Today, on International Women’s Day, and every day, we celebrate the incredible women across our organization who drive Westinghouse forward through their innovation and dedication.
With their exemplary leadership, these Westinghouse women are inspiring the next generation of nuclear professionals and working towards a brighter tomorrow for us all. Hear from several women who participate in the Westinghouse Women in Nuclear chapters about what inspiring inclusion means to them.
|
|
Sam Syed, Operations Manager, Engineering Services and Field Services Asia Operations
Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania, United States
Tenure at Westinghouse: 10 years
What does inspiring inclusion mean to you?
Inspiring inclusion means promoting and encouraging behaviors and practices that foster a sense of belonging and empower us to reach and unlock our full potential. By inspiring inclusion, we gain the opportunity to acquire diverse backgrounds, experiences, and opinions to make better decisions, overcome new challenges and provide innovative problem solving. When inclusivity is achieved, high levels of morale are also achieved.
|
|
|
Tiffany Graves, Manufacturing Engineering Manager, Manufacturing Engineering
Columbia, South Carolina, United States
Tenure at Westinghouse: 9 years
What does inspiring inclusion mean to you?
To me, inspiring inclusion means ensuring that everyone has a seat at the table. Some of the most valuable insights I have gotten have been from people whose cultures and upbringings are different than mine. Integrating different backgrounds and personalities creates an incredibly diverse team that is better able to address the needs of the world around us.
|
|
|
Tova Anderson, Customer Account Manager, Global Markets
Shoreview, Minnesota, United States
Tenure at Westinghouse: 16 years
What does inspiring inclusion mean to you?
Inspiring diversity means welcoming everyone to the table and inviting and valuing different views. It’s creating an environment where everyone has the ability to thrive.
|
|
|
Lu Ma, Lead Analyst Global Financial Controls, Global Finance
Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania, United States
Tenure at Westinghouse: 2.5 years
What does inspiring inclusion mean to you?
In my opinion, inclusion means no one is excluded. No matter the age, gender identity, race, faith etc., there is equal opportunity for everyone. When making decisions, all perspectives are valued and integrated. Inclusion can bring more diversities and create supportive communities for growth. I think everyone can inspire inclusion – we all can play a part in our community, at work, at home or beyond. Just be open minded and learn to understand, value and support one and another.
|
|
|
Eris Speights, Principal Engineer, Item Control Coordinator, Regulatory Affairs - Safeguards
Hopkins, South Carolina, United States
Tenure at Westinghouse: 19.5 years
What does inspiring inclusion mean to you?
Inclusion means creating a workplace where everyone feels safe and accepted. Everyone should be able to express themselves without fear of criticism or negative consequences. It's important to give everyone an equal opportunity to showcase their skills and abilities, and having diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in place can help ensure that everyone has a fair chance.
|
|
|
Maggie Nordall, Engineering, Spare Parts and Planning Manager
Shoreview, Minnesota, United States
Tenure at Westinghouse: 13 years
What does inspiring inclusion mean to you?
In my opinion, inspiring inclusion means that we not only recognize our differences, but we actively celebrate them as well. These differences may be something such as race or gender but also could be tied to where we grew up, past work experiences and roles, or anything else that could give us a unique perspective to any situation. As leaders, I think it is our responsibility to actively look for individuals with diverse perspectives to pull into our teams, which as research shows will improve our decision making and problem-solving abilities as a whole.
|
|
|
Elizabeth Shumaker, Engineering, Spare Parts and Planning Manager
Churchill, Pennsylvania, United States
Tenure at Westinghouse: 4.5 years
What does inspiring inclusion mean to you?
To me, inspiring inclusion means fostering an environment that makes everyone feel welcome and valued. Diversity is something that should be celebrated because everyone brings something admirable to the table. As a woman in STEM, it brings me happiness to see the dynamic in the greater workplace changing and allowing women and other minorities to flourish.
|
|
|
Heather Foster, Electrical Instrumentation and Control Engineer, Global Operations Services
Columbia, South Carolina, United States
Tenure at Westinghouse: 2.5 years
What does inspiring inclusion mean to you?
When I first started my career, I was hired as a Maintenance Supervisor. I was the first woman to be in that role at the site in the 10-year history of that plant. I specifically remember feeling overwhelmed being right out of college and not only being a supervisor, but a woman supervisor of a male dominated field. I learned so much from the mechanics and electricians. They were eager to get me started and help bolster my knowledge of the plant and the equipment. They could have easily taken a different route and excluded me. We ended up making a great team. Inclusion is belonging, acceptance, and understanding that we are not all the same and that is what makes a team so great!
|
