Hi,
The Women's Leadership Initiative (WLI) has had an exciting couple of months hosting inspiring Lunch and Learn events to expanding our Allyship Program and growing university outreach. We're also thrilled to share the launch of the GSA Talent Initiative (GTI). This new initiative will continue to attract, develop, and retain the skilled workforce essential to the semiconductor industry's continued growth.
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
- Lattice (Advocate)
- Synaptics (Advocate)
- Astera Labs (Silver)
- Diodes (Bronze)
- Rambus (Bronze)
We're excited to announce updates to our WLI sponsorship packages! Your support is essential in helping WLI continue to grow and create impactful events. If you're interested in sponsoring an event or have any questions, please reach out to Traci Brandon and Ahlam Samad at wli@gsaglobal.org.
We are excited to announce that GSA just launched its GSA Talent Initiative (GTI) to attract, develop, and retain the skilled workforce necessary for the semiconductor industry's growth. With the industry projected to reach $1.3 trillion by 2030. As semiconductors power innovation across industries, demand for highly skilled talent is greater than ever. GTI addresses this need by expanding the talent pipeline, creating structured career pathways, and promoting inclusive leadership development. Cornerstone areas of GTI are WLI, GTI University and the GSA Executive Accelerator Program. To learn more about GTI, please follow the GTI LinkedIn Page.
Executive Accelerator Program Official Launch - April 9th and 10th
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.
Through expert-led sessions, peer collaboration, and real-world case studies, participants develop the essential competencies required to succeed in executive and C-suite roles.
Program Highlights
- Following an impactful two-day launch last month, where Matt Murphy, Jean Hu, and Sylvia Acevedo shared inspiring insights into their journeys to the C-suite, the inaugural cohort continues to hone their financial literacy expertise.
- Colette Kress, CFO of NVIDIA, captivated the group with an empowering hour-long session, sharing her remarkable journey and offering profound insights into the dynamic role of a C-suite financial leader.
- Applications to join Cohort 2 will open in September 2025.
April 15 Austin Lunch and Learn
The GSA WLI Lunch and Learn series aims to bring together attendees from different companies in the industry to connect, network, and learn from others' stories of success. This is an opportunity to inspire, motivate and develop women, and provide them with the visibility they deserve. These smaller, invitation-only events are designed to support the career growth and professional aspirations of the women in our industry.
WLI hosted a Lunch and Learn on April 15th, at Silicon Lab's offices in Austin Texas.
Keynote
- April Oliver, VP of Ethics & Compliance, Micron
Moderator
- Gozde Fidan, Sr. Director of Engineering at Silicon Labs, WLC Member
Panelists
- Renee Parente, Program Management Director, AMD
- Li Sun, Senior Technical Leader in Hardware Engineering, Cisco
- Amrutha Rachakonda, Hardware Thermal Engineer, Meta
- Garima Sharda: VP of Engineering, Silicon Labs
WLI Speaker Series - Accelerate Action Towards Equality
On March 27th, WLI and Renesas hosted a Fireside Chat to discuss women in leadership, the impact of inclusion on innovation, and breaking biases in the workplace.
The webinar, titled: Accelerate Action Towards Equality, was moderated by Andriiana Kolych, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Talent Development, Renesas and featured Chandana Pairla, VP of the Connectivity Division, Renesas and Elif Balkas, Chief Technology Officer, Wolfspeed.
They shared insights from their career in engineering and discussed why inclusion and gender equality are key to innovation in the workplace.
ICYMI, Watch it here - GSA WLI Women in Leadership Speaker Series: Accelerate Action Towards Equality
Save the Date – WISH 2025 will take place on October 1st at the San Jose Convention Center.
WISH is WLI's largest technical conference, connecting industry leaders, entrepreneurs and university students in STEM.
Register Here!Call for Papers - Due June 6th
In support of WISH, we are accepting abstracts from female engineers in the following categories:
- Process Technology/ Packaging/Assembly Technology
- System Technology
- Design Technology
- Test/Validation
- Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Hardware
A total of three papers per session track will be chosen. Each speaker will have 20 minutes to present her paper. Presenters will be determined by our Technical Steering Committee.
Become a WISH Sponsor!
We've introduced exciting new sponsorship opportunities for WISH, allowing you to make the event even more engaging and personal. We'd love to collaborate and explore ways to enhance the experience together!
Each year at WISH, we proudly present four awards recognizing women at all levels, and the companies that champion them, for their vision, innovation, determination, and impact. Our Women of Influence Award is presented separately at GSA's Annual Awards Dinner. We invite you to submit nominations for the following awards:
This year's award nomination deadlines are as follows:
- Dr. Lisa Su | June 20th
- Rising Women in Semi | June 20th
- Female Up & Comer | June 20th
- Design The Difference | June 20th
- Women of Influence | August 8th
Award nomination forms can be found here!
