Hi there,
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
- Webinar | Women in Leadership Speaker Series ft. Astera Labs | August 14th | Register Here
- Silicon Valley Lunch and Learn at Credo | August 26th | San Jose, CA | Invitation Only
- WISH Conference | October 1st | San Jose, CA | Register Here
EMEA Lunch and Learn - July 11th
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. Our latest event took place on July 11th at Infineon's offices in Munich, Germany, and it was a tremendous success, with nearly 80 attendees!
The event featured an inspiring keynote presentation by Sarah Hemmer, CEO & Managing Director of Imagimob, who captivated the audience with her insights on overcoming challenges and living life like an athlete—emphasizing discipline, focus, and the importance of doing a few things really well rather than trying to tick all the boxes. Sarah's powerful message resonated deeply, reminding us that success is not about meeting every expectation but about being curious and learning as we go.
Following Sarah's keynote, we took a break for an amazing lunch and networking session, allowing attendees to connect and share experiences in a relaxed atmosphere. After this refreshing break, we reconvened for the panel discussion titled "Pathways to Success," expertly moderated by Madhuparna Datta, Application Engineering Director at Cadence. The panelists included:
- Isabell Franck, SVP for Data & AI, Infineon
- Stephanie Dournelle, Director of Services and Automotive, Siemens
- Emilie Perraud, Global Account Sales Director, STMicroelectronics
- Annabel Bosch, Project Manager Test Technology, Teradyne
The panelists shared their unique perspectives on career growth, leadership, and adaptability, sparking valuable conversations about navigating the fast-paced semiconductor industry.
A special thank you to WLC Member Jennifer Sirrine, VP of Software; Severine Fiegler, Vice President HR Talent Acquisition & Head of Diversity and Inclusion; and Thomas Rosteck, Division President Connected Secure Systems at Infineon for kindly hosting this important event in their beautiful Munich offices. The positive feedback from attendees has been overwhelming, with many expressing feelings of empowerment and motivation, as well as the value of the connections made that day.
Webinar | Women in Leadership Speaker Series ft. Astera Labs | August 14th
Built to Scale: Women Shaping the Future of Semiconductors
Join us on August 14th for a candid conversation about resilience, innovation, and leadership. From 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM PST, a dynamic panel from Astera Labs will discuss what it takes to lead a company from startup to scale, navigating the complexities across the domains of engineering, strategy, operations and marketing. The webinar will also cover what unique strengths women bring to the high-stakes, fast-moving world of semiconductors. Discover the untold stories behind building a semiconductor powerhouse. The future of the industry is being shaped—and you're invited to witness it!
Panel Moderator
- Paroma Sen, Vice President of Corporate Marketing, Astera Labs
Panelists
- Priyanka Agrawal, Director of Strategy and Operations, Astera Labs
- Justina Provine, Fellow, Astera Labs
- Ramya Shankar, Senior Director, Astera Labs
California Lunch and Learn - August 26th
Our next Lunch and Learn Event will take place on August 26th at Credo's offices in San Jose.
The overarching theme of our Lunch and Learns is "Pathways to Success." This event will provide an excellent opportunity for participants from different companies to connect and network, which is essential for visibility and professional growth.
We would like to extend a BIG thank you to Diane Vanasse and Credo for hosting this important event.
Opening Remarks
- Diane Vanasse, VP of Marketing Communications, Credo
Keynote Speaker
- Ann Minooka, Chief Marketing Officer, Synopsys
Panel Moderator
- Grace Yang Padovani, Director of Strategic Accounts, Synaptics
Panelists
- Sylvia Acevedo, Board Member, Credo, Qualcomm
- Paroma Sen, Vice President of Corporate Marketing, Astera Labs
- Lakshmi Ramagiri, Partner Firmware Engineering Manager, Microsoft
- Susan Akbarpour, Managing Partner, Candou Ventures
This event is invitation only. If you would like to be added to the waitlist please contact wli@gsaglobal.org.
REGISTER TODAY! WISH 2025 - October 1st at the San Jose Convention Center
The WISH Conference is WLI's premier technical event that promises to be an inspiring celebration of innovation and empowerment. With over 1,000 attendees, including industry luminaries, visionary entrepreneurs, and university students in STEM, this event will showcase the evolving landscape of technology.
What to expect:
Keynotes by industry trailblazers who are transforming the tech world.
Celebratory awards honoring extraordinary women who have broken the glass ceiling and are paving the way for future generations.
Dynamic panel discussions exploring leadership, talent and the future of AI in the semiconductor industry.
Hear from our speakers including:
- Jodi Shelton / CEO / GSA
- Sylvia Acevedo / Board Member / Credo, Qualcomm
- Carrie Pelton / Vice President, Wireless Semiconductor Division / Broadcom
- Dipti Vachani / Senior Vice President & GM, Automotive and IoT Line of Business / Arm
- Duy-Loan Le / Member of the Board of Directors / Cirrus Logic / Atomera / Brainchip / Wolfspeed
- Jutta Meier / CEO and CFO / IQE
- Fran Dillard / Vice President, Global Culture and Workforce / Micron Technology
- Sheryl Ehman / Don Beall Dean of the Charles W. Davidson College of Engineering / San Jose State University
- Sharon Zhou / Vice President, AI / AMD
More speakers and event updates to come!
Register Here!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!
We will be announcing the nominees for this year's WISH Awards soon – the Dr. Lisa Su Woman of Innovation recipient and nominees for the Rising Women in Semi Award, the Female Up & Comer Award and the Designing the Difference Award!
Nominations for the Women of Influence Award (presented at GSA's Annual Awards Dinner) are still open! Nominations close on August 8th!
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.
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 GTI University Program events include:
- UT Austin: Navigate Your Way to a Career in Semiconductors – September 9, 2025
- NC State & NC A&T: Navigate Your Way to a Career in Semiconductors – September 19, 2025
- Georgia Tech: Navigate Your Way to a Career in Semiconductors – September 24, 2025
- San Jose State: Navigate Your Way to a Career in Semiconductors – October 2, 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
- UC Los Angeles: Navigate Your Way to a Career in Semiconductors – November 13, 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!
Following our inspiring two-day kickoff at Marvell Technology, where powerhouse speakers Matt Murphy, Jean Hu, and Sylvia Acevedo set the stage, our cohort of 18 exceptional senior technical leaders has completed the completion of our intensive three-month Financial Literacy module. We were honored to conclude this phase with world-class insights from Colette Kress and Sherri Luther.
Our Career, Leadership, and Personal Development Module launches with a dynamic in-person event on September 17-18 at the beautiful Sandisk campus in Milpitas. This event will feature immersive career development sessions with the Kohlrieser Leadership Institute, Radical Candor training with Dan Greene, and presentation skills coaching with Annelise McCarthy, the esteemed emcee of the WISH conference. These transformative experiences will prepare our cohort to shine for our "Women of Semiconductors" highlight through the NYSE Wired + theCUBE media platform in October.
Applications for our 2026 cohort open in September 2025. Stay tuned for more updates on our journey to shape the industry's future C-suite!
The final vacation days are upon us; children are going back to school and the days are getting shorter. Fall is a season full of symbolic change whether its green leaves morphing into a colorful riot or embracing the coziness of sweater weather. I love fall for cool weather, the lead in to the holiday season and now, I get VERY excited about WISH.
Coming out of graduation, I knew I was stepping into a field that had always fascinated me. A field that shapes the unseen rhythms of modern life. But what I didn't expect was to witness something that felt, in many ways, like the birth of a star.
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!
