leuven, Belgium.

Thank you to imec for hosting us!

The WISH Conference is WLI's largest technical conference bringing together industry luminaries, entrepreneurs, and university women in STEM. This year, WISH will take place on November 10th at the Santa Clara Convention Center. The event will welcome over 1,000 attendees, including industry luminaries, visionary entrepreneurs, and brilliant university students in STEM, and showcase the evolving landscape of technology.

Register here!

Want to get more involved and become a Sponsor? Visit our WISH Sponsorship page or contact wli@gsaglobal.org for available opportunities.

The Executive Accelerator Program is a year-long educational initiative aimed at enhancing the leadership skills of senior leaders in the semiconductor industry to empower them to excel at the highest levels. The program consists of monthly business modules designed to address critical topics such as Financial Literacy, Leadership Skills, Market Trends Analysis, Personal and Career Development, Strategy and Strategic Planning.

• Cohort 1 Graduation | March 26th | Silicon Valley
• Cohort 2 Kick-Off | April 15th-16th | Marvell Technology | Santa Clara

Participating Companies: Sandisk, TSMC, Nvidia, ARM, Lattice, Teradyne, Google, Microsoft, Alphawave Semi, Western Digital, Micron, AMD, Intel, Synaptics, Synopsys, Marvell, Global Foundries, Siemens, Samsung, ASE, Credo, and Meta.

University Programming

GTI is heading into its largest year of university programming and is welcoming additional GSA member companies to participate. These programs provide meaningful opportunities to engage directly with students, educate them about the breadth of careers across the semiconductor ecosystem, and share real-world industry perspectives. Participation also supports early talent awareness and relationship-building with future engineers and professionals.

To view upcoming programs and dates, please visit our GTI University Program Calendar of Events.

Stay Connected

If your company is interested in getting involved in 2026, please reach out to lraich@gsaglobal.org

This year, International Women's Day on March 8 lands in a rare astrological moment in the Chinese zodiac: the Year of the Fire Horse. Each year in the Chinese zodiac, the five traditional elements (earth, wood, fire, metal and water) rotate with the 12 animals. The Year of the Fire Horse happens just once every 60 years. The last Fire Horse year was in 1966. The Year of the Fire Horse is associated with intense energy, boldness, and rapid change. There is a focus on action, transformation and disruption. It is seen as a time for independence, fearlessness and leadership.

Read more here.

In a recent episode of A Bit Personal with Jodi Shelton, listeners are invited into a rare and insightful conversation with Dr. Lisa Su, CEO of AMD, one of the most influential leaders in the global semiconductor and AI landscape. The episode, "Lisa Su: The Personal Mission Driving the Next Era of AI", goes beyond the headlines to explore the personal motivations, leadership philosophies, and long-term vision that drive Su's work at the forefront of technology.

Read more here.

Resilience isn't just a skill — it's a superpower. And for women, it's one we've strengthened over generations. We are born into a world where equity isn't a given, yet every time we confront challenges, learn to navigate them, and rise again, we transform into something extraordinary—like a Phoenix, reborn stronger, brighter, and more determined than before.

Read more here.

The Women's Leadership Initiative (WLI)'s Allyship Program highlights individuals who actively support, mentor, and advocate for women in the workplace, fostering an environment where every voice is heard, and every talent is recognized.

Nominations are open! There is no deadline to submit, the only requirement is that nominations be made by a woman! You can learn more about the program and submit a nomination here.

We have launched a new Spotlight campaign for our Allies called "In Her Words". This is a space for women to recognize male allies from our Allyship Program who have made a difference. If there's a male Ally who helped create a more inclusive environment, we invite you to share a short reflection (2–3 sentences). We will feature this in the newsletter, on our website, and socials to give recognition to our Allies. If you would like to submit a reflection, please email it to ahines@gsaglobal.org

Ally Spotlight: Dr. Charlie Kawwas, President of Semiconductor Solutions Group, Broadcom

"A true sponsor speaks for you when you are not in the room, elevating your achievements and impact. I'll never forget seeing a clip of Charlie at a closed GSA executive event giving me recognition for work I had done years earlier while at Broadcom. This is true allyship and leadership, and just one example of how Charlie elevates the work of all those around him."

Words by: Alexis Bjorlin, VP/GM, DGX Cloud, NVIDIA

To hear more about Dr. Kawwas, check out Jodi's Shelton's podcast, "A Bit Personal," where Jodi interviews Dr. Kawwas about his journey in the semiconductor industry.

Social Media Visibility Campaign – WLI showcases and shares the stories of inspirational women in the semiconductor industry on our social media pages.

This has been such a great way to shine the spotlight on those inspirational women in the industry on our WLI social channels: Instagram and LinkedIn. Any woman at any stage of her career and in any role (non-tech or tech) can participate.

Career Advice Campaign – The campaign will allow women in the industry to submit career advice / tips to be featured on WLI's social media and help others develop a skills inventory and reach their goals.

Please email marketing@gsaglobal.org to submit to any of our campaigns or to learn more about how you can contribute content!

Black History Month – We celebrated Black History Month by shining a light on the brilliant Black women who have shaped and continue to guide the semiconductor industry!

International Women's Day – With International Women's Day in March, we're excited to announce that we will be running a special campaign on our social media accounts. During this takeover week, we aim to honor the remarkable contributions of women by highlighting their stories. Check it out on our LinkedIn!