We are excited to offer sponsorship opportunities for the overall GSA Women's Leadership Initiative (WLI) and the upcoming WISH Conference!
Partnering with WLI allows your company to showcase its commitment to unlocking the untapped potential of the semiconductor industry while engaging with top technologists and university STEM students.
Explore Sponsorship Opportunities for WISH 2025:
We invite you to explore our exclusive and non-exclusive sponsorship packages for WISH 2025. With over 1000 attendees expected, WISH offers a prime opportunity to elevate your company's presence, connect with industry leaders, and support the recognition of women's achievements in the semiconductor industry.
Join us in shaping a more inclusive future in the semiconductor industry! For more details on becoming a WLI and WISH sponsor, contact wli@gsaglobal.org.
WLI University Program Event Recap & Upcoming Opportunities
GTI's WLI University Programs continue to connect students and industry leaders through engaging events that showcase the exciting career paths and innovations driving the semiconductor industry forward.
Howard University: Semiconductor Industry Takeover Day
On April 9, 2025, WLI and Howard University hosted a full day of interactive programming. Students joined mock interviews, a resume workshop, product demos, and a lunchtime panel featuring early-career professionals. The day also included a Tech Challenge, roundtables for career advice, and networking with company representatives to explore roles and connect directly with industry leaders.
For a full list of participating companies and speakers, click HERE.
Join Us: Partner with WLI for Future University Events
GTI University Programs offer companies valuable opportunities to engage with talented students across the country. Whether through keynotes, panels, networking, or sponsorship, your involvement helps inspire and prepare the next generation of semiconductor leaders.
Upcoming WLI University Program events include
- UC Davis: Shaping the Future - A Fireside Chat – May 28, 2025
- UT Austin: Navigate Your Way to a Career in Semiconductors – September 9, 2025
- Georgia Tech: Navigate Your Way to a Career in Semiconductors – September 24, 2025
- UC Berkeley: Navigate Your Way to a Career in Semiconductors – October 7, 2025
- Texas A&M: Navigate Your Way to a Career in Semiconductors – October 28, 2025
- NC State & NC A&T: Navigate Your Way to a Career in Semiconductors – Fall 2025
- UC Los Angeles: Navigate Your Way to a Career in Semiconductors – Fall 2025
We are actively building our fall university programs and welcome industry participation. If your company is interested in speaking, joining a panel, or taking part in networking sessions, please reach out to lraich@gsaglobal.org to explore how you can connect with students and support the next generation of semiconductor talent.
We look forward to collaborating with you to inspire future leaders in the field!
The results of the latest Women in the Semiconductor Industry study are now live! In partnership with Accenture, GSA and the Women's Leadership Initiative (WLI) share key insights on the progress, challenges, and opportunities for advancing women in semiconductor careers.
See how the industry is addressing representation, leadership gaps, and more. View the brief results.
Spring isn't just a change in season—it's a symbol of renewal and bold beginnings. As the season of transformation, it reminds us that change is not only natural but necessary for growth. Meanwhile, our industry is transforming at a lightning-fast pace.
Of course, for many of you dear readers, the biggest industry transformation we face is being spurred by AI and it may look scary. I like to think that if we are willing to adapt, AI has the potential to elevate our careers by freeing up time for creativity, strategic thinking and innovation.
So how to focus on personal development or transformation in the age of AI?
When I began my Master's in Mechanical Engineering at Texas A&M University, I never imagined that I'd end up working in the semiconductor industry. Like many others, I assumed that my career path would lead to roles in the automotive or traditional manufacturing sectors. The idea of working in semiconductors hadn't even crossed my mind. But I've learned that not only are there opportunities for Mechanical Engineers in semiconductors, our contributions are essential.
WLI recently launched the "Allyship in Practice" series, where our allies share what allyship means to them and offer advice on how both men and women can actively practice it.
Read our second edition featuring Nuno Ramalho, Executive Director of R&D at Synopsys here!
Nominations for the Allyship Program are open and rolling! The only requirement is that nominations be made by a woman! You can learn more about the program and submit a nomination here!
Visibility Campaign – WLI showcases and shares the stories of inspirational women in the semiconductor industry on our social media.
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.
Entrepreneurial Blog – The entrepreneurial blog spotlights the career stories of accomplished women CEOs in the industry.
WLI Speaker's Bureau – WLI promotes female leadership and welcomes any level of expertise to join our database of women who can speak on business trends, market drivers, and technical topics.
WLI Women's Directory – This directory highlights key women in private and publicly held semiconductor industry companies – providing their biographies and links to their LinkedIn pages where available.
WLI Newsletter – The quarterly newsletter publishes the latest news and updates from WLI.
Please email marketing@gsaglobal.org to submit to any of our campaigns or to learn more about how you can contribute content!
