What drew you to the rubber industry, and what has made your career in the industry rewarding?
I entered as a student in practice supporting the process area in the part indicators and process analysis. Since then, I have tried hard to understand this beautiful production process and its contribution and benefit to the global economy. That was how I understood the importance of its applications and the opportunities offered in the company—I was capturing mostly how to contribute significantly to the continuous improvement of our processes and their impact on the customer.
What do you consider to be your greatest achievement?
Being part of the company's achievements has been a great achievement, as well as staying in the family to be an engineering leader. Participating in large projects, one of them being very important to me as it was the replacement of one of the most important assets of the company, which allowed the improvement of a standard of equipment and also economic savings and higher performance of products. Participating from the modification, safety analysis, cost, commissioning and commissioning of this equipment.
What do you count as your biggest failure and what has it taught you?
In my career there have been obstacles and some barriers, I consider that failure is in the mind and I am a person who is human and makes mistakes, but I always stop to think and re-evaluate the plan. The important thing is not to lose sight and objective and know that God gave us the capabilities and gifts to achieve success.
Who or what inspires you?
I am inspired by my family, my husband and my three children, the opportunity God gave me to be able to get up and surprise myself every day. God is greater inspiration and then follows in the professional part the pride of seeing engineers participating today mostly in the industry. Opening new paths and new opportunities, that inspires me a lot, the opportunity to demonstrate the importance of the role of women in these times.
Who were your career mentors, and what role did they play?
My mentors have been my bosses. Since the beginning I had the opportunity to share with people of high experience and great talent and knowledge from which you can learn, and at the same time be able to open the way and confidence to improve in my process. They helped me to have a complete analysis of myself and to draw new routes and plans to keep improving continuously.
What is the best advice you have ever received?
Never give up, everything comes in time. Never doubt yourself and your abilities.
If you were CEO of a company, what would you do first?
The first thing is to thank God and the people who gave me the opportunity and vote of confidence to take on such an important position.
To know the people, to be open to listening and to be able to analyze as a team the opportunities that we have and the strategies that help us to keep firm and to continue in the search of continuous improvement. Understand their policies and the organization as it works and initiate a work plan that as a team allows us to reach or maintain the success of the company.
What would you tell someone considering a career in the rubber industry?
I would tell you that it is a very complete industry, that there are many opportunities and fields to attend to. That the most important thing is to understand and to be able to bring the best of your abilities to it.
In your opinion, what needs to be done to encourage females to pursue STEM-related careers?
Continue to open up and highlight opportunities in the industry, make their work visible, have the same rights and continue to provide that vote of confidence to women on an ongoing basis.
And support their training and professional growth, understand their position and be open to change and their leadership style as a whole.