Name: Ivonne Valdes
Title: Vice President of Global Sales for the Cloud and Service Provider (C&SP) segment
Company: Schneider Electric
Age: Old enough
Education: Bachelor of Arts in psychology from Caldwell University, Master of Business Adminstration from the University of Phoenix
Professional Credentials/Accreditations: Carnegie Mellon University Software Engineering Institute, CERT Certification in Cybersecurity Oversight
Organizational Affiliations: Member of the Schneider Electric Foundation, HITEC GLobal and HITEC Foundation, Lifetime Member of Infrastructure Masons, Women in Technology, Sales Advisory Board Kloudspot, and Virtual Power Systems and chair of the Hispanic Foundation of Silicon Valley (HFSV)
Achievements/Awards:
This is a great question. Early in my life, I realized I thrived on change, problem-solving, and serving the customer. When I moved to Silicon Valley, I fell in love with the speed of change and new technologies. I realized that my curiosity, love of learning, and problem-solving were the secret sauce to success.
Diversity and inclusion work has long been a passion for me. I believe that, in order to drive more diversity in our industry, we need to have representation, mentorship, sponsorship, and programs to educate young adults on the possibilities. There is a great saying, “If I can see it I can be it.” As a member of HITEC and recently appointed chair of the HITEC Foundation, I believe it is my duty to pay it forward. When I joined the HITEC board 15 years ago, the organization had fewer than a dozen members and only two women. But as the hostess of the annual HITEC Summit in 2019, I looked out to an audience of 500 attendees, half of whom were women. That gives me great hope for the future of our industry and community.
When my family and I bought our home 24 years ago, the well had gone dry, so we needed to drill a new one. For anyone who has gone through this experience, it is a finger-biting, costly exercise. During the weeks we waited to get our well, we purchased water at a cost of $500 per truck load. We had two teens and one preteen, so we implemented a water-rationing program and taught our children about this precious resource. This was the beginning of our personal journey in sustainability and responsible citizenship. Conservation and sustainability begin in the home.
How the pandemic has driven the acceleration to digital and both the positive and negative impact this has on society.
I was born in Cuba, raised on the East Coast, and spent my summers as a child working in the family business and as a volunteer for non-English speakers who were applying for citizenship. I learned then that “the customer is king.”
I am passionate about cross-functional collaboration and teamwork. I am passionate about mentorship and education. Whether it is in the workplace or outside of work, I derive a lot of satisfaction from coaching, guiding, and sponsoring the leaders of tomorrow. Soon after joining Schneider Electric, I presented a business case to leadership for the company to become a sponsor of HITEC to encourage Schneider Electric’s Hispanic leaders to also get involved with this organization. I believe that prioritizing my community helps me fulfill my roles and responsibilities at the office.
My integrity.
I believe the diversity and inclusion of all people generates greater engagement, performance, and innovation, especially in a dynamic industry, like technology. The technology industry can be daunting for women — and black, indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) — who may struggle to stand out, let alone be heard, in a largely white male-dominated sector. Companies need to create an environment of belonging and development to attract and retain an engaged, productive, and fulfilled staff. Having a team that brings diverse backgrounds, knowledge, and experiences is what drives innovation. For the technology industry — and society — to prosper and grow, we need to not only prioritize diversity, equality, and inclusion efforts but expand and enhance them to encompass the human lifecycle.
I believe this question must encompass technology and the human factor. The biggest area for growth in the industry is the acceptance that hybrid or remote is a way of life. Digital technologies give us freedoms that many industries are still trying to embrace.
When I first started at Schneider Electric, I realized it was bigger than just having a career. As we’ve seen very recently with the pandemic, technology is critical to building resilient communities. I envision the industry shifting the conversation and perception about electricity and energy as a human right. With the use of digital technologies to fuel financial services, education, and other sectors, we will see how technology will not only drive industry innovation but also contribute to the betterment of society and make us better citizens of the world.